COPENHAGEN—The world is gathered in Copenhagen for the U.N. climate summit, but Denmark’s bicycle-friendly capital has also given its name to a movement of cities trying to find a kinder way to travel to and from work.
Nearly 40 percent of Copenhagen’s population cycle to work or school on ubiquitous（无处不在的） paved cycle paths. Many residents take to their bikes year-round, braving rain and snow through the winter in a city where the bicycles outnumber the people.
Amsterdam and Beijing too are known for their bicycles, but the Danish capital is where urban planners from around the world have been looking for ways to get their people out of cars and up onto bikes, an effort known as Copenhagenisation.
Klaus Bondam, Copenhagen’s technical and environmental chief, calls himself a “mega cyclist” and says the bike’s popularity stems partly from high taxes on cars which meant working-class Danes could not afford to drive in the 1930s and 1940s. “Today you’ll meet everybody on the bicycle lanes — women and men, rich and poor, old and young.” Bondam said.
The local government has during the last three years invested more than 250 million crowns ($49.42 million) in bicycle lanes and to make the traffic safer for bicyclists. Today around a third of the population drive cars to work or study, another third take public transport, while 37 percent cycle -- a figure the city aims to increase to 50 percent by 2015.
There are many benefits when citizens choose bicycles over cars: pollution and noise decline, public health improves, and more people on bikes or walking creates a sense of safety in the city. Fewer parked cars leaves more space for playgrounds, parks, shopping areas and other useful public places.
53. According to the first paragraph, Copenhagen is better known as ___________.
A. a city without cars B. a bicycle-friendly city
C. Denmark’s capital D. the U.N. climate summit
54. We can learn from the second and the third paragraph, __________.
A. there is no path for cars during rainy and snowy days
B. citizens are limited to have only one bike for each person
C. two-thirds of people in Copenhagen cycle to work or school
D. city planners try their best to encourage more citizens to ride bikes
55. Bikes are popular in Copenhagen partly because ___________.
A. the citizens are unable to afford to buy a car
B. the rich tend to keep fit by cycling to work
C. young people regard cycling a fashion to follow
D. high taxes were paid for cars in the 1930s and 1940s
56. We can learn from the passage that __________.
A. cars are forbidden to park in Copenhagen
B. more citizens tend to choose cars in Copenhagen
C. Copenhagen becomes a model for cities’ traffic
D. living standards in Copenhagen are greatly declining