According to the US government, wind farms off the Pacific coast could produce 900 gig watts of electricity every year. Unfortunately, the water there is far too deep for even the tallest windmills(see picture)to touch bottom. An experiment under way off the coast of Norway, however, could help put them anywhere.
The project, called Hywind, is the world’s first large-scale deepwater wind turbine(涡轮发电机).Although it uses a fairly standard 152-ton,2.3-megawatt turbine, Hywind represents totally new technology. The turbine will be fixed 213 feet above the water on a floating spar(see picture),a technology Hywind’s creator, the Norwegian company StatoilHydro, has developed recently. The steel spar, which is filled with stones and goes 328 feet below the sea surface, will be tied to the ocean floor by three cable(缆索)；these will keep the spar stable and prevent the turbine from moving up and down in the waves. Hywind’s stability(稳定性)in the cold and rough sea would prove that even the deepest corners of the ocean are suitable for wind power. If all goes according to plan, the turbine will start producing electricity six miles off the coast of southwestern Norway as early as September.
To produce electricity on a large scale, a commercial wind farm will have to use bigger turbines than Hywind does, but it’s difficult enough to balance such a large turbine so high on a floating spar in the middle of the ocean. To make that turbine heavier, the whole spar’s to design a new kind of wind turbine, one whose gearbox(变速箱) sits at sea level rather than behind the blades (see picture )
Hywind is a test run, but the benefits for perfecting floating wind-farm technology could be extremely large. Out at sea, the wind is often stronger and steadier than close to shore, where all existing offshore windmills are planted. Deep-sea farms are invisible from land, which helps overcome the windmill-as-eyesore objection. If the technology catches on, it will open up vast areas of the planet’s surface to one of the best low-carbon power sources available.
The Hywind project uses totally new technology to ensure the stability of _______.
| A．the cables which tie the spar to the ocean floor |
| B．the spar which is floating in deep-sea water |
| C．the blades driven by strong and steady sea wind |
| D．the stones filled in the spar below the sea surface |
To balance a bigger turbine high on a flatting spar, a new type of turbine is to be designed with its gearbox sitting ____________.
| A．on the sea floor | B．on the spar top |
| C．at sea level | D．behind the blades |
Wide applications of deepwater wind power technology can ____________.
| A．solve the technical problems of deepwater windmills |
| B．make financial profits by producing more turbines |
| C．settle the arguments about environmental problems |
| D．explore low-carbon power resources available at sea |
A deal has been signed to turn by-products from a Scottish distillery（酿酒厂）into fuel for cars.
In what is declared to be a world first, the Tullibardine distillery in Perthshire has linked up with a spin-out company from Napier University in Edinburgh. They plan to use bacteria to feed on the "leftovers" from the whisky（威士忌酒）making process. This will produce butanol which can be used to fuel vehicles.
More than 90% of the stuff that comes out of a whisky distillery is not whisky. It is leftovers like draff and pot ales（酒糟）— both produced in the early stages of the process. They are high in sugar and are currently used for things like fertiliser and cattle feed. Napier University's Biofuel Research Centre (BfRC) has already shown that the right bacteria can feed on those by-products to produce butanol—a direct replacement for vehicle fuel. Now the spin-out company, Celtic Renewables, and independent whisky producer Tullibardine have signed an agreement. Together they will apply the process to thousands of tons of the distillery's leftovers.
Professor Martin Tangney, founder of Celtic Renewables, said "Our partnership with Tullibardine is an important step in the development of a business which combines two important Scottish industries — whisky and renewables. This project shows that creative use of existing technologies can utilize resources on our doorstep to benefit both the environment and the economy."
Douglas Ross, managing director of Tullibardine, which spends £250,000 disposing of its by-products every year, said "We are delighted to be partnering Celtic Renewables in this creative business, the obvious benefits of which are environmental. It takes a cost to us and turns it into something that has social as well as commercial value."
The project is being supported by a grant（拨款） from the Scottish government's Zero Waste Scotland initiative. Celtic Renewables said it eventually aimed to build a processing plant in Scotland, with the hope of building an industry that could be worth £60m a year.
According to the passage, ______will be used to take the place of petrol.
| A．whisky | B．whisky leftovers |
| C．butanol | D．draff and pot ales |
How do people deal with whisky leftovers at present?
| A．They throw them away. |
| B．They use them to feed people. |
| C．They use them to feed bacteria. |
| D．They use them for crops or cattle. |
What does the underlined word “utilize” in the fourth paragraph probably mean?
| A．make use of. | B．get rid of. |
| C．use up. | D．find out. |
Which of the following categories does this passage belong to?
a. Health b. Science c. Food
d. Nature e. Environment f. Business
| A．b,c,e | B．b,e,f | C．a,b,f | D．a,b,c |
Sometimes people call each other "freaked-cat", but have you ever thought about this expression? When a cat is frightened, its heart starts beating faster, its muscles get tense, and there are changes in the chemicals in its bloodstream. Although the cat doesn't realize this, its body is getting ready for action. If the danger continues, the animal will do one of two things. It will defend itself, or it will run away as fast as it can.
