UNIT 11? Transport

Cycling in the City

詞匯講解:

cycling: 一圈一圈騎車，騎車這項(xiàng)運(yùn)動(dòng);

cycle：自行車 bicycle：自行車

A

How much time do you spend stuck in traffic, breathing in diesel fumes, as you commute to work or to college every day? Traffic congestion in the big cities is one of the key issues facing city planners these days. It has only continued to get worse, despite the attempts to solve these problems. Expensive solutions such as new flyovers, bus-only lanes and park-and-ride options are all under consideration in many big cities. But these are all car-friendly solutions. What about the humble bicycle?

詞匯講解:

stuck? adj. 擁擠，阻塞，卡?。?

原型：stick? v. 刺，卡住;

diesel? n. 機(jī)油、汽油；

fume? v. 冒煙;? n. 煙；

commute：通勤;

commuter：上下班的人；

congestion：堵塞，擁堵，（感冒）鼻塞；

issue:

n. 熱點(diǎn)，討論話題，key issue；

v. 出版，發(fā)行。

despite：盡管；

attempt/ try to：(一般指很難成功得)嘗試；

flyover：立交橋；

lane：車道；

bus only lane：公交專用車道。

under the consideration：考慮其中；

under the supervision：在監(jiān)視/管控中。

humble? adj. 卑微的（自謙詞）；

B

Cycling is a key way of reducing traffic congestion, and has other benefits as well. It saves fuel, is healthier for the cyclists (if they survive the trip unharmed) and reduces air pollution for all other commuters who walk or travel on other forms of transport. It provides a more cost-effective and efficient use of city space by reducing the need for enormous parking buildings and inner city motorways. Another point is that cycling is a cheaper alternative than car ownership with its registration fees, fuel costs, and regular mechanical expenses. At present, many people drive over relatively short distances that could equally be travelled by bike. However, often the fear of cycling in heavy commuter traffic keeps such people off their bikes.

詞匯講解:

benefit? n. 好處；

save? v. 保存，節(jié)省；

fuel? n. 燃料；

cyclists? n. 騎車的人；

survive? v. 幸存；

n. survival：幸存。

form:

n.? 形式/表格，in a form of/ application form；

v.? 形成，formed idea：形成觀點(diǎn)。

effective? adj. 有效果的，cost- effective：高效；

efficient? adj. 有效率的；

alternative?

adj.? 可替代的；e.g.: this is my alternative option, alternative method；

n.?? 可替代的方式，cheaper alternative。

registration? n. 注冊(cè)；

C

Take a moment to think about those who risk the dangers of busy city roads on a bicycle. Cyclists are the most vulnerable people in heavy traffic. They move fast, they are balanced on two wheels, and they have no outer metal shell to protect them. If they are on their way to work, they may well be carrying work-related documents in a backpack or pannier, which increases the balance problem, As cyclists are much smaller than vehicles, drivers frequently do not even notice them and accidents are common. Often, especially in hot weather, cyclists only wear light clothing, which means the injuries they suffer are likely to be serious. Even helmets cannot always prevent fatal head injuries.

詞匯講解:

risk：風(fēng)險(xiǎn)

risk management：風(fēng)險(xiǎn)管理

venture capital：風(fēng)險(xiǎn)投資

vulnerable? adj. 易受傷害的；

wheel：輪子；

outer：外面的；

metal：金屬的；

shell：殼子；

vehicle：汽車；

automobile/ auto：汽車；

helmet：頭盔；

prevent：防止；

fatal：致命的。

D

What needs to happen for cyclists to feel comfortable cycling to work? The first major requirement is changing our ideas so that cycling becomes a sensible transport choice and cyclists are safe on the roads. Public education is an essential part of this, to ensure that other road users are more considerate to cyclists and learn how to drive safely when bicycles are sharing the roads. Employers also need to be aware of cyclists' needs. These usually range from secure cycle racks to prevent theft, to the provision of showers and lockers, so people can change from cycling to business clothes once they arrive at work. Larger companies might also find that providing ‘fleet cycles' to enable employees to go on errands during work hours is an effective policy.

詞匯講解:

sensible：合理的，有道理的;

adj.? sensitive:敏感的.

essential：

adj. 不可或缺的，重要的，可替代important；

n.? 不可或缺的東西，重要的東西

cardinal：至關(guān)重要的，cardi- 代表心臟；n.指代宗教的紅衣主教；

vital indispensable：非常重要的，不可或缺的；

be aware of：意識(shí)到，知道，知曉

n：awareness知名度，be awareness of：意識(shí)到；

secure：安全的；

n.: security 安全；

social security system：國(guó)家保障體系；

once：一… 就…??

firstly /secondly /thirdly；

first of all in the first place /first of all /in addition；

what’s more/next/last but not least

errand：使命；

E

The second major necessity is the development of a safe, convenient network of cycling pathways that link different parts of the city, but ideally are separate from the regular road system. These cycle paths should also allow for some separation of cyclists and pedestrians, as people walking can be badly injured or even killed if a cyclist collides with them. In areas where this is not possible, city streets should have clearly marked cycle lanes with restrictions to prevent drivers from using them.

