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London Cabbies Every city in the world has taxi to take tourists to interesting places. London is the only city in the world where taking a taxi is an ____1____ experience for tourists. This is partly because of the special black cabs, which are found in no other country. But it is also because of the drivers themselves. _____2_____British people are famous for being polite and reserved, London cabbies are well known _____3_____their willingness to talk. Some customers say that once the door shuts and the cab _____4____ off they are a captive audience. It is impossible to get the taxi driver to stop _____5_____ Theyre self-confident and free thinking, said Malcolm Linskey, the author of a history of taxi drivers in London. They are also expensive. London has the most expensive taxis of any city in the world except Tokyo. Thats why Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, is planning to make taxi drivers negotiate their fares with ______6______ before they take a ride. Drivers agree that their fairs are expensive. Thats because their black taxis ____7____ more than other cars, they say. And the customer is also paying for a more driving expertise than anywhere else in the world. Before someone can qualify as a London taxi driver, that person has to pass a test ____8_____ simply as The Knowledge. This involves _____9_____ the name and location of every street within six miles of a point in the exact centre of London. The trainee must also learn the exact location of every important building within these streets. Finally he or she must be able to use this knowledge to work out the _____10______ distance between any two destinations within this area. | 
