Even as Google plans to test its fleet(车队) of self-driving cars on public roads this summer, its business model remains a bit of a mystery. By 2025, as many as 250,000 self-driving vehicles could be sold each year globally, according to a study by an industry research firm.
"Vehicles that can take anyone from A to B at the push of a button could transform mobility for millions of people," said Chris Urmson, director of Google's self-driving car project. For now, Google has no plans to sell any of its self-driving cars. They are strictly for research. But they will hit public roads this summer near Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California. Previous testing has taken place only on closed courses.
The cars are built to operate without a steering wheel, accelerator(油门) or brake pedal. "Our software and sensors do all the work," Urmson said. "The vehicles will be very basic—we want to learn from them and adapt them as quickly as possible—but they will take you where you want to go at the push of a button." The prototypes(雏形) are the first of a 100-car fleet the tech giant is building.
In the long run, Urmson sees a future of safer roads — the majority of auto accidents are caused by human error — and fewer traffic jams. Robotic cars could also shuttle people who can't drive because of age or illness.
Google has said that self-driving cars could launch new business models in which people buy the use of vehicles they don't own. The company has already tested other types of self-driving cars on public streets, including modified Lexus sport-utility vehicles, under a special permit program by the California Department of Motor Vehicles that requires a human driver at the controls.
The state has issued six other companies permits to operate such cars, including Delphi, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Tesla, Bosch and Nissan. The vehicles that will be tested on open roads this summer will have removable steering wheels, accelerator and brake pedals to allow "safety drivers" to take control if needed.
Google says the cars are safe. The vehicles have sensors that "can detect objects out to a distance of more than two football fields in all directions, which is especially helpful on busy streets with lots of intersections," Urmson said. "We're looking forward to learning how the community understands and interacts with the vehicles, and to uncovering challenges that are unique to a fully self-driving vehicle," Urmson said.
1.The passage informs us that self-driving cars ________.
A. will probably decrease traffic jams
B. have already passed necessary tests
C. have been purchased by some companies
D. will be able to communicate with drivers
2.According to Chris Urmson, ________.
A. software and sensors are vital for self-driving cars
B. self-driving cars can give driving orders to humans
C. self-driving cars are specially designed for the elderly
D. ordinary vehicles will be replaced by self-driving cars
3.The underlined word "intersections" in the last paragraph probably means ________.
A. accidents B. buildings
C. crossings D. vehicles
4.What is the best title for this passage?
A. Self-driving Car Avoids Human Errors
B. Self-driving Car Meets New Challenges
C. Google's Self-driving Car Enjoys Global Popularity
D. Google's Self-driving Car Graduates to City Streets
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题
Even as Google plans to test its fleet(车队) of self-driving cars on public roads this summer, its business model remains a bit of a mystery. By 2025, as many as 250,000 self-driving vehicles could be sold each year globally, according to a study by an industry research firm.
"Vehicles that can take anyone from A to B at the push of a button could transform mobility for millions of people," said Chris Urmson, director of Google's self-driving car project. For now, Google has no plans to sell any of its self-driving cars. They are strictly for research. But they will hit public roads this summer near Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California. Previous testing has taken place only on closed courses.
The cars are built to operate without a steering wheel, accelerator(油门) or brake pedal. "Our software and sensors do all the work," Urmson said. "The vehicles will be very basic—we want to learn from them and adapt them as quickly as possible—but they will take you where you want to go at the push of a button." The prototypes(雏形) are the first of a 100-car fleet the tech giant is building.
In the long run, Urmson sees a future of safer roads — the majority of auto accidents are caused by human error — and fewer traffic jams. Robotic cars could also shuttle people who can't drive because of age or illness.
Google has said that self-driving cars could launch new business models in which people buy the use of vehicles they don't own. The company has already tested other types of self-driving cars on public streets, including modified Lexus sport-utility vehicles, under a special permit program by the California Department of Motor Vehicles that requires a human driver at the controls.
