Question

【題目】閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的四個(gè)選項(xiàng)（A、B、C和D）中，選出最佳選項(xiàng)。

Sunny countries are often poor. A shame, then, that solar power is still quite expensive. Eight19, a British company by Cambridge University, has, however, invented a novel way to get round this. In return for a deposit of around $10 it is supplying poor Kenyan families with a solar cell able to generate 2.5 watts of electricity, a battery that can deliver a three amp（安培） current to store this electricity, and a lamp whose bulb is a light-emitting diode（二極管）. The firm thinks that this system, once the battery is fully charged, is enough to light two small rooms and to power a mobile-phone charger for seven hours. Then, next day, it can be put outside and charged back up again.

The trick is that, to be able to use the electricity, the system's keeper must buy a scratch card—for as little as a dollar—on which is printed a reference number. The keeper sends this reference, plus the serial number of the household solar unit, by SMS to Eight19. The company's server will respond automatically with an access code to the unit.

Users may consider that they are paying an hourly rate for their electricity. In fact, they are paying off the cost of the unit. After buying around $80 worth of scratch cards—which Eight19 expects would take the average family around 18 months—the user will own it. He will then have the option of continuing to use it for nothing, or of trading it in for a bigger one, perhaps driven by a 10-watt solar cell.

In that case, he would go then through the same process again, paying off the additional cost of the upgraded kit at a slightly higher rate. Users would therefore increase their electricity supply steadily and afford ably.

According to Eight19's figures, this looks like a good deal for customers. The firm believes the average energy-starved Kenyan spends around $10 a month on oil—enough to fuel a couple of smoky lamps—plus $2 on charging his mobile phone in the market-place. Regular users of one of Eight19's basic solar units will spend around half that, before owning it completely. Meanwhile, as the cost of solar technology falls, it should get even cheaper.

【1】The underlined word “get round” in the first paragraph can be replaced by _______ .

A. make use of B. come up with

C. look into D. deal with

【2】How much would users pay for the cell and scratch cards before they own a 2.5-watt solar cell?

A. Around $10. B. Around $80.

C. Around $90. D. Around $180.

【3】It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ____________.

A. Kenyan families would find it difficult to afford the solar cell

B. using the solar cell would help Kenyan families save money

C. few Kenyan families use mobile phones for lack of electricity

D. the company will make a great profit from selling solar cells

【4】What might be the most suitable title for the passage?

A. Solar Energy: Starting from Scratch.

B. Eight19: a creative British Company.

C. Kenyan Families: Using Solar Energy for Free.

D. Poor Countries: Beginning to Use Solar Energy.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】D

【2】C

【3】B

【4】A

【解析】

試題分析：本文主要討論的是英國(guó)的一家公司對(duì)太陽(yáng)能的一種新的運(yùn)作的方法。

【1】D 推理題。根據(jù)文章1,2行Sunny countries are often poor. A shame, then, that solar power is still quite expensive. Eight19, a British company by Cambridge University, has, however, invented a novel way to get round this.可知這些有陽(yáng)光的國(guó)家通常都比較貧窮，現(xiàn)在英國(guó)的這家公司找到一個(gè)方法來(lái)處理這一問(wèn)題，故D項(xiàng)正確。

【2】C細(xì)節(jié)題。根據(jù)文章1,3段In return for a deposit of around $10 it is supplying poor Kenyan families with a solar cell able to generate 2.5 watts of electricity,和After buying around $80 worth of scratch cards—which Eight19 expects would take the average family around 18 months—the user will own it. 作為存款約10美元的回報(bào)，該公司為貧窮的肯尼亞家庭提供能夠產(chǎn)生2.5瓦電力的太陽(yáng)能電池….在購(gòu)買(mǎi)（Eight19期望將花費(fèi)平均每個(gè)家庭18個(gè)月左右且）價(jià)值約80美元的刮刮樂(lè)后，用戶(hù)將擁有它，說(shuō)明一共要付90美元，故C正確。

【3】B 推斷題。根據(jù)文章最后一段According to Eight19's figures, this looks like a good deal for customers. The firm believes the average energy-starved Kenyan spends around $10 a month on oil—enough to fuel a couple of smoky lamps—plus $2 on charging his mobile phone in the market-place. 可知，這看起來(lái)對(duì)用戶(hù)來(lái)說(shuō)是一個(gè)很好的協(xié)議，該公司認(rèn)為，肯尼亞的平均能源匱乏，肯尼亞人每月花費(fèi)在石油上花費(fèi)約10美元，足以燃燒許多煤油燈，在市場(chǎng)上對(duì)其手機(jī)額外加收2美元。說(shuō)明肯尼亞人也可以從中獲益，故B正確。

【4】A 主旨大意題。本文主要討論的是英國(guó)的一家公司對(duì)太陽(yáng)能的一種新的運(yùn)作的方法，故A正確。