A
In the last few years, “bikesharing” companies like oBike, ofo, and Mobike began flooding (挤满) streets in places like China, Japan, Australia, and Singapore with bikes.But it didn't take long before there were too many companies and too many bikes on the streets.Soon many companies went out of business, leaving behind thousands of unused rental bikes.Many of them were completely new.
Businessman Mike Than Tun Win realized that though these bikes didn't have any value where they were, they could do a lot of good for schoolchildren in Myanmar.Some children in Myanmar travel an hour or more on foot every day to get to school.Soon, Mr Than Tun Win had raised around $400,000 for the LessWalk project.About half of the money was his own, and the other half was given by companies.
The LessWalk project bought thousands of new rental bikes from failed companies and shipped them to Myanmar.Once in Myanmar, the bikes are changed to make them more useful for students.The rental bikes used to require a smartphone app to unlock them.LessWalk changed this for a lock with a key.They also added a second place to sit at the back of the bikes, allowing two children to ride to school on one bike.Recently they've added another change — they're using special tires that don't go flat to take the place of the bike's regular tires.With all the changes, Mr Than says each bike costs LessWalk about $35.
Giving out the bikes takes a little longer, since LessWalk wants to make sure that the bikes go to the students who need them the most.The project is working with Myanmar's government and schools to focus on poor students who walk close to two hours a day to school.
Though LessWalk only began in March, the project has already brought around 22,500 bikes into Myanmar and has given out over 1,000 bikes.Mr Than Tun Win hopes to bring in as many as 100,000 bikes and expand the program to Laos and Cambodia.
语篇解读:本文是一篇记叙文。文章主要讲述了Mike Than Tun Win购买如今被闲置的共享单车,改造后交给缅甸需要步行很久去上学的学生。
1.What is the function of the first paragraph in the passage?
A.To attract readers' attention to “bikesharing” companies.
B.To introduce a new topic for discussion.
C.To use some examples to support the topic.
D.To provide background information on the topic.
解析:选D 推理判断题。根据第一段可知,在过去的几年里,在中国、日本、澳大利亚和新加坡等地,像oBike、ofo和摩拜这样的“共享单车”公司的自行车淹没街道。但没过多久,街上就出现了太多的公司和太多的自行车。很快,许多公司都倒闭了,留下了数千辆闲置的租赁自行车。其中很多都是全新的。因此可以推断出,第一段是为后文讲述Mike Than Tun Win购买被闲置的共享单车提供背景信息。
2.Why did Mike Than Tun Win set up the LessWalk project?
A.To make money.
B.To help the needy.
C.To grow his business.
D.To spread his green travel idea.
解析:选B 推理判断题。根据第三段中The LessWalk project bought thousands of new rental bikes from failed companies and shipped them to Myanmar.Once in Myanmar, the bikes are changed to make them more useful for students.可推知,Mike Than Tun Win建立LessWalk项目是为了帮助有需要的人,故选B项。
3.What can we learn about the bikes that the LessWalk project offers?
A.They are all old shared bikes.
B.They allow two people to ride on one bike.
C.They only allow an hour of use a day.
D.They require a smartphone app to unlock them.
解析:选B 细节理解题。根据第三段中They also added a second place to sit at the back of the bikes, allowing two children to ride to school on one bike.可知,LessWalk项目提供的自行车可以载两个人,故选B项。
4.Why does giving out the bikes take a little longer?
A.There aren't enough bikes for the locals.
B.The locals show little interest in bikes.
C.The project has to pick out its users carefully.
D.The project hasn't yet received the local government's support.
解析:选C 细节理解题。根据第四段内容可知,分发自行车需要更长的时间,因为LessWalk想要确保自行车去到那些最需要它们的学生手里。该项目正与缅甸政府和学校合作,重点关注那些每天步行近两个小时上学的贫困学生。故选C项。