Traffic problems are an everyday concern in many cities，including Washington，DC．A growing number of Washingtonians are turning to bicycles to get to and from work．In fact，the number of commuters who use bicycles has doubled in the city since 2007．

    Ralph Buehler teaches urban planning at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University，popularly known as Virginia Tech．He has written a book about urban biking，calledCity Cyclin . g．He says there is a reason why urban bike tiding is now becoming more popular．

    “Over the last 60 to 70 years，cities in America have adapted to the automobile．”

    “Most cities took advantage of the money coming for the interstate highway system，from the federal government，  starting in 1956．There was a 90 percent federal match(补贴)so the cities only had to put up 10％．It was very tempting．”

    In the years after World War Two，many Americans moved to suburban communities，just outside major cities．They decided to travel great distances to and from work in exchange for a home in the suburbs．Their cars became a symbol of freedom．

    But today，many people believe they can save money by living in the city．

    Greg Billing is with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association．“When a person makes a change from using a car to using a bike，he／she is saving anywhere between 8 or $9，000 a year．”

    Ralph Buehler says governments save money when people use bicycles．“Building bicycling facilities is much cheaper than building and maintaining road facilities or public transport．”

    Washington，DC has also taken steps to protect bike riders．It approved a safe passing law and created areas on the road between cars and bikes．

    The United States Census Bureau says 4％of the city's workers ride to work by bike．The only city on the East Coast with more bike commuters is New York．

根据短文内容，选择最佳答案，并将选定答案的字母标号填在题前括号内。

    Organic exercise is a good fit for people looking to train functionally. It is defined as exercise that is similar to the type of physical activity performed by ancient hunter-gatherer ancestors. Organic exercise is generally preformed in natural or outdoor settings. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Organic exercise may include such activities as walking, jogging, swimming, hiking or rock climbing.

    When it comes to organic exercise, one of its most significant benefits is its limited reliance on equipment. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Going for a jog, walking, or even hiking does not require tools, weights, or even hiking does not require tools, weights, or other products, and therefore, is fairly inexpensive.

    Since the types of activity emphasized in organic exercise programs are similar to those performed as part of daily life, they do not require extensive or long amounts of practice to obtain proficiency(精通). {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Therefore the type of activity recommended in an organic workout routine can be performed by beginning or advanced exercisers alike with relative ease.

    While the type of exercise recommended in an organic workout may be easy enough to perform, the intensity at which it is recommended can be too much for some individuals. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Individuals who are new to exercise or suffer from a chronic health condition that limits their physical ability may find it difficult to perform exercise that is especially strenuous.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Individuals who are new to exercise may want to talk with their health care provider before choosing this type of activity. In some cases, it may be better to start off with a more traditional workout and slowly transition to organic exercise than starting with this regimen(养生法)right off the bat.

A. Weigh both the benefits and drawbacks.

B. In fact, it can be done nearly anywhere, any time.

C. Therefore it requires very little helping equipment.

D. Choosing the right types of organic exercise is important.

E. Most adults already know how to hike, swim or dig, for example.

F. In fact, one of the biggest drawbacks is the emphasis on high-intensity exercise.

G. While organic exercise may be a good choice for some, it is right for all adults.

    Everybody in this world is different from one another. But do you know that understanding differences can help you better manage your money?

    As we grow up, we gradually develop a set of our own values or beliefs. These are influenced by society, our family, the education we receive and so on. Once this value system is set up, it's not easy to change later in life.

    Financial (金融) experts say that everyone also has their own belief of how to manage their finances. This is part of our value system and it has a great impact on the way we look after our money.

    According to our different values, experts put us in three categories. They are: the ant, the cricket and the snail.

The ant—works first

    Just like ants who work heart and soul in summer in order to store food for winter, these people don't care about enjoying the moment. They work very hard and save money they earn so that they can enjoy life when they get old and retire. The ant loves to save but they could make more out of their money if they were willing to invest(投资) in some funds and stocks with low risk.

The cricket—fun first

    The cricket wants to enjoy everything now and doesn't think too much about the future. They even borrow money when they really want something. Many young people now belong to this group. These people have little savings. When they get old, they might have problems. They should learn to save and buy insurance(保险).

The snail—lives under pressure(压力)

    The snail refers to people who make life difficult for themselves. They take big long-term loans (贷款)from the bank in order to buy things such as luxury(奢华的) houses. They are happy to take big loans even though they are not sure they can afford it. This can cause problems in the future. They should plan more carefully.

    One day an old woman was traveling alone in the mountains. Suddenly she saw something shining in the stream. When she came close, she found it was a precious （珍贵的） stone. She put the stone into her bag and went on with her trip.

    The next day the old woman met a young man, who was also a traveler in the mountains. The young man looked very hungry, so the old woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked carefully, “The stone is beautiful. Would you like to give it to me?”

    “Sure. Why not?” the woman said, and handed the stone to him.

    The young man left happily with the stone. He knew it was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the woman.

    “I've been thinking,” he said. “I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back and hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within your bag.”

    The woman opened her bag. It was almost empty. She looked at the young man and smiled, “I have nothing special in my bag, but I do have something precious — the joy of giving!”

    The young man felt ashamed and left silently.

    Hannah Levine decided she wanted to give hugs to all of the children and families in need at local hospitals.

    Because she couldn't give them hugs one by one, Levine, then a sixth-grader, decided she would use her talents(才能) to do the next best thing. She began to knit(编织) hats, scarves, and blankets for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford. Her creations also went to Bundle of Joy, a program that provides newborn baby items for families in need, and to Knitting Pals by the Bay, a local organization that provides hand-knitted caps to cancer patients.

    "I love to knit, and I thought it would be a great idea to make all these handmade items for kids and adults who need them. It would be like a hug for them." Levine explained.

    Levine started the project about a year ago. "I think it's just really fun to do, and it keeps me busy." said Levine, now 13.

    Once she got started, Levine realized that her project could be much bigger than the goods she was able to produce with just her own hands. So she sent emails to her school and communities, asking for knitted donations(捐赠物) to the project she named "Hannah's Warm Hugs". She also posted advertisements at Starbucks and other locations in her area. The warm goods began to pour in.

    "It was amazing; more strangers than people she knew started dropping donations at our door." said Levine's mother, Laura Levine. "We ended up with this huge box of items she was donating."

    The knitted items numbered in the hundreds. Levine made her first round of donations around Hanukkah (an eight-day Jewish holiday in November or December) and later received thank-you letters from the organizations. Levine is still knitting, and she said the project will continue.

    "It has turned into a bigger thing than she had thought." her mom said. "It made her feel pretty good; it made us feel pretty good.”