While fossil fuels—still generate roughly 85 percent of the ..

第1题

Three substances provide more than 80 percent of the world's energy and over 90 percent of

North America's energy: petroleum, natural gas, and coal. In relatively developed countries, the remainder comes primarily from nuclear, solar, hydroelectric, and geothermal power. Wood provides much of the remaining energy in developing societies.

Energy is used in three principal places: businesses, homes, and transportation systems. The most important energy source for businesses is coal, followed by natural gas and petroleum. Some businesses use coal directly in an industrial operation, while others rely on electricity, generated primarily at coal-burning power stations.

At home, energy primarily is used to generate heat and hot water. Natural gas is the most common source of home heat and hot water, followed by petroleum. Like businesses, homes also use electricity supplied from coal-burning power plants. Petroleum products operate virtually all transportation systems, including automobiles, trucks, buses, airplanes, and some trains. Only subways, streetcars, and some trains run on coal-generated electricity.

Petroleum, natural gas, and coal are known as fossil fuels. A fossil fuel comes from the residue of plants and animals buried beneath the earth's surface millions of years ago. As the earth's crust moved, these buried plants and animals were subject to intense changes in pressure and temperature.

The global distribution of fossil fuels raises two problems. First, some regions have relatively abundant reserves of one or more fossil fuels, while other regions have little. Second, fossil fuel reserves are not located in the same regions as their consumers.

In general, the relatively developed countries of North America, Europe, and the former Soviet Union possess a disproportionately large share of fossil fuel reserves. They contain approximately one-fourth of the world's population but possess more than half of the world's proven reserves of the three major fossil fuels. By far the largest proven reserves of fossil fuels are located in the former Soviet Union. The former soviet Union possesses more than one-third of the world's proven natural gas reserves and more than one-fourth of the proven coal reserves; it also ranks sixth in the world in proven petroleum reserves. The United States has more than one- fourth of the world's proven coal reserves, but its proven petroleum and natural gas reserves are relatively small.

European countries possess one-sixth of the world' s proven coal reserves, for the most part in Germany and Poland, but less than 5 percent of the petroleum reserves and less than 10 percent of the natural gas reserves. The region's major sources of petroleum and natural gas lie beneath the North Sea. Japan has virtually no proven fossil fuel reserves.

Overall, the developing regions do not have a fair share of energy reserves, but the situation varies by type of fossil fuel. Developing countries possess only one-tenth of the world's proven coal reserves, but nearly one-half of the natural gas and nine-tenths of the petroleum.

Energy reserves are not distributed uniformly within the developing world. A handful of the developing countries are well endowed with one of the fossil fuels, but most countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America have relatively little. China accounts for most of the proven coal reserves in developing countries. Approximately 60 percent of the world's proven petroleum' reserves are concentrated in the five Middle Eastern states of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates.

According to the passage, which is the principal energy source of home heat？

A．Wood.

B．Coal.

C．Natural gas.

D．Petrol.

点击查看答案

第2题

Alternative Energy Sources （可替代资源)When considering alternative energy sources to repl

Alternative Energy Sources (可替代资源)

When considering alternative energy sources to replace fossil fuels, it should be pointed out that our present technology is dependent on fossil-based energy in two main forms:electricity produced by burning coal, and portable chemical fuels such as petroleum or natural gas．At present not all countries are totally dependent on coal for electricity generation．For instance, nuclear power provided about 48% of the total energy requirements of Finland, France and Sweden in 1996．To a lesser extent, hydroelectric power (水力发电)is also providing electricity to many areas throughout the world．Despite their environmental problems, these alternatives are likely to supply our electricity requirements for at least the first ten years of the new century．However, many scientists are convinced that other less controversial alternatives such as solar and wind power, which convert heat or me-

chanical energy directly into electricity, will provide a "clean" energy for future generations early in the new century.

In most industrialized nations, electricity supplies only a portion of the country's total energy needs, typically about 16%～25%．By far the largest share of a nation's total energy consumption is derived from chemical fuels which are either used for space heating or converted directly into mechanical energy in, for instance, an automobile engine．The great advantage of chemical fuels is their ease of transportation, storage'and utility in even the remotest areas．By contrast, electricity must be constantly generated since it is con sumed essentially the instant it is produced．It is therefore not surprising that recent scientific research has centered on developing a portable chemical fuel to replace fossil fuels.

