A recent study led by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has found a clear link between the color of a taxi and its accident rate. An analysis of 36 months of detailed taxi, driver and accident data from two fleets of yellow and blue taxis in Singapore suggested that yellow taxis have fewer accidents than blue taxis. The higher visibility (能见度） of yellow makes it less difficult for drivers to avoid getting into accidents with yellow taxis, leading to a lower accident rate.
The study was led by Prof Ho. To test whether there was a relationship between the color of a taxi and the number of accidents the taxi had, the research team analysed data collected by the largest taxi company in Singapore. The researchers found that yellow taxis have about 6. 1 fewer accidents per 1,000 taxis per month.
They also studied the economic effect of changing the color of the entire fleet of taxis to yellow. The Singapore taxi company involved in the study owns about 16,700 taxis in a ratio (比例) of one yellow to three blue taxis. If a commercial decision is made to switch from blue to yellow taxis, 76. 6 fewer accidents will occur per month or 917 fewer accidents per year.
Assuming an average repair cost of $1,000 per car and a downtime of six days, the color of all taxis to yellow could produce an annual saving of $2 million.
“We are eager to continue to validate (证实) the findings of our study by looking at the use of yellow in other types of public transport, such as school buses. For example, we hope to compare the accident rates of yellow school buses against those of other colors to find out if yellow is indeed a safer color for school buses. Besides, we’ re also interested to look at private-hire vehicles and do a comparison of the accident rates of vehicles that are of different colors explained Prof Ho.
1.Why do yellow taxis result in fewer accidents?
A. Because yellow signals a warning of danger.
B. Because yellow can be seen more easily.
C. Because drivers tend to he more careful in yellow taxis.
D. Because people act more quickly in yellow surroundings.
2.What’ s Prof Ho’s study based on?
A. Physical risks taxi passengers experience.
B. The economic effect of changing taxi color.
C. Personal reports from taxi drivers worldwide.
D. Data from Singapore's largest taxi company.
3.What do Prof Ho’s words in the last paragraph suggest?
A. School buses should be painted yellow.
B. Their findings are worth popularizing.
C. Their study will be furthered.
D. Yellow should be widely used in public transport,
4.What can be the best title for the text?
A. Safer to ride in yellow taxis B. Caution: yellow taxis ahead
C. Why are yellow Taxis preferred? D. How can colors help prevent accidents?
Housework is a frequent source of disputes (争论) between lazy husbands and their hard-working wives, but women have been warned not to expect men to pull their weight any time soon.
A study from Oxford University has found that men are unlikely to be doing an equal share of housework before 2050. Mothers, the researchers warned, will continue to shoulder the burden of childcare and housework for the next four decades, largely because housework such as cleaning and cooking is still regarded as “ women’s work”.
The gap between the amount of time men and women spend on housework has narrowed slowly over the past 40 years. But it will take another four decades before true housework equality is achieved, the study concluded. The research found that in the Nordic countries, the burden of housework is shared more equally between men and women. In the UK, women spend an average of four hours and forty minutes each day on housework, compared with two hours and twenty-eight minutes for men. This is an improvement from the 1960s, when British women typically spent six hours a day on housework, while men spent just 90 minutes every day.
But progress towards housework equality appears to be slowing in some countries. Dr Oriel Sullivan, a research reader from Oxford’s Department of Sociology, said, “we’ve looked at what is affecting the equality in the home, and we have found that certain tasks seem to be given according to whether they are viewed as ‘men’s work’ or ‘women’s work’.”Dr Sullivan said cultural attitudes taught at school may be responsible for the views of housework.“At school it is much easier for a girl to be a tomboy, but it is much more difficult for a boy to enjoy baking and dancing,” she said.
1.What does the underlined part word probably mean in Paragraph 1?
A. Lose weight. B. Be lazy.
C. Earn money. D. Do equal housework.
2.Why will women continue to do more housework before 2050 ?
A. Because men are too busy to help.
B. Because they would like to do so.
C. Because they can do better in housework .
D. Because housework will still be considered as women’s work.
3.From Paragraph 3,what do we know in the UK?
A. Men now spend just 90 minutes a day on housework on average.
B. Women now are too busy with their work to do housework.
C. Women now spend less time on housework than before.
D. Housework is shared equally between men and women.
4.In Dr Sullivan’s opinion, what is to blame for the housework inequality?
A. Cultural attitudes towards housework.. B. Policies made by the government.
C. The time spent on work. D. The type of housework.
Watson entered Mr. Smith's office. The boss was a hard man. He fired people who didn't do well without giving them a second chance.
“Watson, ” said Mr. Smith, “this past year your department hasn't earned money. We're going to drop that department. It's finished. I'm sorry, —but you'll have to go.” “But, sir—if I just had a little more time. For the moment I need the job to keep my son at Riverside School.”
