Today is National Bike-to-Work Day. And on New York City’s jammed streets, people are cycling on hundreds of miles of new bike lanes. But New York’s widespread efforts to make streets safer for bikes have also left some locals complaining about the loss of parking spots and lanes for cars.
When the weather is good, Aaron Naparstek likes to pedal（用踏板踩） his two young kids to school on a special Dutch-made bicycle. Naparstek supports the new lane.
Aaron: The bike lane on Prospect Park West is really introducing a lot of new people to the idea that it’s possible to use a bike in New York City for transportation or to travel around. This is what 21st century New York City looks like.
Prospect Park West is still a one-way road, but where it used to have three lanes of car traffic, now it has two, plus a protected bike lane. Supporters say that makes the road safer for everyone, including pedestrians, by slowing down cars and taking bikes off the sidewalk. But some longtime residents disagree. Lois Carswell is president of a group called Seniors for Safety. She says the two-way bike lane is dangerous to older residents who are used to one-way traffic.
Lois: We wanted a lane — the right kind of lane that would keep everybody safe, that would keep the bikers safe. But we want it to be done the right way. And it has not been done the right way.
Craig Palmer builds bars and restaurants in Manhattan. I was interviewing him for a different story when he brought up the bike lanes all on his own.
Craig: I think the biggest problem is that Bloomberg put all these bike lanes in. You took what used to be a full street and you’re shrinking it.
Then there are the Hasidic Jews in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, who forced the city to remove a bike lane through their neighborhood. But polls show that the majority of New Yorkers support bike lanes by a margin of 56% to 39%. Bicycle advocate Caroline Samponaro of Transportation Alternatives calls that a mandate.
Caroline: If this was an election, we would have already had our victory. The public has spoken and they keep speaking. And I think, more importantly, the public is starting to vote with their pedals.
1.What does Aaron mean by saying “This is what 21st century New York City looks like.”?
A. There are hundreds of miles of new bike lanes in 21 st century New York City.
B. Drivers slow down their cars and bikes are taken off the sidewalk in New York.
C. It’s possible to make the streets safe for pedestrians in New York.
D. Bikes are used as a means of transport in 21 st century New York City.
2.According to the passage, which of the following CANNOT support the opponents of these new bike lanes?
A. Drivers lose parking spots and lanes for cars.
B. We took what used to be a full street so the road is broader than before.
C. The two-way bike lane is dangerous to older residents.
D. The removal of one bike lane through a neighbourhood in Brooklyn was not supported by the majority of New Yorkers.
3.“A mandate” in Paragraph 8 was referred to a demand or command from ________.
A. the authorityB. the government
C. the supportersD. the public
4.Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
A. Ride on National Bike-to-Work Day
B. A Bike Lane Divides New Yorkers
C. A New Bike Lane Appears in New York
D. Who Wins an Election
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项A、B、C和D中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
In animated films, we often have some lovely characters that make us laugh and relax. Look at the following three columns and know some of them.
The Penguins
Skipper and his fellow penguins were originally just supporting roles in animated film Madagascar (2005). But in 2008 they took leading roles in their own TV series, and in 2014 starred in the film Penguins of Madagascar. The penguins’ wisdom and humor not only appeal to kids, but also serve adult audiences well. So, it’s not surprising that they get their own movie. |
Scrat
A small and furry squirrel with a long tail from animated movie Ice Age (2002), Scrat played a supporting role but has won the hearts of both children and grown-ups with his persistence(毅力). In the film, his chasing after his prized acorn(橡子) causes an Earth-shattering geological event. Scrat is a big part in the lasting attraction of the movie series Ice Age. Today, Scrat has his own animated mini-movies. |
Puss in Boots
Originally a fairy tale written by French author Charles Perrault, Puss in Boots features a cat that helps his low-born master gain wealth and power through trickery(哄骗). The cat later appeared as a supporting role in Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek 3 (2007) and Shrek 4 (2010). In 2011, he had his own movie titled Puss in Boots. His lovable and funny characteristics easily break the boundaries between different ages of audiences. |
1.What can we learn from the passage?
A. Scrat contributes a lot to the movie series Ice Age.
B. Scrat won children’s hearts by playing with his acorn.
C. Skipper took a leading role in Madagascar (2005).
D. Puss in Boots(2011) features a cat helping poor people.
2.What is the similarity among these animated characters?
A. They used to play leading roles successfully.
B. All of them have starred in their own movies.
C. They won their popularity through trickery.
D. Only children show great affection for them.
—I’ve never seen Charlie so excited.
—Don’t you know he’s passed the computer science examination? He’s been ________ ever since.
A. hot under the collarB. down in the dumps
C. flying off the handleD. over the moon
Life is full of ups and downs. ________ that we are optimistic and take a positive attitude, we will be more likely to enjoy our life to the fullest.
A. ConcernedB. ProvidedC. ConsideringD. Concerning
China understands the situation and needs of underdeveloped countries on the issue of climate change and urges developed countries to support them ______ technology and finance.
A. in terms ofB. in spite of
C. owingD. regardless of
The word “ungelivable”, based on Chinese, which has become a big hit online very quickly, ______ a message that Chinese can also serve as an addition to English vocabulary.
A. acknowledgesB. assessesC. declaresD. conveys
