1997年1月
In Britain, the old Road Traffic Act restricted speeds to 2 m. p. h. (miles per hour) in towns and 4 m. p. h. in the country. Later parliament increased the speed limit to 14 m. p. h. But by 1903 the development of the car industry had made it necessary to raise the limit to 20 m. p. h. By 1930, however, the law was so widely ignored that speeding restrictions were done away with altogether. For five years motorists were free to drive at whatever speeds they liked. Then in 1935 the Road Traffic Act imposed a 30 m. p. h. speed limit in built-up areas, along with the introduction of driving tests and pedestrian crossings.
Speeding is now the most common motoring offence in Britain. Offences for speeding fall into three classes: exceeding the limit on restricted road, exceeding on any road the limit for the vehicle you are driving, and exceeding the 70 m. p. h. limit on any road. A restricted mad is one where the street lamps are 200 yards apart, or more.
The main controversy (爭論) surrounding speeding laws is the extent of their safety value. The Ministry of Transport maintains that speed limits reduce accidents. It claims that when the 30 m. p. h. limit was introduced in 1935 there was a fall of 15 percent in fatal accidents. Likewise, when the 40 m. p. h. speed limit was imposed on a number of roads in London in the late fifties, there was a 28 percent reduction in serious accidents. There were also fewer casualties (傷亡)in the year after the 70 m. p. h. motorway limit was imposed in 1966.
In America, however, it is thought that the reduced accident figures are due rather to the increase in traffic density. This is why it has even been suggested that the present speed limits should be done away with completely, or that a guide should be given to inexperienced drivers and the speed limits made advisory, as is done in parts of the USA.
Questions:
1. During which period could British motorists drive without speed limits?
2. What measures were adopted in 1935 in addition to the speeding restrictions?
3. Speeding is a motoring offense a driver commits when he __________.
4. What is the opinion of British authorities concerning speeding laws?
5. What reason do Americans give for the reduction in traffic accidents?
文章導讀
為什么會產生交通事故？是不是因為車輛的速度太快了？本文第一段借英國公路交通法有關速度限制方面的發展與變更來影射這個回答。第二段指出超速是現在英國最普遍的機動車違規，并列舉了三種違規現象。那么在多大程度上限速能減少交通事故呢？第三段列舉了不同歷史時期的數字加以佐證。文章最后一段提出了另一種看法，即在美國， 事故數字的減少被歸因于交通密度的增加。
第一題 During which period could British motorists drive without speed limits?
題解 這一題要求綜合第一段的第3、4、5三句來解答。第三句說到1930“speeding restrictions were done away with altogether”，接下來又說，“For five years motorists were free to drive at whatever speeds they liked”，因此可知，無速度限制的時間是從1930年起（包括1930年），延續了5年，即是1930、1931、1932、1933、1934這五年。最后一句“Then in 1935 the Road Traffic Act imposed a 30 m. p. h. speed limit in built-up areas”，說明到了1935年，speed limit又實行了。
要點： 提問是“during which period”，答案中只要給出一個時間的表達式就可以了，沒有必要以整句作答，以免言多有失。有一位考生這樣回答：During 1930 and 1935 could British motorists drive without speed limits. 姑且字數多了一個不說，這個倒裝也有點問題。松一點的評委給1.5分，嚴一點的給1分，你說虧不虧？
答案： From 1930 to 1935.
或between 1930 and 1935
或1930、1931、1932、1933、1934。
第二題 What measures were adopted in 1935 in addition to the speeding restrictions?
題解 題干中的1935是尋找答案的明確線索，明顯應在第一段的最后一句話“Then in 1935 the Road Traffic Act imposed a 30m. p. h. speed limit in built-up areas, along with the introduction of driving tests and pedestrian crossings”。題干中的speed restrictions對應于這句話中的a 30 m. p. h. speed limit in built-up areas，剩下的自然就是the introduction of driving tests and pedestrian crossings。
要點 本題只要回答出what measures即可，沒有必要再加上謂語部分。
答案 Driving tests and pedestrian crossings.
或 The introduction of driving tests and pedestrian crossings.
