题目内容
A British research study shows that, globally, people's walking speeds ________ by 10 percent over the last decade.
- A.were increased
- B.have increased
- C.increased
- D.had been increased
Sunny countries are often poor. A shame, then, that solar power is still quite expensive. Eight19, a British company by Cambridge University, has, however, invented a novel way to get round this. In return for a deposit of around $10 it is supplying poor Kenyan families with a solar cell able to generate 2.5 watts of electricity, a battery that can deliver a three amp(安培) current to store this electricity, and a lamp whose bulb is a light-emitting diode(二极管). The firm thinks that this system, once the battery is fully charged, is enough to light two small rooms and to power a mobile-phone charger for seven hours. Then, next day, it can be put outside and charged back up again.
The trick is that, to be able to use the electricity, the system's keeper must buy a scratch card—for as little as a dollar—on which is printed a reference number. The keeper sends this reference, plus the serial number of the household solar unit, by SMS to Eight19. The company's server will respond automatically with an access code to the unit.
Users may consider that they are paying an hourly rate for their electricity. In fact, they are paying off the cost of the unit. After buying around $80 worth of scratch cards—which Eight19 expects would take the average family around 18 months—the user will own it. He will then have the option of continuing to use it for nothing, or of trading it in for a bigger one, perhaps driven by a 10-watt solar cell.
In that case, he would go then through the same process again, paying off the additional cost of the upgraded kit at a slightly higher rate. Users would therefore increase their electricity supply steadily and affordably.
According to Eight19's figures, this looks like a good deal for customers. The firm believes the average energy-starved Kenyan spends around $10 a month on oil—enough to fuel a couple of smoky lamps—plus $2 on charging his mobile phone in the market-place. Regular users of one of Eight19's basic solar units will spend around half that, before owning it completely. Meanwhile, as the cost of solar technology falls, it should get even cheaper.
【小题1】The underlined word “get round” in the first paragraph can be replaced by _______ .
A.make use of | B.come up with | C.look into | D.deal with |
A.Buy a scratch card. | B.Recharge it outside. |
C.Buy another solar cell. | D.Return it to the company. |
A.Around $10. | B.Around $80. | C.Around $90. | D.Around $180. |
A.Kenyan families would find it difficult to afford the solar cell |
B.using the solar cell would help Kenyan families save money |
C.few Kenyan families use mobile phones for lack of electricity |
D.the company will make a great profit from selling solar cells |
A.Solar Energy: Starting from Scratch. |
B.Eight19: a creative British Company. |
C.Kenyan Families: Using Solar Energy for Free. |
D.Poor Countries: Beginning to Use Solar Energy. |
Teenagers in England do many of the same things as children in America do . They enjoy sending messages on their mobile phones and they also like swimming , listening to the latest music , watching TV and surfing the Internet .
How do teenagers in England spend their free time and holidays ? Let’s follow Sally , a British teenager , and spend five days with her during her school holiday .
Day One |
After breakfast , Sally’s mother went out and left her alone at home . She checked her mobile phone during lunch—one of her friends sent her a message early in the morning . Dinner was ready at 6:30 p.m. After that , she finished her English homework . Then she surfed the Internet . |
Day Two |
Sally and her mother paid a visit to their friends and went swimming together . Later , they wnet shopping for clothes and books , and had dinner in a restaurant . |
Day Three |
She went to the supermarket with her mother to buy fish and chips for lunch as well as some pens . After she got back home , she spent the next few hours surfing the Internet and watching TV . |
Day Four |
She surfed the Internet . Her mother took her out for lunch before going to work . She then read storybooks after lunch . |
Day Five |
She woke up at 2 p. m. , and so did her mother . They went to a park . Her mother met some friends there . When they got home , it was already time for dinner . Aterwards , she did her homework until 10 p. m. |
1. When did Sally do her homework ?
A. In the morning . B. In the afternoon . C. At lunch time . D. In the evening .
2. Which of the following things did Sally do on Day Four ?
A. She went swimming . B. She went out for breakfast .
C. She read books . D. She went shopping .
3. How many times did Sally and her mother meet their friends during the five days ?
A. Once . B. Twice . C. Three times . D. Four times .
4. According to the passage , it can be inferred that__________.
A. a park is the best place to meet a friend
B. parents shouln’t leave teenagers alone at home
C. teenagers don’t usually do their homework during their school holidays
D. surfing the Internet has become an important part of teenagers’ lives