A

The popularity of bicycling continues to rise, and it is no surprise. It's fun, healthy and eco­friendly. Maybe that's why there are 1. 4 billion bicycles and only 400 million cars on roads worldwide today. Bikes can take you almost anywhere, and there is no fuel cost !

Hop on a bicycle and ride around your neighborhood. You may discover something new in your community. Stopping and getting off a bike is easier than stopping and getting out of your car. In many communities, you can bike to work and benefit from exercise without polluting the environment. You don't even have to ride all the way. Folding bikes work well for workers who ride the train. Just fold the bike and take it with you. Have you ever thought about bicycling across a foreign country? It's a great way to experience another culture, see beautiful scenery and meet friendly people. Bicycle enthusiast Goran Kropp bicycled across not just one country but several. He rode a remarkable 11, 000 km from his home in Sweden to Nepal and then climbed Mount Everest! And now, bicycling across a country to raise money for a charity or to advertise a cause is also popular.

To encourage people to bike, many cities in Europe have established bike­share programs. In Paris, for example, thousands of bikes are parked at bike stations around the city. Users can rent bikes at any station. The first half­hour of use is free. After that, users pay a small fee. When they finish riding, they simply park their bikes at any station. For people who don't want to drive, the bikes are an excellent alternative(Ìæ´úÆ·) to buses and taxis, which burn fuel and cause pollution.

As a result of the success of bike plans in Europe, they're spreading to the US, Australia and other countries as well. Look for one in your city soon.

1£®We can learn from the passage that ________.

A£®bikes are becoming more and more popular

B£®bikes save people's time

C£®bikes have increased in price

D£®buses and taxis will be replaced by bikes

2£®According to this passage, workers in some cities can take their bikes ________.

A£®to concerts and festivals

B£®into their company offices

C£®to large recreational areas

D£®onto public transportation

3£®When do the bike riders in Paris have to pay a fee?

A£®When they damage the bikes in an accident.

B£®If they ride the bikes for over thirty minutes.

C£®After they receive a bill in the mail for a ride.

D£®Before they rent the new bikes at any station.

4£®We can infer from Paragraph 3 that ________.

A£®many people can use the same bikes

B£®the bikes aren't likely to break down

C£®riders can keep the bikes for months

D£®people can ride bikes to save money