In spring of 2004, when US gas prices hit US $2 a gallon, University of
Washington senior Jo Blue kept on driving. After Hurricane Katrina last August,
prices topped US $3 a gallon. But Blue kept driving. Now, when prices have
leveled at about US$ 2.25, she still commutes an hour everyday to her job as a
swim coach. Blue has to get to work and public transportation is not an option.
Buses to the suburb where she works are infrequent, so Blue has no choice but to
spend US $30 a week on gas.
High gas prices, which began to soar in 2004, have Americans-whose way of life
depends on cars-complaining, but not doing much to change the country’s
car culture.
Like Blue, most Americans, except those in major cities, drive to work. Many
live in sprawling suburbs which are accessible only by car. The average American
spends 55 minutes each day behind the wheel, according to the US Department of
Transportation. In 2003, the US’s 290, 000 residents registered 237, 000 vehicles
.
Many experts say that this car driven lifestyle is unsustainable. “An event
like Hurricane Katrina demonstrates how constrained and fragile the energy supply
is now,” said Barry Silverthorne, producer of “The End of Suburbia”, a
documentary about American car culture.
In the 1950s, King Hubert, a geologist working for Shell, a major US oil
company, predicted that the rate of oil extraction（提取）could not continue to
increase forever. Once all the high quality or easiest-to-reach oil was
extracted, oil would become progressively scarcer and more expensive until the
supply runs out altogether.
Many major oil fields in the Middle East have reached or will soon reach their
peaks, says Megan Qinn, director of the Community Solution, an organization that
promotes sustainable development.
Though most experts agree the US should become less dependent on cars, few
have addressed the issue of “how”.
“Deep down in America many of us have a sense that we are about to hit a
brick wall of some kind. But people are too distracted by Paris Hiton and iPods
to notice,” said Silverthorne.
1. According to the author, the key reason why Americans need car is that ______.
A. they need to drive to work
B. they have so many highways
C. many live in suburbs accessible only by car
D. many want to go traveling by car
2. According to the statistics in 2003, every US residents owns ______ vehicle(s).
A. at least 0.5 B. at least 0.8 C. at least 1 D. at least 1.2
3. King Hubbert says that oil ______.
A. will be replaced by other high quality or easy-to-reach energy
B. is reaching its peak gradually
C. will run out immediately
D. will decrease some day
4. The author believes that American car culture is ______.
A. a luxury B. necessary C. sustainable D. unsustainable
5. The last paragraph suggests that ______.
A. Americans only care about celebrities and luxury products
B. Americans know they are about to hit a wall due to energy crisis
C. Americans know they should make a change of some kind
D. Americans are conscious but do nothing about energy shortage
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