阅读理解
People in several American states may be surprised to see cars on city streets without a driver. Experimental driverless vehicles now are legal in Florida, Nevada and California. They are pointing the way to a future that is not far down the road. The hightech company Google has a number of selfdriving cars, which had covered 480,000 kilometers by August. Volvo is among the companies doing road tests and says it plans to sell driverless cars by 2020.
In September, California Governor Jerry Brown signed an act to allow autonomous vehicles on the roads of his state. “ Today we're looking at science fiction becoming tomorrow's reality—the driverless car. ” The technology for these cars includes cameras, radar and motion sensors. The systems have been improved through competitions sponsored by the U. S. government agency DARPA. Engineer Richard Mason of the Rand Corporation helped design driverless vehicles for DARPA challenge races.
“Cars have become much more fuelefficient, and new electronic features are making Hondas safer,” said Angie Nucci of Honda America. “ A camera on the passengerside mirror actually engaged on your guiding screen so you can safely change lanes. ” Other safety features include warning systems on the front and the sides of the cars. These systems help drivers, but don't replace them. Curator Leslie Kendall of the Petersen Automotive Museum said autonomous cars will make the high ways safer.
“By taking out drivers, you also remove most risks of an accident,” Kendall said. He said consumers, however, may be unwilling to lose control. “It may take them time to come to realize that the technology is indeed reliable, but it will have to prove itself first. ”
Mason said the technology already works and the biggest challenge now is getting down the cost for driverless vehicles from hundreds of thousands of dollars to something more affordable. He said this will happen as the technology is improved.
文章大意:自动汽车原来只是科幻作品中出现,现在它即将成为可能。
1. What can we learn from Paragraph l?
A.Driverless vehicles are now legal in the whole USA.
B.Volvo will be the first to sell driverless cars.
C.Driverless cars are pointing us a faraway future.
D.Google's selfdriving cars have covered a long distance.
答案:D 细节理解题。由第一段第四句话“The hightech company Google has a number of selfdriving cars, which had covered 480,000 kilometers by August.”可知,谷歌公司的自动汽车已经行驶了很长的距离。
2. We learn that Governor of California Jerry Brown________.
A.helped design selfdriving cars
B.supports selfdriving cars on roads
C.considers selfdriving cars science fiction
D.improved the selfdriving car systems
答案:B 细节理解题。由第二段第一句话“In September, California Governor Jerry Brown signed an act to allow autonomous vehicles on the roads of his state.”可知,Governor Jerry Brown支持自动汽车。
3. What is the role of the systems mentioned in Paragraph 3?
A.They can help people drive more safely.
B.They can take the place of drivers now.
C.They can make cars run without fuel.
D.They can help cars run much faster.
答案:A 细节理解题。由第三段内容可知,自动汽车系统更节油、更安全,能帮助驾驶员但是不能代替驾驶员。
4. According to Richard Mason, what is the biggest challenge for driverless cars?
A.They are not allowed to run on the road.
B.Their technical problems remain to be solved.
C.They are now too expensive for consumers.
D.They are more dangerous for people on the street.
答案:C 细节理解题。由最后一段第一句话“Mason said ... the biggest challenge now is getting down the cost for driverless vehicles from hundreds of thousands of dollars to something more affordable.”可知,价格是其最大的挑战。
5.What's the best title of the passage?
A.The benefits of the selfdriving cars.
B.The biggest challenge of the selfdriving cars.
C.Safer or more dangerous—selfdriving cars.
D.Selfdriving cars—science fiction future is near.
答案:D 主旨大意题。由文章大意可知。