Before the 20th century, the horse provided day to day transportation in the United States. Trains were used only for long-distance transportation.

　　Today the car is the most popular 36 of transportation in all of the United States. It has completely 37 the horse as a means of everyday transportation. Americans use their car for 38 90 percent of all personal 39 .

　　Most Americans are able to 40 cars. The average price of a 41 made car was, 500 in 1950, 740 in 1960 and up 42 750 in 1975. During this period American ear manufacturers set about 43 their products and work efficiency.

　　Meanwhile, the yearly income of the 44 family increased from 1950 to 1975 45 than the price of cars. For this reason, 46 a new car takes a smaller 47 of a family’s total earnings today.

　　In 1951 48 it took 8.1 months of an average family's 49 to buy a new car. In 1962, a new car 50 8.3 of a family’s annual earnings. By 1975 it only took 4.75 51 income. In addition, the 1975 cars were technically 52 to models from previous years.

　　The 53 of the automobile extends throughout the economy 54 the car is so important to Americans. Americans spend more money 55 their cars running than on any other item.

　　36. A. kinds B. means C. mean D. types

　　37. A. denied B. reproduced C. replaced D. ridiculed

　　38. A. hardly B. nearly C. certainly D. somehow

　　39. A. trip B. works C. business D. travel

　　40. A. buy B. sell C. race D. see

　　41. A. quickly B. regularly C. rapidly D. recently

　　42. A. on B. to C. in D. about

　　43. A. raising B. making C. reducing D. improving

　　44. A. unusual B. interested C. average D. big

　　45. A. slowest B. equal C. faster D. less

　　46. A. bringing B. obtaining C. having D. purchasing

　　47. A. part B. half C. number D. side

　　48. A. clearly B. proportionally C. obviously D. suddenly

　　49. A. income B. work C. plants D. debts

　　50. A. used B. spent C. cost D. needed

　　51. A. months B. dollar C. family D. year

　　52. A. famous B. quick C. superior D. inferior

　　53. A. running B. notice C. influence D. discussion

　　54. A. then B. so C. as D. which

　　55. A. starting B. leaving C. keeping D. repairing

　　答案解析：

　　36. B

　　慣用搭配題。本句意為“如今，汽車是全美最普遍的交通____”，再結(jié)合下段中的“as a means of everyday transportation”可知，B正確。means of transportation意為“交通工具”。

　　37. C

　　詞義辨析題。deny意為“拒絕”，reproduce意為“復制”，replace意為“取代”，ridicule意為“嘲笑”。結(jié)合句意可知，汽車完全取代了馬，所以C正確。

　　38. B

　　詞義辨析題。hardly意為“幾乎不”，nearly意為“幾乎”，certainly意為“的確”，somehow意為“不知何故”，結(jié)合上下文可知，本句意為“美國人幾乎90%的旅行都使用他們自己的車�！惫蔅正確。

　　39. A

　　詞義辨析題。trip意為“旅行”，尤指以工作和娛樂為目的的短途旅行，所以A正確。work意為“工作”;business意為“買賣”;travel意為“旅行，尤指長途旅行;均不符合句意。

　　40. A

　　詞義辨析題。buy意為“購買”，sell意為“出售”，see意為“看見”，結(jié)合句意及下文提到的price可知，A正確。

　　41. D

　　詞義辨析題。結(jié)合句意，此處意為“最近生產(chǎn)的”，即：recently made，所以D正確。quickly意為“快速地”，rapidly意為“迅速地”，regularly意為“有規(guī)律地”，都不合句意。

　　42. B

　　介詞用法題。up to意為“到(某個數(shù)量)”，所以B正確。

　　43. D

　　詞義辨析題。raise意為“提高”，make意為“制作”，reduce意為“減少”，improve意為“改進”。結(jié)合空格后的內(nèi)容可知，空格處應(yīng)填入能與賓語“their products and work efficiency”相搭配的動詞的現(xiàn)在分詞，此處意為“改進他們的產(chǎn)品和提高工作效率”，故選D。

　　44. C

　　詞義辨析題。結(jié)合句意可知，該句要表達的意思是：一般家庭的年收入。所以，C正確。

　　45. C

　　詞義辨析題。由句中的increase和than可知，空格處應(yīng)填入副詞的比較級，再結(jié)合句意可知，C正確。

　　46. D

　　詞義辨析題。bring意為“帶來”，obtain意為“獲得”，have意為“擁有”，purchase意為“購買”，此句意為“買一輛新車僅占一個家庭總收入的少部分”，所以D正確。

　　47. A

　　詞義辨析題。part意為“部分”，half意為“一半”，number意為“數(shù)量”，side意為“旁邊”，結(jié)合句中的“take a...of”可知，A正確。take a part of在本句中意為“占……的一部分”。

　　48. B

　　詞義辨析題。clearly意為“明顯地”，proportionally意為“按比例地”，obviously意為“顯然地”，suddenly意為“突然地”，此處意為“顯然，在1951年一般家庭要花8.1個月的收入才能買一輛新車”，所以B正確。

　　49. A

　　詞義辨析題。由上文提及的“the yearly income of the average family”，再結(jié)合句意可知，A正確。

　　50. C

　　詞義辨析題。4個選項中spend和cost都可以表示“花費”，但只有cost能以物為主語，指某物花費某人多少錢，所以C正確。

　　51. A

　　詞義辨析題。本段講的都是普通家庭花費多少月收入來買車，所以A正確。

　　52. C

　　詞義辨析題。結(jié)合表轉(zhuǎn)折的 in addition 及句意可知，1975年產(chǎn)的汽車在技術(shù)上優(yōu)于以前的款型，所以C正確。

　　53. C

　　詞義辨析題。run意為“奔跑”，notice意為“注意”，influence意為“影響”，discussion意為“討論”。此處意為“汽車的影響延伸到經(jīng)濟”，所以C正確。

　　54. B

　　邏輯銜接題。分析句意可知，前后兩部分的因果關(guān)系，后面是因，前面是果，所以應(yīng)選能引導愿意狀語從句的詞，故選B。

　　55. C

　　慣用搭配題。keep their cars running屬于keep sth.doing這個固定動詞短語，意為“保持……繼續(xù)進行”，所以C正確。