①The use of the motor is becoming more and more widespread in the twentieth century; as an increasing number of countries develop both technically and economically, so a larger proportion of the world’s population is able to buy and use a car. ②Possessing a car gives a much greater degree of mobility, enabling the driver to move around freely. ③The owner of a car is no longer forced to rely on public transport and is, therefore, not compelled to work locally. ④He can choose from different jobs and probably changes his work more frequently as he is not restricted to a choice within a small radius. ⑤Travelling to work by car is also more comfortable than having to use public transport; the driver can adjust the heating in winter and the air conditioning in the summer to suit his own needs and preference. ⑥There is no irritation caused by waiting for trains, buses or underground trains, standing in long patient queues, or sitting on windy platforms, for as long as half an hour sometimes. ⑦With the building of good, fast motorways long distances can be covered rapidly and pleasantly. ⑧For the first time in this century also, many people are now able to enjoy their leisure time to the full by making trips to the country or seaside at the weekends, instead of being confined to their immediate neighbourhood. ⑨This feeling of independence, and the freedom to go where you please, is perhaps the greatest advantage of the car.
①When considering the drawbacks, perhaps pollution is of prime importance. ②As more and more cars are produced and used, so the emission from their exhaust-pipes contains an ever larger volume of poisonous gas. ③Some of the contents of this gas, such as lead, not only pollute the atmosphere but cause actual harm to the health of people. ④Many of the minor illnesses of modern industrial society, headaches, tiredness, and stomach upsets are thought to arise from breathing polluted air; doctors’ surgeries are full of people suffering from illnesses caused by pollution. ⑤It is also becoming increasingly difficult to deal with the problem of traffic in towns; most of the important cities of the world suffer from traffic congestion. ⑥In fact any advantage gained in comfort is often cancelled out in city driving by the frustration caused by traffic jams: endless queues of cars crawling one after another through all the main streets. ⑦As an increasing number of traffic regulation schemes are devised, the poor bewildered driver finds himself diverted and forced into one-way systems which cause even greater delays than the traffic jams they are supposed to prevent. ⑧The mounting cost of petrol and the increased license fees and road tax all add to the driver’s worries. ⑨In fact, he must sometimes wonder if the motor car is such a blessing and not just a menace.
一、词汇
1.Mobility n. 可动性,变动性
2.Radius n. 半径
3.Preference n. 偏爱
4.irritation n. 烦恼
5.queue n. 长队
6.cover v. 行走(距离)
7.confine v. 限制
8.prime a. 首要的,最好的
9.bewildered a. 困惑的
10.divert v. 转移
11.blessing n. 祝福
