Read the following passage and choose the best answer to each question.

Predictions about the Cities of the Future

Cities are built to survive and prosper. Over the years, we have learned to transform our surroundings according to our needs. We have cut through mountains to make more land and created artificial islands to make skyscrapers. City planning, as an organized profession, has existed for less than a century. However, a considerable amount of evidence (both archaeological and historical) proves the existence of fully planned cities in ancient times. Over the years, humans have made some mistakes in terms of using an excessive amount of resources for cities. This gives rise to the question of how sustainable the cities of the future would be. We might be looking at smart cities in which street lights would only switch on when you are close by and traffic light would be eliminated by smart driving. The cities of the future would try to save our resources rather than deplete them. An example of an advanced city is Kansas. Plans are in place to make Kansas a smart futuristic city in the future. Planners are considering introducing sensors to monitor the water mains. Warning would be issued to city officials when the infrastructure requires repair or replacement. In this way, the city would never be at risk of having broken pipes. While the idea sounds fantastic, a large amount of rational critique has called this plan an oversold dream. Amy Glasmier is an urban planning professor at MIT. She is a smart city skeptic who believes that all the research and talk is great but gravely oversold.

Question: All of the following statements may be true about smart cities EXCEPT that ______.

A. street lights automatically switch on when necessary

B. traffic light would be controlled by smart driving

C. smart driving wouldn’t need traffic light

D. cities in the future would conserve energy

Read the following passage and choose the best answer to each question.

Predictions about the Cities of the Future

Cities are built to survive and prosper. Over the years, we have learned to transform our surroundings according to our needs. We have cut through mountains to make more land and created artificial islands to make skyscrapers. City planning, as an organized profession, has existed for less than a century. However, a considerable amount of evidence (both archaeological and historical) proves the existence of fully planned cities in ancient times. Over the years, humans have made some mistakes in terms of using an excessive amount of resources for cities. This gives rise to the question of how sustainable the cities of the future would be. We might be looking at smart cities in which street lights would only switch on when you are close by and traffic light would be eliminated by smart driving. The cities of the future would try to save our resources rather than deplete them. An example of an advanced city is Kansas. Plans are in place to make Kansas a smart futuristic city in the future. Planners are considering introducing sensors to monitor the water mains. Warning would be issued to city officials when the infrastructure requires repair or replacement. In this way, the city would never be at risk of having broken pipes. While the idea sounds fantastic, a large amount of rational critique has called this plan an oversold dream. Amy Glasmier is an urban planning professor at MIT. She is a smart city skeptic who believes that all the research and talk is great but gravely oversold.

Question: City planning is thought_______.

A. to have become a profession for about a hundred years

B. to have existed professionally since ancient times

C. to have come into existence to transform nature

D. to make more land and created artificial islands to make skyscrapers

Read the following passage and choose the best answer to each question.

Predictions about the Cities of the Future

Cities are built to survive and prosper. Over the years, we have learned to transform our surroundings according to our needs. We have cut through mountains to make more land and created artificial islands to make skyscrapers. City planning, as an organized profession, has existed for less than a century. However, a considerable amount of evidence (both archaeological and historical) proves the existence of fully planned cities in ancient times. Over the years, humans have made some mistakes in terms of using an excessive amount of resources for cities. This gives rise to the question of how sustainable the cities of the future would be. We might be looking at smart cities in which street lights would only switch on when you are close by and traffic light would be eliminated by smart driving. The cities of the future would try to save our resources rather than deplete them. An example of an advanced city is Kansas. Plans are in place to make Kansas a smart futuristic city in the future. Planners are considering introducing sensors to monitor the water mains. Warning would be issued to city officials when the infrastructure requires repair or replacement. In this way, the city would never be at risk of having broken pipes. While the idea sounds fantastic, a large amount of rational critique has called this plan an oversold dream. Amy Glasmier is an urban planning professor at MIT. She is a smart city skeptic who believes that all the research and talk is great but gravely oversold.

Question: The residents in Kansas would not be worried about water in the future because ______.

A. the infrastructure requires no repair or replacement

B. the city will never have broken water pipes

C. city officials often repair or replace the water mains

D. there may be no disruption to water supply

Read the following passage and choose the best answer to each question.

Predictions about the Cities of the Future

Cities are built to survive and prosper. Over the years, we have learned to transform our surroundings according to our needs. We have cut through mountains to make more land and created artificial islands to make skyscrapers. City planning, as an organized profession, has existed for less than a century. However, a considerable amount of evidence (both archaeological and historical) proves the existence of fully planned cities in ancient times. Over the years, humans have made some mistakes in terms of using an excessive amount of resources for cities. This gives rise to the question of how sustainable the cities of the future would be. We might be looking at smart cities in which street lights would only switch on when you are close by and traffic light would be eliminated by smart driving. The cities of the future would try to save our resources rather than deplete them. An example of an advanced city is Kansas. Plans are in place to make Kansas a smart futuristic city in the future. Planners are considering introducing sensors to monitor the water mains. Warning would be issued to city officials when the infrastructure requires repair or replacement. In this way, the city would never be at risk of having broken pipes. While the idea sounds fantastic, a large amount of rational critique has called this plan an oversold dream. Amy Glasmier is an urban planning professor at MIT. She is a smart city skeptic who believes that all the research and talk is great but gravely oversold.

Question: The attitude of Amy Glasmier towards smart cities is ______.

A. supportive

B. doubtful

C. indifferent

D. disgusting

Read the passage and choose the best answer to each of the questions below.

