This morning, a Virgin Atantin 747 Jumbo Jet became the first commercial airplane to fly on biofuel. The short flight from London to Amsterdam used a blend of 20% babassu(棕榈) oil mixed with 80% conventional jet fuel.

What was really exciting about the flight was the fact that the engine did not have to be altered in any way for the biofuel to work While this is a great initial step in trying to reduce CO2(carbon-dioxide)emissions(排放)from airplanes. there are a lot of hurdles (障碍)that still need to be overcome.

First and foremost, unlike the normal fuel used to run airplanes (known as Jet A),biofuel freezes at high altitudes. Also, Jet‘A’fuel burns consistently (at the same pace),which means it provides a safe and reliable fuel for long flights--engineers are not sure if biofuel will be able to do the same.

The biggest hurdle to a full biofuel switch is our ability to be able to grow enough crops that can be converted to biofuel. There are two concerns that scientists have in this matter – the first is that the land to grow the extra crops will come from clearing more of our forests and the second is that since it competes with what we eat, the price of food will go up.

However, Richard Branson of Virgin Airlines, envisions that if biofuel starts to replace oil on a greater basis, it will be manufactured from algae(藻类)produced in sewage treatment plants, not from food sources.

Birgin Airlines is not the only one trying to look for alternative fuel sources. Earlier this year, an Airbus A380 used another alternative fuel-a man-made mix of gas-to-liquid, in one of its four engines. The flight was tested by Rolls Royce (manufacturer of jet engines), in partnership with Shell (an oil company). Rolls Royce is also working with Air New Zealand on a similar project.

While a complete switch to alternative fuel may take years, it is very encouraging to see airlines, oil companies and airplane manufacturers all coming together to try to make it happen!

1..Why does Virgin Airlines try to replace normal fuel with biofuel?

A.To cut down the flight cost of the company.

B.To remove some hurdles for the biofuel to work.

C.To reduce CO2 emissions from airplanes.

D.To test plane engines on biofuel.

2..Which is NOT true for a full biofuel switch of airplanes?

A Biofuel cannot run for long flights.                  

B.Biofuel cannot work at high altitudes.

C.Man has not enough land to grow extra crops for biofuel. 

D.It’s not easy for sewage treatment plants to manufacture biofuel.

3..One of the hurdles to be overcome for a full biofuel switch is to          .

A.alter the engine for airplanes

B.make biofuel burn consistently

C.open more land to grow more crops

D.develop sewage treatment plants

4..We can infer from the last paragraph that          .

A.there is a long way to go for a complete switch to alternative fuel

B.it won’t be long before alternative fuel comes into use

C.airlines, oil companies and airplane manufacturers are reliable

D.alternative fuel has a bright future

5..Which of the following can best serves as the title of this passage?

A.Biofuel-Alternative Fuel Sources.

B.The First Commercial Flight Powered by Biofuel.

C.How to Reduce CO2 Emissions from Airplanes.

D.Vigin Airlines Trying to Alter Fuel Sources.

 

Winners Club

You choose to be a winner!

The Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers. It has been made to help you better manage your money. The Winners Club is a transaction account(交易账户)where you receive a key-card so you can get to your money 24/7 – that’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

It’s a club with impressive features for teenagers:

No account keeping fees!

You’re no millionaire so we don’t expect you to pay large fees. In fact, there are no account keeping or transaction fees!

Excellent interest rates!

You want your money to grow. The Winners Club has a good rate of interest which gets even better if you make at least two deposits(储蓄)without taking them out in a month.

Convenient

Teenagers are busy – we get that. You may never need to come to a bank at all.  With the Winners Club you can choose to use handy tellers and to bank from home using the phone and the Internet——You can have money directly deposited into your Winners Club account. This could be your pocket money or your pay from your part-time job!

Mega magazine included

Along with your regular report, you will receive a FREE magazine full of good ideas to make even more of your money. There are also fantastic offers and competitions only for Winners Club members.

The Winners Club is a great choice for teenagers. And it is so easy to join. Simply fill in an application form. We can’t wait to hear from you. It’s the best way to choose to be a winner!

1.

 The Winners Club is a bank account intended for ________.

A. parents         B. teenagers          C. winners          D. adults

2.

 Which of the following is TRUE about the Winners Club?

A. Special gifts are ready for parents.

B. The bank opens only on work days.

C. Services are convenient for its members.

D. Fees are necessary for the account keeping.

3.

. The Winners Club provides magazines which ________.

A. encourage spending

B. are free to all teenagers

C. are full of adventure stories

D. help to make more of your money

4.

What is the purpose of this text?

A. To set up a club.             B. To provide part-time jobs.

C. To organize key-cards.        D. To introduce a new banking service.

 

 

      Prague is not strange to the tourism world. It is a great tourist attraction with many historic tourist spots such as the Prague Castle, which was built in the early 9th century. In addition to the Prague Castle, some of the other historic spots are the Old Town churches, the Jewish Quarter and the Estates Theater. Surveys indicate that Prague is ranked the sixth main attraction in the whole of Europe. Though there are large numbers of places of tourist interest, there are a few spots which are the most appealing. The Old Town is one such spot of great tourist interest. The Astronomical Clock, which is popularly known as the “Prague Orloj”, is installed(安装) on the Old town city hall’s south wall, which is a historic construction. So if you are heading to Prague for a vacation, you should never miss seeing this astronomical clock.

The excitement in Prague doesn’t stop here. Next is the Lennon Wall. The Lennon Wall became a tourist spot as people of the 1980s started to fill it with John Lennon-inspired graffiti(涂鸦). You can also find the graffiti of pieces of lyrics from Beatles songs on this wall. There are many fun activities that you can do in Prague. There are many local theaters and entertainment facilities which are very inexpensive.

If you are well aware of the different places of tourist interest, you can really enjoy a great weekend in Prague. Thankfully there are several online tourist guides out there which can help you to make your weekend in Prague much more joyous than ever before. There are many sources out there online where you can find all the information about the best tourist spots in Prague. Once you have all the information about the best tourist attractions in Prague, you can plan your weekend trip effectively.

67.Prague is a city _______

A.where there are many historic attractions

B.which is a new tourist city to the world

C.where there are many famous singers

D.which is the sixth largest city in Europe

68.According to the passage, Prague Orloj refers to _______.

   A. the Estates Theater         B. the Old Town city hall

   C. the Astronomical Clock      D. the Prague Castle

69. The Lennon Wall is most famous for______.

   A. Beatles songs        B. the graffiti

   C. famous Lyrics       D. cheap entertainment facilities

70. To have a pleasant weekend in Prague, you’re advised in advance to ask for help from______.

   A. the historians      B. the local people

   C. the travel agency    D. the Internet

 

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