PreparingCitiesforRobotCarsThepossibilityofself-driv...

問題詳情：

    Preparing Cities for Robot Cars

The possibility of self-driving robot cars has often seemed like a futurist’s dream, years away from materializing in the real world. Well, the future is apparently now. The California Department of Motor Vehicles began giving permits in April for companies to test truly self-driving cars on public roads. The state also cleared the way for companies to sell or rent out self-driving cars, and for companies to operate driverless taxi services. California, it should be noted, isn’t leading the way here. Companies have been testing their vehicles in cities across the country. It’s hard to predict when driverless cars will be everywhere on our roads. But however long it takes, the technology has the potential to change our transportation systems and our cities, for better or for worse, depending on how the transformation is regulated.

While much of the debate so far has been focused on the safety of driverless cars(and rightfully so), policymakers also should be talking about how self-driving vehicles can help reduce traffic jams, cut emissions(排放) and offer more convenient, affordable mobility options. The arrival of driverless vehicles is a chance to make sure that those vehicles are environmentally friendly and more shared.

Do we want to copy — or even worsen — the traffic of today with driverless cars? Imagine a future where most adults own individual self-driving vehicles. They tolerate long, slow journeys to and from work on packed highways because they can work, entertain themselves or sleep on the ride, which encourages urban spread. They take their driverless car to an appointment and set the empty vehicle to circle the building to avoid paying for parking. Instead of walking a few blocks to pick up a child or the dry cleaning, they send the self-driving minibus. The convenience even leads fewer people to take public transport — an unwelcome side effect researchers have already found in ride-hailing(叫車) services.

A study from the University of California at Davis suggested that replacing petrol-powered private cars worldwide with electric, self-driving and shared systems could reduce carbon emissions from transportation 80% and cut the cost of transportation infrastructure(基礎設施) and operations 40% by 2050. Fewer emissions and cheaper travel sound pretty appealing. The first commercially available driverless cars will almost certainly be fielded by ride-hailing services, considering the cost of self-driving technology as well as liability and maintenance issues(責任與維護問題). But driverless car ownership could increase as the prices drop and more people become comfortable with the technology.

Policymakers should start thinking now about how to make sure the appearance of driverless vehicles doesn’t extend the worst aspects of the car-controlled transportation system we have today. The coming technological advancement presents a chance for cities and states to develop transportation systems designed to move more people, and more affordably. The car of the future is coming. We just have to plan for it.

47．According to the author, attention should be paid to how driverless cars can __________.

A．help deal with transportation-related problems

B．provide better services to customers

C．cause damage to our environment

D．make some people lose jobs

48．As for driverless cars, what is the author’s major concern?

A．Safety.                                                      B．Side effects.

C．Affordability.                                            D．Management.

49．What does the underlined word ＂fielded＂ in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Employed.                                                B．Replaced.

C．Shared.                                                     D．Reduced.

50．What is the author’s attitude to the future of self-driving cars?

A．Doubtful.                                                  B．Positive.

C．Disapproving.                                            D．Sympathetic.

【回答】

47．A

48．D

49．A

50．B

【解析】

【分析】

本文為議論文。文章主要討論有關無人駕駛汽車的發展前景和麵臨的問題。

47．推理判斷題。根據第二段While much of the debate so far has been focused on the safety of driverless cars(and rightfully so), policymakers also should be talking about how self-driving vehicles can help reduce traffic jams, cut emissions(排放) and offer more convenient, affordable mobility options.可知，政策制定者應該討論無人駕駛車怎麼幫助削減交通阻塞，減少尾氣排放，提供更方便、更便宜的出行選擇，由此可見人們應該多關注無人駕駛車怎麼幫助處理與交通有關的問題。故選A。

48．推理判斷題。根據文章第一段But however long it takes, the technology has the potential to change our transportation systems and our cities, for better or for worse, depending on how the transformation is regulated.可知，不管花多長時間，這項技術都有可能改變我們的交通系統和我們的城市，不管是好是壞，這取決於如何這種轉變如何被規範，再根據文章最後一句話The car of the future is coming. We just have to plan for it.可知，我們需要為其做好計劃，故作者的主要關注點是對這種轉變的管理規範，故選D。

49．詞義猜測題。根據第四段The first commercially available driverless cars will almost certainly be fielded by ride-hailing services, considering the cost of self-driving technology as well as liability and maintenance issues(責任與維護問題).可知，鑑於自主駕駛的費用以及責任和維護問題，無人駕駛車幾乎可以肯定將會被打車服務使用。故劃線詞是“被應用”的意思。A. Employed被應用；B. Replaced被取代；C. Shared被分享；D. Reduced被減少。故選A。

50．觀點態度題。根據文章最後一段The coming technological advancement presents a chance for cities and states to develop transportation systems designed to move more people, and more affordably. The car of the future is coming. We just have to plan for it.中的 advancement，move more people, and more affordably.以及plan for it可推知，作者是積極的態度。故選B。

點睛：根據用詞風格，推斷情感態度。一篇好的文章，其用詞風格常常直接流露或蘊含作者的內心世界和情感態度。所以閱讀時要善於捕捉表達或暗示情感態度的詞句或短語，捕捉那些烘托氣氛，渲染情感的詞句，進而很好地洞察作者的思想傾向，是支援、反對抑或中立？對於選項而言，要分清選項中的褒義詞、中*詞和貶義詞，以此對照全文。

如本題最後一題為觀點態度題，根據文中reduce carbon emissions，cut the cost of transportation infrastructure(基礎設施) and operations 40% ，appealing，comfortable，advancement，move more people, and more affordably.，等詞彙可以推斷出作者對無人駕駛汽車持積極態度。故選B。

知識點：科普知識與現代技術

題型：閱讀理解