As self-driving cars come closer to being common on American roads, much of the rhetoric(说辞)promoting them has to do with safety. About 40,000 people die on U.S. roads every year, and driver errors are linked to more than 90 percent of crashes. But many of the biggest advocates of autonomous(自动的)vehicles aren’t car companies looking to improve the safety of their existing products. Huge support for itself-driving technologies is coming from Silicon Valley giants like Google and Apple.
Those of us who have studied the relationship between technology and society tend to look more carefully at the motivations behind any technologically push. In this case, it’s clear that in addition to addressing safety concerns, Silicon Valley firms have a strong incentive(动机)to create a new venue for increasing the use of their digital devices. Every minute people spend on their mobile phones provides data—and often money—to tech companies.
At present, digital devices and driving are in conflict: There are serious, often fatal, consequences when drivers use smartphones to talk or to text. Regulators and safety advocates look to resolve dial conflict by banning phone use while driving – as has happened in almost every state. But the tech companies are taking a different approach. The obvious answer for Silicon Valley is creating an automobile in which continuous cellphone use no longer poses a threat to anyone.
In recent years, the amount of time adults spend on their mobile devices has grown rapidly. At the moment, it’s around four hours a day for the average adult in the U.S. However, that rapid growth is likely to slow down as people run out of time that’s available for them up to use their devices. Unless, of course, there’s a new block of time that suddenly opens up. The average American now spends about 48 minutes in a car every day, a sizeable opportunity for increased cellphone use.
Sop as the public conversation around autonomous cars highlights the safety advantages, don’t forget the tech industry’s powerful desire for more profits, which goes well beyond simply saving us from ourselves.
1.Who are responsible for most traffic accidents in American?
A. Car companies. B. Drivers.
C. Tech companies. D. Self-driving cars.
2.What pushes Silicon Valley to promote self-driving technologies?
A. To make more money. B. To reduce traffic accidents.
C. To limit the use of digital devices. D. To support car companies.
3.What does the underlined phrase “a new block of time” possibly refer to?
A. The working time. B. People’s spare time.
C. The time spent in the car. D. The time spent on mobile devices.
4.What can we know from the passage?
A. We should teach people to strictly obey traffic rules.
B. The writer calls on us to look at autonomous cars wisely.
C. Car companies are the leading promoters of self-driving cars.
D. No solution to the conflict between mobile phone use and driving has been found yet.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
As self-driving cars come closer to being common on American roads, much of the rhetoric(说辞)promoting them has to do with safety. About 40,000 people die on U.S. roads every year, and driver errors are linked to more than 90 percent of crashes. But many of the biggest advocates of autonomous(自动的)vehicles aren’t car companies looking to improve the safety of their existing products. Huge support for itself-driving technologies is coming from Silicon Valley giants like Google and Apple.
Those of us who have studied the relationship between technology and society tend to look more carefully at the motivations behind any technologically push. In this case, it’s clear that in addition to addressing safety concerns, Silicon Valley firms have a strong incentive(动机)to create a new venue for increasing the use of their digital devices. Every minute people spend on their mobile phones provides data—and often money—to tech companies.
At present, digital devices and driving are in conflict: There are serious, often fatal, consequences when drivers use smartphones to talk or to text. Regulators and safety advocates look to resolve dial conflict by banning phone use while driving – as has happened in almost every state. But the tech companies are taking a different approach. The obvious answer for Silicon Valley is creating an automobile in which continuous cellphone use no longer poses a threat to anyone.
In recent years, the amount of time adults spend on their mobile devices has grown rapidly. At the moment, it’s around four hours a day for the average adult in the U.S. However, that rapid growth is likely to slow down as people run out of time that’s available for them up to use their devices. Unless, of course, there’s a new block of time that suddenly opens up. The average American now spends about 48 minutes in a car every day, a sizeable opportunity for increased cellphone use.
Sop as the public conversation around autonomous cars highlights the safety advantages, don’t forget the tech industry’s powerful desire for more profits, which goes well beyond simply saving us from ourselves.
1.Who are responsible for most traffic accidents in American?
A. Car companies. B. Drivers.
C. Tech companies. D. Self-driving cars.
2.What pushes Silicon Valley to promote self-driving technologies?
A. To make more money. B. To reduce traffic accidents.
C. To limit the use of digital devices. D. To support car companies.
3.What does the underlined phrase “a new block of time” possibly refer to?
A. The working time. B. People’s spare time.
C. The time spent in the car. D. The time spent on mobile devices.
4.What can we know from the passage?
