单选题
Motoring Technology

1.2 million road deaths worldwide occur each year, plus a further 50 million injuries. To reduce car crash rate, much research now is focused on safety and new fuels—though some electric vehicle and biofuel research aims at going faster.
Travelling at speed has always been risky. One cutting edge area of research in motoring safety is the use of digital in-car assistants. They can ensure you don't miss crucial road signs or fall asleep. The use of artificial intelligence software allows these assistants to monitor your driving and makes sure your phone or radio doesn't distract you at a vital moment. Most crashes result from human and not mechanical faults.
Some safety developments aim to improve your vision. Radar can spot obstacles in fog, while other technology "sees through" high-sided vehicles blocking your view.
And improvements to seat belts, pedal controls and tyres are making driving smoother and safer. The colour of a car has been found to be linked with safety, as have, less surprisingly, size and shape.
And alternatives to fossil-fuel based petrol, such as plant oils, are a hot area of research. Fuel cells based on hydrogen burn cleanly, and are the subject of a serious research effort.
But whatever is in the fuel tank, you don't want a thief in the driving seat and there have been many innovations, some using satellite tracking and remote communications, to fight against car theft. These communication systems can also come into play if you crash, automatically calling for help.
Accidents cause many traffic jams, but there are more subtle interplays between vehicles that can cause jams even on a clear but busy road. Such jams can be analysed using statistical tools. Robotic drivers could be programmed to make traffic flow smoothly and will perhaps one day be everyone's personal chauffeur, but their latest efforts suggest that won't be soon.
单选题 What are researchers interested in doing as the road accidents worldwide increase to a shocking rate?
  • A. They are developing faster electric vehicles.
  • B. They are analyzing road deaths occurring worldwide every year.
  • C. They focus their research on safety and new fuels.
  • D. They are designing fully automatic cars.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[解析] 本文第一段指出在世界范围内，每年发生120万起交通事故，5000万人因此受伤，为了减少交通事故的发生，很多研究将重点放在了安全问题和新燃料问题上，故选C。
单选题 According to the second paragraph, most road accidents happen ______.
  • A. because drivers fall asleep
  • B. because drivers make mistakes
  • C. because of engine failure
  • D. because of speeding
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] 第二段最后一句说，大多数汽车撞车事故是人为原因造成的，而不是机械故障的原因。所以C项because of engine failure是错误的，A项fall asleep和D项speeding是人为原因，但是太片面，不能概全，故选B。
单选题 Which of the safety developments is NOT mentioned in the passage?
  • A. Radars that can help drivers to see obstacles in fog.
  • B. Devices that can help drivers to see through big vehicles.
  • C. Improvements in seat belts, pedal controls and tyres.
  • D. Windscreens that can help drivers to improve their vision.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] 文章中第三、四段提到雷达、安全带、脚踏板和轮胎，没有提及风窗玻璃，故选D。
单选题 What is NOT the purpose of innovations that use satellite tracking and remote ______ communications?
  • A. To prevent car thieves from getting into your car.
  • B. To call for help when one's car crashes.
  • C. To call for help when the car gets jammed in the traffic.
  • D. To track the car down when it is being stolen.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[解析] 第六段内容指出，使用卫星跟踪和遥控通信方面的革新，其目的是防盗(A项和D项)和发生事故时求援(B项)，C项内容在文中没有提到，故选C。
单选题 What is true of robotic drivers?
  • A. It will take some time before robotic drivers can be put to practical use.
  • B. Robotic drivers are not allowed to drive on busy roads.
  • C. Robotic drivers can never replace human drivers.
  • D. Robotic drives are too expensive to use.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[解析] 文章最后一段说，为机器人司机编制程序后，它们就能使交通变得通畅，也许今后某一天，大家都拥有机器人司机，但是，这一天的到来还有待时日，故选A。