参考答案
1) 1962
2) leave their cars at home
3) public transport
4) build
5) keep in good condition
6) 1948
7) got in and drove away
8) engineering problem
9) too heavy
10) strong
11) private
12) difficult to fly
13) traffic problems
听力原文
G = Guide; V1 = Visitor 1; V2 = Visitor 2; V3 = Visitor 3
G: So, ladies and gentlemen. Let’s move into the transport section now. Could you all come over this way? Let’s look at these photos. As you can see, these early methods of transport have two things in common … They’re all great ideas, great ways to travel through the air rather than on the ground … but they weren’t successful! There was a big problem with each one.
V1: But the monorail – that was successful.
G: Well, yes and no. Look at this photo on the left. It’s from the World Fair in Seattle. That was in 1962. Monorails were a very popular idea in America at that time. People wanted to leave their cars at home and go to work by public transport. But they weren’t successful – monorails are difficult to build and expensive to keep in good condition. So you’re right. There are some monorails in the world … but not very many!
V2: Hey. Look at this photo. Is that a car under a plane?
G: Oh, yes. This was a very interesting idea. People wanted to fly from Los Angeles to New York … and then drive straight into the city center from the airport.
V2: No way! How?
G: Well, the idea was that the car came off the bottom of the plane and then you got in and drove away. This was in the 1940s. Ah, yes. Look. Here’s the date: 1948. It was a nice idea – no airports or waiting around – but it wasn’t successful.
V2: Why not?
G: There was an engineering problem. The car was too heavy and small planes weren’t strong enough to carry them (it).
V3: What’s this? A helicopter in the garage?
G: Yes, indeed. We laugh at this now, but people were very serious about it at the time. People wanted to leave home in the morning, say goodbye to the family and go to work by private helicopter. The idea was very popular, but, of course, it was impossible. Helicopters are very difficult to fly and can you imagine the traffic problems in the sky? … So noisy!
V2: Yes. Very noisy. There’s far too much traffic these days in my opinion.
G: I agree. People should go to work by bike or on foot – by far the best way to travel. As you see, all these …
