Here's something to consider：A recent study conducted by the
University of Michigan's
Transportation Research Institute found more teens are delaying getting their driver's licenses.
Teens and young adults would rather surf the Web and stay connected via smartphones and computers, than get out of the house.
A University of Michigan study found 31 percent of 16yearolds had driver's licenses in 2008, compared to 46 percent in 1983.
The trend was also found in other age groups. For example, among 18yearolds, the percentage with licenses dropped from 80 percent in 1983 to 65 percent in 2008.
Once, the great American teen dream was to own a car and leave mom and dad and hang out with friends. Not so much anymore.
Here's what Michael Sivak, a research professor involved in the university's study said, “It is possible that the availability of virtual contact through electronic means reduces the need for actual contact among young people. Besides, some young people feel that driving interferes with (干扰) texting and other electronic communication.”
Some other reasons young people aren't anxious to get behind the wheel: Many schools no longer offer driver training courses, so getting a license costs more. And graduated license requirements limit how many passengers a young person can carry, and the hours he or she can drive.
Much of this downturn happened before the Great Recession (不景气) began in 2008, so the costs of gas and car ownership cannot be pointed to as a cause.
There's no sign young people will do without car ownership as they get older, but even if deals are delayed a few years, there will be an effect on the economy. America is a country that depends greatly on the car.
And America has always been a country characterized by its willingness to be mobile, to head for places unexplored, to just get up and go.
Now, it seems we're willing to stay in and stare at a display while tapping out thoughts and messages. Inperson interactivity is slowly being exchanged for Webbased interactivity.
What's really been lost is a sense of curiosity and adventure. How sad.
1.What can be the best title for the text?
A. Webbased interactivity is on the rise among teens
B. More young adults seldom get out of the house
C. Getting a license costs much more than before
D. Desire for freedom of road decreases in young
2.Michael Sivak mainly explains ________.
A. the differences between virtual contact and actual contact
B. the harmful effects of using electronic communication
C. why more teens are delaying getting their driver's
licenses
D. why more young people show much interest in driving
3.The trend's influence on America's economy can be described as ________.
A. beneficial B. negative
C. slight D. surprising
4.From the passage, we can infer that in the past Americans generally ________.
A. used mobile phone wherever they were
B. loved to go to unknown places
C. spent more time on the Internet
D. depended less on the car
London taxi drivers know the capital like the back of their hands. Just jump into one of the city's 22,000 distinctive black cars and tell the driver your ______.However small the street is, the driver will be able to get you there without any trouble.
The reason why London taxi drivers are so ______ is that they have all ______ a very tough training period to get the special license to drive taxis. During this period, taking two to four years in general, the wouldbe taxi driver has to learn the most direct ______ to every single road and to every important building in London. ______this, most learners go around the city on small motorbikes, ______ how to move to and from different points of the city.
Learner taxi drivers are tested several times during the period by government officers. Most drivers think the exams are a terrible ______.
Learner drivers are not allowed to work—and earn money—as drivers, either. Therefore, many of them keep their ______ jobs until they obtain their taxidriving license. The training period can cost quite a lot because learners have to pay for their own expenses—getting around London using ______ transport, the tests and a medical exam.
Once a new taxi driver has a license, the ______ thing to deal with is the public. Drivers agree that most passengers are very nice, although ______ they can be annoying. ______ , if they're unpleasant to their passenger, they won't get a tip.
But sometimes it's not only the tip that is ______， a taxi driver's job can also be dangerous. To avoid this, more and more drivers are joining radio taxi companies, which only deal with customers who have phoned for a taxi and who often have an account with them. The big ______ of this system is that drivers then know the names and the destinations of their passengers______， which is very useful if anything ______ happens.
London taxi drivers love to talk to people and most of them start a ______ as soon as the passenger steps into their vehicle. Talking and driving at the same time is the art that London taxi drivers have brought to ______. They and their taxis are a ______ of the capital and are ______ throughout the world, along with the Queen, Tower Bridge and Big Ben.
1.A. office B. purpose C. destination D. home
2.A. friendly B. clever C. effective D. efficient
3.A. gone through B. taken on C. taken up D. carried out
4.A. way B. street C. road D. route
5.A. Achieving B. So as to achieve C. To achieve D. Only to achieve
6.A. testing B. practicing C. exercising D. watching
7.A. moment B. time C. experience D. life
8.A. temporary B. fulltime C. parttime D. previous
9.A. public B. private C. alternative D. personal
10.A. only B. next C. another D. remaining
11.A. often B. never C. occasionally D. rarely
12.A. However B. But C. Therefore D. Moreover
13.A. at fault B. at risk C. under threat D. in doubt
14.A. priority B. problem C. advantage D. profit
15.A. in advance B. in turn C. as a result D. later on
16.A. upsetting B. amazing C. interesting D. boring
17.A. speech B. communication C. conversation D. interview
18.A. satisfaction B. memorization C. recognition D. perfection
19.A. milestone B. symbol C. landscape D. signal
20.A. understood B. considered C. recognized D. popularized
The notice came around two in the afternoon ________ the meeting would be postponed.
A. when B. that
C. whether D. how
The boy ________his breakfast in order to get to school on time.
A. choked down B. choked back
C. choked off D. choked up
（题文）The article said that we students are just learning machines that aren't interested in anything but a book which has________our strong dissatisfaction.
A. contained B. arisen
C. promoted D. aroused
A global village has indeed ________ among the teenage generation, who share common values and attitudes.
A. set up B. speeded up
C. risen up D. sprung up