The state has issued six other companies permits to operate such cars, including Delphi, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Tesla, Bosch and Nissan. The vehicles that will be tested on open roads this summer will have removable steering wheels, accelerator and brake pedals to allow "safety drivers" to take control if needed.
Google says the cars are safe. The vehicles have sensors that "can detect objects out to a distance of more than two football fields in all directions, which is especially helpful on busy streets with lots of intersections," Urmson said. "We're looking forward to learning how the community understands and interacts with the vehicles, and to uncovering challenges that are unique to a fully self-driving vehicle," Urmson said.
1.The passage informs us that self-driving cars ________.
A. will probably decrease traffic jams
B. have already passed necessary tests
C. have been purchased by some companies
D. will be able to communicate with drivers
2.According to Chris Urmson, ________.
A. software and sensors are vital for self-driving cars
B. self-driving cars can give driving orders to humans
C. self-driving cars are specially designed for the elderly
D. ordinary vehicles will be replaced by self-driving cars
3.The underlined word "intersections" in the last paragraph probably means ________.
A. accidents B. buildings
C. crossings D. vehicles
4.What is the best title for this passage?
A. Self-driving Car Avoids Human Errors
B. Self-driving Car Meets New Challenges
C. Google's Self-driving Car Enjoys Global Popularity
D. Google's Self-driving Car Graduates to City Streets
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Google has reported progress in its plan called “Project Loon” to provide Internet service to rural (农村的) areas without Internet connectivity around the world. The company has no plans to use traditional wiring, which can be costly. Instead the idea is to float (漂浮) huge balloons (气球) about 20 kilometers above the surface of the Earth.
The balloons would act like telecommunications satellites, providing Internet service to the rural areas. The huge objects would ride air currents (气流) to either stay in place or move to another position high in the skies. At first, the idea was to have a large number of balloons circling the planet. One balloon would move away from an area while another arrived to ensure service in the affected areas. But the company said it has found a way to make balloons float over one area for a long period. In a report published online, the company said its software “can now send small teams of balloons over a specific area where people need Internet access.”
The company said some of the balloons stayed in the same area for as long as three months. The company also said the discovery should speed up the project and reduce costs: “We’ll reduce the number of balloons we need and get greater value out of each one, they said. But Project Loon workers must still find ways to increase the life of the balloons. A British Broadeasting Corporation report said the longest service for a single balloon was 190 days.
Google has also explored the idea of providing Internet service to rural areas using solar—powered drone aircraft (太阳能无人机). However, it gave up that project because of technological difficulties and high costs.
1.What’s the aim of the “Project Loon”?
A.To float huge balloons above the rural areas.
B.To help rural areas have access to the Internet.
C.To increase Google’s income in the rural areas.
D.To advertise Google’s new product in the rural areas.
2.Why wouldn’t Google use traditional wiring?
A.It could be too expensive.
B.It could put off the project.
C.It couldn’t provide greater value.
D.It couldn’t work for a long period
3.What do we know about the balloons?
A.They must be used in a large number.
B.They could provide service as long as 3 months.
C.They’ll be sent up by solar-powered drone aircrafts.
D.They would work like telecommunications satellites.
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A.An unexpected discovery.
B.Some unknown facts about balloons.
C.Google’s using balloons to provide Internet service.
D.The differences between the new and traditional wiring.
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
When you come to London for a trip, it's best to plan a day out so as to maximize(最大化)the number of things yon can see. Time permitting,we can offer advice by e-mail if there's anything you particularly want to see.
If you are only in London for a day, a weekend or a week, use our SHORT STAY pages where we show you how to fill as much into your days as possible.
The best season to come is late Summer or Autumn —— recently we have been having Indian Summers (秋季的小阳春天气)from mid-September to the end of October with clear blue skies and 20 degree temperatures. Finally the weather breaks as the storm fronts move in off the Atlantic, then clears up for Christmas. February to April can be terrible, and the weather is very unpredictable. Ask the Meteorological office here for facts and figures but they are so often wrong.
When it's raining there are plenty of museums and galleries to visit —— and the tube(地铁)system is generally very good outside of rush hour.