A. We should teach people to strictly obey traffic rules.
B. The writer calls on us to look at autonomous cars wisely.
C. Car companies are the leading promoters of self-driving cars.
D. No solution to the conflict between mobile phone use and driving has been found yet.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
As self — driving cars come closer to being common on American roads, much of the rhetoric (说辞) promoting them has to do with safety. About 40,000 people die on U. S. roads every year, and driver errors are linked to more than 90 percent of crashes. But many of the biggest advocates of autonomous vehicles aren’t car companies looking to improve the safety of their existing products. Huge backing for self - driving technologies is coming from Silicon Valley giants like Google and Apple.
Those of us who have studied the relationship between technology and society tend to look more carefully at the motivations behind any technological push. In this case, it’s clear that in addition to addressing safety concerns, Silicon Valley firms have a strong incentive (动机) to create a new venue for increasing the use of their digital devices. Every minute people spend on their mobile phones provides data - and often money - to tech companies.
At present, digital devices and driving are in conflict: There are serious, often fatal, consequences when drivers use smartphones to talk or to text. Regulators and safety advocates look to resolve dial conflict by banning phone use while driving - as has happened in virtually every state. But the tech companies are taking a different approach. The obvious answer for Silicon Valley is creating an antomobile in which continuous cellphone use no longer poses a threat to anyone.
In recent years, the amount of time adults spend on their mobile devices has grown rapidly. At the moment, it’s around four hours a day for the average adult in the U. S. However, that rapid growth is likely to slow down as people run out of time that ’ s available for them to use their devices. Unless, of course, there’s a new block of time that suddenly opens up. The average American now spends about 48 minutes in a car every day, a sizable opportunity for increased cellphone use.
So as the public conversation around autonomous cars highlights the safety advantages, don’t forget the tech industry ’ s powerful desire for more profits, which goes well beyond simply saving us from ourselves.
1.Who are responsible for most traffic accidents in America?
A. Car companies. B. Tech companies.
C. Drivers. D. Self - driving cars.
2.What is Silicon Valley’s motive for promoting self - driving technologies?
A. To make more money. B. To reduce traffic accidents.
C. To limit the use of digital devices. D. To support car companies.
3.What is the present - day solution to the conflict between digital devices and driving?
A. Teaching people traffic rules. B. Improving self-driving technologies.
C. Fixing digital devices in cars. D. Banning phone use while driving.
4.What does the underlined phrase “a new block of time” possibly refer to?
A. The working time. B. People’s spare time.
C. The time spent in the car. D. The time spent on mobile devices.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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 prototype (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, accelerators 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. According to Chris Urmson, __________.
A. self-driving cars can give driving orders to humans
B. software and sensors are vital for self-driving cars
C. self-driving cars are specially designed for the elderly
D. ordinary vehicles will be replaced by self-driving cars
2.The passage informs us that self-driving cars __________.
A. have already passed necessary tests
B. have been purchased by some companies
C. will be able to communicate with drivers
D. will probably decrease traffic jams
3.The underlined word "intersections" in the last paragraph can probably be replaced __________.
A. crossings B. buildings
C. vehicles D. accidents
4.What is the best title for this passage?
A. Google's Self-driving Car Graduates to City Streets
B. Google's Self-driving Car Enjoys Global Popularity
C. Self-driving Car Meets New Challenges
D. Self-driving Car Avoids Human Errors
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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 prototype (雏形) is 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, accelerators and brake pedals to allow “safety drivers” to take control if needed.
1.According to Chris Urmson, __________.
A. self-driving cars can give driving orders to humans
B. self-driving cars are specially designed for the elderly
C. software and sensors are vital for self-driving cars
D. ordinary vehicles will be replaced by self-driving cars
2.Paragraph 4 is meant to tell us that __________.
A. many traffic accidents are caused by human error
B. some people can’t drive because of illness or age
C. Urmson has promised to create safer roads in the future
D. self-driving cars will probably help to make safer roads and decrease traffic jams
3.The underlined word “issued” in the last paragraph can probably be replaced by__________.
A. given B. claimed
C. awarded D. prohibited
4.What’s the author’s attitude towards self-driving cars?
A. Objective. B. Indifferent.
C. Subjective. D. Favorable.
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
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 prototype(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, accelerators 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
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
People in several American states may be surprised to see cars on city streets without a driver. Experimental driverless vehicles now are legal in Florida, Nevada and California. They are pointing the way to a future that is not far down the road. The high-tech company Google has a number of self-driving cars, which had covered 480,000 kilometers by August. Volvo is among the companies doing road tests and says it plans to sell driverless cars by 2020.