In addition to economic and environmental considerations, an alternative synthetic chemical fuel should, ideally, be produced from accessible raw materials that are not derived from fossil fuels．Thus, coal liquefaction (液化) cannot be considered as a satisfactory long-term solution．The production of biologicallyderived chemical fuels such as alcohol, produced from the ferment (发酵) of farm crops or from waste products; has also generated a lot of scientific and public interest．However, while these.biological fuels are less polluting than fossil fuels, they are still carbon-based molecules which, during the process of burning are less polluting than fossil fuels, send carbon dioxide (二氧化碳) and other pollutants (污染物) into the environment．Clearly, the only ideal long-term replacement for fuels such as petroleum is one that contains no carbon．Obviously, hydrogen meets this requirement.

第 36 题 The phrase "these alternatives" (in Line 8 of Paragraph 1) refers to____.

A．solar and wind power

B．oil and coal

C．nuclear and hydroelectric power

D．petroleum and natural gas

点击查看答案

第3题

What is NOT the result of consuming fossil fuels according to the last paragraph？A．Rainfor

What is NOT the result of consuming fossil fuels according to the last paragraph？

A．Rainforests will be destroyed.

B．Arctic ice will be melted.

C．The earth's temperature will be raised.

D．The sea level will go up.

点击查看答案

第4题

Which of the following hypothetical discoveries, if made, would be most likely to reduce t

he technical difficulties in producing plastic from organic crops？

A．a source of refining fossil fuels that significantly reduces their cost to plastic manufacturers

B．a way of maintaining grain yields while producing high quantities of plastic that do not interfere with the functioning of plant chloroplasts

C．a means of reducing the clean-up cost of environmental damage wrought by CO2 and SO2 emissions

D．a means of yielding greater efficiency from coal-based fuels used in the organic plastic-production process

E．the discovery of a renewable source of plant-sugar that would lessen reliance on fossil fuels in organic plastic-manufacture

点击查看答案

第5题

According to the conversation, the use of fossil fuels ______.A．should be banned in order

According to the conversation, the use of fossil fuels ______.

A．should be banned in order to save energy

B．brings some side effects

C．causes the earth's temperature rise

D．should not be blamed for the pollution of environment

点击查看答案

第6题

While fossil fuels – coal, oil, gas – still generate roughly 85 percent of the world’s ene

rgy supply, it’s clearer than ever that the future belongs to renewable sources such as wind and solar. The move to renewables is picking up momentum around the world. They now account for more than half of new power sources going on line.

Some growth stems from a commitment by governments and farsighted businesses to fund cleaner energy sources. But increasingly the story is about the plummeting prices of renewables, especially wind and solar. The cost of solar panels has dropped by 80 percent and the cost of wind turbines by close to one-third in the past eight years.

In many parts of the world renewable energy is already a principal energy source. In Scotland, for example, wind turbines provide enough electricity to power 95 percent of homes. While the rest of the world takes the lead, notably China and Europe, the United States is also seeing a remarkable shift. In March, for the first time, wind and solar power accounted for more than 10 percent of the power generated in the US, reported the US Energy Information Administration.

President Trump has underlined fossil fuels – especially coal – as the path to economic growth. In a recent speech in Iowa, he dismissed wind power as an unreliable energy source. But that message did not play well with many in Iowa, where wind turbines dot the fields and provide 36 percent of the state’s electricity generation – and where tech giants like Microsoft are being attracted by the availability of clean energy to power their data centers.

The question "what happens when the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine？" has provided a quick put-down for skeptics. But a boost in the storage capacity of batteries is making their ability to keep power flowing around the clock more likely.

The advance is driven in part by vehicle manufacturers, who are placing big bets on battery-powered electric vehicles. Although electric cars are still a rarity on roads now, this massive investment could change the picture rapidly in coming years.

While there’s a long way to go, the trend lines for renewables are spiking. The pace of change in energy sources appears to be speeding up – perhaps just in time to have a meaningful effect in slowing climate change. What Washington does – or doesn’t do – to promote alternative energy may mean less and less at a time of a global shift in thought.

