Imagine a vehicle that can pick you up outside your home, drive to the nearest railway line, and change itself into a train. It may sound like a story from “Thomas the Tank Engine,” 【小题1】 that’s exactly what Japan’s DMV Road-Rail buses have been doing since they【小题2】 (launch) on Christmas Day 2021.

With a capacity of 23, the DMV is a diesel-powered (柴油驱动的) bus fitted with a set of retractable (可缩进的) rail wheels【小题3】can be put in place in about 15 seconds. Lighter than a traditional train, the DMV also consumes less fuel and is【小题4】 (cheap) to maintain.

【小题5】 (advertise) as “the world’s first operational dual-mode vehicle,” it is actually the latest in a long series of similar experiments【小题6】 (improve) rural rail services. As far back as the 1930s, similar vehicles【小题7】the DMV were tested in England and West Germany.

Tokushima government hopes that the DMV buses【小题8】   (become) a tourist draw in their own right. It also believes that the vehicles could also be useful for reaching isolated communities in the event of natural【小题9】 (disaster) such as earthquakes, which can leave sections of roads or railway lines【小题10】 (usable).

By far, the most technologically challenging railway ever built was【小题1】(probable) the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, completed in 2006, which connects Xining to Lhasa. The railway was first planned in the 1950s, but the technical difficulties were too much【小题2】(overcome). It was not until 1984【小题3】the first 814-kilometer section of the railway, from Xining to Golmud, was completed.

The biggest issue was the permafrost (冻结带) -frozen earth. In the summer, usually【小题4】(melt) at a fast speed, the top layer of the permafrost turns to mud, which makes the ground unstable.【小题5】 (various) of solutions were used to get around this. In some cases, railway bridges【小题6】(build). In other cases, engineers installed pipes under the ground to keep it frozen during the summer. Finally, in some areas it was impossible to build the railway over the permafrost,【小题7】 engineers tunneled through it.

It is hoped that the experience of building the Qinghai-Tibet Railway can be used in【小题8】new project, linking China with Pakistan. This railway will travel 1,000 kilometers【小题9】the Pamir Mountains, which are nicknamed the Roof of the World. Building such a railway will be undoubtedly a technical challenge. When to start construction on this project【小题10】(discuss) at present.

All new cars sold in Europe from 2022 will have technology to limit their speed. New 【小题1】 (safe) rules from the European Union will require new cars 【小题2】 (have) “intelligent speed assistance” systems, like seatbelts and airbags.

There are other things that cars will be fitted with. All cars will have breathalyzers (呼气酒精测量仪) with【小题3】 drivers won’t be allowed to drive if they have drunk too much alcohol. Cars must also have an advanced emergency braking system, 【小题4】built-­in data recorder, a tiredness and distraction monitor, and sensors to help when reversing. The EU says 25,000 people【小题5】 (kill) each year on Europe’s roads. Most accidents are caused by human errors. The new systems will reduce road deaths.

There has been a mixed reaction【小题6】 the new features. Some people agree with them, while others disagree. The EU said the features【小题7】 (make) driving a lot safer. It added that the new features could save up to 10,500 lives and avoid up to 60,000 【小题8】 (extreme) serious injuries by the year 2030. Many drivers are unhappy with the technology. They say it could make roads more 【小题9】 (danger) because driving requires human judgment. A driver said he didn’t want data recorders in 【小题10】 (he) car because that was like Big Brother was watching him.