Something like this also happens to people. When we are excited, angry, scared, or aroused by other emotions , our bodies go through many physical changes. Our hearts beat faster, and our muscles get tense. All of these changes make us more alert and ready to react. We, too, get ready to defend ourselves or run.
Human beings, however, have a problem that animals never face. If we give way to our feelings and let them take over, we can get into trouble. Have you ever said something in anger —or hit somebody—and regretted it later? Have you ever shouted at a teacher, told somebody you were lonely, or said you were in love, and then wished later you had kept your mouth shut?It isn't always clever to express your feelings freely.
Does this mean that it's smarter always to hide our feelings? No! If you keep feelings of anger, sadness, and bitterness hidden away or bottled up inside, your body stays tense. Physical illness can develop. It can actually be bad for your health. It isn't good to keep pleasant feelings inside either; all feelings need to be expressed.
Feelings that you keep all bottled up inside don't just go away. It's as if you bought some bananas and stuck them in a cupboard. You might not be able to see them. but before long you' d smell them. And if you opened the cupboard, chances are that you'd see little fruit flies flying all over them. They'd be rotten.
You can try to treat emotions as if they were bananas in the cupboard. You can hide them and you can pretend they don't exist, but they'll still be around. And at last you'll have to deal with them. just like those bananas. The best title for this article is_____.
| A．Emotions Affect Our Bodies |
| B．What Happens to A Frightened Cat |
| C．What Happens to An Excited Person |
| D．Feelings That People Have |
What does the word "freaked" mean in the first sentence?
| A．excite | B．scared | C．angry | D．shocked |
According to the passage, we may conclude that we human beings_____.
| A．have fewer problems than animals |
| B．have the same problems as animals |
| C．have more problems than animals |
| D．have cleverer problems than animals |
The author wrote this article in order to_____.
| A．give us some advice on how to express our feelings |
| B．make us face the problem that we have to deal with feelings |
| C．make us know that it isn't always wise to express our feelings freely |
| D．tell us that it isn't good to keep feelings inside |
“The Boxtrolls”
From Laika Entertainment, the animation house behind “Coraline” and “ParaNorman” comes, “The Boxtrolls,” adapted from the children’s book “Here Be Monsters!” by Alan Snow. The movie, about a boy who is raised by unusual creatures, features the voices of Ben Kingsley, Simon Pegg and Elle Fanning. Opens Sept. 26. Area theatres.
“Awake and Sing!”
Olney presents the 1935 comic drama by Clifford Odets about a Brooklyn family struggling through the Great Depression. Step. 24 through Oct. 19. Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Rd., Olney. 301-924-3400.www.olneytheatre.org. $38.50-63.50.
Fiesta DC
Celebrate the city’s Latino culture with a parade, dance, music and more. Sept. 21. Parade: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Constitution Avenue from Seventh Street NW to 14th Street NW. Festival: Noon to 7 p.m. Pennsylvania Avenue, between Ninth and 14th streets NW. 202-489-7141.www.fiestadc. org.
“On Paper: Alternate Realities”
The 26 pieces by American artists, including Raymond Pettibon and lona Rozeal Brown, take inspiration from popular culture, using art to explore dark themes. Through April 12. Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr., Baltimore. 443-573-17000. www. artma. org.
“Untitled: The Art of James Castle”
A self-taught artist from rural Idaho, Castle used whatever was available-newspaper, coal, sticks-to create buildings, landscapes, people and more. Sept.26 through Feb.1. American Art Museum, Eighth and F streets NW. 202-633-1000. www. americanart. si. edu.
Neo-impressionism at the Phillips
“Neo-impressionism and the Dream of Realities: Painting, Poetry, Music” displays works by artists such as Georges Seurat, who presented stylized landscapes and people. Sept. 27 through Jan. 11. Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW. 202-387-2151. www. phillipscollection. org. $ 12; $ 10 for students and senitors; free for age 18 and younger.