26、The word "plummeting" (Line 3, Para 2) is closest in meaning to_____.

A.stabilizing

B.changing

C.falling

D.rising

According to Paragraph 3,the use of renewable energy in America______.A.is progressing notably

B.is as extensive as in Europe

C.faces many challenges

D.has proved to be impractical

It can be learned that in Iowa,_____.A.wind is a widely used energy source

B.wind energy has replaced fossil fuels

C.tech giants are investing in clean energy

D.there is a shortage of clean energy supply

Which of the following is true about clean energy according to Paragraphs 5&6？A.Its application has boosted battery storage

B.It is commonly used in car manufacturing

C.Its continuous supply is becoming a reality

D.Its sustainable exploitation will remain difficult

It can be inferred from the last paragraph that renewable energy_____.A.will bring the US closer to other countries

B.will accelerate global environmental change

C.is not really encouraged by the US government

D.is not competitive with regard to its cost

请帮忙给出每个问题的正确答案和分析，谢谢！

点击查看答案

第7题

Global energy demand is expected to triple by mid-century. The earth is unlikely to run ou

t of fossil fuels by then, given its vast reserves of coal, but it seems unthinkable that we will continue to use them as we do now. It's not just a question of supply and price, or even of the disease caused by filthy air. The terrorist assault on the World Trade Center raises other scary scenarios: how much easier would it be to crack open the Trans-Alaska pipeline and how much deadlier would it be to bomb a nuclear plant than to attack a wind arm？

Skeptics may recall the burst of enthusiasm for conservation and renewable power when oil prices quadrupled in the 1970s. State-funded energy research and development surged, while tax incentives boosted solar, wind and other alternatives to petroleum and the atom. But when oil supplies loosened and prices dropped in the early 1990s, governments lost interest. In the state of California, subsidies evaporated, pushing wind companies into bankruptcy.

Clean energy has long way to go. Only 2.2% of the world's energy comes from "new" renewables such as small hydroelectric dams, wind, solar and geothermal. How to boost that share--and at what pace--is debated in industrialized nations--from Japan, which imports 99.7 % of its oil, to Germany, where the nearby Chernobyl accident turned the public against nuclear plants, to the U.S., where the Bush Administration has strong ties to the oil industry. But the momentum toward clean renewables is undeniable. How soon we reach an era of clean, inexhaustible energy depends on technology. Solar and wind energies are intermittent: When the sky is cloudy or the breeze dies down, fossil fuel or nuclear plants must kick into compensate. But scientists are working on better ways to store electricity from renewable sources.

While developed nations debate how to fuel their power plants, however, some 1.6 billion people--a quarter of the globe's population--have no access to electricity or gasoline. Many spend their days collecting firewood and cow dung, burning it in primitive stoves that belch smoke into their lungs. To emerge from poverty, they need modern energy. And renewables can help. From village-scale hydropower to household photovoltaic systems to bio-gas stoves that convert dung into fuel.

Ultimately, the earth can meet its energy needs without fouling the environment. "But it won't happen," asserts Thomas Johansson, an energy adviser to the United Nations Development Program, "without political will." To begin with, widespread government subsidies for fossil fuels and nuclear energy must be dismantled to level the playing field for renewables. Moreover, government should pressure utility to meet targets for renewable sources of energy.

The author's biggest worry about using nuclear energy is that ______.

A．it will do great harm to the inadequate reserves of coal

B．it is deadly if terrorists attack a nuclear plant

C．it will limit the development of many other alternatives

D．there will be a wider gap between developed and developing countries

点击查看答案

第8题

What is NOT the resuh of consuming fossil fuels according to the last paragraph？

A．Rainforests will be destroyed

B．Arctic ice will be melted．

C．The earth，s temperature will be raised．

D．The sea level will go up．

点击查看答案

第9题

在使用的能源类型方面,产业系统与生态系统的主要差异是（）For the type of energy used, the main difference between industrial systems and ecosystems shows as（）

