单选题
Before the 20th century the horse provided day to day transportation in the United States. Trains were used only for long-distance transportation.
Today the car is the most popular
1
of transportation in all of the United States. It has completely
2
the horse as a means of everyday transportation. Americans use their car for
3
90 percent of all personal
4
Most Americans are able to
5
cars. The average price of a
6
made car was, $500 in 1950, $740 in 1960 and up
7
$750 in 1975. During this period American car manufacturers set about
8
their products and work efficiency.
Meanwhile, the yearly income of the
9
family increased from 1950 to 1975
10
than the price of cars. For this reason,
11
a new car takes a smaller
12
of a family"s total earnings today.
In 1951
13
it took 8.1 months of an average family"s
14
to buy a new car. In 1962, a new car
15
8.3 months of a family"s annual earnings. By 1975 it only took 4.75
16
income. In addition, the 1975 cars were technically
17
to models from previous years.
The
18
of the automobile extends throughout the economy
19
the car is so important to Americans. Americans spend more money
20
their cars running than on any other item.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 此题考查惯用搭配。kind种类；means手段；mean意味着；type类型。本题所在句意为“如今，汽车是全美最普遍的交通______。”再结合下一句中的as a means of everyday transportation可知B正确。means of transportation意为“交通工具”。
【答案解析】[解析] 此题考查语义衔接。raise提高；make制作；reduce减少；improve改进。结合空格后的内容可知，空格处应填入能与宾语their products and work efficiency相搭配的动词的现在分词，此处意思为“提高他们的产品质量和工作效率”。选项B、C明显错误，选项A的意思是提高物体的位置。故只有选项D符合文意。
【答案解析】[解析] 此题考查词义辨析。bring带来；obtain获得；have拥有；purchase购买。根据后面提到a family"s total earnings可知，本处所表示的行为需要花费金钱，根据选项可知purchase最符合文意。本题所在句意为“买一辆新车用的钱仅占一个家庭总收入的很小一部分”，所以D正确。
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 此题考查词义辨析。part部分；half一半；number数量；side旁边。结合句中的take a...of可知A正确。take a part of在本句中意为“占……的一部分”。