While fossil fuels — coal, oil, gas — still produce 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 the development around the world: They now account for more than half of new power sources going in operation.
Some growth stems from a commitment by governments and farsighted businesses to fund cleaner energy sources. But increasingly the story is about the falling prices of renewables, especially wind and solar. The cost of solar panels has dropped by 80 percent and the cost of wind turbines（涡轮机）by close to one-third in the past eight years.
In many parts of the world renewable energy is already an important 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, especially China and Europe, the United States is also seeing an amazing 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 enterprise 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 remark for skeptics. But an increase 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 uncommon 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 zooming. 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.
1.According to Paragraph 3, the use of renewable energy in America ______.
A.has proved to be impractical B.is as common as in Europe
C.faces many challenges D.is progressing greatly
2.It can be learned that in Iowa ______.
A.wind is a widely used energy source
B.wind energy has replaced fossil fuels
C.there is a shortage of clean energy supply
D.tech enterprises are investing in clean energy
3.Which of the following is true about clean energy according to Paragraphs 5&6?
A.Its application has increased battery storage.
B.Its continuous supply is becoming a reality.
C.It is commonly used in car manufacturing.
D.Its sustainable exploitation will remain difficult.
4.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that renewable energy ______.
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 enough with regard to its cost
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
While fossil fuels — coal, oil, gas — still produce 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 the development around the world: They now account for more than half of new power sources going in operation.
Some growth stems from a commitment by governments and farsighted businesses to fund cleaner energy sources. But increasingly the story is about the falling prices of renewables, especially wind and solar. The cost of solar panels has dropped by 80 percent and the cost of wind turbines（涡轮机）by close to one-third in the past eight years.
In many parts of the world renewable energy is already an important 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, especially China and Europe, the United States is also seeing an amazing 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 enterprise 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 remark for skeptics. But an increase 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 uncommon 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 zooming. 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.
1.According to Paragraph 3, the use of renewable energy in America ______.
A.has proved to be impractical B.is as common as in Europe
C.faces many challenges D.is progressing greatly
2.It can be learned that in Iowa ______.
A.wind is a widely used energy source
B.wind energy has replaced fossil fuels
C.there is a shortage of clean energy supply
D.tech enterprises are investing in clean energy
3.Which of the following is true about clean energy according to Paragraphs 5&6?
A.Its application has increased battery storage.
B.Its continuous supply is becoming a reality.
C.It is commonly used in car manufacturing.
D.Its sustainable exploitation will remain difficult.
4.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that renewable energy ______.
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 enough with regard to its cost
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Scientists have found _____for oil as fuel. Coal, natural gas, solar power, nuclear power and even water can replace it as sources of energy.
A. consequences B. substitutes
C. requirements D. contrasts
高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
Most air pollution is caused by the burning of ____ like coal, gas and oil.
A. fuels B. articles C. goods D. products
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Most air pollution is caused by the burning of ____ like coal, gas and oil.
A. fuels B. articles C. goods D. products
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
The trouble with such resources as coal, oil and gas ______ that they are not renewable.
A. was B. are C. have been D. is
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
The trouble with such resources as coal, oil and gas ______ that they are not renewable.
A. was B. are C. have been D. is
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
What if we could replace oil with a fuel which produced no pollution and which everybody had equal access to?The good news is that we can, In fact, we are swimming in it—literally.
Hydrogen is one of the building blocks of the universe ,Our own sun is basically ,a big ,dense cloud of the stuff ,And hydrogen can be used to create electricity for power ,heat and light.
The problem is that hydrogen is everywhere and nowhere at the same time , It does not exist as a material on its own ,but is always part of something else, So it has to be separated before it can be used.
Most commercial hydrogen in use now is created from natural gas , As oil will start to run out in around the year 2030.,it makes sense to produce as much hydrogen as possible as soon as we can ,But natural gas supplies will also begin to run out soon after, Another source is needed.
Researchers are now using electricity to make water into hydrogen ,Companies are working on the problem in their own areas ,The first commercial hydrogen ,”fuel cells”for computers and mobile phones have already come on to the market ,Auto companies have also invested over US ＄2billion in the production of hydrogen fuelled cars
Thd nations of a hydrogen fuelled planet would not fight over evergy recourses, There would be a great reduction in pollution ,The only by-product of creating hydrogen is pure drinking water—something that is very scarce in many parts of the world ,But that is not where the good news ends, Once the costs of producing hydrogen have been brought down ,it will possibly provide power for a third of the Earth ‘s population that has no electricity.
