While fossil fuels – coal, oil, gas – still generate roughly 85 percent of the world’s energy supply, it’s clearer than ever that the future belongs to renewable sources such as wind and solar. The move to renewables is picking up momentum around the world. They now account for more than half of new power sources going on line.
Some growth stems from a commitment by governments and farsighted businesses to fund cleaner energy sources. But increasingly the story is about the plummeting prices of renewables, especially wind and solar. The cost of solar panels has dropped by 80 percent and the cost of wind turbines by close to one-third in the past eight years.
In many parts of the world renewable energy is already a principal energy source. In Scotland, for example, wind turbines provide enough electricity to power 95 percent of homes. While the rest of the world takes the lead, notably China and Europe, the United States is also seeing a remarkable shift. In March, for the first time, wind and solar power accounted for more than 10 percent of the power generated in the US, reported the US Energy Information Administration.
President Trump has underlined fossil fuels – especially coal – as the path to economic growth. In a recent speech in Iowa, he dismissed wind power as an unreliable energy source. But that message did not play well with many in Iowa, where wind turbines dot the fields and provide 36 percent of the state’s electricity generation – and where tech giants like Microsoft are being attracted by the availability of clean energy to power their data centers.
The question "what happens when the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine?" has provided a quick put-down for skeptics. But a boost in the storage capacity of batteries is making their ability to keep power flowing around the clock more likely.
The advance is driven in part by vehicle manufacturers, who are placing big bets on battery-powered electric vehicles. Although electric cars are still a rarity on roads now, this massive investment could change the picture rapidly in coming years.
While there’s a long way to go, the trend lines for renewables are spiking. The pace of change in energy sources appears to be speeding up – perhaps just in time to have a meaningful effect in slowing climate change. What Washington does – or doesn’t do – to promote alternative energy may mean less and less at a time of a global shift in thought.
26.【題干】The word "plummeting" (Line 3, Para 2) is closest in meaning to_____.
【選項(xiàng)】
A.stabilizing
B.changing
C.falling
D.rising
【答案】C
【解析】這是一道詞義句意題,要想知道plummeting 的意思,首先要回到原文找線索,即plummeting所在的句子以及上下句,由原文可知,plummeting所在句子是在說(shuō)現(xiàn)在例如風(fēng)能和太陽(yáng)能這樣的可再生資源的價(jià)格的問(wèn)題,plummeting是修飾可再生資源的價(jià)格的,接著二段最后一句就在用具體數(shù)字來(lái)證明可再生資源的成本在下降,如太陽(yáng)能成本下降了百分之八十,風(fēng)能也降到三分之一,由此可知,可再生資源的成本在下降,plummeting的含義是下降的意思。所以選擇C falling.下載考研萬(wàn)題庫(kù) 觀看逐題權(quán)威視頻解析
27.【題干】According to Paragraph 3,the use of renewable energy in America______.
【選項(xiàng)】
A.is progressing notably
B.is as extensive as in Europe
C.faces many challenges
D.has proved to be impractical
【答案】A
【解析】這是一道具體細(xì)節(jié)題,根據(jù)題干關(guān)鍵詞定位至第三段第三句及第四句,意思是“在中國(guó)和歐洲等國(guó)家已經(jīng)領(lǐng)先時(shí),美國(guó)也在見(jiàn)證著巨大的改變。根據(jù)美國(guó)能源信息局報(bào)道,三月份,美國(guó)首次使用風(fēng)能和太陽(yáng)能產(chǎn)生了超過(guò)百分之十以上的能源!边@足以說(shuō)明在美國(guó),可再生能源的使用正在取得顯著地進(jìn)步。所以答案是A.下載考研萬(wàn)題庫(kù) 觀看逐題權(quán)威視頻解析
28.【題干】It can be learned that in Iowa,_____.
【選項(xiàng)】
A.wind is a widely used energy source
B.wind energy has replaced fossil fuels
C.tech giants are investing in clean energy
D.there is a shortage of clean energy supply
【答案】A
【解析】這是一道細(xì)節(jié)推斷題,根據(jù)題干關(guān)鍵詞定位至第四段第三句,在愛(ài)荷華州,風(fēng)力渦輪機(jī)點(diǎn)綴著這個(gè)州并提供了此州百分之三十六的電能,并且還吸引了像微軟這樣的科技巨頭公司。因此可判斷,在愛(ài)荷華州,風(fēng)能是一種廣泛使用的能源。所以答案是A.下載考研萬(wàn)題庫(kù) 觀看逐題權(quán)威視頻解析
29.【題干】Which of the following is true about clean energy according to Paragraphs 5&6?
【選項(xiàng)】
A.Its application has boosted battery storage
B.It is commonly used in car manufacturing
C.Its continuous supply is becoming a reality
D.Its sustainable exploitation will remain difficult
【答案】C
【解析】這是一道是非細(xì)節(jié)題,根據(jù)題干給出的段落位置,5-6兩段和主題詞clean energy,回到原文的第5-6段,這兩段都不長(zhǎng),第五段出現(xiàn)了But后講到電池容量的提升a boost in the storage,與A選項(xiàng)不符,并不是因果關(guān)系,故排除;B選項(xiàng)說(shuō)道廣泛用在制造業(yè)也不符合原文第六段第一句;而D選項(xiàng)和原文第六段最后一句是語(yǔ)義相反的,故也排除;正確選項(xiàng)C是和這句話語(yǔ)義一致的,也是和全文主題一致的,故為正確答案。下載考研萬(wàn)題庫(kù) 觀看逐題權(quán)威視頻解析
30.【題干】It can be inferred from the last paragraph that renewable energy_____.
【選項(xiàng)】
A.will bring the US closer to other countries
B.will accelerate global environmental change
C.is not really encouraged by the US government
D.is not competitive with regard to its cost
【答案】C
【解析】這是一道細(xì)節(jié)推斷題,題干問(wèn)“根據(jù)最后一段可以推斷出來(lái)可再生能源怎么了”,回到原文最后一段第一句就表明盡管還有很長(zhǎng)一段路要走,可再生能源發(fā)展的趨勢(shì)在增強(qiáng)。后面也提到改變的節(jié)奏在加快,對(duì)slowing氣候變化有meaningful effect,所以可以看出B選項(xiàng)accelerate...是不對(duì)的,D選項(xiàng)中提到的價(jià)格不具有競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力不在本段當(dāng)中,也應(yīng)排除。剩下的兩個(gè)選項(xiàng)都提到了美國(guó),就應(yīng)該重點(diǎn)看最后一句,最后一句提到華盛頓政府做或不做什么都may mean less and less...所以可以看出美國(guó)不應(yīng)該是和其他國(guó)家更近,排除A,所以選C,美國(guó)不是真正支持可再生能源的。下載考研萬(wàn)題庫(kù) 觀看逐題權(quán)威視頻解析
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