A
The United States has about 475,000 school buses — all painted yellow. Each day they carry more than 25,000,000 children, half of all schoolchildren in the country. But these buses, on average, use four liters of diesel ( 柴油) fuel to travel less than sixteen kilometers. When the school year began last fall, diesel averaged 55 cents a liter nationally. The price nearly doubled, to a dollar and 8 cents, by the end of school in June.
Bob Riley speaks for the American School Bus Council. He says fuel prices for schools are not much lower than others have to pay. As a result, schools are looking for ways to reduce transportation costs. Bus routes are being redrawn or, in some cases, canceled. Some areas are buying buses that use natural gas or other alternative fuels. Other steps include fewer field trips and less travel by sports teams. And some school districts may end any bus service not required by law.
Studies show that school buses are the safest form of transportation to and from school. The American School Bus Council says cuts in bus service are bad for children and possibly the environment. It says removing buses from the road will mean an increase in other vehicles transporting students. Spokesman Bob Riley says another concern is that reducing bus services might reduce attendance.
But it could also get more children to walk or bicycle to school. And that would surely make people happy at the National Center for Safe Routes to School. More kids walking or biking safely to school is the aim of a three-year-old federal program, part of an international movement. The goal is to increase physical activity and reduce air pollution. The United States will celebrate Walk to School Day on October eighth this year. But for some students, high fuel prices could make every day a walk-to-school day.
1. What does this passage mainly tell us?
A. High fuel prices’ influences on school buses.
B. New measures to transport school students.
C. The safest form of student transportation.
D. The origin of Walk to School Day.
2. In order to cut down transportation cost, many schools take the following measures EXCEPT ______ .
A. changing some bus routes
B. stopping some bus routes
C. asking parents to drive children to and from school
D. using other types of fuels
3. The National Center for Safe Routes to School encourages more children to walk or bike to school in order to ______.
A. save more fuels and diesel for the country
B. keep the children safe on their way to school
C. make the children live a simple life
D. keep the children healthy and the environment clean
【答案】1. A 2. C 3. D
【解析】
这是一篇说明文。短文介绍了高油价对校车的影响。
【1题详解】
主旨大意题。审题得知这篇文章主要告诉我们什么。这一的题目通常看首段和尾段的首尾句。先看首段的内容：But these buses, on average, use four liters of diesel ( 柴油) fuel to travel less than sixteen kilometers.但是这些校车平均四升柴油跑的路程少于16公里。尾句：The price nearly doubled, to a dollar and 8 cents, by the end of school in June.价格几乎翻倍，在六月学年结束时涨到了一美元八美分。再看末尾一段尾句：But for some students, high fuel prices could make every day a walk-to-school day.但对于有些学生，高油价会使得每天变成步行上学的一天。据此推断，A选项：High fuel prices’ influences on school buses.高燃油价格对校车的影响。切合文意。故选A。
【2题详解】
细节理解题。审题得知除了哪一项是学校采取的措施降低学校交通成本。根据关键词cut the transportation cost可以查读以下内容：Bus routes are being redrawn or, in some cases, canceled.校车路线重新规划，或者在某些情况下，取消。这说明A和B选项是采取的措施之一，可以排除。Some areas are buying buses that use natural gas or other alternative fuels.有些地区购买使用天然气或者其他替代能源的校车。这说明D选项也是采取的措施之一。故排除。C选项未被提及，故选C。
【3题详解】
细节理解题。审题得知关键信息是encourages more children to walk or bike to school in order to鼓励更多的孩子步行或骑自行车上学目的是为了……。因此可以定位于最后一段The goal is to increase physical activity and reduce air pollution.目标是增加体育活动和减少空气污染。故D选项：keep the children healthy and the environment clean让孩子们保持健康和保持环境干净。切合文意。故选D。
