The discussion on renewable energy has been going on for at least a decade and people have relied on fossil fuels almost entirely for more than a century. However, the situation when fossil fuels were the most efficient and the cheapest source of energy has been left far in the past. Many countries such as Germany and Sweden have already made significant efforts to fix this situation, employing numerous power plants working on the renewable resources of energy. The most effective among these resources is geothermal (地热的) energy.
Geothermal energy does not depend on the world’s economic and political situation as strongly as fossil fuels do. Besides, extracting (提炼) fossil fuels adds to the price of energy produced from them. Therefore, geothermal energy is much cheaper than traditional ones, saving up to 80% of the costs over fossil fuels.
Being a renewable resource, geothermal energy produces less waste and pollution than traditional energy sources. In geothermal systems, carbon dioxide makes up about 10% of air produced. Overall, in order to produce the electricity that can be used for one hour, the geothermal systems produce 0.1 pound of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases. For a comparison, a power plant producing from gas produces up to 2 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and those power plants that work on coal (煤) produce an astonishing 3.6 pounds of greenhouse gases.
Low costs is another reason why using geothermal power plants should be the first choice for many countries. Geothermal heat systems require 25% to 50% less energy for work compared with the traditional systems for heating or cooling. Besides, geothermal equipment is less big: due to the very nature of geothermal energy, geothermal power plants have only a few moving parts, all of which can be easily sheltered inside a relatively small building. What’s more, the life span of geothermal equipment is rather long. All these make geothermal power stations easy to build and keep.
1.Fossil fuels are more expensive than geothermal energy partly because _______.
A. it is free to use geothermal energy
B. fossil fuels are nearly used up
C. the production of fossil fuels costs a lot
D. geothermal energy doesn’t depend on political situation
2.According to Paragraph 3, what can be concluded from the comparison?
A. Coal is much more efficient than gas.
B. Gas and coal are often used to produce electricity.
C. Geothermal energy is environmentally friendly.
D. The geothermal systems don’t produce harmful gases.
3.Geothermal equipment is usually not as big as that of traditional energy because of ________.
A. the nature of geothermal energy B. geothermal power plants
C. life span of geothermal equipment D. the small buildings
4.What is the main idea of this passage?
A. Many countries have benefited from geothermal energy.
B. Geothermal energy is well accepted.
C. Geothermal energy has many advantages.
D. Fossil fuels are being run out of.
Northern Ireland Visitor Guide
Passport/Visa Requirements
Passport Advice Line (UK) T: 0300 222 000
www.ips.gov.uk
UK nationals can travel without a passport but will need photographic identification. Passports are not required for travel between Northern Ireland and the Republic. For further information, contact the British Embassy in your country of origin.
Telephone
To call Northern Ireland from abroad, dial 0044 + area code (without 0) + local number. From the Republic of Ireland, dial 048 + area code(without 0) + local number. From elsewhere in UK or to make an internal call, dial area code (with 0) + local number. To call the Republic from Northern Ireland, dial 00353 + the area code (without 0) +local number.
Shopping
Victoria Square, Castle Court and many Belfast City centre stores have extended opening hours from 09:00 until 19:00 each weekday evening. Thursday is late night shopping until 21:00. On Sundays shops are open from 12:00/13:00 and stay open until 17:00/18:00.
Public Holidays
Banks are closed and transport services are reduced on public holidays. See www.discovemorthermrcland.com for up-to-date details.
Money
Sterling currency. Most large stores accept Euro. Main credit cards are in general use but bring cash too. In main towns, bank hours are 09:30-16:30. Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) dispense cash at hundreds of locations, banks, garages and shopping centres. Bureau de Change are in larger bank branches, travel agents, the Belfast Welcome Centre, some other tourist information centres, big hotels and at a few visitor attractions.
Tipping
Check your bill to see if a service charge has been made. If not and you’re satisfied with the service, add 10-15%.
Left Luggage
T: +44 (0)28 9024 6609
Belfast Welcome Centre is the only place that provides this service. £ 3 per item for up to 4hrs. £4.50 4hrs+. Last pick up is 15 minutes before closing.
Medical Insurance
T: 0845 606 0707
(UK), +44 (0) 191 212 7500 www.ehic.org.uk
You need to obtain a European Health Insurance card (EHIC) which will allow you to access state-provided healthcare in all European Economic Area (EEA) countries at a reduced cost or sometimes free of charge. You can apply online at their website or by telephone. Visitors are strongly advised to take out private travelinsurance.
Emergency Services
Dial 999 for emergency services. If your passport is lost or stolen, contact the local police station, embassy or consulate.
All Ireland Information
For details on the rest of Ireland visit: www.diseoverireland.com.
