单选题 .  The automobile has given people incredible freedom of movement. It enables them to decide where they want to go and when. The automobile influences where people live and work and how they spend their leisure time. The striking changes in people's lives created by the automobile began in the United States and have since spread across much of the globe, especially in developed countries. But even in developing nations, the automobile is increasingly reshaping patterns of living.
    When the first automobiles were produced, only the well-to-do could afford them. Soon, however, prices declined as production increased in response to the growing demand. The lower prices put the automobile within reach of more and more Americans. Well-off urban residents found car ownership cheaper than keeping a horse and carriage. The growth in car ownership led to the building of more and better roads, which further increased travel throughout the nation. Before the development of automobiles, urban workers walked, bicycled, or rode horse-drawn vehicles to their jobs. But as roads improved and car ownership expanded, workers no longer had to live near their jobs.
    During the 1920s, people in U.S. cities increasingly moved to the suburbs because of the freedom provided to the workers by automobile ownership. By the mid-1950s, even factories had begun to relocate in the suburbs. Wherever people have easy access to automobiles, ears play a major role in social life and the choice of recreational activities. People find it fun to hop in the car and visit friends and relatives, whether the drive takes a few minutes, hours, or days. The automobile helps make it easy to organize picnics, family reunions, and other get-togethers. Trips by automobile to such places as theme parks, national parks, and mountain and seashore resorts are a favorite type of vacation for many people.1.  Which of the following is NOT a change brought by the automobile? ______