Large cities often have problems that small towns and rural areas do not have. Two of the biggest problems are heavy traffic and the pollution that cars create. Of course. Traffic problems and pollution are not only found in big cities. However, the higher populations and larger number of cars on the roads in cities can make the problems happen more often and with more noticeable effects.

One of the most common traffic problems the large cities have is congestion. As the population of a city increases, so does the number of cars on the road. Cities cannot always improve the number and size of their roads and highways to keep up with the number of cars. The result is traffic congestion, or traffic jams.

When traffic jams happen, cars that are stuck in the congestion continue to run their engines. This creates pollution and is a big problems. Pollution causes health problems for the people in cities and also hurts the environment.

The high number of cars is caused by __________.

A.the population

B.urban planning

C.traffic congestion

D.environmental pollution

8.Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

How can we solve the problem of traffic jams in big cities? Governments have built highways, offered public transportation, etc. However, these traditional approaches are becoming expensive. Many experts now see intelligent transportation systems (ITS) as the solution. But how does ITS work?

Using information technology (IT), intelligent vehicles and infrastructure broadcast and receive data from sensors, video cameras, radar, and satellites, etc. to improve traffic quality. Drivers receive messages on computers or mobile devices about accidents, travel times, alternative routes, and the like. These allow drivers to make better decisions.

Managers of transportation infrastructure (roads, bridges, train stations, traffic signals, etc.) receive ITS data, then use it to control the system by changing traffic signal timing, broadcasting radio announcements, opening and closing roads and traffic lanes, responding to accidents and the like. Computers, rather than humans, make most of the decisions that control the system.

QUESTION:  What does the word “These” in paragraph 2 refer to?

(20 Points)

devices

routes

messages

computers

28.Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

How can we solve the problem of traffic jams in big cities? Governments have built highways, offered public transportation, etc. However, these traditional approaches are becoming expensive. Many experts now see intelligent transportation systems (ITS) as the solution. But how does ITS work?

Using information technology (IT), intelligent vehicles and infrastructure broadcast and receive data from sensors, video cameras, radar, and satellites, etc. to improve traffic quality. Drivers receive messages on computers or mobile devices about accidents, travel times, alternative routes, and the like. These allow drivers to make better decisions.

Managers of transportation infrastructure (roads, bridges, train stations, traffic signals, etc.) receive ITS data, then use it to control the system by changing traffic signal timing, broadcasting radio announcements, opening and closing roads and traffic lanes, responding to accidents and the like. Computers, rather than humans, make most of the decisions that control the system.

QUESTION:  Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

(20 Points)

A.ITS will offer a cheaper solution to solving traffic problems.

B.Machines will replace human beings in managing traffic system.

C.Highways and public transportation isn’t expensive at all.

D.Governments will switch to ITS instead of using traditional measures.

Question 23. Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to
indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.
This is writing about my best friend, Van. We are neighbors and we go to the same
school. Van is very pretty. She has long black hair and a round face. She is kind

and a hard-working student. She is good at Literature. She loves reading and
writing short poems. I like being with her. We often do our homework together,
and she helps me a lot with Literature. I like her because she knows a lot about
gardening, and we can chat about it for hours. We have a small garden and we
plant different kinds of flowers and vegetables there. We do the gardening together

every day. I hope that, in the future we will still be best friends.
The writer and her friend .............
A. live next door to each other
B. live far from each other
C. live opposite each other
D. don't live in the same neighborhood.

Read the following passage and choose the correct answer to each of the questions.

Cities Get Clean by Going Green

When people hear the word “city”, they usually imagine concrete, neon signs, and lots of air pollution. Thanks to some clever and concerned architects, this image is starting to change. The concept of green cities aims to bring some beauty from rural environments into urban areas. It is not only about looking better though. Green cities are also trying to improve the efficiency of cities and raise the standard of living for people who stay in them.

The term “green cities” refers to cities where builders take into account several environmental factors before that city is constructed or redesigned. For starters, green cities are designed to be more physically appealing than traditional cities from the past. In addition, the mobility of citizens should be considered, so public transportation can be more convenient and travel time to work can be reduced. Energy sources should also be evaluated with the goal of minimizing air pollution.

When it comes to going green, the city of Barcelona is far ahead of its time. Since 1859, its designers have consciously tried to create sustainable urban designs. Then in 1992, the city received a well-deserved makeover before hosting the Olympic Games. In recent years, Barcelona has upgraded its transportation system. This has reduced air pollution as more and more workers are using public transportation instead of their own vehicles. Barcelona also boasts one of the best recycling programmes in the world. Visitors will find clear, colour-coded trash bins throughout the city where they can put all of their materials.

It is no secret in Portland, Oregon is one of the greenest cities in the US. Since 1903, it has been an example of what American cities can accomplish with careful planning. Instead of filling its area with office buildings, Portland has plenty of green space for activities. There are 119 kilometres of running, hiking, and bike trails that allow citizens to experience the great outdoors. The city also offers residents creative energy plans that give them the opportunity to pay a bit extra for clean energy sources. For about $3 to $9 extra each month, homeowners can choose solar or wind power and help the environment.

These are only a small sampling of the green cities around .the world. As more people experience the pleasure of visiting green cities, it seems certain that the trend of urban areas going green will continue far into the future

How does the author seem to feel about the future of green cities? 

A. Green cities are too expensive to build in most countries

B. Few people have interest in living in a green city

C. The best green cities in the world are in North America

D. We should continue to see more green cities being built each year