A solar-powered car that can be charged as it runs is being tested in Germany.
Munich-based manufacturer(制造商)Sono Motors has built the new type, named Sion, and will likely help the European powerhouse hit its national target of 1 million electric cars on the road by 2020.
Sono Motors has solar cells fixed into Sion’s bodywork, with a total of 330 solar cells built into the roof, bonnet and sides of the vehicle. These enable the vehicle’s battery to be charged when sunlight is hitting the solar cells, whether it is on the road, or parked in the sunny spot in a car park.
The solar-powered vehicle is set to be launched in Germany in 2019.
Sono Motors wants Sion to be universal and allows the car to be charged using solar energy as well as conventional outlets(电源插座), so car owners aren’t left on cloudy days.
The firm has made a 2019 date for mass production, which will be undertaken(承担) by a European manufacturer. Some 6,500 people have already placed orders for the electric vehicle. Prices for Sion tend to start from € 16,000 next year. The all-electric vehicle will offer a range of around 250 km before the battery runs out completely and it needs recharging either by solar power or using a wall plug, the company said.
Sion was designed originally as an environmentally conscious car, but will also include a number of features designed around comfort to help it compete with other modern vehicles.
“We have a seat heater, air conditioning, and a large entertainment system where I can also connect my phone, which means I really have a full vehicle,” Laurin Hahn, co-founder of the company told Reuters.
1.From the third paragraph we can know that .
A.the car is popular on the road B.the car has a very large battery
C.there are 330 solar cells on the car D.where there is sunlight, Sion can be charged
2.What does the underlined word in Paragraph 4 “launch” mean?
A.design B.release C.improve D.recall
3.Why does the car not break down when it is cloudy?
A.Because it is made from the rainproof material.
B.Because it can be charged by clouds on cloudy days.
C.Because it can store a great deal of energy.
D.Because it can be charged by conventional power outlets.
4.What are the features of the car?
A.Modern, powerful and popular. B.Environmental, comfortable and competitive.
C.Environmental, cheap and simple. D.Expensive, fashionable and energy-saving.
Rosie Dutton, a teacher from Relax Kids in Tamworth, UK, used two apples to show her students the often unseen but harmful effects of school bullying (欺凌).
She posted the lesson on Facebook, where it's been shared more than 160,000 times. Rosie Dutton explained that during one of her classes she presented the children with two red apples. What the kids didn't know was that before the lesson, she had repeatedly dropped one of the apples on the floor. And yet, on the outside at least, both apples looked perfect.
“I picked up the apple I'd dropped on the floor and started to tell the children how I disliked this apple, “ Dutton wrote. “I told them that because I didn't like it, I didn't want them to like it either, so they should call it names too. “ Some of the children looked at her as if she were “crazy” , but the students passed the apple around the circle, calling it names.
Continuing the exercise, the teacher then passed the second apple around the circle. This apple, however, was showered with words like “Your skin is beautiful” and “What a beautiful colour you have” .
Dutton then showed the students both apples once again, stressing that “there was no change, and both apples still looked the same. “
Finally, Dutton cut both apples open. The apple that the class treated kindly looked fresh inside. But the other apple-the one they'd treated poorly-was bruised(碰伤的)beneath its skin.
“I think there was a light bulb moment for the children immediately, “ Dutton said. “When people are bullied, especially children, they feel horrible inside and sometimes don't show or tell others how they are feeling. If we hadn't cut that apple open, we would never have known how much pain we had caused it. “
Dutton explained how important it is to teach children to stand up for one another, and to stop any form of bullying.
“Let's create a generation of kind caring children, “ the teacher wrote. “The tongue has no bones, but is strong enough to break a heart. So be careful with your words. “
1.What had the teacher done to the first apple before the lesson?
A.She had introduced it to the kids. B.She had coloured it bright.
C.She had made it look perfect. D.She had damaged it purposely.
2.What does the underlined part “call it names” (Para. 3) mean?
A.Shout at it. B.Make fun of it. C.Cheer for it. D.Say rude things.
3.What did the teacher tell the kids to do with the second apple?
A.Drop it. B.Praise it. C.Ignore it. D.Respect it.
4.What's the purpose of the teacher's using two apples in class?
A.To draw the kids’ attention.
B.To explain her personal preferences.
C.To help the kids understand the results of bullying.
D.To make a comparison between them.
Right in front of the Minneapolis Central Library, a row of green bikes sits parked in a special stand. Each bike is designed with the logo “Nice Ride”-the name of the city's bike-sharing programme.
Nice Ride bikes are a lot like the library books that people come here to borrow. To rent a bike, you simply use your membership card at a Nice Ride bike station. Members can rent one of 1,200 bikes from 138 stations throughout Minnesota's largest city. People use the Nice Ride bikes to go to work, to go out on business, or just to enjoy the city's many bike paths.
The rise of bike-sharing programmes like Nice Ride is encouraging more people than ever to choose biking over driving. Skyrocketing gas prices and concerns about the environment have also gotten people to dust off their bike helmets, pump air into flat tires, and hit the road.
