Trains have long been an important form of transportation. Yet they have changed a lot since 1804, when the first train moved at 8 km/hr. Today’s high speed trains can go 300 km/hr or faster. Besides their speed, they have many advantages over other transportation types.
Japan built the world’s first high speed railway. In 1964, Japan’s “Shinkansen” trains started traveling between Osaka and Tokyo at 200 km/hr. Over time, more lines, as well as faster trains, were built.
Korea, England, and the USA, now have their own high speed systems. Taiwan Province’s started running in 2007. Its trains are based on two types of Shinkansen trains. They can carry 989 people and travel from Taipei to Kaohsiung in less than two hours.
These systems are expensive to build, but they have many advantages. For example, they are good for the environment. Trains on the London to Paris line create 1/10 the pollution that planes create. High speed trains are also safer and cleaner than cars.
Super fast trains can even help a country’s economy(经济). They make it easier to travel to faraway places. That helps businesses and land values in those areas. It’s no wonder so many countries are building their own high speed railways.
The world’s first high speed trains started traveling at ______.

A．8 km/hr	B．200 km/hr
C．300 km/hr	D．500 km/hr

In Taiwan Province, the high speed trains are based on trains from ______.

A．Japan

B．Korea

C．China

D．the USA

According to the passage, high speed trains ______ than planes.

A．are cheaper	B．are safer and cleaner
C．make traveling easier	D．cause less pollution

One of the disadvantages of high speed trains mentioned in this passage is that ______.

A．they are safer than some other transportation types

B．it costs a lot to build the whole high speed systems

C．they’re good for a country’s businesses and land values

D．super fast trains can help a country’s economy(经济)

The main idea of this passage is that ______.

A．trains are the most popular form of transportation in the world

B．Japan built the world’s first high speed railway

C．we should do everything that we can to help the environment

D．there are a lot of good reasons to build high speed railways