The wheel was one of man’s first inventions and yet it has also proved one of the most useful. So wide and varied are the uses of the wheels, in machines and vehicles of all kinds, that it is difficult to imagine what the world would be like without them. It is surprising to hear it said, therefore, that the wheel’s importance will perhaps be greatly reduced by the end of the century by an invention so new as to be still unnamed.
The invention is a machine the floats above any surface on a cushion of air. The cushion is formed when air is blown into this saucer, the machine rises to a height that may vary from a few inches to a few feet.
Industry is already using one form of the inversion to deal with heavy loads. It can lift them. with ease and since there are no wheels, and therefore no friction , they can be put into motion with the touch of a finger.
The new invention, however , is having a great effect on transport, Not only does it make expensive road systems unnecessary, but it enables vehicles to travel well over land or water. This unique to reach most destinations has given rise to the prediction that wheeled vehicles may be uncommon at the end the century as aeroplanes were at the beginning.

  1. 1.

    The first paragraph tells us that______.

    1. A.
      the wheel was man’s earliest invention.
    2. B.
      the wheel’s usefulness has yet to be proved.
    3. C.
      wide wheels have a variety of important uses.
    4. D.
      a new invention may make wheels less important.
  2. 2.

    The phrase “with the touch of a finger” in the third paragraph means______.

    1. A.
      without difficulty                  
    2. B.
      by electricity .
    3. C.
      without friction                    
    4. D.
      by hand.
  3. 3.

    The passage tells us that the new invention __________.

    1. A.
      is more important for industry than for transport.
    2. B.
      will one day be used instead of aeroplanes.
    3. C.
      makes it possible to travel without using roads.
    4. D.
      will replace wheeled vehicles using roads.
  4. 4.

    According to the passage, the new invention _______.

    1. A.
      will soon get a name                       
    2. B.
      can go almost anywhere
    3. C.
      is lighter than air                            
    4. D.
      was uncommon a century ago
練習(xí)冊系列答案
相關(guān)習(xí)題

科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:

As is well known to us all, in China pigeons stand for peace. However, in India the wheel in its national flag is also a _______of peace.

A. symbol    B. sign     C. mark     D. example

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:2012-2013學(xué)年北大附中河南分校高考押題英語卷(解析版) 題型:閱讀理解

A federal agency on Tuesday called for a ban on all cellphone use by drivers -- the most far-reaching recommendation up to now — saying its decision was based on a decade of investigations into distraction-related (與分散注意力有關(guān)的) accidents, as well as growing concerns that powerful mobile devices are giving drivers even more reasons to look away from the road.

As part of its recommendation, the National Transportation Safety Board is urging states to ban drivers from using hands-free devices, including wireless headsets. No state now has made laws to ban such activity, but the Board said that drivers faced serious risks from talking on wireless headsets, just as they do by taking a hand off the wheel to hold a phone to their ears.

However, the concern was heightened by increasingly powerful phones that people can use to send e-mails, watch movies and play games.

“Every year, new devices are being on sale.” she said. “People are attracted to update their Facebook page, to play music with cellphone, as if sitting at a desk. But they are driving a car.”

The agency based its recommendation on evidence from its investigation of numerous crashes in which electronic distraction was a major contributing factor.

Ms. Hersman said she understood that this recommendation would be unwelcome in some circles, given the number of drivers who talk and text. But she compared distracted driving to drunken driving and even smoking, which required wholesale cultural shifts to change behavior.

“It’s going to be very unpopular with some people.” she said. “We’re not here to win a popularity contest. We’re here to do the right thing. This is a difficult recommendation, but it’s the right recommendation and it is time.”

The agency’s recommendation is not required for states to adopt such a ban. And it won’t likely be agreed upon by state lawmakers who are unwillingly to anger those who have grown accustomed to using their device behind the wheel.

The ban also deserves attention because it is the first call by a federal agency to end the practice completely, rather than the partial ban that some lawmakers have put in place by allowing hands-free talking.

1.The ban on all cellphone use by drivers was put forward ______.

A.a(chǎn)fter a long discussion and recommendation

B.a(chǎn)fter about ten years’ investigation in it

C.because of the most powerful mobile devices

D.for the reason of heading away from the road

2.We can know from the passage that ______.

A.electronic distraction resulted in numerous crashes

B.numerous crashes were caused by drunk driving

C.electronic distraction contributed much to the ban

D.the recommendation was based on electronic distraction

3.Ms Hersman thinks that distracted driving, drunken driving and smoking ______.

A.a(chǎn)re just common behaviors                B.can be shifted to behaviors

C.a(chǎn)re behaviors to be changed               D.a(chǎn)re just cultural behaviors

4.Which of the following is the best title of the passage?

A.Cellphone Ban in Cars

B.Valuable Ban for Cellphones

C.Drivers Ban Cellphones

D.Cellphone Ban while Driving

 

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:2012-2013學(xué)年河北正定中學(xué)高三第三次模擬考試英語卷(解析版) 題型:閱讀理解

A device that stops drivers from falling asleep at the wheel is about to undergo testing at Department of Transport laboratories and could go on sale within 12 months.

The system, called Driver Alert, aims to reduce deadly road accidents by 20% - 40% that are caused by tiredness. Airline pilots can also use it to reduce the 30% of all pilot-error accidents that are related to fatigue.

Driver Alert is based on a computerized wristband. The device, worn by drivers or pilots, gives out a sound about every four minutes during a car journey. After each sound the driver must respond by squeezing the steering wheel. A sensor in the wristband detects this pressing action and measures the time between the sound the driver’s response.

