Question

Why does most of the world travel on the right side to day? Theories differ, but there's no doubt Napoleon was a major influence. The French have used the right since at least the late 18th century. Some say that before the French Revolution, noblemen drove their carriages on the left, forcing the peasants to the right. Regardless of the origin, Napoleon brought right-hand traffic to the nations he conquered, including Russia, Switzerland and Germany. Hitler, in turn, ordered right-hand traffic in Czechoslovakia and Austria in the 1930s. Nations that escaped right-hand control, like Great Britain, followed their left-hand tradition.

The U.S. has not always been a nation of right-hand drivers; earlier in its history, carriage and horse traffic travelled on the left, as it did in England. But by the late 1700s, people driving large wagons pulled by several pairs of horses began promoting a shift (改变) to the right. A driver would sit on the rear (后面的) left horse in order to wave his whip (鞭子) with his right hand; to see opposite traffic clearly, they travelled on the right.

One of the final moves to firmly standardize traffic directions in the U.S. occurred in the 20th century, when Henry Ford decided to mass-produce his cars with controls on the left (the reason was stated in a 1908 catalog: the convenience for passengers exiting directly onto the edge, especially if there is a lady to be considered). Once these rules were set, many countries eventually adjusted to the right-hand standard, including Canada in the 1920s, Sweden in 1967 and Burma in 1970. The U.K. and former colonies such as Australia and India are among the Western world's few remaining holdouts (坚持不变者). Several Asian nations, including Japan, use the left as well—though many places use both right-hand-drive and left-hand-drive cars.

1.Why did people in Switzerland travel on the right?

A. They had used the right-hand traffic since the 18th century.

B. Rich people enjoyed driving their carriages on the right.

C. Napoleon introduced the right-hand traffic to this country.

D. Hitler ordered them to go against their left-hand tradition.

2. Of all the countries below, the one that travels on the right is ______.

A. Austria              B. England

C. Japan               D. Australia

3. Henry Ford produced cars with controls on the left ______.

A. in order to change traffic directions in the U.S.  

B. so that passengers could get off conveniently

C. because rules at that time weren't perfect.      

D. though many countries were strongly against that.

4. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

A. Before the French Revolution, all the French people used the right.

B. People in Britain and the U.S. travel on the same side nowadays.

C. The Burmese began to travel on the right in 1970.

D. All the Asian nations use the left at present.

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.B

4.C

【解析】

试题分析：为什么世界上绝大多数国家的交通方向都是右行？文章陈述了拿破仑在改变交通方向中主要贡献，同时陈述了世界各国过去到现在的交通方向。

1.

2.

3.

4. before the French Revolution, noblemen drove their carriages on the left, forcing the peasants to the right可知A项错误。第二段首句得知美国车辆右行，最后一段提到英国车辆左行，故B项从最后一段Several Asian nations, including Japan, use the left as well可知D表达错误。从最后一段 倒数第三行... adjusted to the right-hand standard, ...Burma in 1970可知C项正确。

【名师点拨】

推理判断题要求在理解原文表面文字信息的基础上，做出一定的推理判断，从而得到文章的隐含意义和深层意义。推理判断题所涉及的内容可能是文中的某一句话，也可能是某几句话，所以，推理题的答案只能是根据原文表面文字信息一步推出的答案：即对原文某一句话或某几句话所作的同义改写或综合。推理判断题的题干中通常含infer,suggest,imply,conclude indicate等标志性词语。 这种题型主要包括细节判断题、态度观点推断题、写作意图推断题、文章出处判断题和猜测想象推断题。比如，第31小题C推理判断题。从第一段第三行 before the French Revolution, noblemen drove their carriages on the left, forcing the peasants to the right可知A项错误。第二段首句得知美国车辆右行，最后一段提到英国车辆左行，故B项从最后一段Several Asian nations, including Japan, use the left as well可知D表达错误。从最后一段 倒数第三行... adjusted to the right-hand standard, ...Burma in 1970可知C项正确。

考点：文化类短文阅读。