Question

The days of having to carry a phone charger everywhere could soon be over. Michigan researchers have revealed a major breakthrough in harvesting energy from human motion. They say it could lead to smartphones powered for a week by the motion of a swipe(重击).

Michigan State University’s low-cost device, known as a nanogenerator, has already been tested. Scientists successfully operated an LCD touch screen, a bank of 20 LED lights and a flexible keyboard, all with a simple touching or pressing motion and without the aid of a battery. The groundbreaking findings, published in the journal Nano Energy, suggest “We’re on the path toward wearable devices powered by human motion,” said Nelson Sepulveda, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and lead researcher of the project.

“What I foresee, relatively soon, is the capability of not having to charge your cell phone for an entire week, for example, because that energy will be produced by your movement,” said Sepulveda, whose research is funded by the National Science Foundation.

Electrical energy is created when the device is compressed by human motion. The completed device is as thin as a sheet of paper. The device used to power the LED lights was palm-sized, while the device used to power the touch screen was as small as a finger. Advantages such as being lightweight, flexible and low-cost could make it a promising and alternative method in the field of Mechanical-energy harvesting.

The device also becomes more powerful when folded. Sepulveda said, “You can start with a large device, but when you fold it once, and again, and again, it’s much smaller and has more energy. Now it may be small enough to put in a specially made heel of your shoe so it creates power each time your heel strikes the ground.”

Sepulveda and his team are also developing technology that would transmit the power generated by the heel strike to, say, a wireless headset.

1.Who is Nelson Sepulveda?

A. The major researcher in the project.    B. A professor of engineering.

C. The fund supplier of the research.    D. A journalist writing for Nano Energy.

2.The underlined word device in the 2nd paragraph is closest in meaning to ________.

A. keyboard    B. smartphone    C. screen    D. machine

3.From the passage we know that the nanogenerator ________.

A. becomes more powerful when kept flat

B. has already come into market in the USA

C. is lightweight and flexible though expensive

D. makes it possible to produce power by walking

4.The purpose of the passage is to ________.

A. persuade people to buy the device    B. bring in a new way to save energy

C. introduce a breakthrough in science    D. honor Nelson Sepulveda for his contributions

Answer

1.A

2.D

3.D

4.C

【解析】本文在介绍科学上的一项重大突破。密歇根的研究人员取得了一项重大突破，可从人体动作中收集能量。

1.A细节理解题。根据第二段最后一句中said Nelson Sepulveda, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and lead researcher of the project.可知，Nelson Sepulveda是项目的主要研究者。故选A。

2.D词义猜测题。根据第二段第一句中known as a nanogenerator, has already been tested(纳米发电器，已通过测试)可知，前文划线部分的意思应该是“机器”，故选D。

3.D推理判断题。根据第二段中“We’re on the path toward wearable devices powered by human motion（我们正在走向可穿戴设备，由人体运动来驱动。）”可知，通过步行来生产动力已变成可能。故选D。

4.C推理判断题。根据文章第一段The days of having to carry a phone charger everywhere could soon be over. Michigan researchers have revealed a major breakthrough in harvesting energy from human motion. They say it could lead to smartphones powered for a week by the motion of a swipe（重击）（随身携带手机充电器的日子可能即将过去。密歇根的研究人员取得了一项重大突破，可从人体动作中收集能量。研究人员称，从刷手机这一动作中获取的能量足以供智能手机续航一周。）可知，本文在介绍科学上的一项重大突破。故选C。