What is red but green, open but closed and old but new? The answer is: London’s

What is red but green, open butclosed and old but new?

    The answer is:London’s new double-decker（双层）buses.

   Red double-deckers are a symbol of the city. Their status was sealed (确定) in 2008 when one busmade the longer-than-usual trip to Beijing to collect a special passenger: theOlympic Flame.

On November 11, a life-size model of the newbus was shown to the media. The Guardian reported that the new design sharessome of the features of the much-missed double-decker Routemaster bus. Theoriginal Routemaster was introduced in 1956 but December 2005 saw the end ofthe old bus’s general service. It was because the bus was difficult for somepassengers to use and not environmentally friendly. But it can still be seen ontwo heritage routes in the city.

Its replacements —boxy, moderndouble—deckers—have failed to win Londoners’ affection.

London mayor Boris Johnson told the BBC thatthe new buses were “a combination of nostalgia（怀旧）and the latest technology”. “Standing onthe back platform of this bus brings a sense of nostalgia but also shows thebest part of the latest technology and design, making this bus fit for the 21stCentury,” he said.

The new bus also returns to thedriver—and—conductor model—a key feature of the original version. It will bequieter than the old type and have a platform offering passengers thetraditional hop—on hop—off service.

The first five new buses will be seen on theroads by early 2012.

1.Which of the following shows that red double—deckers are asymbol of London?

    A．They have a long historyand are seen everywhere in London.

    B．They have nothing incommon with the traditional Routemaster bus.

    C．One such bus went fromLondon to Beijing to collect the Olympic Flame.

    D．They carried Britishathletes from London to attend the Beijing Olympics.

2.Which of the following is true ofthe original Routemaster?

    A．The bus came into use inthe 1960s.

    B．The bus was banned becauseit was harmful to the environment.

    C．Passengers didn’t like thebus because it was slow.

    D．Visitors to London cannotsee such buses on the roads any more.

3.According to London mayor BorisJohnson, the new Routemaster          .

    A．has not been as wellreceived as was expected

    B．will be widely used inLondon in 2012

    C．is the mostenvironmentally friendly bus in the UK

    D．combines the latesttechnology with key traditional features

4.What is the characteristic of thenew red double – deckers?

    A．The buses will make nonoises.

    B．The buses will have noconductors.

    C．They will be equipped withair – conditioning.

    D．The bus platform willoffer passengers a traditional service.

试题答案

【答案】

1.C2.B3.D4.D

【解析】略