“Driving Miss Daisy”
Ford’s Theatre starts its season with the Pulitzer Prize winner about the decades-long relationship between an aging woman and her black driver in Atlanta. Washington stage actors Nancy Robinette and Craig Wallace perform in this beloved classic. Sept. 26 through Oct. 26. Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. 202-347-4833. www. fordstheatre. org. $20-$62.Which of the following may attract kids most?
| A．“The Boxtrolls.” |
| B．“Awake and Sing!” |
| C．“Driving Miss Daisy.” |
| D．“On Paper: Alternate Realities.” |
If you want to observe a cultural festival, you can go to ______.
| A．Area theatres on Sept. 26 |
| B．Ford’s Theatre on Sept. 26 |
| C．Constitution Avenue before 10 p.m. on Sept. 21 |
| D．Pennsylvania Avenue on the afternoon of Sept. 21 |
We can infer that the text is ________.
| A．a research report |
| B．a going out guide |
| C．a review of different arts |
| D．an introduction to famous works |
As you are probably aware, the latest job markets news isn’t good: Unemployment is still more than 9 percent, and new job growth has fallen close to zero. That’s bad for the economy, of course. And it may be especially discouraging if you happen to be looking for a job or hoping to change careers right now. But it actually shouldn’t matter to you nearly as much as you think. That’s because job growth numbers don’t matter to job hunters as much as job staff-turnover(人员流动)data. After all, existing jobs open up every day due to promotions, resignations(辞职), and retirements. (Yes, people are retiring even in this economy.)In both good times and bad, staff-turnover creates more openings than economic growth does. Even in June of 2014, when the economy was still booming along, job growth was only 132，000, while staff-turn over was 4.7 million!
And as it turns out, even today—with job growth near zero—over 4 million job hunters are being hired every month.
I don’t mean to imply that overall job growth doesn’t have an impact on one’s ability to land a job. It’s true that if total employment were higher. It would mean more jobs for all of us to choose from(and compete for). And it's true that there are currently more people applying for each available job opening, regardless of whether it’s a new one or not.
But what often distinguishes those who land jobs from those who don’t is their ability to stay motivated. They’re willing to do the hard work of identifying their valuable skills; be creative about where and how to look；learn how to present themselves to potential employers; and keep going, even after repeated rejections. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that 2.7 million people who wanted and were available for work hadn’t hunted for it within the last four weeks and were no longer even classified as unemployed.
So don’t let the headlines fool you into giving up．Four million people get hired every month in the U.S. You can be one of them.The author tends to believe that high unemployment rate____.
| A．takes job opportunities from people |
| B．prevents many people from changing careers |
| C．does not mean the U.S. economy is worsening |
| D．should not stop people from looking for a job |
What does the author say about overall job growth?
| A．It increases people’s confidence in the economy. |
| B．It doesn’t have much effect on individual job seekers. |
| C．It gives a ray of hope to the unemployed. |
| D．It doesn’t mean greater job security for the employed. |
What is the key to finding a job according to the author?
| A．Education | B．Intelligence |
| C．Experience | D．Persistence |
What do we learn about The Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment data?
| A．They clearly indicate how healthy the economy is. |
| B．They don’t include those who have stopped looking for a job. |
| C．They provide the public with the latest information. |
| D．They warn of the structural problems in the economy. |
We are all interested in equality, but while some people try to protect the school and examination system in the name of equality, others, still in the name of equality, want only to destroy it.
Any society which is interested in equality of opportunity and standards of achievement must regularly test its pupils. The standards may be changed—no examination is perfect—but to have tests or examinations would mean the end of equality and of standards. There are groups of people who oppose this view and who do not believe either in examinations or in any controls in school or on teachers. This would mean that everything would depend on luck since every pupil would depend on the efficiency, the values and the purpose of each teacher.
Without examinations, employers will look for employees from the highly respected schools and from families known to them －a form of favoritism will replace equality. At the moment, the bright child from an ill-respected school can show certificates to prove he or she is suitable for a job, while the lack of certificate indicates the unsuitability of a dull child attending a well-respected school. This defending of excellence and opportunity would disappear if examinations were taken away, and the bright child from a poor family would be a prisoner of his or her school’s reputation(声誉), unable to compete for employment with the child from the favored school.
The opponents of the examination system suggest that examinations are an evil force because they show differences between pupils. According to these people, there must be no special, different, academic class. They have evensuggested that there should be no form of difference in sport or any other area all jobs or posts should be filled by unsystematic selection. The selection would be made by people who themselves are probably selected by some computers.The word “favoritism” is used to describe the phenomenon that _____.
| A．children from well-respected schools tend to have good jobs |
| B．bright children also need certificates go get satisfying jobs. |
| C．poor children with certificates are favored in job markets |
| D．children attending ordinary schools achieve great success |
What would happen if exams were taken away according to the author?
| A．Schools for bright children would lose their reputation. |
| B．There would be more opportunities and excellence. |
| C．Children’s job opportunity would be affected by their school reputation. |
| D．Children from poor families would be able to change their schools. |
The opponents of the examination system will agree that _____.
| A．computers should be selected to take over many jobs |
| B．jobs should not be assigned（分配）by systematic selection |
| C．special classes are necessary to keep the school standards |
| D．schools with academic subjects should be done away with |
The passage mainly focuses on _____.
| A．examination and equality | B．schools and certificates |
| C．opportunity and employment | D．standards and reputation |
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