After years of research and tests, the hybrid car was developed and put on the market. It's an interesting and exciting new improvement in today's world as we look for better ways to protect the quality of the air we breathe and protect our natural resources.

The quality of our air is affected by many different things. But one of the largest sources of air pollution is the burning of fossil fuel such as coal and gasoline which is used to power a car's engine. The Environmental Protection Agency（EPA）has set national standards to help control the level of harmful pollutants sent off into the air, and the automobile industry has acted by producing the hybrid car that uses less gas and therefore causes less pollution.

A hybrid car is a combination of a regular car that runs on gasoline and an electric car that is battery-powered. Some people tend to think that since the hybrid car is partially electric, you have to plug it in to charge it. But that's not how it works. The 144 volt battery pack（电池组）is actually recharged through the energy that is produced when the car's brakes are used. This is referred to as "regenerative braking", because it generates electricity.

Although the hybrid car still runs on gasoline most of the time, this helps it use less gas than a regular car. When the driver stops at a traffic light, the engine automatically shuts off to save fuel. Then, as soon as the driver puts the car in gear and touches the gas pedal（踏板）, the engine starts backing up.

Have you ever ridden in a car with someone which ran out of gas？That probably wouldn't happen if you were riding in a hybrid car. It flashes a warning on its computer screen that says, "I am low on gas. "When it completely runs out, the warning reads, "YOU ARENOW OUT OF GAS！"Then the electric power supply starts to work to let the driver travel a few more miles to a gas station.

【小题1】Which of the following is true according to the passage？

A．The hybrid car will be put on the market.

B．Hybrid cars run faster than regular cars.

C．When the hybrid car stops at a traffic light, the driver will get a warning.

D．The burning of fossil fuel is one of the largest sources of air pollution.

【小题2】According to the passage, the word "hybrid" refers to_________.

A．a high-tech discovery	B．energy saving
C．a new invention	D．a combination of two things

【小题3】"Regenerative braking" is an important process of the hybrid car because _________.

A．it allows the car to come to a quick stop

B．it gives the driver a smoother ride

C．it produces energy to charge the battery

D．it can control the speed of the car

【小题4】Which of the following is the reason for developing hybrid cars?

A．They use less gas than regular cars.

B．They' re safer to drive than most cars.

C．They' re more modern than other cars.

D．They cost less than regular cars.