Mistrust Mars Zhengzhou Ride-share Effort

More than 300 private car owners from a central Chinese city volunteered to offer free rides to citizens to ease crowded public transportation, but many local people didn't accept the offer for fear of being cheated.

The ride-share program was begun in October in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province, when Ye Zhantong, a private car driver, started to gather volunteers to offer the free service. The drivers tied a green silk ribbon (絲帶) on the car to differentiate themselves from unlicensed taxi drivers. But the free rides haven't been popular among the public as increasing reports of dishonesty have dried up many local citizens' trust towards strangers.

Ye said some of the volunteers have dropped out after they felt their kind intention was being questioned. Passersby walking in heavy rainfall or passengers who missed a bus would remain silent and walk away when the volunteers would stop and offer a ride.

“It's so common that people give us the cold shoulder, and sometimes, take our kindness as ill will,” said one of Ye's volunteers, identified as Binge. “Many would even say: 'Let's get out of here quickly to avoid being cheated by him.'” Some commenters on Weibo explained why they hesitated to participate in a ride-share program. “Trusting a stranger might bring huge risks. I can't take the risk,” one Internet user wrote.

Some said Ye's group wasn't authorized, and cheaters pretending to be kind drivers might volunteer. They suggested traffic authorities issue rules to regulate, protect and promote ride-share programs.

61. The ride-share cars were driven by _____ drivers.

A. licensed taxi         B. unlicensed taxi          C. private car               D. specially-trained

62. Some of the ride-share car drivers _____ .

A. were forced to join Ye’s group                   B. once behaved dishonestly

C. offered free rides only to acquaintances             D. have left Ye’s group

63. The free rides haven't been popular among the public because _____.

A. people often have enough time to wait         B. some think the drivers are cheaters

C. there are many taxies available                    D. many people choose to save money

64. Which correctly explains the expression “give sb. the cold shoulder”?

A. To be unfriendly to sb. .                                   B. To help sb. unwillingly.

C. To sit silently beside sb. .                          D. To try hard to support sb. .

65. The underlined word “mar” in the title possibly means “ _____”.

A. make sth. work the way it should                     B. make sth. less attractive or enjoyable

C.       help sth. to develop or increase                  D. damage sth. so badly that it no longer exists

The Rolls Royce logo consisting of the two Rs clearly stands for Rolls and Royce, the two founders of this car manufacturing company.
In 1884 Frederick Henry Royce started an electrical and mechanical business. He made his first car, a “Royce”, in his Manchester factory in 1904. He was introduced to Charles Steward Rolls in a Manchester hotel on May 4 that year, and the pair agreed a deal where Royce would manufacture cars, to be sold by Rolls. A clause (條款) was added to the contract, saying the cars would be called “Rolls Royce”.

The current Toyota logo consists of three ovals: the two perpendicular (成直角的) ovals represent a relationship of trust between the customer and Toyota. These ovals combine to symbolize the letter “T” for Toyota. The space in the background implies a global expansion of Toyota’s technology and unlimited potential for the future.
The Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) is a South Korean company manufacturing automobiles. Their automobiles are available in many countries around the globe. In 2003 it was South Korea’s largest car maker and the world’s seventh largest car maker. The Hyundai logo appears to be an H (symbolizing Hyundai). The oval shape indicates the company’s global expansion and the “H” is symbolic of two people (specifically the company and customer) shaking hands.
The Mercedes-Benz logo represents one of the most famous brands in the world. The Benz logo is a three-pointed star that represents its domination of the land, the sea, and the air. The famous three-pointed star was designed by Gottlieb Daimler to show the ability of his motor for land, air and sea usage. It was first seen on a Daimler in 1909 and was combined with the Benz laurel wreath (桂冠) in 1926 to symbolize the union of the two firms. Mercedes-Benz is one of the world’s oldest automobile manufacturers

1. 1.

   Which company’s logo is a symbol of two people shaking hands?

   1. A.
      Rolls Royce’s
   2. B.
      Toyota’s
   3. C.
      Hyundai’s
   4. D.
      Mercedes-Benz’s
2. 2.

   According to the text, _______________

   1. A.
      Rolls Royce was founded in 1884
   2. B.
      Mercedes-Benz originally produced motors
   3. C.
      Toyota is having difficulty expanding its technology
   4. D.
      Hyundai has the same long history as Mercedes-Benz
3. 3.

   Which company’s logo stands for both the manufacturer and the seller?

   1. A.
      Rolls Royce’s
   2. B.
      Toyota’s
   3. C.
      Hyundai’s
   4. D.
      Mercedes-Benz’s
4. 4.

   We can learn from the text that ______

   1. A.
      the ovals in the logos have the same meaning
   2. B.
      Hyundai is South Korea’s seventh largest car maker
   3. C.
      the three-pointed star of the Mercedes-Benz logo was first seen in 1926
   4. D.
      the Mercedes-Benz logo is a symbol of the combination of two companies