The world is running out of oil, and energy experts believe that there could be serious shortages in ten years’ time. Governments are searching (1)a suitable alternative, but so far it has been in vain. They are considering (2)they can make better use of the two other major fuels, coal and natural gas, but they have found that (3)can take the place of oil in terms of economy. In recent years, there has been a growing concern for the environment and coal is not a popular fuel with environmentalists. Coal mines are ugly, and their development has a serious (4)on animal and plant life; coal itself is a heavy (5). Natural gas, the purest of the three fuels, is also the most limited in supply.
The answer would seem to lie in nuclear power stations. They need very (6) fuel to produce enormous amount of power and they do not pollute the atmosphere. Their dangers, however, are so great and the cost of building them is so high that some governments are (7) to invest in them. Not only could one accident in a single nuclear power station spread as much radioactivity as a thousand Hiroshima (广岛) atom bombs, but the radioactive waste from these stations is (8)dangerous—for one hundred thousand years. So is there no possible alternative to nuclear power?
Well, there are several, (9)none of them seems likely to satisfy future world energy demands. Scientists have recently turned their attention (10)natural sources of energy: the sun, the sea, the wind and hot springs. Of these the sun seems the most promising sources for the future. Houses have already been built which are heated entirely by solar energy. However, (11)energy can only be collected during daylight hours, and in countries where the weather is unreliable, an alternative heating system has to be included. (12)source of energy which could be more widely used is that generated by water or steam from under the earth. This form of energy is already being used in New Zealand, Iceland, and very successfully in Italy, where it in fact generates a 13)of the nation’s electricity. Many scientists are optimistic that new ways of generating large amounts of energy will be successfully (14), but at the same time they fear the consequences. If the world population goes on increasing at its present rate, and each individual continues to use more energy every year, in fifty years’ time, we would (15) the earth’s atmosphere. We can all help to protect the environment by not wasting energy, and make the world a cleaner, healthier place for future generation.
1.A.for B.with C.about D.on
正确答案:A
2.A.what B.why C.how D.that
正确答案:C
3.A.all B.both C.either D.neither
正确答案:D
4.A.perfect B.infect C.effect D.affect
正确答案:C
5.A.pollution B.pollutant C.mineral D.material
正确答案:B
6.A.few B.little C.much D.more
正确答案:B
7.A.unwilling B.excited C.indifferent D.interested
正确答案:A
8.A.extremely B.slightly C.merely D.not
正确答案:A
9.A.without B.with C.and D.but
正确答案:D
10.A.against B.for C.on D.to
正确答案:D
11.A.moon B.sun C.solar D.lunar
正确答案:C
12.A.Other B.Another C.The other D.The
正确答案:B
13.A.quotation B.quality C.quarter D.four
正确答案:C
14.A.banned B.developed C.limited D.controlled
正确答案:B
15.A.lose B.catastrophe C.disaster D.damage
正确答案:D
