Question

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.

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

2.What should the user do when the electricity in the battery is used up?

A．Buy a scratch card.                      B．Recharge it outside.

C．Buy another solar cell.                    D．Return it to the company.

3.How much would users pay for the cell and scratch cards before they own a 2.5-watt solar cell?

A．Around $10.       B．Around $80.       C．Around $90.       D．Around $180.

4.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that  ____________.

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

5.What might be the most suitable title for the passage?

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.

 

Answer 1

【答案】

1.D

2.B

3.C

4.B

5.A  

【解析】

试题分析：可知这篇文章讲的是Eight19公司帮助肯尼亚的家庭通过购买scratch card，使用太阳能的事情，包括如何使用，使用太阳能有什么好处，和相关费用问题。

1.猜词题：这句话里的this指的是上文的：Sunny countries are often poor. A shame, then, that solar power is still quite expensive.这样的能源问题，get around是“解决“的意思。选D

2.细节题：从第一段的句子：Then, next day, it can be put outside and charged back up again.可知如果电池用完了，可以放在外面重新充电。选B

3.计算题：从第一段的句子：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,和第三段的句子： After buying around $80 worth of scratch cards—which Eight19 expects would take the average family around 18 months 可知肯尼亚家庭可以花90美元得到2.5瓦的太阳能电池，选C

4.细节题：从最后一段的句子：Regular users of one of Eight19's basic solar units will spend around half that, before owning it completely.可知使用太阳能电池可以帮助肯尼亚家庭节省钱，选B

5.主旨题：从第二段的句子：The trick is that, to be able to use the electricity, the system's keeper must buy a scratch card—可知这篇文章讲的是通过购买scratch card，可以使用太阳能，选A  

考点：考查社会经济文化类短文

点评：文章的主旨大意即是文章的中心思想。做阅读理解题首先要明确文章的中心意思，只有明确了中心意思，那么做阅读理解的试题才能做到游刃有余。阅读理解的主旨大意题其实主要考查考生把握全文内容或理解文章中心思想的能力以及分析归纳文章段落大意、重要情节、人物特征和写作特点等方面的能力。文章的主旨大意明确了，若还具备分析长难句的能力，难的试题也会迎刃而解。