“What's that!” said the boss. “Riverside! I didn't know you had a boy there. That's an expensive school for a man with your salary.”
“I know, sir. But he likes it there so much！He's a star athlete and the best boxer in the school. The boys call him Champ (冠军) there.”
The boss sat perfectly still for a long time—a faraway (恍惚的) look in his eyes. Then, suddenly, he said, “We've got to close your department, Watson. But you'll take over a new job in another department. It means longer hours—maybe more pay. Now get out. You're here for life.”
Watson got out, with surprise on his face. Then the boss took a letter from the top drawer of his desk. It was Herbie's last letter from Riverside School—written a few days before he died. He had read it over and over again with sick pain. The letter read:
I can't say the boys here are any nicer to me than the others were. I guess it's the same everywhere when you're a cripple (跛脚的人).
But don't worry about me, Dad. They've got a good chemistry department here. And there's one boy here who is really great. He's a track star and boxing champ and just tops in chemistry. The boys call him Champ. He made them stop throwing my books around. And he knocked a boy down who hit me. He is the best friend I ever had. Dad, when I grow up, I want to do something for Champ. Something big—that he won't even know about.
Your son
Herbie
1.Why did Mr. Smith want to fire Watson?
A. Because Watson would take over a new job in another department.
B. Because Watson had his son study in Riverside School.
C. Because Watson's son knocked a boy down who hit Herbie.
D. Because Watson's department didn't earn money that year.
2.What can we learn from the text ?
A. Mr.Smith didn't know that Champ was Watson's son at first.
B. Mr.Smith was told not to fire Watson by Herbie.
C. Mr.Smith decided to give Watson another chance in no time.
D. Mr.Smith wanted to realize Champ's dream.
3.According to the text，which words can best describe Mr.Smith?
A. Sympathetic and grateful. B. Selfish and greedy.
C. Hardworking and strict. D. Easy－going and optimistic.
4.The author wrote the text in order to ________.
A. make our children enjoy life B. share a moving story with us
C. provide us with tips on work D. help us to deal with our boss
Self-driving Capabilities Sensor and camera-equipped models from Audi and Volkswagen, among others, don’t just automatically brake to prevent minor accidents; they can actually navigate（行驶）around highway traffic and into garages without a human at the wheel. |
Attractive Dashboards In addition to Ford’s new Sync system, which better understands voice commands, Apple and Google have partnered with automakers to create interfaces（界面）as user-friendly as the ones on your smartphone. |
Smarter Headlights Audi’s and BMW’s ultra-bright laser headlights can detect oncoming cars and dim slightly to avoid disturbing their drivers. One problem: they’re not yet legal in the U.S. |
Self-parking Skills The new model of BMW’s all-electric can find its own spot in a parking lot, then send signals via a smart-watch app to contact its drivers. |
1.In terms of Self-driving Capabilities, what makes Audi and Volkswagen stand out?
A. Braking when sensing red lights.
B. Going into garages without a driver.
C. Stopping other cars on highway.
D. Taking photos with a camera.
2.Which of the cars can adjust the headlights in order not to upset drivers in oncoming cars?
A. Ford and Volkswagen. B. Audi and BMW.
C. Audi and Volkswagen. D. BMW and Ford.
3.In which section of a car magazine does the article most probably appear?
A. First Drive. B. Cars For Rent.
C. Instrumental Tests. D. Smart Tech.
有一家英文报社征稿，介绍中国的端午节。请你根据下面提示用英语写篇短文应征。
名称：端午节（Dragon Boat Festival）；
时间：中国农历5月5日；
庆祝活动：吃粽子（由糯米，肉等包在竹叶或芦苇叶里做成）；观看赛龙舟（在南方流行）；
目的：纪念屈原（中国古代伟大的诗人，相传投河自尽）；
重要性：是中国最重要的传统节日之一。
注意：1.词数：120左右；
2.短文必须包括以上所有要点，可适当增加细节，以使文章连贯；
3.参考词江：农历——trad
itional Chinese calendar；糯米——glutinous rice；竹叶或芦苇叶——bamboo or reed leaf；自尽——commit suicide
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短文中共有10处错误，错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号(∧)，并在此符号下面写出该加的词；删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉；修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词的下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1、每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2、只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Do you hate your job? As far as I know, many young people liked complaining about their jobs. When my uncle started working about five years ago, he couldn’t stop complain about his work every time he got back from work. He considered his work simple and bored as he just needed to type works by famous writers. Therefore, as time went by, he found his work real helpful. When he was typing the works, he also read it. He learned lot from the works by famous writers and about two years later, his writing was greatly improved. He had his first books published last year and now he’s working for his second book.