In September, California Governor Jerry Brown signed an act to allow autonomous vehicles on the roads of his state. “Today we’re looking at science fiction becoming tomorrow's reality-the driverless car. ” The technology for these cars includes cameras, radar and motion sensors. The systems have been improved through competitions sponsored by the U. S. government agency DARPA. Engineer Richard Mason of the Rand Corporation helped design driverless vehicles for DARPA challenge races.
Cars have become much more fuel-efficient, and new electronic features are' making Hondas safer, said Angie Nucci of Honda America. “A camera on the passenger-side mirror actually engaged on your guiding screen so you can safely change lanes. ” Other safety features include warning systems on the front and the sides of the cars. These systems help drivers , but don’t replace them. Curator Leslie Kendall of the Petersen Automotive Museum said autonomous cars will make the high ways safer.
“By taking out drivers, you also remove most risks of an accident, ”Kendall said. He said , “Consumers, however, may be unwilling to lose control. It may take them time to come to realize that the technology is indeed reliable, but it will have to prove itself first. ”
Mason said the technology already works and the biggest challenge now is getting down the cost for driverless vehicles from hundreds of thousands of dollars to something more affordable. He said this will happen as the technology is improved.
1.According to the passage, California Governor Jerry Brown ______________.
A. is for the idea of having driverless cars
B. sponsored the DARPA competition to improve the driverless system
C. has already bought a new autonomous car
D. thinks that driving safety is the most important issue in his state
2. What is the role of the systems mentioned in Paragraph 3?
A. They can help cars run much faster.
B. They can take the place of drivers now.
C. They can make cars run without fuel.
D. They can help people drive more safely.
3.In Kendall’s opinion, who probably don’t rely on the driverless cars at first?
A. managers in the high-tech company Google
B. officers from the U. S. government agency DARPA
C. car consumers
D. vehicle designers
4.According to Richard Mason, what is the biggest challenge for driverless cars?
A. They need to have more comfortable seats .
B. They are now too expensive for consumers.
C. They are travelling at a low speed.
D. They are not favored by car racers
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
People in several American states may be surprised to see cars on city streets without a driver.Experimental driverless vehicles now are legal in Florida, Nevada and California.They are pointing the way to a future that is not far down the road.The high-tech company Google has a number of self-driving cars, which had covered 480,000 kilometers by August.Volvo is among the companies doing road tests and says it plans to sell driverless cars by 2020.
In September, California Governor Jerry Brown signed an act to allow autonomous vehicles on the roads of his state." Today we're looking at science fiction becoming tomorrow's reality-the driverless car." The technology for these cars includes cameras, radar and motion sensors.The systems have been improved through competitions sponsored by the U.S.government agency DARPA.Engineer Richard Mason of the Rand Corporation helped design driverless vehicles for DARPA challenge races.
Cars have become much more fuel-efficient, and new electronic features are' making Hondas safer, said Angie Nucci of Honda America." A camera on the passenger-side mirror actually engaged on your guiding screen so you can safely change lanes." Other safety features include warning systems on the front and the sides of the cars.These systems help drivers , but don't replace them.Curator Leslie Kendall of the Petersen Automotive Museum said autonomous cars will make the high ways safer.
"By taking out drivers, you also remove most risks of an accident," Kendall said.He said consumers, however, may be unwilling to lose control."It may take them time to come to realize that the technology is indeed reliable, but it will have to prove itself first."
Mason said the technology already works and the biggest challenge now is getting down the cost for driverless vehicles from hundreds of thousands of dollars to something more affordable.He said this will happen as the technology is improved.
1.What can we learn from Paragraph l?
A.Driverless vehicles are now legal in the whole USA.
B.Volvo will be the first to sell driverless cars.
C.Driverless cars are pointing us' a faraway future.
D.Google's self-driving cars have covered a long distance.
2.We learn that Governor of California Jerry Brown_________.
A.helped design self-driving cars.
B.supports self-driving cars on roads.
C.considers self-driving cars science fiction.
D.improved the self-driving car systems.
3.What is the role of the systems mentioned in Paragraph 3?
A.They can help people drive more safely.
B.They can take the place of drivers now.
C.They can make cars run without fuel.
D.They can help cars run much faster.
4.According to Richard Mason, what is the biggest challenge for driverless cars?
A.They are not allowed to run on the road.
B.Their technical problems remain to be solved.
C.They are now too expensive for consumers.
D.They are more dangerous for people on the street.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
People in several American states may be surprised to see cars on city streets without a driver. Experimental driverless vehicles now are legal in Florida, Nevada and California. They are pointing the way to a future that is not far down the road. The high-tech company Google has a number of self-driving cars, which had covered 480,000 kilometers by August. Volvo is among the companies doing road tests and says it plans to sell driverless cars by 2020.
