Many cities have subways and underground public transportation to take locals and tourists alike rapidly around the city．However, there’s something different about riding a London subway．It may not look different, but the historical value of one of England’s most popular forms of transportation is enough to make riding the subway a must when visiting London．With a little under 300 different stations, the subway can take you almost anywhere you need to go．
Riding a London subway, a person from other countries will notice one major difference: in London, people do not look at each other．In fact, eye contact is avoided at all times．That’s not rudeness ―people are just too busy to bother looking．
Busy doing what, you ask? Well, they’re certainly not using the time for a moment of quiet thinking．Nor are they reading a book．New technology has replaced quiet habits．Today the only acceptable form of book on the London underground is an e-book．
Apple must earn a fortune from London commuters（使用月票上下班者）．Since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, over 40,000―yes, that’s 40,000 “apps” have been designed．
Commuters love them because they are the perfect time-fillers．One “app”, called iShoot, is a game that features tanks．Another one, Tube Exits, tells passengers where to sit on the train to be closest to the exit of their destination．iSteam clouds the iPhone screen when you breathe into the microphone．You can then write in the “steam” on your phone screen．
For those without an iPhone, another Apple product, the iPod, may be the distraction（消遣）of choice．It’s not just teenagers who “plug in” to their music－iPods are a popular way to pass the time for all ages．
And if games, e-books and music aren’t enough to keep you occupied, then perhaps you would prefer a film? The development of palm DVD technology means many commuters watch their favorite TV shows or films on the way to work．With all these distractions, it’s amazing that people still remember to get off the train．
56．Those who want to save time to reach where they go can download ______ to their iPhones．
A．iShoot B．Tube Exits C. iSteam D．iPod
57．People in London do not make eye contact on the subway because ______
A.they are going to work and have no time to communicate with each other
B.they love reading books and do not want to be disturbed
C.they feel sleepy because of getting up early
D.they are busy playing games, reading e-books, listening to music or watching films
58．The underlined word “apps” in the fourth paragraph means ______．
A．computers B．programs downloaded for the iPhone
C．computer companies D．fortune from London commuters
59．Which word best describes the writer’s attitude towards commuters’ behaviors?
A．for B．a(chǎn)gainst C．neutral D．hateful
60．The main idea of the passage is that ______．
A．London commuters are unfriendly to strangers
B．Apple has earned a lot of money from selling 40,000 apps
C．technology is changing how London commuters spend their traveling time
D．riding a London subway is a must when visiting London
