Preparing Cities for Robot Cars
The possibility of self-driving robot cars has often seemed like a futurist’s dream, years away from materializing in the real world. Well, the future is apparently now. The California Department of Motor Vehicles began giving permits in April for companies to test truly self-driving cars on public roads. The state also cleared the way for companies to sell or rent out self-driving cars, and for companies to operate driverless taxi services. California, it should be noted, isn’t leading the way here. Companies have been testing their vehicles in cities across the country. It’s hard to predict when driverless cars will be everywhere on our roads. But however long it takes, the technology has the potential to change our transportation systems and our cities, for better or for worse, depending on how the transformation is regulated.
While much of the debate so far has been focused on the safety of driverless cars(and rightfully so), policymakers also should be talking about how self-driving vehicles can help reduce traffic jams, cut emissions(排放) and offer more convenient, affordable mobility options. The arrival of driverless vehicles is a chance to make sure that those vehicles are environmentally friendly and more shared.
Do we want to copy — or even worsen — the traffic of today with driverless cars? Imagine a future where most adults own individual self-driving vehicles. They tolerate long, slow journeys to and from work on packed highways because they can work, entertain themselves or sleep on the ride, which encourages urban spread. They take their driverless car to an appointment and set the empty vehicle to circle the building to avoid paying for parking. Instead of walking a few blocks to pick up a child or the dry cleaning, they send the self-driving minibus. The convenience even leads fewer people to take public transport — an unwelcome side effect researchers have already found in ride-hailing(叫车) services.
A study from the University of California at Davis suggested that replacing petrol-powered private cars worldwide with electric, self-driving and shared systems could reduce carbon emissions from transportation 80% and cut the cost of transportation infrastructure(基础设施) and operations 40% by 2050. Fewer emissions and cheaper travel sound pretty appealing. The first commercially available driverless cars will almost certainly be fielded by ride-hailing services, considering the cost of self-driving technology as well as liability and maintenance issues(责任与维护问题). But driverless car ownership could increase as the prices drop and more people become comfortable with the technology.
Policymakers should start thinking now about how to make sure the appearance of driverless vehicles doesn’t extend the worst aspects of the car-controlled transportation system we have today. The coming technological advancement presents a chance for cities and states to develop transportation systems designed to move more people, and more affordably. The car of the future is coming. We just have to plan for it.
47．According to the author, attention should be paid to how driverless cars can __________.
A．help deal with transportation-related problems
B．provide better services to customers
C．cause damage to our environment
D．make some people lose jobs
48．As for driverless cars, what is the author’s major concern?
A．Safety. B．Side effects.
C．Affordability. D．Management.
49．What does the underlined word ＂fielded＂ in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A．Employed. B．Replaced.
C．Shared. D．Reduced.
50．What is the author’s attitude to the future of self-driving cars?
A．Doubtful. B．Positive.
C．Disapproving. D．Sympathetic.
47．A
48．D
49．A
50．B
【解析】
【分析】
本文为议论文。文章主要讨论有关无人驾驶汽车的发展前景和面临的问题。
47．推理判断题。根据第二段While much of the debate so far has been focused on the safety of driverless cars(and rightfully so), policymakers also should be talking about how self-driving vehicles can help reduce traffic jams, cut emissions(排放) and offer more convenient, affordable mobility options.可知，政策制定者应该讨论无人驾驶车怎么帮助削减交通阻塞，减少尾气排放，提供更方便、更便宜的出行选择，由此可见人们应该多关注无人驾驶车怎么帮助处理与交通有关的问题。故选A。
48．推理判断题。根据文章第一段But however long it takes, the technology has the potential to change our transportation systems and our cities, for better or for worse, depending on how the transformation is regulated.可知，不管花多长时间，这项技术都有可能改变我们的交通系统和我们的城市，不管是好是坏，这取决于如何这种转变如何被规范，再根据文章最后一句话The car of the future is coming. We just have to plan for it.可知，我们需要为其做好计划，故作者的主要关注点是对这种转变的管理规范，故选D。
49．词义猜测题。根据第四段The first commercially available driverless cars will almost certainly be fielded by ride-hailing services, considering the cost of self-driving technology as well as liability and maintenance issues(责任与维护问题).可知，鉴于自主驾驶的费用以及责任和维护问题，无人驾驶车几乎可以肯定将会被打车服务使用。故划线词是“被应用”的意思。A. Employed被应用；B. Replaced被取代；C. Shared被分享；D. Reduced被减少。故选A。
50．观点态度题。根据文章最后一段The coming technological advancement presents a chance for cities and states to develop transportation systems designed to move more people, and more affordably. The car of the future is coming. We just have to plan for it.中的 advancement，move more people, and more affordably.以及plan for it可推知，作者是积极的态度。故选B。
点睛：根据用词风格，推断情感态度。一篇好的文章，其用词风格常常直接流露或蕴含作者的内心世界和情感态度。所以阅读时要善于捕捉表达或暗示情感态度的词句或短语，捕捉那些烘托气氛，渲染情感的词句，进而很好地洞察作者的思想倾向，是支持、反对抑或中立？对于选项而言，要分清选项中的褒义词、中性词和贬义词，以此对照全文。
如本题最后一题为观点态度题，根据文中reduce carbon emissions，cut the cost of transportation infrastructure(基础设施) and operations 40% ，appealing，comfortable，advancement，move more people, and more affordably.，等词汇可以推断出作者对无人驾驶汽车持积极态度。故选B。