詞匯講解:

necessity? n. 必須性，necessary的名詞形式；

pedestrian：行人，步行者；

collide：碰撞，撞車。

F

Some cities, for example, Copenhagen and Amsterdam, have made a particular effort to achieve this. They have developed areas that are either car-free (only for pedestrians and cyclists) or ‘pedestrian priority', where pedestrians and cyclists have the right-of-way and cars are only permitted to move at low speeds. Planners believe that the presence of cyclists at all hours of the day and evening keeps the city safer. Since 1995, there has been a city bike system in Copenhagen which allows anyone to borrow a bike from one of 110 bike stands around the city for a small deposit. Once the bike is returned to the same or another stand, this money is refunded. There has also been an active policy of establishing bike lanes, adding bike crossings to intersections and reducing the number of car parks to discourage cars in the central city. Currently, about 34% of commuters in Copenhagen cycle to work.

詞匯講解:

priority：優(yōu)先權(quán)，優(yōu)先性；

prior? to/ before：在…前面；

deposit? n. 押金，存款；

active：主動(dòng)地；

be activated by：被…激活。

G

Cycling is clearly a healthy and effective alternative to the private car in our congested cities. The greater the proportion of cyclists to other vehicles, the safer cycling becomes. As some forward-thinking cities have demonstrated, there are many ways in which local city governments can actively encourage and subsidise cycling as a positive option for commuters. The most important of these require some brave decisions to curb the dominance of the private car, and the gridlock experienced in all major cities shows that such action has become essential.

詞匯講解:

private：adj. 私人的，私家的，n.: privacy隱私；

demonstrate：

v. 說(shuō)明，展示；

n. 游行，示威；

illustrate/ indicate/ show reveal:說(shuō)明，展示.

subside：補(bǔ)貼；

brave：勇敢的；

curb：阻值；

dominance? n. 占據(jù)主導(dǎo)地位；

dominated：占據(jù)主導(dǎo)地位的。

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段落標(biāo)題配對(duì)題

這類題通常放在整個(gè)文章的前面。先出現(xiàn)題目，后出現(xiàn)文章，答案會(huì)出現(xiàn)在題目的后面

解題步驟：

1.??????? 去掉例子中的heading；

2.??????? 瀏覽Headings，找出關(guān)鍵詞Key Words (KW)；

§?? 雙胞胎型的headings中必有正確答案；

§?? 人名、地名盡量不選；

§?? 用詞一樣的不選；

Example：

List of headings：

i.????????? the results of the research into blood-variants

ii.???????? Dental evidence

iii.?????? Greenberg’s analysis of the dental and linguistic evidence

iv.?????? Developments in the methods used to study early population movements

v.???????? Indian migration from Canada to U.S.A

vi.?????? Further genetic evidence relating to the three-wave theory

vii.???? Long-standing questions about prehistoric migration to America

viii.?? Conflicting views of the three wave theory, based on non-genetic evidence

ix.?????? Questions about the causes of the prehistoric migration to America

x.???????? How analysis of blood-variants measures the closeness of the relationship between different populations

3.??????? 通讀段落，尋找段落主題句（TOPIC SENTENCE）。

§?? 注意文中的轉(zhuǎn)折詞：But/ yet/ However…；

§?? 注意特殊符號(hào)：引號(hào)、問(wèn)號(hào)；

§?? 注意長(zhǎng)句；

§?? 定義句型必是主題句：

This is…That is… it is

A is called

A is known as

A is defined as…

例子：如for example/ instance后面跟細(xì)枝末節(jié)部分，不選。

4.??????? 回到heading 中,對(duì)比主題句與heading中的關(guān)鍵字，尋找同義詞或者概括詞；

e.g.：university/college；

university/education institution。

5.??????? 如果沒(méi)有，再次返回瀏覽段落；

§?? 如果段落比較短,一般需要瀏覽全段,推測(cè)段意 ;

§?? 如果段落很長(zhǎng),則直接再次瀏覽首二末句

§?? 要注意頻繁在段落中出現(xiàn)的名詞。

Notice ：

1.??????? 如果需要閱讀整個(gè)段落，應(yīng)重點(diǎn)閱讀該段落中的重點(diǎn)詞句；
A． 反復(fù)出現(xiàn)的詞；
B． 問(wèn)號(hào)里的詞；
C． 引號(hào)里的詞；
D． 黑體字。

2.??????? 起始選項(xiàng)：

文章標(biāo)題?

