Question

【题目】 Compared with solar and wind energy, which are booming, tidal (潮汐的) power is a loser in the clean-energy competition. But if you did want to build a tidal power station, there are few better sites than the mouth of the River Severn, in Britain. Its tidal range, the difference in depth between high and low tides, of around 15 metres is among the largest in the world.

Engineers and governments have been toying with the idea since at least 1925. But none of the suggested projects has materialised. Price is one objection. A study thought that tidal energy might cost between ￡216 and ￡368 ($306-521) per MWh of electricity by 2025, compared with ￡58-75 for seagoing wind turbines (轮机) and ￡55-76 for solar panels. Environmentalists also worry that any plant would change the tides, making life harder for wildlife.

An engineer called Rod Rainey thinks he has a way around both problems. He plans to replace the conventional turbines of previous plans with a much older technology. Specifically, he plans to span (横跨) the river mouth with a line of water wheels. This is a design that dates back to the early days of the Industrial Revolution. Examples can be found fixed to the sides of old watermills (水磨).

But there would be nothing old-fashioned about Mr Rainey’s wheels. Thirty metres high and sixty wide, they would be made from ordinary steel. Two hundred and fifty of them, along with the supporting structures, would be floated into place and secured to the seabed, creating a line 15km long. Together, they could supply power at an avenge ate of 4GW. That is about as much as two biggish nuclear power stations would manage. Substituting one of the wheels with a set of locks would provide a shipping channel about twice the width of Panama Canal, permitting upstream ports such as Avonmouth and Cardiff to continue operating.

【1】What is special about the mouth of the River Seven?

A.The tidal range there is about 15 meters.

B.It has the largest tidal range in the world.

C.The tidal power station has been built there.

D.Its power plant makes life harder for wildlife.

【2】What was people’s initial attitude towards tidal power?

A.Opposed.B.Supportive.

C.Controversial.D.Doubtful.

【3】What are the locks used for?

A.Support.B.Transportation.

C.Securing wheels.D.Producing electricity.

【4】What’s the best tittle for the text?

A.Rainey invented turbines.

B.Rainey’s tidal power station.

C.Tidal power in the River Seven.

D.An old idea might be made practical.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】A

【2】A

【3】B

【4】D

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。潮汐能发电站虽然计划已久，但由于科学家的担心，很长时间以来都没有得以实现。而名叫Rod Rainey的工程师最近想到了解决问题的办法，虽然用的是过去的科技，但在轮上做了很大改进，这样在保证海洋生物和环境安全的同时也可大量发电。

【1】细节理解题。根据文章第一段最后一句“Its tidal range, the difference in depth between high and low tides, of around 15 metres is among the largest in the world.”（它的潮汐差，即最低和最高潮汐的深度差，是大约15米，位居世界首位。）可知，the mouth of the River Severn最大的特点就是潮汐差很大。故选A项。

【2】推理判断题。根据文章第二段第一句“Engineers and governments have been toying with the idea since at least 1925.”和最后一句“Environmentalists also worry that any plant would change the tides, making life harder for wildlife.”可知，工程师对潮汐电站的想法漫不经心，环境主义者担心它会给海洋生物带来危险，所以最初人们对潮汐发电站都是不支持的。故选A项。

【3】细节理解题。根据文章最后一段最后一句“a set of locks would provide a shipping channel about twice the width of Panama Canal, permitting upstream ports such as Avonmouth and Cardiff to continue operating.”可知，locks的主要作用是提供一条比巴拿马运河宽一倍的水上运输渠道，保证上游的港口能够正常运行。故选B项。

【4】主旨大意题。联系全文可知，文章主要讲Rod Rainey用古老的方法代替传统的轮机进行潮汐发电，打破River Severn不适宜潮汐发电的旧思想。故选D项。