第二篇：
       Inspired by Japanese capsule pods (膠囊旅館), microhotels have recently been met by overwhelmingenthusiasm from travelers—making tiny hotel rooms the latest trend. The Japanese pod hotels first appeared inOsaka in the late 1970s and catered to white-collar businessmen who spent their days working diligently in the bigcity offices and evenings letting off steam at the pubs. These pod hotels were an economical solution for thebusinessmen who lived far from home by train, but needed nothing more than a warm shower and a bed to sleepin at the end of the night.      These days, the demands of travelers seeking affordable accommodations with the same high-quality facilitieshave taken the practical concept of pod hotels to new heights. Now, microhotels are popping up around the world,offering modern, functionally-designed rooms at affordable rates. Designed to simplify the hotel stay experience,microhotels maximize every square foot with smartly-designed rooms and high-tech touches. The hotels alsoreplace rarely-used facilities like business centers and gyms with friendly co-working spaces for youngprofessionals. Self check-in kiosks are also an increasingly popular feature for added convenience. Located inprominent neighborhoods of the world’s most high-profile metropolises, microhotels are making the biggestimpact on destinations where real estate is scarce and soaring rates for basic accommodations make you want tostay at home. Urban centers such as London, New York City, and Paris are made especially more accessible tobudget travelers with the introduction of microhotels.
       Typical rooms occupy 125 to 250 square feet in space with some as tiny as 30 square feet. The trade-off forspace is prime location and easy access to the city’s cultural centers at an affordable price. With designs that includefoldable desks, blackout shades, and beds with built-in reading lights, these functional rooms offer all of the modernday conveniences. Minimalist and ultramodern, microhotels are designed for light travelers and style enthusiastswho spend much of their day exploring the city instead of lounging in the room and soaking in a tub.
【題組】46. What is the passage mainly about?
(A) A new way to travel
(B) A new method to design rooms
(C) A new white-collar life style
(D) A new type of hotel