3.??????? 結(jié)尾選項(xiàng)：

名詞+of+文章主題
總結(jié)：Summary，conclusion；

影響：Effect，impact，influence；

未來(lái)：long-term, Future。

例題：

List of Headings

?i

Effects of irrigation on sedimentation

?ii

The danger of flooding the Cairo area

?iii

Causing pollution in the Mediterranean

?iv

Interrupting a natural process

?v

The threat to food production

?vi

Less valuable sediment than before

?vii

Egypt's disappearing coastline

?viii

Looking at the long-term impact

4.??????? 選項(xiàng)對(duì)應(yīng)數(shù)字重復(fù)出現(xiàn)段落；

數(shù)據(jù)：Data, figure, calculation, statistic demography。

5.??????? 選項(xiàng)對(duì)應(yīng)百分比較多段落；

百分比：percentage, proportion, rate。

6.??????? 對(duì)應(yīng)金錢較多段落；

金錢：Revenue，budget，cost。

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Multiple Choice

練習(xí)1：Traffic planners are thinking about new solutions to traffic congestion. Which TWO of the following are NOT described in the reading??

Choose TWO letters, a-e.

a)? overbridges for vehicles

b)? expansion of road networks

c)? making streets wider

d)? special lanes for buses

e)? parking areas for motorists to change to public transport

練習(xí)2：The text describes some reasons for encouraging cycling.

Which ONE of the following is NOT listed?

Choose the correct letter, a, b, c, d, or e.

a)? to lower the number of cars on the streets

b)? to move quickly through heavy traffic

c)? to lessen pollution of city air

d)? to provide an option that costs less than using a car

e)? to lessen need for car parks and roads

練習(xí)3：The reading passage discusses requirements for cycling to work.

　? Which THREE of the following are NOT listed?

　? Choose THREE letters, a-f.

　　a)? laws preventing cyclists from carrying documents in backpacks

　　b)? education of drivers

　　c)? action taken by employers to support employees who cycle

　　d)? laws requiring cyclists to wear helmets

　　e)? system of cycling pathways or special lanes for cyclists

　　f)? policies requiring cyclists to wear bright-coloured clothing

練習(xí)4：In the examples given, a number of cycling-friendly developments are described. Which TWO of the following are NOT included?

Choose TWO letters, a-f.

　a)? areas without vehicle access

　b)? areas where people walking or on bikes have priority

　 c)? free, covered bike parks

　d)? bikes that anyone can borrow and return later

　e)? additional taxes on petrol and diesel

f)? fewer car parks

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Locating Information

練習(xí)5：The passage has seven paragraphs, A-G. Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter, A-G, beside the statements below. Note: You may use any letter more than once. You may not need to use all the letters.

　1) ______ Statistics to show that cycle-friendly policies are effective.

　2) ______ A description of company facilities for employees who cycle to work.

　3) ______ The fact that cyclists are often not noticed by drivers.

　4) ______ Solutions from city planners that favour private cars.

　5) ______ Reasons why cyclists should not use the same paths as people who are walking.

6) ______ A comparison of the cost of owning a bike and a car.

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Matching Headings to Paragraphs

練習(xí)6：The reading passage has seven paragraphs, A-G. Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below. There are more headings than paragraphs.

List of Headings

i.?????????????? ? Cyclists at Risk

ii.????????????? ? Necessity for Action

iii.??????????? ? Educating Drivers and Employers

iv.??????????? ? Reasons for Cycling

v.????????????? ? Planning to Reduce Traffic Congestion

vi.??????????? ? Problems of Traffic Congestion

vii.????????? ? Examples of Effective Cycle-friendly Developments

viii.??????? ? Safe Cycling Networks

　1)? ________ Paragraph A

　2)? ________ Paragraph B

　3)? ________ Paragraph C

　4)? ________ Paragraph D

　5)? ________ Paragraph E

　6)? ________ Paragraph F

7)? ________ Paragraph G

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Vocabulary-Adjectives

　humble?????????????? efficient???????????? enormous

　mechanical???????? ???vulnerable??????????? frequent

　fatal????????????????? essential??????????? considerate

　ideal????????????????? separate???????????? particular

　forward-thinking??????? congested

練習(xí)7： Match the words above to the meanings below.

a.??????? To be at risk of harm?? ?________

b.??????? Necessary??????????? ________

c.???????? Modern, progressive??? ________

d.??????? Happening very often??? ________

e.??????? Special, focused??????? ________

f.????????? Perfect?????????????? ________

g.??????? Causing death??????? ________

h.??????? Crowded?????????? ________

i.????????? Simple, modest???????? ________

j.????????? Not joined or linked??????? ________

k.???????? Related to machines????? ________

l.????????? Effective, without wasted time or effort??????? ________

m.????? Huge??????????? ________

n.??????? Thinking about the needs of others?????????? ________

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