We all hate speed cameras, don’t we? They’re not there to slow drivers down and lower the road accidents; they just make money for the government. They trick us, cost us cold hard cash, disturb us from driving properly and are unfair.
Well, here’s a surprising thing: what if there were facts that the boring cameras actually saved lives? It’s a conclusion difficult to ignore when you look at what’s happening in France, a country with a historically poor record of road safety.
There were 16,617 road deaths in 1972 in France for example, but that dropped to 8412 by 1995 following rules such as compulsory seat belt wearing in 1990 and a lowering of the blood alcohol limit to 0.05 in 1995.
Last year, the road deaths dropped below 5,000 for the first time, or 4.9 per cent less than 2004. Comparing road deaths to population in 2005, that’s about 817 per million people compared with Australia’s 806.
And guess what? Last year the number of speed cameras on French roads reached 1,000 and the government plans to double that within the next three years.
Okay, you know the arguments regarding increased traffic safety and cameras-for-income, but it seems in France there’s been a major cultural change brought on by radars and other laws. A three-hour, wine-soaked lunch with a quick rush back to the office is no longer on.
Travelling on the highways, it is rare to see anyone breaking the 130km/h speed limit when once few traveled below it. The speed cameras are clearly signed so drivers know when they are coming. There’s even an official web site listing fixed and mobile camera locations and it is updated regularly.
Maybe it is because of such transparency(透明)by government, rather than the concealment too often used by authorities in many other countries that more French can enjoy la joi de vivre thanks to speed cameras.
16. Generally, it seems to most people that speed cameras are used to .
A.make money for the government B.slow down the traffic
C.lower the road accidents D.help us drive properly
17. From the passage we can learn that .
A.France has a very poor record of road safety
B.we’d better ignore the evidence that speed cameras save lives
C.France had less road deaths than Australia in 2005
D.France does successfully in controlling road accidents
18. Which seems more effective in lowering road deaths in France according to this passage?
A.Compulsory seat belt. B.Lowering blood alcohol limit.
C.Placing more speed cameras. D.Eating in a shorter time.
19. Now you can seldom see in France .
A.people drive at a speed of less than 130km/h
B.lunch time lasts long hours with drunk people rushing back to office
C.drivers drive according to the traffic lights
D.police conduct traffic in streets
20. What does the underlined word “concealment” in the last paragraph mean?
A.Secrecy. B.Openness. C.Strictness. D.Harmony.
ADCBA
政治经济类文章的概念:
要做好这类阅读,平时就要注意了解国内外发生的政治经济大事,掌握一定背景知识,对这类文章的叙述特点及内容安排有一定了解,还要扩展这方面的词汇。阅读这类文章,要抓住文章的核心,即文章整体和各段主要在说什么,也要注意段落之间的逻辑关系。
如何备考政治经济类阅读理解题:
【题型说明】政治经济类阅读文章是高考常选材料之一。该类文章时代气息浓郁,语言鲜活,但熟字新义词、超纲词及专业词语多,长句、难句多。政治类文章大多数是同学们感性趣的内容,读起来倒有似曾相识的感觉,经济类文章读起来就像是雾里看花,文章看完,一头雾水。再加之这类文章的命题侧重于词义猜测、推理判断和文章主旨,同学们对这类题材是望而生畏。
【备考策略】建立心理优势。针对不同体裁的文章,我们要采取相应的阅读方法和技巧。政治类文章多采用记叙文形式,我们可采取“顺读法”,以便抓关键语句,领会文章主旨;而经济类文章则多采用说明文形式,我们则可以采取“逆读法”,先读试题,再从文章中查找有用信息。若遇到的确难读的材料。千万不用着急,因为你觉得难,其他人也一定是同感。在高考前,我们就要有这种心理准备,高考试卷肯定有一、两篇难以阅读的材料。不过,我们平时可以有意识地从报刊杂志上找一些较难的阅读材料来阅读,以培养自己迎难而上的心理素质。
【答题方法】
1、寻找主干:
根据英语中五种基本句型结构,把句子中的主语、谓语、宾语、表语等主要成分找出来,其他成分如定语、状语、补语等则易于理解。找到了句子主干,句子的意思至少明白了一半。
2、剔除从句:
在一个长句中可能会出现若干个从句,在理解时,如果把各个从句剔除出来单独理解,然后把大意拼凑起来,整个长句的意思就会明白六、七分。
3、辨别分句:
一个长句如果是由几个并列、转折、递进、对比关系的分句组成,句中往往有表示这些分句关系的连接词,只要能弄清楚分句和分句之间的逻辑关系,再把各层分句的意思加以连贯,整个长句的句意基本上能跃然脑中。
4、寻找关键词:
如果一个句子看完,一点句意的感觉也没有,下下策就是抓住句中的关键词,通过关键词大体弄懂这个长句的意思。
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