Why does most of the world travel on the right side today? Theories differ, but
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Why does most of the world travel on theright side today? Theories differ, but there’s no doubt that Napoleon was amajor influence. The French had used the right since at least the late 18thcentury. Some say that before the French Revolution, noblemen drove theircarriages on the left, forcing the peasants to the right. Regardless of theorigin, Napoleon brought right-hand traffic to the nations he conquered,including Russia, Switzerland and Germany. Hitler, in turn, ordered right-handtraffic in Czechoslovakia and Austria in the 1930s. Nations that escapedright-hand control, like Great Britain, followed their left-hand tradition.
The U.S. has not always been a nation ofright-hand rivers; earlier in its history, carriage and horse traffic traveledon the left, as it did in England. But by the late 1700s, people driving largewagons pulled by several pairs of horses began promoting a shift to the right.A driver would sit on the rear (后面的) left horse in order to wave his whip with his right hand; to seeopposite traffic clearly, they traveled on the right.
One of the final moves to firmlystandardize traffic directions in the U.S. occurred in the 20th century, whenHenry Ford decided to mass-produce his cars with controls on the left (onereason, stated in 1908; the convenience for passengers exiting directly ontothe edge, especially… if there is a lady to be considered). Once these ruleswere set, many countries eventually adjusted to the right-hand standard,including Canada in the 1920s, Sweden in 1967 and Burma in 1970. The U.K. andformer colonies such as Australia and India are among the western world’s fewremaining holdouts. Several Asian countries, including Japan, use the left aswell — thought many places use both right-hand-drive and left-hand-drive cars.
1.Why did people in Switzerland travel onthe right?
| A．They had used the right-hand since the 18th century. |
| B．Rich people enjoyed driving their carriages on the right. |
| C．Napoleon introduced the right-hand traffic to this country. |
| D．Hitler ordered them to go to against their left-hand tradition. |
2.Of all the countries below, the one thattravels on the right is ______.
| A．Austria | B．England | C．Japan | D．Australia |
3.Henry Ford produced cars with controls onthe left _______.
| A．in order to change traffic directions in the U.S. |
| B．so that passengers could get off conveniently |
| C．because rules at that time weren’t perfect |
| D．though many countries were strongly against that |
4.According to the passage, which of thefollowing is TRUE?
| A．Before the French Revolution, all the French people used the right. |
| B．People in Britain and the U.S. travel on the same side nowadays. |
| C．The Burmese began to travel on the right in 1970. |
| D．All the Asian nations use the left at present. |
5.What would be the best title for thispassage?
| A．Who made the great contributions to the shift of traffic directions? |
| B．How cars have become a popular means of transportation? |
| C．How Henry Ford produced his cars with controls on the left? |
| D．Why don’t people all drive on the same side of the road? |
试题答案
【答案】
1.C
2.A
3.B
4.C
5.D
【解析】文章主要就是解释了为什么世界上的很多国家开车行驶的方式不一样的。
1.细节题。根据第一段4,5行Napoleonbrought right-hand traffic to the nations he conquered, including Russia,Switzerland and Germany.可知C正确。
2.细节题。根据Nations that escaped right-hand control, like Great Britain,followed their left-hand tradition.排除B.根据TheU.K. and former colonies such as Australia and India are among the westernworld’s few remaining holdouts. Several Asian countries, including Japan, usethe left as well排除CD。故A正确。
3.细节题。根据最后一段第三行the convenience for passengers exiting directly onto the edge可知B正确，是为了乘客的方便。
4.细节题。根据最后一段4,5行Oncethese rules were set, many countries eventually adjusted to the right-handstandard, including Canada in the 1920s, Sweden in 1967 and Burma in 1970.可知Burma是在20世纪70年代采取右边行驶的标准的。故C正确。
5.主旨大意题。文章主要就是解释了为什么世界上的很多国家开车行驶的方式不一样的。