The United States is the world's largest consumer of energy. We use electricity, gas and oil to light and heat our buildings and run our cars. The demand for power is growing. But we may not need to build new power plants or find more oil. The best way to increase our supply of energy is to be more efficient.
Did you know that when you leave your video-game console (游戏机操纵台) on, it consumes more electricity than two refrigerators? Or that those funny-looking, twisty bulbs (灯泡) use 75% less power than traditional light bulbs? We have the tools to save money, reduce pollution and even help our planet, simply by wasting less energy.
As President, Barack Obama plans to make energy efficiency in American a major goal. He has promised to cut 15% of all energy used by the Federal Government. In a speech, he called for 75% of government office buildings to be updated for better efficiency. He pointed out that energy-efficient buildings and homes will save consumers billions of dollars on energy bills. An “extra benefit”, he added, will be “a cleaner, safer planet.”
Gas, coal and oil are called fossil fuels. Fossil fuels have been the world's main source of energy for hundreds of years. But burning them releases dirty gases, which cause pollution.
There are two main ways to save energy. The first is to use more efficient machines. Hybrid cars use less gas. New appliances are designed to use less electricity. Today's refrigerators are three times more efficient than those before 1973. Laptop computers consume much less energy than desktop computers.
The second is to use machines more productively. According to the US Department of Energy, in the average home, 75% of the electricity used to power electronic equipment is standby power (备用电源) . That means power flowing to plugged-in appliances whether or not they are being used.
Homeowners can avoid wasting power by pulling the plug on appliances when they are not in use. Efficiency experts argue that today's best techniques could cut US oil and gas use in half, and reduce our electricity use by three-fourths.
【小题1】By referring to Obama's plan, the author mainly intended to say that _______

A.the US government office buildings have wasted the most energy
B.Obama has decided to take the lead to cut down the use of electricity
C.it is time for the US to shoulder the responsibility for a cleaner planet
D.the US is determined to improve energy efficiency in the whole America
【小题2】It can be inferred from the text that ________.
A.to build new power plants or find more oil is no longer useful
B.burning fossil fuels can lead to a growing demand for power
C.everyone can make a difference by wasting less energy
D.most of the electricity is wasted with appliances plugged-in
【小题3】What would be the best title for the text?
A.The world's largest consumer of energy
B.The world's energy efficiency movement
C.We need to find new energy
D.We have to be more energy efficient

Before Alaska became part of the U.S., it had been owned by Russia. Trading posts and small settlements were scattered along the coast. The rest of land was left unexplored. The Russians were mainly interested in the wealth of furs from the vast herds of seals they found there.
By the mid-1800’s, most of the seal herds had been wiped out, and Russia no longer wanted to keep Alaska. William Seward, Secretary of State for President Johnson, believed the United States should buy Alaska from Russia. President Johnson wasn’t so sure it was a wise way to spend U.S. money, but he agreed to let Seward discuss it with the Russians. Acting quickly, Seward made a deal. On March 30, 1867, he signed an agreement for the U.S. to pay seven million dollars for the land.
Many people thought it was a foolish waste of America’s money. They called the deal “Seward’s folly”. Then gold was discovered in Alaska and public opinion changed quickly.
Seward did not live to see the true value of Alaska. He died in 1872, five years after making the purchase (购买). Each year, Alaska’s natural resources have brought in many times the $7,000,000 paid for it. Natural gas, coal, oil, lumber, seafood and other minerals, besides the gold first found, have made it a valuable addition to the United States. In 1959, Alaska became the 49th state of the United States.
【小题1】The Russians wanted to sell Alaska because ______.

A.they thought it wasn’t a good place
B.they thought it didn’t belong to Russia
C.they couldn’t find enough seals there
D.they wanted to earn more money from the U.S.
【小题2】When Seward signed the agreement, many people thought ______.
A.he wasted U.S. moneyB.it had its true value
C.it was a successful dealD.he was clever
【小题3】Which of the following things was found first in Alaska? 
A.Gas.B.Coal.C.Oil.D.Gold.
【小题4】Before 1959, the United States had ______.
A.37 statesB.48 statesC.49 statesD.50 states
【小题5】The best title for this passage would probably be ______.
A.Alaska, a beautiful placeB.Alaska with natural resources
C.Alaska, home to seals D.Alaska, the 49th state of the U.S.

