54. How many kinds of uses about robots are mentioned in the article?

   A. Two.                         B. Three.               C. Four.                D. Six.

53. What does the passage say about factory work?

   A. Some humans never get bored when working.

   B. Robots work better at some jobs than humans.

   C. Robots must be used in clean-air factories

   D. Robots don’t do dangerous jobs.

52. Which of the following is the best title?

   A. Thanks to the good ideas!        B. Return of the white bikes!

   C. White bikes or not!             D. No cars in Amsterdam!

C

   50 years ago, it was thought that robots would control everything in the future. Now humans control things, but with the help of robots.

   Robots are good at doing the same job many times. For example, factories use robots for producing goods. Pieces of cars are put together and painted by robots. Robots will do dangerous, dirty and smelly jobs! Unlike humans, they never get tired and don’t need sleep. They also do the job perfectly time and time again. They are used in clean-air computer factories too, because they don’t breathe out dirty air.

   Robots are useful for working underwater. Humans can work underwater, but they cannot go down very deep. Also, they must come up to the surface very slowly. If they don’t do this, they may become ill and die. Robot submersibles(可潜水机器人) now do many jobs on the seabed. They are controlled from the mother ship through TV cameras.

   Robots are used in space too. It is much cheaper to send it in a spaceship into space than a manned（搭载人的） one. In space, robots measure(测量) things, carry out experiments and send the information back to earth. When they land on another planet or on the moon, a small car can travel around to collect and test rocks. When the work is done, the robot can stay on the planet. There is no need to bring it back to earth.

   Robots are useful in medicine too. Once doctors had to cut bodies wide open to reach certain parts of the body. Now with keyhole surgery, they only have to make a small hole. They can watch what they are doing on a TV. This is much better. First they can reach parts of the body more easily. And because they cut less, the patient gets better more quickly. Doctors can control a surgeon robot with their voice. They say “left-down-stop” as they watch the TV. The robot deep inside the body follow the instructions and carries out the orders.

51. How does the “white bike” plan work thirty years later?

   A. All the bikes are parked at special parking places.

   B. All the bikes should be kept properly by special people

   C. Enough room is left for keeping bicycle.

   D. By using both computer and special parking places

50. The first “white bikes” plan failed because __________________.

   A. all the bicycles were white        B. no enough bicycles were provided

   C. thieves took the bicycles         D. people couldn’t rightly park the bicycles 

49. Why Amsterdam is called the “City of Bicycles”?

   A. Because it’s convenient for people to cycle there.

   B. Because there are so many bicycles there.

   C. Because most streets in the city centre have a bicycle path.

   D. Because there are lots of places for bicycle parking.

48. When can we visit British Museum on Tuesday?

   A. 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.   B. 2:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m.  C. 3:00p.m.-6:00p.m.    D. 8:00 a.m.-5 p.m.

B

   People have enjoyed the benefits（好处） of cycling（骑自行车） in Amsterdam for years. It is a good city for cycling because it is flat（平坦） and so is convenient （方便）for bikes. There are also plenty of places for bicycle parking and most streets in the city centre have a bicycle path. Today some people call Amsterdam the “City of Bicycles: because it’s convenient for people to cycle there.  

   In the 1960s, a group of cycling fans had an idea. They believed that it would be better for everybody if cars weren’t allowed in the city centre and only bicycles were. They were hopeful that this would help to save energy, reduce pollution and provide free public transport. The group painted hundreds of bicycles white and placed them in lots of neighborhoods around Amsterdam for people to use. Anyone was allowed to take them and use them for short journeys. When someone finished a journey they would leave the bike there for someone else to use. The problem was that it didn’t work-thieves took all the bicycles within weeks!

   However, more than thirty years later, the “white bike” is back in town this time with a computer chip to record its every move! To take a bicycle, you have to put a special card inside. The new “white bike” is not actually white but is an unusual design with bright colors. The bikes are parked at special parking places and people who want to use them have to take them to another special parking place that has enough room.

   There is already less traffic in central Amsterdam, because both locals and tourists have used the white bikes. Indeed, thanks to the good ideas of lots of people, like the cycling fans in the 1960s, many people around the world have been enjoying city centre streets without cars for many years.

47. The new service of guided tours usually include _____________ item(项目).

   A. One                    B. Two                         C. Three                       D. Four

   A. 10 pounds.         B. 5 pounds.                 C. 15 pounds.               D. 1.5 pounds.

46. How much is the ticket for each person?