AN upper class British lady once declared: “Anyone seen on a bus after the age of 30 has been a failure in life.”
I guess she meant that if you’re middle aged and don’t have a car then you are a loser. How arrogant (傲慢) and ignorant！
Unfortunately, there are still people who think that way: that somehow public transport is only for the poor. And the rest have a right to their cars. Some wealthy folk in the West look down on buses and boast (吹嘘) about how many years it has been since they last traveled by one.
How sad is that? Our roads are packed with cars and the air is full of the pollution they emit (排放). But still, many car users are u
nwillingly to get on a bus or a bike or a train to take themselves to work.
It’s convenient to drive, they’ll say. Buses are so unreliable, they’ll claim. And trains are expensive ---- at least in the UK.
It’s an attitude which may have to change. It doesn’t make sense to drive a car in a city where there’s a public transport system. Also, these rush hour commuters (往返上班者) usually travel alone.
As a result, transport authorities in the UK are looking at solutions to city center congestion (拥堵).
One is to increase the number of parking spaces at out-of-town railway stations. More motorists (乘汽车的人) can then leave their cars and travel into the city by train.
Light rail or tramways are another environmentally friendly solution. Many cities across Europe have installed light rail or tramway systems.
The subway in London is used by everyone, rich and poor. It’s the quickest way of getting around the city, whatever your bank balance.
And then there are the cycle hire schemes you find in many modern cities. In London and Paris, you can hire a bike by the hour to get you where you need to go.
While commuters in Beijing abandon their bicycles for cars, cycling to work grows in popularity in the West.
Many cyclists are willing to pay more than 10,000 yuan for their bicycles. Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is often pictured cycling to work. David Cameron, the British prime minister, cycled to the House of Commons before he became leader. These days he takes the prime ministerial limousine (豪华轿车).
小题1:. According to the article, some British people, like the upper class woman, think that .
A．buses are inconvenient
B．bus services are unnecessary
C．having a car is a sign of success
D．only the upper class should have cars小题2:Which of the following measures is taken by transport authorities in the UK to solve city center congestion?
A．The development of cycle hire schemes.
B．Increasing the number of parking spaces in the city center.
C．Installing light rail or tramway systems in out-of-town areas.
D．Banning commuters from traveling alone during rush hour.小题3:The author mentions the example of Boris Johnson in the last paragraph to .
A．express his respect for the mayor of London
B．point to the growing popularity of cycling to work in the West
C．criticize Beijing commuters for abandoning their bicycles for cars
D．show that cars are still the most common means of transportation for famous people in Britain小题4:Which of the following might the writer agree with?
A. The British prime minister should give up his limousine.
B. Beijing commuters should learn from British commuters.
C. British solutions to public transport problems are inadequate.