Why ride? Not only is biking good exercise, but switching from a car to a bike also cuts down the amount of pollution in the air. Carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas linked to climate change, is one of the many polluting substances that come out of a car's tail pipe.
Bike-sharing systems are found around the world in cities like London, Paris, Barcelona, and Melbourne. The largest programme with 70,000 bikes-is in Wuhan, China.
To make roads friendlier to non-motorists, the US Department of Transportation has invested more than a billion dollars in cycling and pedestrian projects in recent years. The money went towards building thousands of miles of on-street bike lanes and pedestrian-only passages called greenways.
1.Which of the following can people do with the bikes?
A.Earn a living. B.Enjoy bikeways.
C.Compete in a race. D.Rent them out to others.
2.What is Paragraph 4 mainly about?
A.Benefits of biking.
B.Pollution caused by cars.
C.Methods to use the bikes.
D.Measures to decrease pollution.
3.Which of the following is true of Nice Ride?
A.China has better public bike systems than it. B.It will take the place of taxi companies.
C.It attracts more people to choose biking. D.The government lacks money to support it.
4.What is the author's purpose in writing this text?
A.To seek advice for Nice Ride.
B.To compare Nice Ride with libraries.
C.To raise money for bike-sharing programmes.
D.To introduce the bike-sharing system in public places.
Come to the AG Society's expedition (探险) program and you will surely get unique experiences! SWIM WITH THE HUMPBACKS(座头鲸) OF TONGA
Darren Jew and his team are your hosts for an unforgettable AG Society adventure, filled with in- water meetings with humpback whales in the Kingdom of Tonga's group of islands.
WHO: Darren Jew's underwater whales
DATES: 26 September-4 October 2018
COST: $ 5,450 per person
BOOKINGS: Call 0756679413, email reservations @ whalesunderwater.com or visit whalesunderwater.com
11-DAY KIMBERLEY COASTAL CRUISE(乘船浏览)
The AG Society is partnering with APT to present an exciting voyage along the Kimberley coastline. Expedition cruising offers the easiest way to explore the Kimberley. Guests on this 11-day voyage will go ashore, explore natural wonders, meet traditional owners, see rock art and spot wildlife.
WHO: APT
DATES: 6 - 16 September 2018
COST: $ 13,395 per person
BOOKINGS: Visit kimberleywild.com. au
LIGHTNING RIDGE FOSSIL(化石) DIG
The AG Society offers you a chance to hunt for fossils. Guided by experts, you'll go to special locations, seeking new fossils for the collections of the Australian Opal Centre. Your discoveries will further establish these museum collections as a world-class scientific and cultural resource. There are also a series of lectures on mining history, fossils, dinosaur hunting and new dinosaurs.
WHO: The Australian Opal Centre
DATES: 20 -25 August 2018
COST: $ 2,200 per person, including all activities and lunches and dinners
BOOKINGS: Call 0427904587, email dig @ stralianopalcentre.com or visit australianopalcentre.com
AG DEVIL ARK EXPEDITION
Come and join Tim Faulkner for a unique hands-on experience with this Tasmanian devil (袋獾) feeding program in the beautiful Barrington Tops of NSW. You'll get to see Tasmanian devils up close when you help with feeding individuals.
In addition to working with the animals, there'll be opportunities to explore the area's natural treasures and spot local wildlife. Don't miss your chance to get involved in this important conservation effort.
WHO: Devil Ark
DATES: 24 - 26 November 2018
COST: $ 1,750 per person
BOOKINGS: Call 0243408610, email info @ devilark.org. au or visit devilark.org. au
1.If you join in LIGHTNING RIDGE FOSSIL DIG, you can .
A.go to seek new fossils individually
B.learn something about mining history
C.collect the world-class scientific fossils
D.become an expert and go to special locations
2.What can you do if you take part in AG DEVIL ARK EXPEDITION?
A.Help protect wildlife. B.Learn about dinosaurs.
C.Watch humpback whales. D.Enjoy an exciting voyage.
3.Which program will you choose if you want to enjoy rock art?
A.AG DEVIL ARK EXPEDITION.
B.LIGHTNING RIDGE FOSSIL DIG.
C.11-DAY KIMBERLEY COASTAL CRUISE.
D.SWIM WITH THE HUMPBACKS OF TONGA.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.What is the speaker’s purpose to give the talk?
A.To tell about a museum program.
B.To teach a science lesson.
C.To introduce a museum.
2.What will children do the next morning?
A.Have a car race. B.Watch a film. C.Create science projects.
3.What will the speaker do after the talk?
A.Leave for the museum. B.Show the listeners around. C.Answer the listeners’ questions.
4.What can we learn from the talk?
A.Children don’t need to bring anything.
B.Children will learn about plastic next time.
C.Children under 14 aren’t allowed to take part.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Why is the woman talking to the man?
A.She wants to choose a good sport.
B.She can’t find the way to a gym.
C.She wants to join a gym.
2.What does the man like best?
A.Weight-lifting. B.Swimming. C.Dancing.
3.How does the man pay?
A.In cash. B.By credit card. C.By cheque.
4.What does the man suggest the woman do in the end?
A.Meet him tomorrow. B.Bring her sports shoes. C.Go dancing three times a week.
