It is commonly known that Japan went from a 19th century national economy to a 20th century global economy in a time span of 30 years between 1945 and 1975. What is less known is that Japan, understanding that fast, efficient transport was the key to a global economy, was the first country in the world to introduce the “Bullet Train”. Kawasaki Heavy Industries was duly appointed the manufacturer and the first high speed train went “on line” in 1964. The Shinkansen, as is known in Japan, made its first journey between her capital and Osaka, a distance of 301 miles, at a speed of 132 mph.

The next country to introduce high speed trains was France. SNGF, the public rail system in France, was losing passengers to other forms of transport and introduced the “TGV” (Train à Grande Vitesse) to counteract the trend in 1981. As a result of Opec controlling the oil market in 1974, the train was designed to be powered by gas turbines. It ran on a specially built track between Lyon and Paris. Eight years later another TGV was introduced, this time between the coast and Paris. Soon, France became the most rail efficient country in the world with high speed train connections to Belgium, London, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and the Netherlands.

_{k    s}There was another positive element that resulted from the introduction of high speed trains. Between 1964 and 1991, Japan’s Shinkansen had transported in excess of three billion passengers without there being a single fatal accident and eleven years after France introduced the TGV, it still had a 100% safety record. This statistic has never been equaled by the traditional slow moving trains in any country.

China has become the fourth country to produce such trains, after France, Germany and Japan. China's first domestically produced bullet train with a maximum speed of 350 kilometers per hour has rolled off the production line. Equipped with highly-efficient power system, the currently fastest train in China is also energy efficient. When the train is running, it can transfer kinetic energy into electricity, so that it can ensure its electricity supply even when it is cut off from the power grids. In all, such trains are expected to be in commercial operation by the end of 2010.

France introduced high speed trains to _____________.

A. increase the number of passengers            B. fight against Opec

C. develop the finance of France                  D. connect other cities

Which of the following advantage(s) belongs to bullet train?

A. Speedy and energy-wasting.             B. Slow but secure. 

 C. Fast and safe.                                          D. Crowded and expensive.

What is the feature of the China’s currently fastest train?

A. It is the most advanced train in the world.

B. It can run faster than any other trains throughout the world.

C. It can produce electricity by energy transformation.

D. It can go into commercial operation.

What is the main idea of this passage?

A. Bullet trains are the most convenient means of transportation compared with others.

B. Bullet trains are the only key to developing the economy of a country.

C. Bullet trains can save time and energy for people.

D. Bullet trains have many advantages and are accepted by more and more countries.

It is commonly known that Japan went from a 19th century national economy to a 20th century global economy in a time span of 30 years between 1945 and 1975. What is less known is that Japan, understanding that fast, efficient transport was the key to a global economy, was the first country in the world to introduce the “Bullet Train”. Kawasaki Heavy Industries was duly appointed the manufacturer and the first high speed train went “on line” in 1964. The Shinkansen, as is known in Japan, made its first journey between her capital and Osaka, a distance of 301 miles, at a speed of 132 mph.

The next country to introduce high speed trains was France. SNGF, the public rail system in France, was losing passengers to other forms of transport and introduced the “TGV” (Train à Grande Vitesse) to counteract the trend in 1981. As a result of Opec controlling the oil market in 1974, the train was designed to be powered by gas turbines. It ran on a specially built track between Lyon and Paris. Eight years later another TGV was introduced, this time between the coast and Paris. Soon, France became the most rail efficient country in the world with high speed train connections to Belgium, London, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and the Netherlands.

There was another positive element that resulted from the introduction of high speed trains. Between 1964 and 1991, Japan’s Shinkansen had transported in excess of three billion passengers without there being a single fatal accident and eleven years after France introduced the TGV, it still had a 100% safety record. This statistic has never been equaled by the traditional slow moving trains in any country.

