A Swiss airplane powered only by energy from ...

A Swiss airplane powered only by energy from the sun left from Abu Dhabi early on March 9. Its creators hope the plane will make the first around-the-world journey without any fuel. The plane is called Solar Impulse 2. It has one seat and is made from carbon fiber. The plane weighs only as much as a car but its wings are wider than a Boeing 747. The plane’s wings stretch 72 meters across. Those wings include 17,000 solar units, or cells, which capture the sun’s energy. The energy allows the plane to fly day and night.

Two Swiss scientists built the plane. Bertrand Piccard is also an explorer who made the first non-stop flight around the world in a balloon. Andre Borschberg is an engineer and trained fighter pilot. The scientists say they are not trying to alter the airplane industry. Instead, they want to show that new energy sources and technologies can achieve what some say is impossible. “We want to show we can fly day and night in an aircraft without a drop of fuel.” Mr. Piccard said.

Some parts of the trip will require the pilots to be in the tiny plane for five to six days and nights in a row. So it is good that the pilot’s seat is also a toilet.

The plane’s route begins in the United Arab Emirates. The pilots also plan stops in Oman, India, and China. They will cross the Pacific Ocean, stop in the United States, and continue over southern Europe or North Africa. They plan to arrive back in the United Arab Emirates in late July or early August.

Internet viewers can go to the Solar Impulse website to see the plane’s location and listen to broadcasts from the pilots.

1.Why does the plane have wider wings?

A. It can fly faster and land safely.

B. It can get the sun’s energy easily.

C. It may look like a Boeing 747.

D. It will make the plane appear larger.

2.What does the underlined word “alter” in Para 2 probably mean?

A. Improve. B. Change.

C. Rebuild. D. Destroy.

3.What do we know about the trip made in the plane?

A. It will take five to six days and nights.

B. It is a non-stop flight around the world.

C. It is broadcast live on the Internet.

D. It doesn’t include North America.

4.What does the text mainly talk about?

A. A solar-powered plane will travel the globe.

B. A good way to save energy has been found.

C. A newly-built plane consumes no energy.

D. Solar energy waits to be fully explored.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

A Swiss airplane powered only by energy from the sun left from Abu Dhabi early on March 9. Its creators hope the plane will make the first around-the-world journey without any fuel. The plane is called Solar Impulse 2. It has one seat and is made from carbon fiber. The plane weighs only as much as a car but its wings are wider than a Boeing 747. The plane’s wings stretch 72 meters across. Those wings include 17,000 solar units, or cells, which capture the sun’s energy. The energy allows the plane to fly day and night.

Two Swiss scientists built the plane. Bertrand Piccard is also an explorer who made the first non-stop flight around the world in a balloon. Andre Borschberg is an engineer and trained fighter pilot. The scientists say they are not trying to alter the airplane industry. Instead, they want to show that new energy sources and technologies can achieve what some say is impossible.“We want to show we can fly day and night in an aircraft without a drop of fuel.” Mr. Piccard said.

Some parts of the trip will require the pilots to be in the tiny plane for five to six days and nights in a row. So it is good that the pilot’s seat is also a toilet.

The plane’s route begins in the United Arab Emirates. The pilots also plan stops in Oman, India, and China. They will cross the Pacific Ocean, stop in the United States, and continue over southern Europe or North Africa. They plan to arrive back in the United Arab Emirates in late July or early August.

Internet viewers can go to the Solar Impulse website to see the plane’s location and listen to broadcasts from the pilots.

1.Why does the plane have wider wings?

A. It can fly faster and land safely.

B. It can get the sun’s energy easily.

C. It may look like a Boeing 747.

D. It will make the plane appear larger.

2.What does the underlined word “alter” in Para 2 probably mean?

A. Improve.　　 B. Change.　　 C. Rebuild.　　 D. Destroy.

3.What do we know about the trip made in the plane?

A. It will take five to six days and nights.

B. It is a non-stop flight around the world.

C. It is broadcast live on the Internet.

D. It doesn’t include North America.

4.What does the text mainly talk about?

A. A solar-powered plane will travel the globe.

B. A good way to save energy has been found.

C. A newly-built plane consumes no energy.

D. Solar energy waits to be fully explored.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Many people think the search for cleaner energy leads only to renewable resources like sun, wind and water．But it also leads to a fossil（化石） fuel．Natural gas is considered the cleanest of the fossil fuels, the fuel created by plant and animal remains over millions of years．Burning it releases fewer pollutants than oil or coal．The gas is mainly methane （甲烷）．It produces half the carbon dioxide of other fossil fuels．So it may help cut the production of carbon gases linked to climate change．

Russia is first in what are called "proved reserves" of natural gas．The United States is sixth．Over the years, big oil and gas companies recovered much of the easily reached supplies of gas in America．They drilled straight down into formations where gas collects．As these supplies were used up, big drillers looked for similar formations in other countries．

But now the industry is taking on a new look．Companies are developing gas supplies trapped in shale （页岩） rock two to three thousand meters underground．They drill down to the shale, then go sideways and inject high-pressure water, sand or other material into the rock．This causes the rock to fracture, releasing the gas．Huge fields of gas shale are believed to lie under the Appalachian Mountains, Michigan and the south-central states．Gas shale exploration is being done mainly by small to medium sized companies．Eric Potter, a program director, says more than half the gas in the United States is now coming from these new reserves．