12.menace n. 威胁
二、长难句
As an increasing number of traffic regulation schemes are devised, the poor bewildered driver finds himself diverted and forced into one-way systems which cause even greater delays than the traffic jams they are supposed to prevent.
该句为主从复合句。句首为as引导的时间状语从句，主干为the poor bewildered driver finds himself diverted and forced …，其中包含“find oneself +过去分词”结构，意为“发现自己(处于某状态)”。Which引导的定语从句做后置定语，修饰先行词one-way systems。
翻译：当越来越多的交通管理方案出台时，晕头转向的司机发现可怜的自己被迫转进了一条单行道，这样耽误的时间超过了他们所避免的交通拥堵时间。
三、文章结构分析
文章主要探讨了汽车广泛使用的利弊问题。
第一段：指出了汽车广泛使用的原因并论述汽车给人类带来的好处：灵活、舒适、快捷、自主。
第二段：主要论述了由于汽车的广泛使用给人类带来的困扰：大气污染、健康威胁、交通堵塞、费用负担。
四、试题具体分析
14. More and more people can afford to buy and use cars because ________.14. 越来越多的人能够购买并使用汽车是因为________。
[A] an increasing number of cars are being produced[A] 生产的汽车越来越多
[B] the cost of cars is getting cheaper with the development of technology[B] 随着技术的进步，汽车的成本也越来越低了
[C] lots of countries have become more developed[C] 许多国家都步入了发达国家之列
[D] the use of cars has proved to be more economical[D] 已经证实使用汽车是较经济的
[分析]本题考查的知识点是：因果细节。
文章第一段①句指出，因为越来越多的国家在技术和经济领域都取得了进步，所以世界上大部分人都能购买并使用汽车了。[C]选项正是对此句话的概括，故正确。
[A]选项张冠李戴。将“汽车的尾气管里排出了更多含有有毒物质的废气的原因，即人们生产的汽车越来越多了”，当成是“越来越来人购买并使用汽车的原因”。[B]选项无中生有，是利用原文词汇develop technically和the cost 编造的干扰项。第二段⑧句指出，飙升的油价和日益上涨的驾驶执照费和养路费使驾车人变得更加忧心忡忡。可见，使用汽车并不会为其所有者节省钱，故排除[D]选项。
15. The advantages of having a car are best experienced in the driver’s ________.15. 拥有汽车最大的好处是驾车人能够体验________。
[A] freedom in choosing his job[A] 选择工作的自由
[B] comfort during the travels[B] 旅行中舒适的感觉
[C] enjoyment of his leisure time[C] 闲暇时光的享受
[D] feeling of self-reliance[D] 自立的感觉
[分析]本题考查的知识点是：具体细节。
第一段末句明确指出，自主的感觉以及去任何想去的地方的那种自由或许是汽车最大的优点了，故[D]选项正确。
[A]、[B]、[C]选项都是文中谈到的拥有汽车的好处，但并非最大优点，故排除。
16. What is considered by the writer as the greatest menace to the people caused by the widespread use of motor cars?16. 作者认为汽车的广泛使用对人们造成的最大威胁是什么?
[A] air pollution[A]空气污染
[B] traffic jams[B]交通堵塞
[C] fatal diseases[C]致命疾病
[D] high cost[D]高额成本
[分析]本题考查的知识点是：具体细节。
文章第二段①句即明确指出，对于汽车使用的最大弊端可能就是汽车造成的污染问题。故[A]选项正确。
[B]、[D]选项虽然都是汽车使用对人们生活和健康的威胁，但并不是最大的威胁，故排除。[C]选项本身即错误。第二段第四句指出，现代工业社会中许多小病都是由于吸入被汽车尾气污染了的空气而引起的。可知，汽车的使用并不会引发致命的疾病。
五、全文翻译
二十世纪，汽车的用途变得越来越广泛了，因为越来越多的国家在技术和经济领域都取得了进步，所以世界上大部分人都能购买并使用汽车了。拥有一辆汽车就相当于具有更大的灵活性，开车的人可以自由活动。有汽车的人不必再依靠公共交通工具，因此也不必在工作所在地居住了。他可以选择不同的工作，也可能更频繁地跳槽，他不必在离家很近的范围内选择工作了。同乘坐公共汽车相比，开车上班也更加舒适些，人们可以按自己的需要和喜好随着季节来调节车内供暖和空调系统。有时人们要花半个小时站在长长的队伍里或坐在当风的站台内等火车、公交或地铁，由这种情况导致的恼怒也会随着汽车的使用而消失。随着宽敞快捷的高速公路的修建，长途旅行变得快捷且愉快了。许多人能够在周末的时候开车去乡村或海边，好好地享受他们的闲暇时光，而不用限制在住家附近的地方活动，这在本世纪也属首次了。自主的感觉以及去任何想去的地方的那种自由或许是汽车最大的优点了。
考虑到不好的方面，汽车造成的污染或许是其最大的缺点。因为人们生产和使用的汽车越来越多，所以汽车的尾气管里会排出更多含有有毒物质的废气。这种气体中一些成分的，例如铅，不仅污染了大气还对人们健康造成了实际伤害。人们认为现代工业社会中许多小病，例如，头痛、疲劳以及胃不适，都是由于吸入污浊的空气而引起的，医生的诊室里面充满了受其累的病患。处理城市里交通问题也变得越来越棘手了，世界上大多数重要城市都饱受交通堵塞之苦。事实上，在城市中驾车而行，从这种舒适中获取的任何好处都被由交通堵塞造成的沮丧感给抵消了：一眼望不到边际的汽车长龙，一辆跟着一辆慢慢爬过每一条主街道。当越来越多的交通管理方案出台时，晕头转向的司机发现可怜的自己被迫转进了一条单行道，这样耽误的时间超过了他们所避免的交通拥堵时间。飙升的油价和日益上涨的驾驶执照费和养路费使驾车人变得更忧心忡忡。事实上，他肯定有时候会想弄清楚汽车真的只会带来幸福而不会对我们造成威胁么。
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