Ⅰ.阅读理解
[2020·石家庄市高三模拟考试(二)]As carmakers push ahead with selfdriving vehicles, an Austrian aerospace company and its Chinese partner showed off their pilotless “flying taxi” for the first time in Europe on Thursday.
The drone (无人驾驶飞机) hummed loudly as it rose above the ground at Vienna's Generali Arena, home to soccer club FK Austria Wien. The slim plane, which weighs 750 pounds, circled in the air briefly and came down within a few minutes.
The EHang 216, which can seat two passengers, has been tested comprehensively and is essentially ready for mass production, said Derrick Xiong, cofounder of Chinese drone maker EHang. The drone can fly at up to 150 km per hour for almost half an hour, FACC AG Chief Executive Officer Robert Machtlinger said. “It can travel between 50 and 70 kilometers depending on the load.” The passenger capsule is small, with leg room that taller passengers might find less than adequate, an Austrian photographer who took part in a demonstration (演示) flight told Reuters.
Joining the race for new autonomous aircraft services that do not require runways, EHang entered a strategic partnership last year with Austria's FACC AG, owned by Chinese aerospace group AVIC, aiming to offer shortdistance services for passengers, industrial equipment and urgent medical deliveries. FACC AG says it has already received several thousand orders for the $336,000 drone, with the highest demand in China. Competitors working toward offering autonomous flying cars early in the next decade range from aerospace company Airbus to Uber and AeroMobil.
“Technically... urban mobility, flying without a pilot, is possible. It's not a dream，” said Machtlinger. “What is stopping us from going into larger volumes (量) is regulation，” he added. “A future legal framework for autonomous flying vehicles should regulate communication with other planes and helicopters and provide traffic rules，” he said. Austria supports international efforts to quickly establish the necessary regulation, said transport minister Norbert Hofer. He hopes that Austria will be the place where thousands of these air taxis will be built and that very soon we will see a lot of these air taxis in the air.
1．What stage of development is the EHang 216 at?
A．It's being tested comprehensively.
B．It's ready for mass production.
C．It's ready for demonstration flights.
D．It's being adapted to customer demands.
2．What do we know about the EHang 216?
A．Its maximum load is 750 pounds.
B．It can carry two passengers.
C．It can fly for almost an hour.
D．It can travel over 70 kilometers.
3．What is a big barrier to a wider use of flying taxis?
A．Technical problems.
B．Objection of the government.
C．Lack of related rules.
D．Competition between aerospace companies.
4．How does the author introduce the EHang 216?
A．By comparing it with similar products.
B．By explaining how it works.
C．By providing specific data of it.
D．By demonstrating its multifunctions.
