单选题 Traffic statistics paint a gloomy picture. To help solve their traffic woes, some rapidly growing U.S. cities have simply built more roads. But traffic experts say building more roads is a quick-fix solution that will not alleviated the traffic problem in the long run. Soaring land costs, increasing concern over social and environmental disruptions caused by road building, and the likelihood that more roads can only lead to more cars and traffic are powerful factors bearing down on a 1950s-style construction program.
The goal of smart-highway technology is to make traffic systems work at optimum efficiency by treating the road and the vehicles traveling on them as an integral transportation system. Proponents of the advanced technology say electronic detection systems, closed-circuit television, radio-communication, ramp metering variable message signing, and other smart-highway technology can now be used at a reasonable cost to improve communication between drivers and the people who monitor traffic.
Pathfinder, a Santa Monica, California-based smart-highway project in which a 14-mile stretch of the Santa Monica Freeway, making up what is called a "smart corridor," is being instrumented with buried loops in the pavement. Closed-circuit television cameras survey the flow of traffic; while communication linked to property equipped automobiles advise motorists of the least congested routes or detours.
Not all traffic experts, however, look to smart-highway technology as the ultimate solution to traffic gridlock. Some say the high-tech approach is limited and can only offer temporary solutions to a serious problem.
"Electronics on the highway addresses just one aspect of the problems: how to regulate traffic more efficiently," explains Michael Renner, senior researcher at the World-Watch Institute. "It does not deal with the central problem of too many cars for roads that cannot be built fast enough. It sends people the wrong message. They start thinking yes, there used to be a traffic congestion problem, but that's been solved now because we have advanced high-tech system in place. "Larson agrees and adds, "Smart highway is just one of the tools that we use to deal with our traffic problems. It is not the solution itself, just pan of package. There are different strategies. "
Other traffic problem-solving options being studied and experimented with include car-pooling, rapid mass-transit systems, staggered or flexible work hours, and road pricing, a system whereby motorists pay a certain amount for the time they use a highway.
It seems that we need a new, major thrust to deal with the traffic problems of the next 20 years. There has to be a big change and a long way to go.
单选题 The compound word "quick-fix" (Line 2, Para. 1) is closest in meaning to
  • A. an optional solution.
  • B. an expedient solution.
  • C. a ready solution.
  • D. an efficient solution.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】词义理解题。根据文章第一段第三句话：“But traffic experts say…in the long run”，再结合后面，修路也并非易事(实际上否定了选项[C] 和[D] ，因为修路很难，造价也高)，结合构词法，可知quick-fix意思是“快速决定的，临时的”，选项[A] 联系不紧密。选项[B] 中expedient作名词表示“权宜之计”，所以为正确答案。
单选题 According to the passage, the smart-highway technology is aimed to
  • A. develop sophisticated facilities on the interstate highways.
  • B. accelerate the speed of the transportation.
  • C. optimize the highway capabilities.
  • D. improve communication between drivers and the traffic monitors.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】细节推断题。根据文章第二段第一句话和最后一句话可知，智能高速公路的目标就是最大效率地整合道路和交通工具，进而促进司机和交通监测人员之间的交流。
单选题 According to Larson, to redress the traffic problem,
  • A. rapid mass transit system must be introduced.
  • B. overall strategies must be experimented.
  • C. a fundamental shift of notions must be taken.
  • D. a better understanding of the root of traffic problems must be reached.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】事实细节题。根据文章倒数第三段最后一句话：智能高速公路只不过是解决方案中的一部分，还要有不同的策略。所以选择[B]
单选题 Which of the following best describes the organization of the whole passage?
  • A. Two contrasting views of a problem are presented.
  • B. A problem is examined and complementary solutions are proposed.
  • C. Latest developments are outlined in order of importance.
  • D. An introduction is explained with its importance emphasized.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】逻辑结构题。文章的结构还算明晰。本文首先提出交通堵塞问题，接着介绍高科技解决方案，重点介绍了smart-highway，指明特点和不足，不是最终方案；最后提出当前其他的解决方案。所以选择[B]
单选题 What is the appropriate title for the passage?
  • A. Smart-highway Projects — The Ultimate Solution to Traffic Congestion.
  • B. A Quick-Fix Solution for Traffic Problems.
  • C. A Venture to Remedy Traffic Woes.
  • D. Highways Get Smart — Part of the Package to Relieve Traffic Gridlock.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】主旨题。选项[A] 后半部分不对，与第四段第一句话冲突；排除选项[B] ，文章的重心不在修路；而选项[C] 未被提及。文章倒数第三段指出文章主旨是smart-highway，并且谨慎地把它只称为“part of the package”，而并非最终的解决方案。所以[D] 为正确答案。