And electricity creates wealth, In South A frica over the last decade there has been a large programme of electrification, Thanks to the programme, people do not have to spend their days looking firewood to burn for heat, And with electric light , they can work long into the night.
Some scientists see radical changes in the way the human race co-operates, Hydrogen creates clectricity, and is also created by it. With dual use fuel cells, everyone who consumes energy could also produce it ,Late at night, a man drives home in London and connects his car into the “world-wide hydrogen web”, which it supplies with electricity ,A few hours later, a man in Beijing uses that electricity to power the hydrogen cell in his car, Hydrogen could be the first democratic energy source.
Like all dreams of the future, it seems very far away, But the threat of war and terrorism in the Middle East has made governments and businesses more aware of the need to edn oil dependency and spend more time and money on hydrogen resource, So maybe the threat of war is not a completely bad thing for the future of the human race.
1.What does the underlined word “it”in the last but one paragraph refer to?
A、wealth B、hydrogen C、electricity D、fuel
2.What is the problem with using hydrogen as energy?
A、It has by-products
B、It has to be separated from other materials
C、It will make energy too cheap
D、It is too far away from us
3.Why does the author give the example in the last but one paragraph?
A、To tell us that we produce energy while using hydrogen power
B、To tell us that hydrogen power does not produce pollution
C、To show hydrogen power can stop war
D、To show hydrogen power is cheap
4.What is the author’s attitude about the future?
A、skeptical B、negative C、indifferent D、positive
5.What is the passage mainly about?
A、war and energy
B、the future of hydrogen as an energy resource
C、the disadvantages of oil
D、How to end war
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
It is an uncomfortable fact that civilized society is almost completely dependent upon fossil fuels in nearly every aspect. Whether you believe there are hundreds of years or just a few decades left of this resource, the fact remains that it is a limited resource. At some point, fossil fuels are going to either be gone or become too expensive to realistically use. That is, when fossil fuels become too expensive to use, people will just start using something else. Though this may work well in theory, actually shifting from fossil fuels is not the same as shifting from one brand of shampoo to another.
This is entirely due to the fact that humans rely so much on the infrastructure (基础设施) they have developed, which is entirely dependent upon this resource, accounting for 85% of the United State's energy use. If the world were entirely dependent upon solar energy, that would be fine because sunlight is a continuing resource. However, at the current state of things, humans are in a dangerous position owing to its complete dependence upon one single limited input.
Fossil fuels are also responsible for a significant amount of land, water, and air pollution beyond their carbon dioxide (二氧化碳) production. For example, coal mining brings solid wastes to the surface that would normally remain underground and the areas around a mine can remain barren (贫瘠的) for generations due to the lack of proper topsoil. The burning of coal for energy also produces many different types of particulate (微粒的) matter that pollutes the air. Compared with fossil fuels, renewable energy is far more environmentally friendly.
There exists an argument that renewable energy options are not as efficient as fossil fuels because the deployment (部署) of renewable energy equipment like the wind turbine (风力涡轮机) costs a lot of money. However, when factors such as pollution and climate change are considered, renewable energy is actually far more efficient than fossil fuels. And fossil fuels will be surely replaced by renewable energy whether it is your generation or your grandchildren's.
1.According to paragraph 1, we know fossil fuels ____.
A.are heavily depended on by humans
B.are a symbol of civilized society
C.are becoming more and more expensive
D.can be replaced by other resources soon
2.What does ''This'' in paragraph 2 refer to?
A.That it is necessary to use solar energy.
B.That it is hard to stop using fossil fuels.
C.That people have overconsumed fossil fuels.
D.That people have developed so many infrastructures.
3.What is the purpose of paragraph 3?
A.To show the relationship between greenhouse gases and fossil fuels.
B.To present negative consequences brought by fossil fuels.
C.To introduce how carbon dioxide affects the environment.
D.To explain why fossil fuels should be used.
4.What is the text mainly about?
A.Renewable energy equipment is economically-beneficial.
B.Renewable energy produces less energy than fossil fuels.
C.It is very urgent for people to shift to renewable energy.
D.It is an unstoppable trend to use renewable energy.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Considering the heavy pollution caused by fossil fuels, many people are _______ the use of alternative energy sources .
A.accenting for B.catering for C.compensating for D.pushing for
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Is it the burning of more fossil fuels ______ is resulting in this increase in carbon dioxide ?
A. as B. which C. what D. that
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析