本文摘自中考英语阅读理解真题,关于自行车的安全问题.

In the past twenty years, riding bicycles has become more and more popular among people of all ages. Bicycles have long played an important part in the lives of American young people.

在过去的二十年里初三英语美文，骑自行车在各个年龄段的人中越来越流行。长期以来初三英语美文，自行车在美国年轻人的生活中扮演着重要的角色。

[重点词汇]:in the past + 时间段：在过去的…初三英语美文；play an important part in: 在…中发挥重要作用；

But today an even greater number of adults cycle along roadsides and bicycle paths. These new riders are often trying to become fit or lose weight. They have found that bicycling is a pleasant way to stay healthy.

但今天初三英语美文，更多的成年人在路边和自行车道上骑车。这些新来的车手经常试图变得健康或减肥。他们发现骑自行车是保持健康的好方法。

[重点词汇]: cycle：<n/vi>（骑）自行车；bicycle：<n/vi>（骑）自行车；roadside: 路边；try to do sth: 努力做某事；try doing sth: 尝试做某事；fit: 健康的；lose weight: 减肥；put on weight:增肥初三英语美文，变重；pleasant: 令人愉悦的； a way to do sth:做某事 的方法；

This is certainly good for health. But it has also brought some problems. With all these added people on the road, bicycle safety has become a matter of real importance.

这对健康当然有好处。但也带来了一些问题。随着越来越多的人上路，自行车安全已成为一个真正重要的问题。

[重点词汇]: certainly：肯定地，确定地；be good for: 对…有好处；health:<n>健康，healthy:<adj>健康的；importance:<n>重要，important:<adj>重要的；

Bicycle safety is mostly a matter of common sense. People should ride only on bicycle paths where they will not be badly hurt. T here are also a number of rules that riders should follow, especially when riding on streets or highways.

自行车安全基本上是常识问题。人们应该只在不会受到严重伤害的自行车道上骑车。还有很多规则，骑手应该遵循，特别是在街道或公路上。

[重点词汇]: safety:<n>安全；safe:<adj>安全的；mostly:主要地，一般地，通常地；common sense: 常识；badly: 严重地；A number of: 大量的；the number of:…的数量； follow the rule: 遵循规则；especially: 尤其，特别；specifically: 专门地； highway: 公路，主干道；

Bicyclists should never ride against the traffic, nor should they carry other people on their bicycles. They are also supposed to ride in single line on busy streets and to "walk bicycles across the busy intersections.

By following these rules, bicycle riders will not only stay healthy but also be safe.

骑自行车的人不应该逆着车流骑，也不应该背着别人骑自行车。他们还应该在繁忙的街道上单列骑行，在繁忙的十字路口骑自行车。

通过遵守这些规则，骑自行车的人不仅会保持健康，而且会很安全。

[重点词汇]: Bicyclist：骑自行车的人；Intersections：交叉路口；

Be supposed to do sth: 应该做某事；

In one recent year, the National Safety Council reported that 34 thousand bicycle riders were hurt in highway accidents. In that same year, another six hundred riders were killed.

在最近的一年里，国家安全委员会报告说，有3.4万名骑自行车的人在高速公路事故中受伤。同年，又有600名骑手丧生。

Since the introduction of crash helmets in 1980, the number of injuries (伤者) and deaths from bicycling accidents had gone down. Today, more and more riders realize the dangers of bicycling. They are wearing helmets and paying closer attention to cycling rules.

自1980年引入防撞头盔以来，受伤人数(伤者) 自行车事故造成的死亡人数也有所下降。今天，越来越多的骑手意识到骑自行车的危险。他们戴着头盔，更加注意自行车规则。

[重点词汇]: Helmet：头盔；injuries：受伤者；death：死亡；go down: 下降；pay attention to doing sth: 注意做某事