I. Vocabulary Skills（2 points）
1．Match each vocabulary word on the left with the correct definition on the right. (0.4 points each)
make sense
pedestrians
vehicle
teenager
fine
II. Reading Comprehension (5 points)
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Complete the following statements by choosing the best from the answers A, B, C, or D. (1 point each)
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These days, it’s getting easier and easier to find your way around. Some people have GPS devices in their cars to make sure they don’t get lost. GPS stands for Global Positioning System. These devices use satellites in space to “see” where you are and give you directions to where you want to go. And if you don’t have a GPS device, you can simply go online to get step-by-step directions. Websites like MapQuest.com and mappoint.msn.com can produce a map and directions in just a few seconds. But how do they do it?
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MapQuest® uses data (information) from a few different sources to produce directions and maps. Before MapQuest® went online, it sold regular paper maps in places like gas stations. The website uses the data from those paper maps, information from digital mapping companies, and government databases. At the moment, MapQuest® uses more than 30 computers to read all this data and provides users with millions of maps every day.
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In order to find the best route (way or path) from one place to another, MapQuest® first has to look at all possible routes. Then MapQuest® looks at each part of each possible route. It considers the types of roads on the different routes. Are they dirt roads, paved roads, freeways, or city streets? It looks at how many turns there are in each route and what kinds of turns they are. Are they right turns or left turns? It also considers the speed limit on each road and how many intersections there are. An intersection is “a place where two or more roads cross each other”.
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MapQuest® can also tell you how long your trip will take you. It does this by doing some math. MapQuest® bases its estimated driving times on the length and speed limit of each part of the route and the amount of time it probably takes to get through each intersection. For example, it allows more time for a left turn at an intersection than it does for a right turn. Someday, maybe we will have cars that can just drive us wherever we want to go, but for now, mapping websites make it a little harder to get lost.
2．What is the main idea of this article?
Why mapping websites don’t work well.
Why mapping websites are better than paper maps.
How the first mapping website started.
How mapping websites work.
3．According to the article, MapQuest®______
started as an Internet company.
starting by selling paper maps.
started as maker of government databases.
uses millions of computers to read data.
4．When you search for directions, the first thing MapQuest® does is_______
estimate driving time.
consider how many turns you want to take.
look at all possible paths.
print out a map and directions.
5．When it’s deciding on the best route, MapQuest® probably chooses ________
city streets instead of freeways.
the route with the most turns.
dirt roads instead of paved roads.
freeways instead of dirt roads.
6． To estimate your driving time, MapQuest® considers _________
the speed limit for half of the route.
the fastest and slowest speed limits on your route.
the speed limits and types of turns on your route.
the distance between turns on your route.