以下是一些新闻报道的信息:
[A]. Science magazine published the study about orangutans(猩猩). The scientists collected evidence from years of observations in six areas on Borneo and Sumatra. The scientists found that the animals demonstrated a total of twenty-four signs of cultural activity. Several actions were demonstrated in some orangutan groups, but not others.
[B]. The Environmental Investigation Agency and Telapak released the report. Telapak is an environmental group based in Indonesia. The Environmental Investigation Agency operates in several countries. The two groups say Indonesia controls ten percent of the world's tropical rainforests.
[C]. Richard Sandor is the chairman of the C-C-X. He praised the companies forming the group for demonstrating leadership. He said they believe that an active way to deal with global warning helps everyone. The group said its members want to reduce costs they may face from future rules on greenhouse gas emissions. Trading credits may help businesses find the most effective methods to reduce pollution. Members also hope to improve their public image on environmental issues.
[D]. Their most detailed effort involved ninety-nine kinds of birds, insects and plants in North America and Europe. They found that the territory where these plants and animals live has moved north by an average of six kilometers every ten years. In Europe, some butterflies now live as much as one hundred kilometers to the north because of changes linked to higher temperatures.
[E]. The new report says many areas experienced unusual weather in two thousand and two. Most of Asia, for example, was warmer than usual. India had unusually high temperatures in April and May. The extremely hot weather caused hundreds of deaths. There also were extremely dry conditions across India. Parts of Africa experienced unusual heavy rains. Yet other areas in Africa had unusual dry weather.
[F]. Hydrogen is the most common element in the universe. Hydrogen is a colorless gas. On Earth, it is present in large amounts in natural gas, coal, plants and water. By weight, hydrogen produces the highest energy levels of any known fuel. When burned in an engine, hydrogen releases no harmful pollution into the environment. When powering a fuel cell, the only waste is water. However, hydrogen is difficult to store. It also burns easily.
请阅读以下与新闻信息,然后匹配与上面新闻相关的报道内容:
1. A severe ocean storm hit South Korea in August. It set a new national record for rainfall. In central Europe, more than one hundred people died in flooding caused by heavy rainfall in September. The flooding also resulted in thousands of millions of dollars in property damage. Yet large parts of North and South America had extremely dry weather.
2. One member of the Chicago Climate Exchange is American Electric Power. It's the biggest owner of electric power producers in the United States. Company officials say they hope their company's membership will demonstrate the ability of the C-C-X to grow.
3. For example, members of some groups make a kissing noise by tightening their mouths and sucking in air. Some groups use leaves to clean themselves or protect their hands from sharp objects. The scientists found that some of the animals use sticks as tools to remove insects from holes in trees. Other orangutans use leaves to crush insects or gather water.
4. Professors Parmesan and Yohe used similar methods to examine one hundred and seventy-two kinds of wildlife. They examined the timing of events in the spring, such as the appearance of flowers and the reproduction of animals. They found that these events happened an average of two days earlier than normal every ten years.
5. They say illegal operations to remove trees are causing large areas of forest to disappear. Environmental Investigation Agency director Dave Currey says the illegal operations are completely out of control.

Read the following text and choose the most suitable heading from A-F for each paragraph. There is one extra heading which you do not need.

A. Factors that influence reactions to pollutants
B. Possible sources of indoor air pollution
C. Ways to identify diseases with similar symptoms
D. Long-term effects after repeated exposure                            
E. A commonly-ignored health threat
F. Immediate symptoms and regular treatment
【小题1】Most people are aware that outdoor air pollution can damage their health, but many do not know that indoor air pollution can also have significant health effects. Environmental Protection Agency studies indicate that indoor levels of pollutants may be 2-5 times, and occasionally more than 100 times, higher than outdoor levels. These levels of indoor air pollutants may be of particular concern because most people spend about 90% of their time indoors.
【小题2】There are many sources of indoor air pollution in any home. These include combustion sources such as oil, gas, coal, wood, and tobacco products; building materials and furnishings as diverse as deteriorated asbestos-containing insulation, wet or damp carpet, and cabinetry or furniture made of certain pressed wood products; products for household cleaning and maintenance, personal care, or hobbies; central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices; and outdoor sources such as radon, pesticides, and outdoor air pollution.
【小题3】Immediate effects may show up after a single exposure or repeated exposures. These include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Such immediate effects are usually short-term and treatable. Sometimes the treatment is simply eliminating the person's exposure to the source of the pollution, if it can be identified. Symptoms of some diseases, including asthma, hypersensitivity and fever, may also show up soon after exposure to some indoor air pollutants.
【小题4】The likelihood of immediate reactions to indoor air pollutants depends on several factors. Age and pre-existing medical conditions are two important influences. In other cases, whether a person reacts to a pollutant depends on individual sensitivity, which varies tremendously from person to person. Some people can become sensitized to biological pollutants after repeated exposures, and it appears that some people can become sensitized to chemical pollutants as well.
【小题5】Certain immediate effects are similar to those from colds or other viral diseases, so it is often difficult to determine if the symptoms are a result of exposure to indoor air pollution. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to the time and place the symptoms occur. If the symptoms fade or go away when a person is away from the home and return when the person returns, an effort should be made to identify indoor air sources that may be possible causes. 

 Before Alaska became part of the U.S., it had been owned by Russia. Trading posts and small settlements were scattered along the coast. The rest of land was left unexplored. The Russians were mainly interested in the wealth of furs from the vast herds of seals they found there.

       By the mid-1800’s, most of the seal herds had been wiped out, and Russia no longer wanted to keep Alaska. William Seward, Secretary of State for President Johnson, believed the United States should buy Alaska from Russia. President Johnson wasn’t so sure it was a wise way to spend U.S. money, but he agreed to let Seward discuss it with the Russians. Acting quickly, Seward made a deal. On March 30, 1867, he signed an agreement for the U.S. to pay seven million dollars for the land.

       Many people thought it was a foolish waste of America’s money. They called the deal “Seward’s folly”. Then gold was discovered in Alaska and public opinion changed quickly.

Seward did not live to see the true value of Alaska. He died in 1872, five years after making the purchase (购买). Each year, Alaska’s natural resources(资源) have brought in many times the $7,000,000 paid for it. Natural gas, coal, oil, lumber, seafood and other minerals, besides the gold first found, have made it a valuable addition to the United States. In 1959, Alaska be-came the 49th state of the United States.

1.The Russians wanted to sell Alaska because ______.

A. they thought it wasn’t a good place

B. they thought it didn’t belong to Russia

C. they couldn’t find enough seals there

D. they wanted to earn more money from the U.S.

2.When Seward signed the agreement, many people thought ______.

A. it was a successful deal         B. it had its true value

C. he wasted U.S. money             D. he was clever

3.Which of the following things was found first in Alaska?

A. Gas.     B. Coal.          C. Oil.       D. Gold.

4.The best title for this passage would probably be ______.

A. Alaska, a beautiful place              B. Alaska with natural resources

C. Alaska, the 49th state of the U.S.           D. Alaska, home to seals

 

违法和不良信息举报电话:027-86699610 举报邮箱:58377363@163.com

精英家教网