If cars had wings, they could fly and that just might happen, beginning in 2011.The company Terrafugia, based in Woburn, Massachusetts, says it plans to make such a car-plane called “Transition”, to customers(顧客) by the end of 2012. “It’s the next ‘wow’ vehicle,”said Terrafugia vice president Richard Gersh. “Anybody can buy a Ferrari, but as we say, Ferraris don’t fly.”
The car-plane has wings that
unfold for flying—a process the company says takes one minute-and fold back up for driving. A runway is still needed to take off and land.
The Transition is being marketed more as a plane that drives than a car that flies, although it is both. The company has been working with FAA to meet aircraft regulations, and with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to meet vehicle safety regulations.
The company is aiming to sell the Transition to private pilots as an easier and cheaper way to fly.They say it saves you the trouble from trying to find another mode of transportation to get to and from airports: You drive the car to the airport and then you’re good to go.When you land, you fold up the wings and hit the road. There are no expensive parking fees because you don’t have to store it at an airport—you leave it in the car park at home.
The car-plane is designed to fly under 10,000 feet. It has a maximum take-off weight of 1,430 pounds, including fuel and passengers.
The Transition’s price tag: $194,000, But there may be something else you need to pay, like a radio, transponder or GPS and so on.
So far, the company has more than 70 orders. “We’re working very closely with them, but there are still some remaining steps,” Brown said.
小題1:We can learn from the first paragraph that _________.
| A．car-planes will be popular in 2012 |
| B．people might drive a car-plane in 2012 |
| C．both Transition and Ferrari can take off and land |
| D．Richard Gersh is the vice president of Massachusetts |
小題2:According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．The car-plane needs a runway to take off and land. |
| B．A car-plane with radio and GPS will cost $194,000 |
| C．The car-plane may fly at 8,000 feet |
| D．People can park the car-plane in the car park at their home. |
小題3:Which of the following has the closest meaning to the underlined word “unfold” on this passage?
| A．start | B．spread | C．cover | D．travel |
小題4:What’s the best title for the passage?
| A．Cars With Wings May come true soon |
| B．A Ferrari or a Car Plane |
| C．A Easier and Cheaper Way to Fly |
| D．Cars With Wings Can Fly as Fast as Planes |
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