2018全國英語等級考試二級閱讀試題（11）

　　With petroleum reserves (石油儲量) decreasing，the search is on to replace gas with a cleaner，greener alternative.Though much eco-talk has centered on biofuels from corn and soybeans，the biofuel that looks more likely to replace petroleum comes from a most unlikely source：algae (藻類).

　　Algae，like corn，soybeans，and other crops，grow via photosynthesis (光合作用) and can be processed into fuel oil.However，they yield 30 times more energy than land crops such as soybeans，according to the U.S.Department of Energy.Many algae species also can grow in saltwater and polluted water-while corn and soy require arable land and fresh water that will be in short supply as the world's population balloons.

　　“If you replaced all the diesel (柴油) in the U.S.with soy biodiesel，it would take half the land mass of the U.S.to grow those soybeans，”says Matt Caspari，chief executive of Aurora Biofuels，a Berkeley，Calif.-based private firm that specializes in algae oil technology.On the other hand，the Energy Department says that if algae fuel replaced all the petroleum fuel in the United States，it would require 15,000 square miles，which is a few thousand miles larger that Maryland (12,407 square miles)，the 42nd state in land area.

　　Another bonus：Because algae can be grown just about anywhere in a closed space，they 're being tested at several power plants across the nation as a carbon absorber.Smokestack emissions (煙囪排放物) can be pumped directly into the ponds，feeding the algae while keeping greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere.

　　Although processing technology for algae fuel—also known as “oilgae” in some environmentalist circles—is improving，it's still years away from reaching your local gas pump.“It's just a question of cost，because no large-scale facilities have been built yet，” Caspari says.

　　小題1:The underlined word “yield” in Paragraph 2 can be replaced by “________”.A.controlB.require

　　C.produceD.grow

　　小題2:Compared with corn and soybeans，algae ________.A.may pollute water and soil

　　B.can grow in poor conditions

　　C.provide much less energy

　　D.need more special care

　　小題3:According to Paragraph 3，one of the advantages of algae fuel is that ________.A.it can be used more widely

　　B.it is more easy to produce

　　C.it needs much less land

　　D.it costs much less money

　　小題4:What do we learn about algae from Paragraph 4?A.Algae help protect the environment.

　　B.People can grow algae anywhere.

　　C.Fish can get more oxygen from algae.

　　D.Algae produce less waste.

　　參考答案及解析

　　小題1:C

　　小題2:B

　　小題3:C

　　小題4:A

　　小題1:C　[詞義理解題。此處根據(jù)這句話的意思可以推斷出它們產(chǎn)生的能量比大豆之類的農(nóng)作物要多30倍。因此答案C正確。]

　　小題2:答案　B　[細(xì)節(jié)推斷題。根據(jù)第二段第三句的can grow in saltwater and polluted water和require arable land and fresh water可知，玉米和大豆需要有良好的環(huán)境才能生長，而藻類在較差的環(huán)境下也能夠生長。]

　　小題3:答案　C　[細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第三段最后一句On the other hand...the 42nd state in land area可知，如果藻類燃料全部代替美國的石油燃料，所需土地比馬里蘭州的面積多一些，而該州面積僅居全美國第42位。聯(lián)系本段第一句的it would take half the land mass of the U.S. to grow those soybeans可知，生產(chǎn)藻類燃料僅需很少的土地。]

　　小題4:答案　A　[推理判斷題。根據(jù)第四段第二句Smokestack emissions can...of the atmosphere 可知，煙囪排放物能夠直接排入養(yǎng)殖著藻類的池塘，既向藻類提供了養(yǎng)料，又防止了溫室氣體污染大氣�？梢�，藻類對保護(hù)環(huán)境有利。]