Question

    Flying has shrunk the world! It’s now possible to travel around the globe quickly and easily. Jumping on a plane and jetting off on holiday or a business trip is the norm for many of us, and with the rise of budget airlines, the number of people taking to the skies is increasing. But while air travel is costing us less, the cost to the environment is going up.

Climate change is something we’re all aware of now, and aviation companies know that some of the blame for this is being pointed at them. Last year airlines were forecasted to use about 97bn gallons of jet fuel.

But while we could think twice about taking a flight in the first place, particularly a short trip that could be made by train, technology might be the answer to reducing emissions and minimising the environmental damage.

Recent developments have focused on reducing the amount of fuel airliners(大型客机) burn. Making flying green and sustainable was the hot topic at the recent Dubai Air Show. There was talk of advances in engine technology, making them more efficient, and possibly using biofuel to power aircraft.

Rios Galvan, a bioenergy expert and professor at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, told the BBC that “these have the capacity to reduce the carbon footprint anywhere between 50-80 percent when you compare them to fuels.”

And Phil Curnock, chief engineer of the civil future programme at Rolls-Royce, also suggested that electric hybrid engines (混合动力发动机) could play a part for smaller aircraft, covering shorter distances. He says “it offers the possibility of a carbon-neutral flight for a limited range.”

Of course, aircraft manufacturers are constantly looking at ways to make their planes more fuel efficient. Boeing’s Dreamliner, for example, is already in operation and uses 25 percent less fuel per passenger compared with aircraft of a similar size. Other improvements include better aircraft aerodynamics (空气动力学), changes to ways aircraft taxi (滑行) on runways, and the use of lighter materials.

1.What can we infer from Paragraph 1?

A.The earth gets smaller.

B.Budget airlines become popular.

C.Flying is favorite among passengers.

D.Air travel can do harm to environment.

2.What does the underlined word “minimising” mean?

A.Lowering. B.Consolidating.

C.Weakening. D.Increasing

3.Which of the following is true, according to the passage?

A.Boeing’s Dreamliner is a green aircraft.

B.Biofuel is a necessity to power airliners.

C.Electric hybrid engines have their limitations.

D.Ways will be found to reduce fuel consumption.

4.How can aircrafts be made more fuel efficient?

A.By bettering runways. B.By making smaller aircrafts.

C.By using the lighter materials. D.By using aircraft aerodynamics.

Answer

1.D

2.A

3.C

4.C

【解析】

这是一篇新闻报道。虽然如今人们可以轻松快捷地环游世界，乘飞机旅行花费更少，但对环境的成本却在上升。在最近的迪拜航空展上，让飞行更环保、更可持续是一个热门话题。会议讨论了发动机技术的进步，提高了发动机的效率，并可能使用生物燃料为飞机提供动力。文章还说明了一位生物能源专家Rios Galvan对生物燃料的看法以及首席工程师 Phil Curnock对混合动力发动机的看法。

1.推理判断题。根据第一段最后一句But while air travel is costing us less, the cost to the environment is going up.可知但是，虽然乘飞机旅行花费更少，但对环境的成本却在上升。由此可推知，乘飞机旅行对环境有害。故选D。

2.词义猜测题。根据上文But while we could think twice about taking a flight in the first place, particularly a short trip that could be made by train, technology might be the answer to reducing emissions and可知但是，虽然我们可以在一开始就考虑乘坐飞机，尤其是乘坐火车这样的短途旅行，但技术可能是减少排放和最大限度降低环境破坏的答案。and连接的前后两个动词为近义词，故划线单词意思为“减少，降低”。故选A。

3.细节理解题。根据倒数第二段中He says “it offers the possibility of a carbon-neutral flight for a limited range.”可知他说：“它提供了在有限范围内实现碳中和飞行的可能性。”由此可知，电动混合动力引擎有其局限性。故选C。

4.细节理解题。根据最后一段中Other improvements include better aircraft aerodynamics, changes to ways aircraft taxi on runways, and the use of lighter materials.可知其他改进包括更好的飞机空气动力学，改变飞机在跑道上滑行的方式，以及使用更轻的材料。由此可知，使用较轻的材料可以使飞机更省油。故选C。