2016年公共英语PETS四级美文阅读欣赏(七)
More than 30,000 drivers and passengers who sit in the front of the vehicles are killed or seriously injured each year. At a speed of only 30 miles per hour it is the same as falling from a third-floor building. Wearing a seat belt saves lives:it reduces your chance of death or serious injury by more than a half.
Therefore drivers or front seat passengers over 14 in most vehicles must wear a seat belt. If you do not, you will be fined up to —— 50. It will not be up to the drivers to make sure you wear your belt. But it will be the driver’s responsibility, to make sure that children under 14 do not ride in the front unless they are wearing a seat belt of some kind.
However, when you’re reversing your car, you do not have to wear a seat belt; or when you are making a local delivery or collection using a special vehicle; or if you have a valid medical certificate which excuses you from wearing it. Make sure these circumstances apply to you before you decide not to wear your seat belt. Remember that you may be taken to court for not doing so, and you may be fined if you cannot prove that you have been excused from wearing it.
41. How many people in the front of the vehicles are killed or seriously injured every year?
A. 30,000.
B. 60,000.
C. Approximately 30,000.
D. Above 30,000.
42. Wearing a seat belt in a vehicle_________
A. reduces road accidents to more than a half
B. saves lives while driving at a speed up to 30 miles per hour
C. reduces the death rate in traffic accidents
D. saves more than 15,000 lives each year
43. It is the driver’s responsibility to_________
A. make the front seat passengers wear a seat belt
B. make the front seat children under 14 wear a seat belt
C. stop children riding in the front seat
D. wear a seat belt each time he drives
44. According to the text, which of the following people riding in the front does NOT have to
wear a seat belt?
A. Someone who is backing into a parking space.
B.Someone who is picking up the children from the local school.
C. someone who is delivering invitation letters.
D. Someone who is under 14.
45. For some people, it may be better_________
A. to wear a seat belt for health reasons
B.not to wear a seat belt for health reasons
C. to get a valid medical certificate before wearing a seat belt
D. to pay a fine rather than wear a seat belt
参考译文
每年都有3万多名司机或坐在前排的乘客丧命或受重伤。在时速只有30英里时也相当于从一幢3层楼的建筑物上跌下。系安全带可以挽救生命:它可使丧生或受重伤的几率减少大半。
所以大多数交通工具中的司机和超过l4岁的前排乘客必须系安全带。如果你不系,你会被处以最高50英镑的罚款。司机没有确保你系安全带的责任。但是司机有责任确保14岁以下的儿童在车辆前排就座时系上安全带之类的东西。
但当你倒车,或者开特殊车辆时,如在当地送货或做收集工作时,或者你有无须系安全带的有效医疗证明时,你无须系安全带。在决定不系安全带前要确定这些情况适用于你。记住你可能会因不系安全带而被送上法庭,并且如果你不能证明自己有不系安全带的理由你就会被罚款。
答案及解析
41.D【解析】more than=above“多于”;approximately=about “大约”。
42.C【解析】在车上系安全带:reduce your chance of death or serious in.jury by more than a half系安全带可以减少50%的死亡率或重伤几率。选项A:不是公路事故而是死亡率或重伤几率。选项8:以30公-里//b时开车时能挽救人的生命。与文章不符,本文是说30公里/小时以上必须系安全带。选项D:每年挽救15,000人的生命。
43.B【解析】从第二段最后一句话可知:But it will be the driver,s re—sponsibility to make sure that children under l4 do not ride in thefront unless they are wearing a seat belt of,some kind。
44.A【解析】第三段第一句话reversing your Car=backing into a parkingspace倒车。45.B【解析】之所以人们要使用医院证明,就是因为他们健康方面的原因,不能系安全带。
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参考译文
我依然记得阳光洒在她头发上的样子。她转过头,我们四目相对,在五年级喧嚣的教室里,一丝奇妙的情愫掠过我的心。一刹那,我的心好像中了一击。就这样,我的初恋开始了。
她叫Rachel。我浑浑噩噩地读完了五年级和中学,在此期间,只要见到她我就会动心,只要有她在场,我就会说不出话来。除了我,还会有谁被她微亮的窗灯吸引,徘徊在夜幕中,像夏夜里可怜的虫子?那种如痴如狂的激情,虽非性爱,但却是那样急迫,那样难以抗拒,使我局促不安,使我的声音凝噎。如今,这一切就像那场难圆的梦。
一条通往家和学校的林间小道上,我常常与她邂逅,然而这却让我万分沮丧,因为她总是一副若无其事,镇定自如的样子。回到家之后,我只能独自重温和她每次相遇时的情景,而一想到自己不善言谈我就深深为之苦恼。即便这样,在我们十几岁的时候,我却能感受到她对我的柔情。要做“男女朋友”我们还缺乏那份成熟。她的犹太正教的教养和我天主教的自责心,迫使我们表现出单身者的庄重,在我们之间连接吻也变得可望而不可及,虽然我们都非常渴望!一次舞会上我终于拥抱了她——当然,有父母在场。我的拥抱使她咯咯地笑起来,那充满天真,信赖的少女的笑声让我痛恨自己当时莫名冒出来的想法。无论如何,我对Rachel的爱仍然只是单相思。后来,我们都高中毕业,她考上了大学,而我则参了军。
二战使我们天各一方,因为我被派往了海外。一段时间里我们只能寄鸿雁以诉衷肠。在那段艰难无望,漫漫无期的岁月里,她的书信是我最刻骨铭心的记忆。一次她寄给我一张她身着泳装的快照,这张照片使我对她的思念飙到了极点。在回复她的信中,我谈到我们结婚有没有可能,而就从那以后。她的信越来越少,越来越陌生了。回国后我迫不及待地就去她家找她。门,是她母亲给开的。后来我才知道,Rachel已经不在那住了。她早结婚了,和一个在大学里认识的学医的同学。她母亲对我说:“我以为她已经写信告诉你了。”她的绝情书终于被我收到了,那是在我等候复原的时候。她委婉地向我解释,我,和她,结婚,是不可能的。现在回想起来,虽然在开始的几个月里我想自己再也不愿意活下去了,我当时还算很快就熬过了那段苦海无边的日子。像Rachel一样,后来,我也找到了属于自己的她——一个我学会用永恒的更深沉的承诺去爱的人,直到今天,此情依旧!