A、生态系统只能使用太阳能，而产业系统可利用太阳能、化石燃料、风能等多种形式的能源 Ecosystem uses only solar energy, while industrial systems can use varies types of energy, such as solar energy, fossil fuels, wind energy and so on

B、对于生态系统和产业系统，都只能使用太阳能 Both ecosystems and industrial systems can only use solar energy

C、对于生态系统和产业系统，都可利用多种类型的能源 Both ecosystems and industrial systems can use a variety of types of energy

D、产业系统只能使用太阳能，而生态系统可利用太阳能、化石燃料、风能等多种形式的能源 Industrial systems use only solar energy, while ecosystems can use varies types of energy, such as solar energy, fossil fuels, wind energy and so on

点击查看答案

第10题

Text2 While fossil fuels－ coal,oil,gas－ still generate roughly 85 percent of the world&

Text2

While fossil fuels- coal,oil,gas- still generate roughly 85 percent of the world's energy

supply,it'sclearer than ever that the future belongs to renewablesources such as wind and solar.The

move to renewables is picking up momentumaround the world: They now account for more than half ofnew power sourcesgoing on line.

Some growth stems from a commitment bygovernments and farsighted Businssesto

fundcleanerenergy sources.But increasinglythestoryisabout theplummeting prices of

renewables,especially wind and solar.The cost of solarpanels has dropped by 80 percent and the

cost of wind turbines by close taone-third in the past eight years.

In many parts of the world renewable energy is already a principal energy source.In

Scotland,for example, wind turbines provide enough electricity to power 95 percent of homes.

While the rest of the world takes the lead, notably China and Europe, the United States is also

seeing a remarkable shift. In March,for the first time,wind and solar power accounted for more

than 10 percent of the power generated in the US,reported the US Energy Information

Administration.

President Trump has underlined fossil fuels - especially coal - as thepathto economic growth.

In a recent speech in Iowa, he dismissed wind power as an unreliable energy source, But that

message did not play well with many in Iowa,where wind turbines dot the fields and provide 36

percent of the state's electricity generation - and where tech giants likeMicrosoftare being

attracted by the availability of clean energy to power their data centers.

The question “what happens when the wind doesn't blow or the sun doesn'tshine？" has provid

ed a quick put-down for skeptics. But a boost in the storage

apacity of batteries is making their ability to keep power flowing around the clock more likely.

The advance is driven in par by vehicle manufacturers, who are placing big

bets on battery-powered electric vehicles. Although electric cars are still a rarity

on roads now. this massive investment could change the picture rapidly in coming years.

While there's a long way to go,the trend lines for renewables are spiking. The pace of

change in energy sources appears to be speeding up perhaps: just in time to have a

meaningful effect in slowing climate change.What Washington does-or

doesn't do- to promote alternative energy may mean less and less a time of

aglobal shift in thought.

26.The word "plummeting"(Line3,Para.2)is closest in meaning to ______

A.stabilizing

B.changing

C.falling

D.rising

27. According to Paragraph 3,the use of renewable energy in America ______

A. is progressing notably

B. is as extensive as in Europe

C. faces many challenges

D. has proved to be impractical

28. It can be learned that in Iowa,

______.

A. wind is a widely used energy source

B. wind energy has replaced fossil fuels

C. tech giants are investing in clean energy

D. there is a shortage of clean energy supply

29. Which of the following is true about clean energy according to Paragraphs 5&6？A. Its

application has boosted battery storage.B. It is commonly used in car manufacturing.C. Its

continuous supply is becoming a reality.D. Its sustainable exploitation will remain difficult. 30. It

can be inferred from the last paragraph that renewable energy _____.

A. will bring the US closer to other countries

B. will accelerate global environmental change

C. is not really encouraged by the US government

D. is not competitive enough with regard to its cost

30. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that renewable energy _____.

点击查看答案

功能	扣减规则
功能	基础费（查看答案）	加收费（AI功能）
文字搜题、查看答案	1/每题	0/每次
语音搜题、查看答案	1/每题	2/每次
单题拍照识别、查看答案	1/每题	2/每次
整页拍照识别、查看答案	1/每题	5/每次

While fossil fuels—still generate roughly 85 percent of the world’s energy supply， it’s cl