China has become the fourth country to produce such trains, after France, Germany and Japan. China's first domestically produced bullet train with a maximum speed of 350 kilometers per hour has rolled off the production line. Equipped with highly-efficient power system, the currently fastest train in China is also energy efficient. When the train is running, it can transfer kinetic energy into electricity, so that it can ensure its electricity supply even when it is cut off from the power grids. In all, 89 such trains are expected to be in commercial operation by the end of 2010.

41. It was ___________ that helped promote rapid economic growth in 30 years in Japan.

A. manufacturers                                           B. ordinary trains   

C. Internet                                                      D. convenient transportation means

42. France introduced high speed trains to _____________.

A. increase the number of passengers            B. fight against Opec

C. develop the finance of France                  D. connect other cities

43. Which of the following advantage(s) belongs to bullet train?

A. Speedy and energy-wasting.                      B. Slow but secure.    

C. Fast and safe.                                            D. Crowded and expensive.

44. What is the feature of the China’s currently fastest train?

A. It is the most advanced train in the world.

B. It can run faster than any other trains throughout the world.

C. It can produce electricity by energy transformation.

D. It can go into commercial operation.

45. What is the main idea of this passage?

A. Bullet trains are the most convenient means of transportation compared with others.

B. Bullet trains are the only key to developing the economy of a country.

C. Bullet trains can save time and energy for people.

D. Bullet trains have many advantages and are accepted by more and more countries.

This is the VOA Special English Education Report. A few weeks ago, we talked about the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL. A listener in Cambodia named Thida asks if American colleges and universities also accept the IELTS exam. IELTS is the International English Language Testing System. It was developed by the University of Cambridge ESOL examiners.

Cambridge ESOL says the test measures true-to-life ability to communicate in English for education, immigration or employment. The IELTS tests listening, reading, writing and speaking skills. It uses a mixture of accents and spellings, including British English and American English.

The test is used by government agencies, schools and professional organizations in one hundred and twenty countries. And, yes, that includes the United States. The many American schools that accepted the IELTS can be found on the Web at felts.org.

Some schools accept both the TOEFL and the IELTS, but the graduate school at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, for example, says it prefers the IEITS.

The listening and speaking parts are the same for everyone who takes the IELTS, but people have a choice of reading and writing tests -- either academic or general training.

The listening test takes thirty minutes. There are forty questions based on a recording. The reading test takes sixty minutes. Students answer forty questions based on three written passages.

The writing test also takes sixty minutes. Students have to write two essays. One essay has to be at least one hundred and fifty words long and the other at least two hundred and fifty words. The shorter one is description of something; the longer one has to support and argument.

The speaking test takes less than fifteen minutes. The score is based on a recorded talk between the student and a test examiner.

And that's the VOA Special English Education Report, written by Nancy Steinbach. If you have a general question for our series, write to special@voanews.com. I'm Barbara Klein.

What does TOEFL stand for?

A. The Voice of America              B. The International English Language Testing System

C. The Test of English as a Foreign Language

D. The Test of English as a Native Language

The International English Language Testing System commonly takes _______ in all.

A. less than 160 minutes                      B. more than 165 minutes

C. no more than 160 minutes                   D. less than 166 minutes

According to the passage, we can infer _______.

A. IELTS is efficient and necessary if you want to go to English-speaking countries

B. IELTS is completely different from TOEFL

C. every American needs to accept TOEFL   D. IEITS isn't used more widely than TOEFL

What is the main idea of the passage?