It's best for you to be near a tube station when choosing a hotel, because buses can be slow and unreliable(不可靠的)and taxis expensive. The yellow circle line on the tube map marks the division(分界线)between central and not-so-central London. Outside of that area your transport bill will rise. The best restaurants are in Islington and the southwest of London which is where the life is.
1.The Meteorological office in the third paragraph is a place where_______.
A. people can know what London is like
B. people can get information about tourism
C. people can know what the weather is like
D. people can get information about transportation
2.When considering where to live, visitors need to pay more attention to_______in London.
A. the traffic B. the living condition
C. the food D. the price
3.Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?
A. There are many museums and galleries in London.
B. The tube system in London is very good at any time.
C. One can get more information by sending e –mail.
D. Autumn is the best season for visiting London.
4.The passage is mainly written for those who_______ .
A. are going to serve as tour guides
B. are planning to live in London
C. are going to visit London
D. are going to work in London
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
It was foolish of him to _______his note during that important test, and as a result, he got punished.
A.stick to | B.point to | C.refer to | D.keep to |
高一英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
It was foolish of him to ________ his notes while taking such an easy test, and as a result, he got punished.
A.refer to | B.speak of | C.cheat in | D.take out |
高一英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Taiwan police cannot decide whether to treat it as an extremely act of stealing or an even cheat. Either way, it could be the perfect crime, because the criminals are birds—homing pigeons !
The crime begins with a telephone message to the owner of a stolen car: if you want the car back, pay up. Then, the car owner is directed to a park, told where to find a bird cage and how to attach money to the neck of the pigeon inside. Carrying the money in a tiny bag, the pigeon flies off.
There have been at least four such pigeon pick-ups in Changwa. What at first seemed like the work of a clever stay-at-home car thief, however, may in fact be the work of an even lazier and more inventive criminal mind—one that avoids not only collecting money but also going out to steal the car in the first place. Police officer Chen says that the criminal probably has pulled a double trick: he gets money for things he cannot possibly return. Instead of stealing cars, he lets someone else do it and then waits for the car-owner to place an advertisement in the newspaper asking for help.
The thought is supported by the fact that, so far, none of the stolen cars have been returned. Also, the amount of money demanded-under 3,000 Taiwanese dollars–seems too little for a car worth many times more.
Demands for pigeon-delivered money stopped as soon as the press reported the story. And even if they start again, Chen holds little hope of catching the criminal. “We have more important things to do,” he said.
1.After the car owner received a phone call, he _______.
A.went to a certain pigeon and put some money in the bag it carried |
B.gave the money to the thief and had his car back in a park |
C.sent some money to the thief by mail |
D.told the press about it |
2.The “lazier and more inventive” criminal refers to _______.
A.the car thief who stays at home |
B.one of those who put the ads in the paper |
C.one of the policemen in Changwa |
D.the owner of the pigeons |
3.The writer mentions the fact that “none of the stolen cars have been returned” to show _______.
A.how easily people get fooled by criminals |
B.what Chen thinks might be correct |
C.the thief is extremely clever |
D.the money paid is too little |
4.The underlined word “they” in the last paragraph refers to ____.
A.criminals | B.pigeons | C.the stolen cars | D.demands for money |
5. We may infer from the text that the criminal knows how to reach the car owners because _______.
A.he reads the ads in the newspaper |
B.he lives in the same neighborhood |
C.he has seen the car owners in the park |
D.he has trained the pigeons to follow them |
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
This city plans to ________ all high-polluting factories by the end of 2018 so as to improve its air quality.
A. purchase B. promote
C. remove D. replace
高一英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
Many of them turned a deaf ear to his advice, _______ they knew it to be valuable.
A. as if B. even though C. now that D. so that
高一英语单项填空困难题查看答案及解析
______ more than half of us were against the new plan, he still decided to carry it out.
A. As B. Since C. Unless D. While
高一英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
______ more than half of us were against the new plan, he still decided to carry it out.
A.As B.Since C.Unless D.While
高一英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析