Tiredness is directly related to a driver’s response time. Usually, a watchful driver would take about 400 milliseconds to respond, but once that falls to more than 500 milliseconds, it suggests that the driver is getting sleepy.

In such cases the device gives out more regular and louder sounds, showing that the driver should open a window or stop for a rest. If the driver’s response continues to slow down, the sounds become more frequent until a nonstop alarm warns that the driver must stop as soon as possible.

The device has been delivered to the department’s laboratories for testing. If these tests, scheduled for six months’ time, are successful, the makers will bring the product to market within about a year.

1.According to the text, Driver Alert ______.

A.a(chǎn)ims to reduce tiredness-related accidents

B.has gone through testing at laboratories

C.a(chǎn)ims to prevent drivers from sleeping

D.has been on sale for 12 months

2.How should a driver respond to the sounds from Driver Alert?

A.By sounding a warning.                   B.By touching the wristband.

C.By checking the driving time.               D.By pressing the steering wheel.

3.We can learn form the text that the driver needs to stop for a break when his response time is ______.

A.a(chǎn)bout 400 milliseconds                   B.below 500 milliseconds

C.over 500 milliseconds                    D.a(chǎn)bout 4 minutes

4.When the driver gets sleepy while driving, Driver Alert ______.

A.moves more regularly                    B.stops working properly

C.opens the window for the driver            D.sounds more frequently and loudly

 

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:2011年河北冀州中學(xué)高三一模英語卷 題型:閱讀理解

A man was on the side of the road hitchhiking(搭便車)on a very dark night in the middle of a terrible rainstorm, with no cars on the road.The storm was so strong that the man could hardly see a few feet ahead of him.Suddenly, he saw a car come towards him and stop.The man, without thinking about it, got in the car and closed the door and only then did he realize that there was nobody behind the steering wheel(方向盤)!   

    The car started to move very slowly.The man looked at the road and saw a curve (拐彎處)coming his way.Terrified, he started to pray, begging for his life.He had not come out of shock when, just before the car hit the curve, a hand suddenly appeared through the window and moved the wheel.The man, paralyzed with fear, watched how the hand appeared every time the car was drawing near a curve.Finally, although terrified, the man managed to open the door and jump out of the spooky car.Without looking back, the man ran through the storm all the way to the nearest town.In a state of complete horror, the man walked into a nearby bar and asked for two glasses of Scotch whisky.

    Then, still shaking with fright, he started telling everybody in the bar about the horrible experience he just went through in the spooky car.Everyone in the bar listened in silence and became frightened, with hair standing on end, when they realized the man was telling the truth because he was crying and he was certainly not drunk!

    About half an hour later, two other young men walked into the same bar and one said to the other, “Hey, there’s a stupid man who jumped into the car while we were pushing it!”

1.When the car was first drawing near a curve, the man ________.

    A.felt very curious               B.was extremely frightened

    C.cried for help                   D.remained as calm as possible

2.According to the passage, what made the man’s experience believable?

    A.His reasonable behavior.       B.His vivid description.

    C.His plain appearance.          D.His honest attitude.

3.We can infer from the passage that ________.

    A.it is unsafe for people to take a free ride

    B.the man was telling a lie to his listeners

    C.the car probably broke down on the way

    D.the two young men were familiar with the man

 

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:2011年新課標(biāo)高三上學(xué)期單元測試(1)英語卷 題型:閱讀理解

"A survey was conducted in Shanghai where interviewees were asked if they wanted to be a factory worker.One percent of all people interviewed said “YES," Wang Hongjun, a technician, said, raising his voice for dramatic effect."But I can tell you, only a small part of that 1 percent are telling the truth."

       I've met colorful people like Wang all over China.They are cynical (玩世不恭的) yet warmhearted, plain spoken but smart.And many of them are confined (局限于) to work in factories.

       Wang is a top technician but also represents manual factory workers, who are China's most important natural resource.Their energy is powering China's economic boom, and their muscle is turning the wheel of the world's factory.

       But does their unskilled labor give their life meaning? At school, did they tell their friends: "When I grow up I want to work in a factory making socks?" Did you?[來源:Zxxk.Com]

       Factory work has always been a stepping-stone from farm life to the city and a modern life.It's been happening for centuries, but today, with our space-age technology, it's outdated.Earning 1,200 yuan ($169) per month working in a factory is better than that on a farm, but as Wang points out, it's not a dream career.There should be better ways to earn your rice.

       Many modern factories no longer have production line workers.Robots do the assembly (裝配).People just do the monitoring.In this age of technology, in which China is now working smarter and not just harder, why are people still standing in production lines?

       But life is cheap in China.So why not continue to exploit the low-cost labor situation and keep the economy growing fast, some entrepreneurs may ask.

1.How many people surveyed really like to be factory workers?

       A.One percent                      

       B.Only a small part

       C.Only a small part of that one percent   

       D.The writer didn’t mention it.

2.Which is NOT the writer's opinion of factory workers?

       A.cynical                                     B.unimportant

       C.warmhearted                                D.plain spoken

 

 

3.Wang Hongjun is a person who is         

       A.difficult to get along with

       B.humorous but serious

       C.cynical but warmhearted, plain spoken but smart

       D.full of energy but doesn't want to work hard

4.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

       A.Factory workers make contributions to China's economic boom.

       B.Working in a factory is better than that on a farm.

       C.Factory workers are satisfied with their living conditions.

       D.Some entrepreneurs exploited the low-cost labor situation.

5.The writer uses          to begin the passage.

       A.a(chǎn) lot of figures                                    B.many examples

       C.some dialogue                                     D.the result of a survey

 

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊答案