1.If Jack wants to call his friend in Northern Ireland from London, he should dial ________.
A. are code (with 0) + local number
B. 048 + area code (without 0) + local number
C. 0044 + area code (without 0) + local number
D. 00353 + the area code (without 0) + local number
2.While travelling in Northern Ireland, you ________.
A. can shop until 21:00 on Thursdays
B. needn’t leave a tip after receiving service
C. can use American dollars to buy what you want
D. can draw money from banks from 9:00 to 16:30 every day
3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the above Visitor Guide?
A. A German needn’t a passport to travel in Northern Ireland.
B. A visitor can dial 999 in emergency situations while in Northern Ireland.
C. Any European can get healthcare in Northern Ireland at a reduced cost or free of charge.
D. A visitor will be charged £ 3 for leaving luggage in Belfast Welcome Centre for 6 hours.
假如你是李华，你们班同学打算本周六去爬长城，请你给外教Chris写一封信，邀请他参加此次活动。请包括以下内容：
1. 介绍活动的相关信息（时间、集合地点、交通工具等）；
2. 携带物品（午餐、相机、雨伞等）。
注意: 1. 词数100左右； 2. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Chris,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1）每处错误及其修改仅限一词；
2）只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Dear Janice,
It’s been a month since I came to this new school and I really want share with you some problems. As I tell you last time, I made three new friend here. We’ve been spending a lot of time sing in karaoke bars. It’s been three Saturdays now and it really costs me many money. And I started to see this as a time-wasting activity! In fact, I don’t like to go anymore, so I’m afraid I’ll lose their friendship. How do you think I should do? If you are me, would you talk to him?
Please help with me and give me some advice.
Yours,
Grace
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容或括号内单词的正确形式。
Yuan Longping was born in 1930.Since he graduated from Southwest Agricultural College in 1953,he1.(devote)his life to finding ways2.(grow)more and more rice.As a young man, he saw the great need for increasing the rice output. At that time3.(hungry)was a serious problem in many parts of the countryside. Yuan searched 4. a way to increase rice harvests without 5.(expand) the areas of the fields.In 1950,Chinese farmers could produce about 56 million tons of rice.In6.recent harvest,however,nearly 200 million tons of rice were produced.These increased harvests mean that 22% of the world’s people7.(feed)from just 7% of the farmland in the world.Yuan LongPing is now circulating his knowledge in India and many other less8.(develop)countries to increase their rice harvests.9.(thank)to his research,the UN is trying to rid the world10.hunger.Using his hybrid rice,farmers are producing harvests twice as large as before.
A man died and was on his way to another____, either the Heaven or the Hell. He saw an extremely______palace half way and the owner of the palace______him to stay and live in the palace.
The man said, "I have been working______during my life and now I just want to eat and sleep ____any work."
The owner of the palace said, "_____, there is nowhere else better than here for you. There are a wealth of _____in my palace and you can eat whatever you want without anyone______you. ____, there is______that needs to be done by you." Then, the man settled down in the palace.
At the beginning, the man felt very______at the rotation（轮流）of eating and sleeping. But ____, he felt a bit lonely and empty. So he went to the owner and complained, "It is____to live by just eating and sleeping every day. Now I show no______in this kind of life any more. Could you help me find a______?"
The owner replied, "______,there is no job here at all."
After another several months, the man could not ____ the present life and went to the owner ____, "I really could not stand this sort of life any more. If you do not offer me a job, I would______to go to the Hell instead of living here."
The owner of the palace smiled contemptuously（轻蔑地）, "Do you think it is the Heaven here? It is______the Hell!"
1.A. hospital B. house C. place D. world
2.A. splendid B. mysterious C. free D. yellow
3.A. forced B. warned C. invited D. commanded
4.A. hard B. honestly C. comfortably D. heavily
5.A. Apart from B. without C. besides D. with
6.A. If. Any B. If possible C. If necessary D. If so
7.A. jewels B. food C. books D. money
8.A. noticing B. Asking C. stopping D. meeting
9.A. Moreover B. Otherwise C. Therefore D. However
10.A. Anything B. everything C. something D. nothing
11.A. surprised B. frightened C. mad D. happy
12.A. easily B. gradually C. confidently D. carefully
13.A. strange B. enjoyable C. relaxing D. boring
14.A. patience B. trust C. interest D. curiosity
15.A. job B. way out C. wife D. partner
16.A. Sorry B. Cheer up C. All right D. Never mind
17.A. handle B. lose C. bear D. risk
18.A. indeed B. Already C. Again D. Always
19.A. hope B. expect C. promise D. prefer
20.A. no longer B. Actually C. Also D. still