In September, California Governor Jerry Brown signed an act to allow autonomous vehicles on the roads of his state. “Today we're looking at science fiction becoming tomorrow's reality-the driverless car.”The technology for these cars includes cameras, radar and motion sensors. The systems have been improved through competitions sponsored by the U. S. government agency DARPA. Engineer Richard Mason of the Rand Corporation helped design driverless vehicles for DARPA challenge races.
Cars have become much more fuel-efficient, and new electronic features are making Hondas safer, said Angie Nucci of Honda America. “A camera on the passenger-side mirror actually engaged on your guiding screen so you can safely change lanes.” Other safety features include warning systems on the front and the sides of the cars. The systems help drivers, but don't replace them. Curator Leslie Kendall of the Petersen Automotive Museum said autonomous cars will make the high ways safer.
“By taking out drivers, you also remove most risks of an accident,” Kendall said. He said consumers, however, may be unwilling to lose control. “It may take them time to come to realize that the technology is indeed reliable, but it will have to prove itself first.”
Mason said the technology already works and the biggest challenge now is getting down the cost for driverless vehicles from hundreds of thousands of dollars to something more affordable. He said this will happen as the technology is improved.
1.What can we learn from Paragraph 1?
A. Driverless vehicles are now legal in the whole USA.
B. Volvo will be the first to sell driverless cars.
C. Google’s self-driving cars have covered a long distance.
D. Driverless cars are pointing us a faraway future.
2.We learn that Governor of California Jerry Brown_________.
A. helped design self-driving cars.
B. supports self-driving cars on roads.
C. considers self-driving cars science fiction.
D. improved the self-driving car systems.
3.According to Richard Mason, what is the biggest challenge for driverless cars?
A. They are now too expensive for consumers.
B. Their technical problems remain to be solved.
C. They are not allowed to run on the road.
D. They are more dangerous for people on the street.
4.What's the best title of the passage?
A. The benefits of the self-driving cars.
B. The biggest challenge of the self-driving cars.
C. Self-driving cars-science fiction future is near.
D. Safer or more dangerous-self-driving cars.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
People in several American states may be surprised to see cars on city streets without a driver. Experimental driverless vehicles now are legal in Florida, Nevada and California. They are pointing the way to a future that is not far down the road. The high-tech company Google has a number of self-driving cars, which had covered 480,000 kilometers by August. Volvo is among the companies doing road tests and says it plans to sell driverless cars by 2020.
In September, California Governor Jerry Brown signed an act to allow autonomous vehicles on the roads of his state. " Today we're looking at science fiction becoming tomorrow's reality-the driverless car. " The technology for these cars includes cameras, radar and motion sensors. The systems have been improved through competitions sponsored by the U. S. government agency DARPA. Engineer Richard Mason of the Rand Corporation helped design driverless vehicles for DARPA challenge races.
Cars have become much more fuel-efficient, and new electronic features are' making Hondas safer, said Angie Nucci of Honda America. " A camera on the passenger-side mirror actually engaged on your guiding screen so you can safely change lanes. " Other safety features include warning systems on the front and the sides of the cars. These systems help drivers , but don't replace them. Curator Leslie Kendall of the Petersen Automotive Museum said autonomous cars will make the high ways safer.
"By taking out drivers, you also remove most risks of an accident," Kendall said. He said consumers, however, may be unwilling to lose control. "It may take them time to come to realize that the technology is indeed reliable, but it will have to prove itself first. "
Mason said the technology already works and the biggest challenge now is getting down the cost for driverless vehicles from hundreds of thousands of dollars to something more affordable. He said this will happen as the technology is improved.
1.What can we learn from Paragraph l?
A. Driverless vehicles are now legal in the whole USA.
B. Volvo will be the first to sell driverless cars.
C. Driverless cars are pointing us' a faraway future.
D. Google's self-driving cars have covered a long distance.
2.We learn that Governor of California Jerry Brown_________.
A. helped design self-driving cars.
B. supports self-driving cars on roads.
C. considers self-driving cars science fiction.
D. improved the self-driving car systems.
3.What is the role of the systems mentioned in Paragraph 3?
A. They can help people drive more safely.
B. They can take the place of drivers now.
C. They can make cars run without fuel.
D. They can help cars run much faster.
4.According to Richard Mason, what is the biggest challenge for driverless cars?
A. They are not allowed to run on the road.
B. Their technical problems remain to be solved.
C. They are now too expensive for consumers.
D. They are more dangerous for people on the street.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析