A. How can the readers write papers to the VOA programme?

B. It talks about some ways to pass TOEFL.

C. It introduces IELTS.                             

D. How can the readers pass two kinds of tests?

This is the VOA Special English Education Report. A few weeks ago, we talked about the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL. A listener in Cambodia named Thida asks if American colleges and universities also accept the IELTS exam. IELTS is the International English Language Testing System. It was developed by the University of Cambridge ESOL examiners.
Cambridge ESOL says the test measures true-to-life ability to communicate in English for education, immigration or employment. The IELTS tests listening, reading, writing and speaking skills. It uses a mixture of accents and spellings, including British English and American English.
The test is used by government agencies, schools and professional organizations in one hundred and twenty countries. And, yes, that includes the United States. The many American schools that accepted the IELTS can be found on the Web at felts.org.
Some schools accept both the TOEFL and the IELTS, but the graduate school at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, for example, says it prefers the IEITS.
The listening and speaking parts are the same for everyone who takes the IELTS, but people have a choice of reading and writing tests -- either academic or general training.
The listening test takes thirty minutes. There are forty questions based on a recording. The reading test takes sixty minutes. Students answer forty questions based on three written passages.
The writing test also takes sixty minutes. Students have to write two essays. One essay has to be at least one hundred and fifty words long and the other at least two hundred and fifty words. The shorter one is description of something; the longer one has to support and argument.
The speaking test takes less than fifteen minutes. The score is based on a recorded talk between the student and a test examiner.
And that's the VOA Special English Education Report, written by Nancy Steinbach. If you have a general question for our series, write to special@voanews.com. I'm Barbara Klein.
【小题1】What does TOEFL stand for?

A．The Voice of America	B．The International English Language Testing System
C．The Test of English as a Foreign Language
D．The Test of English as a Native Language

【小题2】The International English Language Testing System commonly takes _______ in all.

A．less than 160 minutes	B．more than 165 minutes
C．no more than 160 minutes	D．less than 166 minutes

【小题3】 According to the passage, we can infer _______.

A．IELTS is efficient and necessary if you want to go to English-speaking countries
B．IELTS is completely different from TOEFL
C．every American needs to accept TOEFL	D．IEITS isn't used more widely than TOEFL

【小题4】What is the main idea of the passage?

A．How can the readers write papers to the VOA programme?

B．It talks about some ways to pass TOEFL.

C．It introduces IELTS.

D．How can the readers pass two kinds of tests?

This is the VOA Special English Education Report. A few weeks ago, we talked about the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL. A listener in Cambodia named Thida asks if American colleges and universities also accept the IELTS exam. IELTS is the International English Language Testing System. It was developed by the University of Cambridge ESOL examiners.

Cambridge ESOL says the test measures true-to-life ability to communicate in English for education, immigration or employment. The IELTS tests listening, reading, writing and speaking skills. It uses a mixture of accents and spellings, including British English and American English.

The test is used by government agencies, schools and professional organizations in one hundred and twenty countries. And, yes, that includes the United States. The many American schools that accepted the IELTS can be found on the Web at felts.org.

Some schools accept both the TOEFL and the IELTS, but the graduate school at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, for example, says it prefers the IEITS.

The listening and speaking parts are the same for everyone who takes the IELTS, but people have a choice of reading and writing tests -- either academic or general training.

The listening test takes thirty minutes. There are forty questions based on a recording. The reading test takes sixty minutes. Students answer forty questions based on three written passages.

The writing test also takes sixty minutes. Students have to write two essays. One essay has to be at least one hundred and fifty words long and the other at least two hundred and fifty words. The shorter one is description of something; the longer one has to support and argument.

The speaking test takes less than fifteen minutes. The score is based on a recorded talk between the student and a test examiner.

And that's the VOA Special English Education Report, written by Nancy Steinbach. If you have a general question for our series, write to special@voanews.com. I'm Barbara Klein.

1.What does TOEFL stand for?

A. The Voice of America            B. The International English Language Testing System

C. The Test of English as a Foreign Language

D. The Test of English as a Native Language

2.The International English Language Testing System commonly takes _______ in all.

A. less than 160 minutes                       B. more than 165 minutes

C. no more than 160 minutes                     D. less than 166 minutes

3. According to the passage, we can infer _______.

A. IELTS is efficient and necessary if you want to go to English-speaking countries

B. IELTS is completely different from TOEFL

C. every American needs to accept TOEFL      D. IEITS isn't used more widely than TOEFL

4.What is the main idea of the passage?

A. How can the readers write papers to the VOA programme?

B. It talks about some ways to pass TOEFL.

C. It introduces IELTS.                                          

D. How can the readers pass two kinds of tests?