London Cabbies
Every city in the world has taxi to take tourists to interesting places. London is the only city in the world where taking a taxi is an ____1____ experience for tourists. This is partly because of the special black cabs, which are found in no other country. But it is also because of the drivers themselves. _____2_____British people are famous for being polite and reserved, London cabbies are well known _____3_____their willingness to talk.
Some customers say that once the door shuts and the cab _____4____ off they are a captive audience. It is impossible to get the taxi driver to stop _____5_____ Theyre self-confident and free thinking, said Malcolm Linskey, the author of a history of taxi drivers in London.
They are also expensive. London has the most expensive taxis of any city in the world except Tokyo. Thats why Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, is planning to make taxi drivers negotiate their fares with ______6______ before they take a ride.
Drivers agree that their fairs are expensive. Thats because their black taxis ____7____ more than other cars, they say. And the customer is also paying for a more driving expertise than anywhere else in the world.
Before someone can qualify as a London taxi driver, that person has to pass a test ____8_____ simply as The Knowledge. This involves _____9_____ the name and location of every street within six miles of a point in the exact centre of London. The trainee must also learn the exact location of every important building within these streets. Finally he or she must be able to use this knowledge to work out the _____10______ distance between any two destinations within this area.
It can ____11_____up to three years to pass The Knowledge.2 Every day it is possible to see trainee taxi drivers on the streets of London, taking careful notes of popular destinations before tracing the route to their next stop. Cab driving is a job often _____12____ down in families. Many taxi drivers take their children out in their spare time to memorize _____13_____ they need to know when it is their turn to do The Knowledge.
The effect of this is to make London cabbies experts at their job. They also have bigger brains. Recent research found that the part of the brain that remembers things was larger and more ____14_____ in cab drivers. They have to fit the whole of London into their heads, so their brains grow bigger. So perhaps it is not ____15______ that taxi drivers have lots to day.
1. A. rewarding B. interesting C. happy D. delightful
2. A. Before B. After C. When D. While
3. A. for B. as C. of D. at
4. A. departs B. leaves C. moves D. takes
5. A. arguing B. saying C. telling D. talking
6. A. customers B. hosts C. guests D. bosses
7. A. buy B. cost C. sell D. consume
8. A. called B. entitled C. known D. understood
9. A. to memorize B. memorize C. memorized D. memorizing
10. A. shortest B. shorter C. shortened D. short
11. A. spend B. take C. give D. occupy
12. A. inherited B. sent C. handed D. given
13. A. roads B. routes C. streets D. lanes
14. A. constructed B. concentrated C. devoted D. developed
15. A. surprising B. wondering C. doubting D. suspecting
“美国队长”读睡前故事 吸引一众宝妈粉丝(视频)
体坛英语资讯:Real Madrid crowned as Liga Santander champions in Spain
国内英语资讯:China highly appreciates Vietnams support, participation in Belt and Road Initiative: offi
体坛英语资讯:Nancy, Bastia relegated as Ligue 1 curtain down
国际英语资讯:Saudi, U.S. cement partnership by signing deals worth 280 bln USD
国际英语资讯:News Analysis: President Trumps first Saudi visit aims to defeat Islamic State
国内英语资讯:Xis selected remarks on army building published
霉霉又有新男友了?看来抖森要被写成歌了
国际英语资讯:Germany passes stricter laws on asylum seekers
国际英语资讯:Protest erupted over election of new California Democratic Party leader
体坛英语资讯:Real Madrid go to Malaga looking for decisive point to seal title
国际英语资讯:Iraqi forces recapture 2 IS-held neighborhoods in western Mosul
《蝙蝠侠大战超人:正义黎明》电影精讲(视频)[1]
国内英语资讯:China signs bilateral social security agreement with Spain
美国最流行宝宝名 艾玛、诺亚居首
国内英语资讯:Top political advisors approve drafts, regulation
国际英语资讯:Demonstrators urge Hungarian govt to comply with EU demands
国内英语资讯:China, Cuba pledge to cooperate in anti-corruption
英国高街品牌Topshop推出透明塑料牛仔裤 被抢购一空
国内英语资讯:China, US think tanks hold seminar on bilateral trade relations
各国人旅游最爱带啥?中国人果然最爱泡面啊
京津冀连续两天受“臭氧污染”侵扰
英语里“pink 粉红色”的含义
国内英语资讯:Xi congratulates Wu on election as KMT leader
国际英语资讯:DPRK confirms test firing another medium-range ballistic missile
老外在中国:一个校园欺凌的真实故事
“美国队长”读睡前故事 吸引一众宝妈粉丝
国内英语资讯:China, Philippines confirm twice-yearly bilateral consultation mechanism on South China Sea
埃尔多安支持者和抗议者在华盛顿发生冲突,美国传召土耳其大使
欧美“小鲜肉”比伯巡演奇葩要求知多少