Question

It remains a curiosity and a bit of a historical mystery why we don't all drive on the same side of the road. The fact is that most people are right-handed; that's why, for much of history, drivers have stuck to the left. Ancient Romans using two-wheeled carriages are believed to have held the reins(韁繩) with their right hands and a whip with their left; to avoid whipping the near drivers, they favored the left-hand side the road. It's also easier for right-handers to get on a horse from the left, so riders were attracted to that side to avoid the near traffic as they climbed on and off. Finally, knights(騎士) and the other drivers favored the left so they could do battle, if necessary, with their good hand.

So why does most of the world travel on the right side today? Theories differ, but there's no doubt Napoleon was a major influence. The French have used the right since the late 18th century. Some say that before the French Revolution, people in upper class drove their carriages on the left, forcing the peasantry to the right. During the violence, fearful rich people sought to mix with the peasantry by traveling on the right as well. Regardless of the origin, Napoleon brought right-hand traffic to the nations he conquered, including Russia, Switzerland and Germany. Hitler, in turn, ordered right-hand traffic in Czechoslovakia and Austria in the 1930s. Nations that escaped right-handed conquest, like Great Britain, kept their left-handed tradition.

1.Who had a major effect on “keep-right” traffic law?

A. Ancient Romans B. Hitler

C. Napoleon D. Austrians

2. What does the second paragraph mainly tell us?

A. Napoleon brought right-hand traffic to the nations he conquered.

B. Hitler ordered right-hand traffic in Austria.

C. Great Britain escaped right-handed conquest.

D. The reasons that most of the world drives on the right side.

3.What does the word peasantry in the last paragraph mean?

A. People in upper class.

B. Right-handers.

C. Drivers.

D. Poor people.

4. Apart from Great Britain, which country mentioned in the text keeps left-hand

traffic?

A. France B. Ancient Rome

C. Russia D. Germany

 

Answer 1

1.C

2.D

3.D

4.B

【解析】

試題分析: 本文是一篇記敘文。本篇文章主要告訴我們?yōu)槭裁丛谑澜缟先藗儾欢际强柯返耐�一�?cè)行駛。絕大數(shù)人習(xí)慣用右手。古羅馬人右手拿韁繩左手拿鞭，也是為了不傷害旁邊的人；他們感覺從左邊上馬也方便。于是他們靠左行駛；有的國(guó)家靠左行駛，拿破侖對(duì)靠右行駛的交通法律有著重要的影響。希特勒也要求靠右行駛的交通法律。

1.C 細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第二段第一行So why does most of the world travel on the right side today? Theories differ, but there's no doubt Napoleon was a major influence.描述可知Napoleon對(duì)靠右行駛的交通法律有著重要的影響。故選C。

2.D 段落大意題。第二段第一句So why does most of the world travel on the right side today?就說為什么現(xiàn)在世界上大部分人靠右行駛，愿意一：拿破侖對(duì)靠右行駛的交通法律有著重要的影響；原因二：希特勒也要求靠右行駛的交通法律。所以本段主要告訴我們D. The reasons that most of the world drives on the right side. 世界上大部分人靠右行駛的原因。選項(xiàng)A、B、C只是說了本段一個(gè)細(xì)節(jié)，不能概括本段大意。故選D。

3.詞義猜測(cè)題。根據(jù)第二段第三行people in upper class drove their carriages on the left, forcing the peasantry to the right.描述可知people in upper class與peasantry是身份相反的兩個(gè)階層的人，people in upper class指上層階級(jí)的人，與之相反的就是窮人。故選D。

4.B 細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第一段第二行Ancient Romans using two-wheeled carriages are believed to have held the reins(韁繩) with their right hands and a whip with their left; to avoid whipping the near drivers, they favored the left-hand side the road.描述可知Ancient Romans也是靠左行駛的國(guó)家。故選B。

考點(diǎn)：考查文化類短文閱讀。