Why does most of the world travel on the right side today? Theories differ, but there’s no doubt that Napoleon was a major influence. The French had used the right since at least the late 18th century. Some say that before the French Revolution, noblemen drove their carriages on the left, forcing the peasants to the right. Regardless of the origin, Napoleon brought right-hand traffic to the nations he conquered, including Russia, Switzerland and Germany. Hitler, in turn, ordered right-hand traffic in Czechoslovakia and Austria in the 1930s. Nations that escaped right-hand control, like Great Britain, followed their left-hand tradition.
The U.S. has not always been a nation of right-hand rivers; earlier in its history, carriage and horse traffic traveled on the left, as it did in England. But by the late 1700s, people driving large wagons pulled by several pairs of horses began promoting a shift to the right. A driver would sit on the rear (后面的) left horse in order to wave his whip with his right hand; to see opposite traffic clearly, they traveled on the right.
One of the final moves to firmly standardize traffic directions in the U.S. occurred in the 20th century, when Henry Ford decided to mass-produce his cars with controls on the left (one reason, stated in 1908; the convenience for passengers exiting directly onto the edge, especially… if there is a lady to be considered). Once these rules were set, many countries eventually adjusted to the right-hand standard, including Canada in the 1920s, Sweden in 1967 and Burma in 1970. The U.K. and former colonies such as Australia and India are among the western world’s few remaining holdouts. Several Asian countries, including Japan, use the left as well — thought many places use both right-hand-drive and left-hand-drive cars.
【小题1】Why did people in Switzerland travel on the right? A．They had used the right-hand since the 18th century. B．Rich people enjoyed driving their carriages on the right.C．Napoleon introduced the right-hand traffic to this country.D．Hitler ordered them to go to against their left-hand tradition.【小题2】Of all the countries below, the one that travels on the right is .A．AustriaB．EnglandC．JapanD．Australia【小题3】Henry Ford produced cars with controls on the left .A．in order to change traffic directions in the U.S.B．so that passengers could get off convenientlyC．because rules at that time weren’t perfectD．though many countries were strongly against that【小题4】According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?A．Before the French Revolution, all the French people used the right.B．People in Britain and the U.S. travel on the same side nowadays.C．The Burmese began to travel on the right in 1970.D．All the Asian nations use the left at present.【小题5】What would be the best title for this passage? A．Who made the great contributions to the shift of traffic directions?B．How cars have bee a popular means of transportation?C．How Henry Ford produced his cars with controls on the left? D．Why don’t people all drive on the same side of the road?C
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(答案→)C
解析：文章主要就是解释了为什么世界上的很多国家开车行驶的方式不一样的。
【小题1】细节题。根据第一段4,5行Napoleon brought right-hand traffic to the nations he conquered, including Russia, Switzerland and Germany.可知C正确。
【小题2】细节题。根据Nations that escaped right-hand control, like Great Britain, followed their left-hand tradition.排除B.根据The U.K. and former colonies such as Australia and India are among the western world’s few remaining holdouts. Several Asian countries, including Japan, use the left as well排除CD。故A正确。
【小题3】细节题。根据最后一段第三行the convenience for passengers exiting directly onto the edge可知B正确，是为了乘客的方便。
【小题4】细节题。根据最后一段4,5行Once these rules were set, many countries eventually adjusted to the right-hand standard, including Canada in the 1920s, Sweden in 1967 and Burma in 1970.可知Burma是在20世纪70年代采取右边行驶的标准的。故C正确。
【小题5】主旨大意题。文章主要就是解释了为什么世界上的很多国家开车行驶的方式不一样的。