But hydraulic （液压的） fracturing can also produce debate and anger over the risk of groundwater pollution．This method of drilling is not federally supervised（监督） under the Safe Drinking Water Act．Some in Congress want to end that exemption （豁免） from the law．

Natural gas provides Americans with about one fourth of their energy．And, unlike oil, most of it is produced in America．Gas producers invested heavily in reaching new supplies when prices were high．But prices are down sharply now because the depression cut demand for energy．So energy expert Eric Potter says it is too early to know how the changing market prices will affect the market for gas shale exploration．

1.We can learn from the first paragraph that ________．

A．natural gas releases methane and carbon dioxide

B．natural gas is considered as the cleanest energy

C．natural gas is more environmentally friendly than other fossil fuels

D．natural gas is a renewable source of energy

2.The word “fracture” in Paragraph 3 probably means ________．

A．create                 B．break                  C．change              D．decrease

3.Gas shale exploration may cause disagreement because ________．

A．it may cause water pollution               B．it brings too high profits

C．it breaks the law                                 D．it is out of states’ control

4.According to Eric Potter, the new gas shale exploration ________．

A．will provide America with about one fourth of their energy

B．will increase demand for energy

C．will make gas producers invest a big sum of money

D．may be influenced by the changing market prices

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

From facts, scientists have_______ that more energy is being absorbed from the sun, throwing the earth’s energy “out of balance”.

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

There are three separate sources of danger in supplying energy by nuclear power.

First, the radioactive material must travel from its form of production to the power station. Although the power stations themselves are strongly built, the containers used for the transport of the materials are not. Normally, only two methods of transport are in use, namely road or rail. Unfortunately, both of these may have an effect on the general public, since they are sure to pass near, or even though, heavily populated areas.

Secondly, there is the problem of waste. All nuclear power stations produce waste that in most cases will remain radioactive for thousands of years. It is impossible to make these waste radioactive, and so they must be stored in one of the inconvenient ways that scientists have invented. For example, they may be buried under the ground, or dropped into deserted mines, or sunk in the sea. However, these methods do not solve the problem, since an earthquake could easily break the containers.

Third, there may occur the danger of a leak or an explosion at the power station. As with the other two dangers, this is not very likely, so it does not provide a serious objection to the nuclear program. However, it can happen.

Separately, these three types of dangers are not a great cause for worry. Taken together, though, the probability of disaster is extremely high.

1.Which of the following is FALSE ?

2.The author thinks that the ways to store nuclear wastes are ____________.

3.What do we learn from the last paragraph ?

4. What is this passage mainly about ?

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

From facts, scientists have ________that more energy is being absorbed from the sun, throwing the earth’s energy “out of balance”.

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

阅读理解。

There are three separate sources of danger in supplying energy by nuclear power．

First, the radioactive (有放射性的) material must travel from its place of production to the power station． Although the power stations themselves are strongly built, the containers used for the transport of the materials are not． Normally, only two methods of transport are in use, namely road or rail． Unfortunately, both of these may have an effect on the general public, since they are sure to pass near, or even through, heavily populated areas．

Second, there is the problem of waste． All nuclear power stations produce wastes that in most cases will remain radioactive for thousands of years． It is impossible to make these wastes non-radioactive, and so they must be stored in one of the inconvenient ways that scientists have invented． For example, they may be buried under the ground, or dropped into deserted mines, or sunk in the sea． However, these methods do not solve the problem, since an earthquake could easily break the containers．

Third, there may occur　 the danger of a leak (泄漏) or an explosion at the power station． As with the other two dangers, this is not very likely, so it does not provide a serious objection (不赞成，反对) to the nuclear program． However, it can happen．

Separately, these three types of dangers are not a great cause for worry． Taken together, though, the probability of disaster is extremely high．

1.Which of the following is not true?

A．It is likely that a leak or an explosion occurs at a power station．

B．It is not usual for radioactive materials to be conveyed across land．

C．The containers are likely to be broken by an earthquake．

D．Nuclear wastes remain risky in most cases for many years．

2.The author thinks that the ways to store nuclear wastes are　 __________．

A．easy　　　　　　　　　　 B．impossible

C．reasonable　　　　　　 D．ineffective

3.What do we learn from the last paragraph?

A．The power station is a place that frees from danger．

B．The dangers of nuclear energy could be prevented．

C．The general public are opposed to the nuclear program．

D．By itself, none of the three dangers is very likely to lead to much worry．

4.What is this passage about?

A．Uses of nuclear power．

B．Dangers from nuclear power．

C．Public anger at nuclear power．

D．Accidents caused by nuclear power．

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

From facts, scientists have ___________ that more energy is being absorbed from the sun, throwing the earth’s energy “out of balance”.

A. confirmed     B. concluded         C. concentrated        D. centred

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Wind power is an ancient source of energy        we may return in the near future.

A. on which       B. by which          C. to which                D. from which

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

Wind power is an ancient source of energy _____ we may return in the near future.

A. to which        B. by which      C. from which       D. on which

高三英语单项填空困难题查看答案及解析