1、原文翻译
Can a small group of drones（无人机）guarantee the safety and reliability of railways and, at the same time, help railway operators save billions of euros each year?一小群无人机可以保证铁路的安全性和靠谱性,同时,帮助铁路运营商每年节省数十亿欧元吗?
That is the very likely future of applying todays eyes in the sky technology to making sure that the millions of kilometres of rail tracks and infrastructure（基础设施）worldwide are safe for trains on a 24/7 basis.这是大概的，将来应用今天的“天上的双眼”技术来确保数百万公里的铁路和基础设施在世界范围内是安全的，对于在24/7的基点上的火车来讲。
Drones are already being used to examine high-tension electrical lines.无人机已经被用于检查高压电线。
They could do precisely the same thing to inspect railway lines and other vital aspects of rail infrastructure such as the correct position of railway tracks and switching points.他们完全可以做同样的事情来检查铁路线路和铁路基础设施的其他要紧方面，如铁路轨道和换乘点的正确地方。
The more regularly they can be inspected, the more railway safety, reliability and on-time performance will be improved.越按期检查，铁路的安全性、靠谱性和准点率就越高。
cosplayts would be cut and operations would be more efficient（高效）across the board.本钱会在每个方面减少和操作将更有效。
That includes huge savings in maintenance cosplayts and better protection of railway personnel safety.这包含大幅节省维护本钱和更好地保护铁路职员安全。
It is calculated that European railways alone spend approximately 20 billion euros a year on maintenance, including sending maintenance staff, often at night, to inspect and repair the rail infrastructure.据统计，仅欧洲铁路公司每年在铁路维护上的花费就约为200亿欧元，其中包含常常在夜间派遣修理职员检查和修理铁路基础设施。
That can be dangerous work that could be avoided with drones assisting the crews efforts.这可能是一项危险的工作，在无人机的帮助下可以防止。
By using the latest technologies, drones could also start providing higher-value services for railways, detecting faults in the rail or switches, before they can cause any safety problems.通过用最新的技术，无人机还可以开始为铁路提供更有价值的服务，在铁路或列车转轨出现问题之前就能测试到它们，防止出现任何安全问题。
To perform these tasks, drones for rail dont need to be flying overhead.为了完成这类任务，铁路无人机无需在头顶飞行。
Engineers are now working on a new concept: the rail drones of the future.工程师们目前正在研究一个新定义:将来的铁路无人机。
They will be moving on the track ahead of the train, and programmed to run autonomously.它们将在列车前方的轨道上运行，并被设定为自动运行。
Very small drones with advanced sensors and 人工智能 and travelling ahead of the train could guide it like a co-pilot.配备了先进传感器和AI的小型无人机可以像副驾驶员一样引导火车前进。
With their ability to see ahead, they could signal any problem, so that fast-moving trains would be able to react in time.他们有预见将来的能力，可以提前告知出现的任何问题，如此迅速行驶的列车就能准时做出反应。
8．What makes the application of drones to rail lines possible?是什么使得无人机在铁路上的应用成为可能?
A.The use of drones in checking on power lines.
用无人机检查输电线。
B.Drones ability to work at high altitudes.
无人机在高海拔工作的能力。
C．The reduction of cosplayt in designing drones.
无人机设计本钱的减少。
D．Drones reliable performance in remote areas.
无人机在偏远区域的靠谱性能。
9．What does maintenance underlined in paragraph 3 refer to?
第3段划线的“维护”指的是什么?
A．Personnel safety.
职员的安全。
B．Assistance from drones.
无人机的帮忙。
C.Inspection and repair.
检查和修复。
D．Construction of infrastructure.
基础设施建设。
10．What function is expected of the rail drones?
轨道无人机的预期功能是什么?
A.To provide early warning.
提供早期预警。
B．To make trains run automatically.
使火车自动运行。
C．To earn profits for the crews.
为船员赚取收益。
D．To accelerate transportation.
加快运输。
11．Which is the most suitable title for the text?
哪一个标题比较适合这篇文章?
A．What Faults Can Be Detected with Drones
无人机能测试出什么问题
B．How Production of Drones Can Be Expanded
怎么样扩大无人机生产
C．What Difficulty Drone Development Will Face
无人机进步将面临什么样的困难
D．How Drones Will Change the Future of Railways
无人机将怎么样改变铁路的将来
2、答案分析
【答案】8．B 9．C 10．A 11．D
【要点】主旨大意题；推理判断题；词义猜测题；科普环保类；说明文
【分析】【剖析】本文是一篇说明文，应用今天的“空中之眼”的技术，无人机能在保证铁路安全靠谱的同时又能帮助铁路运营商每年节省数十亿欧元。
【点评】本题考试知识点涉及推理判断，词义猜测和主旨大意三个题型的考查，是一篇科技类阅读，通读全文，理解文章大意，阅读题目后返回原文阅读并找出与题目相对应的内容，仔细核对，选择符合原文原意的答案，完成后第三阅读并检查。
8．考查推理判断。依据第二段中的“Drones are already being used to examine high-tension electrical lines. They could do precisely the same thing to inspect railway lines and other vital aspects of rail infrastructure such as the correct position of railway tracks and switching points.”无人机已经被用于检查高压电线。他们完全可以做同样的事情来检查铁路线路和铁路基础设施的其他要紧方面，如铁路轨道和换乘点的正确地方。可推知，无人机在高空工作的能力使无人机应用于铁路线路成为可能。故选B。
9．考查词义猜测。依据第三段中的“It is calculated that European railways alone spend approximately 20 billion euros a year on maintenance, including sending maintenance staff, often at night, to inspect and repair the rail infrastructure. ”据统计，仅欧洲铁路公司每年在铁路维护上的花费就约为200亿欧元，其中包含常常在夜间派遣修理职员检查和修理铁路基础设施。可知花在检修上的成本是用于检查和修理铁路基础设施，可知“That includes huge savings in maintenance cosplayts and better protection of railway personnel safety”是指大幅节省检修本钱和更好地保护铁路职员安全，maintenance应是“检修”之意。故选C。
10．考查推理判断。依据最后一段中的“Very small drones with advanced sensors and 人工智能 and travelling ahead of the train could guide it like a co-pilot. With their ability to see ahead, they could signal any problem, so that fast-moving trains would be able to react in time.”带有先进传感器和AI的很小的无人机可以像副驾驶一样在火车前面行驶。 凭着他们的预见能力，他们可以发出任何问题的信号，以便迅速行驶的火车可以准时做出反应。可知对于无人机期待的功能是提前发现问题。故选A。
11．考查主旨大意。依据第一段“Can a small group of dronesguarantee the safety and reliability of railways and, at the same time, help railway operators save billions of euros each year? That is the very likely future of applying todays eyes in the sky technology to making sure that the millions of kilometers of rail tracks and infrastructureworldwide are safe for trains on a24/7 basis.”一小群无人机能否在保证铁路安全靠谱的同时，帮助铁路运营商每年节省数十亿欧元?这非常可能是应用今天的“空中之眼”技术的将来，以确保全球数百万公里的铁路轨道和基础设施全天候安全运行；第二段讲到了用无人机检查电力线路使无人机应用于铁路线路成为可能；第三段讲到了用无人机大幅节省维护本钱和更好地保护铁路职员安全；第四段讲到了通过用最新的技术，无人机还可以开始为铁路提供更高的价值，可知本文介绍了无人机将怎么样改变铁路的将来，“无人机将怎么样改变铁路的将来。”符合文章中心思想，合适作为本文的最好标题。故选D。
