Scientists have found that floating solar panels could provide a huge amount of electricity if they were placed on lakes and other bodies of water around the world. Floating solar panels could also help save water and protect land.
Solar panels — also known as “photovoltaic” panels — are used to turn sunlight into electricity. Most solar panels are placed on land in large collections called solar farms. But recently people have begun to explore putting floating solar panels on water. Because these panels float, some people call them “floatovoltaies (浮动光伏)”.
The researchers behind the new study looked at 114,555 reservoirs (水库) worldwide. They used computer programs to figure out how much electricity could be produced yearly by covering 30% of these reservoirs with floating solar panels. The answer was surprisingly large — more than twice the amount of energy the United States generates in a year. And 10 times as much energy as all the solar power currently being generated in the world. The researchers described the results as “remarkable”.
The scientists found that floatovoltaies would be especially useful when reservoirs were near smaller cities (50,000 people or less). The researchers say there are about 6,256 cities around the world where floating solar panels could provide all the electricity the cities need.
Floatovoltaies can also help save water by limiting evaporation (蒸发) from reservoirs. The scientists say that solar panels covering just 30% of the reservoirs’ surfaces could save as much water as 300 million people would use in a year. There are several other reasons that make floatovoltaies a good idea. Photovoltaic panels work better when they’re not extremely hot. The water helps cool the panels so that they create more energy. Putting solar panels on water also means that there’s no need to clear land for a solar farm. That’s more and more important as countries work to fight climate change and protect natural spaces for wild animals.
1. What did the researchers think of the study results?| A．Skeptical. | B．Amazing. | C．Worrying. | D．Interesting. |
| A．In small cities with more rain and less sunshine. |
| B．In huge cities with many small lakes and rivers. |
| C．In tiny cities near reservoirs with less than 50,000 people. |
| D．In large cities far from reservoirs with more than 50,000 people. |
| A．It can help reduce water evaporation. |
| B．It can prevent water from being polluted. |
| C．It purifies the water available for consumption. |
| D．It provides enough sunlight for the solar panels. |
| A．The methods of using floatovoltaies |
| B．The prospects of the power industry |
| C．Solar Farms —Turning Sunlight into Electricity |
| D．Floating Solar Panels — Making Energy, Saving Water |
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Roll over, sit and fetch aren’t commands normally given to a robot, but the smart toy company WowWee has developed a new way of owning a puppy.
CHIP (Canine Home Intelligent Pet) is a robotic dog with blue LED eyes and pointy ears and can sit, shake, dance and make all types of dog noises. It also has tracking capabilities to help locate its owner. “The beauty about CHIP is that it has its own thing going on,” said Sufer, CTO at WowWee. “It has its own life and own kind of intelligence. Even if you’re not around, it’s always doing something.”
CHIP uses wheels to get around and is loaded with sensors (传感器) that give it a 360-degree view to find its ball. The pup is Bluetooth enabled, which connects to a wristband worn by its owner. The wristband, similar to a watch, displays icons (图标) for different commands such as a thumb-up, which allows you to give your pup a digital belly rub. With its owner wearing a smart wristband, it can even follow him around the room.
“We worked on CHIP for about five to six months,” Davin Sufer, told dailymail. com, “We typically come up with a concept, model and product and get it on shelves within a year.” The company plans to start shipping units by next fall, which will allow them to load up the robotic dog with sensors and add many more animated responses per-owner interactivity.
The high-tech toy company made its debut (处女作) in 2004 by releasing the 1.5 foot RoboSapien, which sold millions of units. MiP, which hit shelves last year, is a seven-inch-tall robot covered in white with black accents. Users can direct it, change its emotions and make it dance to any song on your iPad. It’s loud, fast and active.
About 15 years ago, a company called ToyQuest developed the first ever electronic robotic dog — Tekno, the Robotic Puppy. The company sold over seven million units in the first season and 40 million more during its original four years of production. Tekno was built with over 160 emotions and instructions, but most importantly offered consumers a quick look into the future.
| A．it is loaded with special sensors |
| B．it can make all kinds of dog noises |
| C．it has quick response to the commands |
| D．it can do something without instructions |
| A．a watch |
| B．a smart wristband |
| C．pointy ears |
| D．blue LED eyes |
| A．CHIP can be bought in the store now |
| B．WowWee introduced its first product last year |
| C．Tekno provided the bright future of the robotic puppy |
| D．MiP is the first company to develop the robotic puppy |
Hong Kong, a city of seven million—and growing fast. By the year 2050 Hong Kong’s population will almost double. Where will these people live?
There’s only one place to go—up. Fast forward 50 years．This is the tallest man-made structure on the planet. Its name：Millennium Tower. It would stand twice as tall as anything built before. Over 60 thousand people would live or work here. Millennium’s designers think it represents the best solution for the coming population explosion.
It would cost ten billion dollars and consume more building materials than any single nation could produce. David Nelson, one of Millennium’s key designers, said：“It would be a massive project and a world project. But to actually realize it, resources would have to come from all over the globe. The challenge and the motivation for doing it would be to realize one of the world’s largest and most complex construction projects.”
Millennium would be more complex than anything ever built. So its builders won’t know for sure the building is safe until it’s up, and they can’t afford to make an error. Massive earthquakes have brought down entire cities in this part of the world. Can Millennium’s designers make it immune to these quakes of the earth?
For Millennium, like all the other buildings, safety is just one concern among many. It will need to be a home, one that welcomes people in. Getting people into the building and making sure they have a great experience well be what makes Millennium successful, but how to do it? For the design team, the secret was to bring all the elements of city life within. Cafes and restaurants, theatres and stores would provide entertainment. Health clubs, even schools and medical clinics would also serve the towers’ residents.
Millennium’s designers have proven something. Things that seem impossible today, might just become reality tomorrow. The engineering problems have, for the most part, already been solved. Our achievements are limited only by our imaginations.
1. Why did the designers decide to build Millennium?
| A．Because they wanted to build the world’s most complex building. |
| B．Because Hong Kong’s population will greatly increase. |
| C．Because Hong Kong is developing fast as an international city. |
| D．Because it can bring huge profit after it is put to use. |
| A．It will be completed in the year 2050. |
| B．It can accommodate all the residents in Hong Kong. |
| C．It is designed by designers from all over the globe. |
| D．It has to be strong enough to stand earthquakes. |
| A．how many resources will be used |
| B．how many nations will work together |
| C．whether people can enjoy their life in it |
| D．whether it is safe for people to live in |
| A．By providing descriptions. | B．By using figures. |
| C．By giving examples. | D．By analyzing causes. |
【推荐3】Each year, road accidents kill a million people and injure millions more. The economic costs are greatest for developing countries. Earlier this year, the United Nations called for a campaign to improve road safety.
One way to avoid accidents is better driving. Another is better roads and bridges. Engineers in the Unites States have designed ten new concrete mixtures that they think could make bridges last longer.
Professor Paul Tikalsky leads the experiments by a team at Pennsylvania State University. He says bridges made of concrete now last about twenty-five to thirty-five years. But he says the new mixtures might extend that to seventy-five or even one-hundred years.
Concrete is made of stone, sand, water and cement(水泥). The materials in the cement hold the concrete together. Ancient Romans built with concrete. Yet strengthened concrete bridges did not appear until the late 1800s. People keep looking for new ways to improve concrete. Professor Tikalsky says it is one of the most complex of all chemical systems.
The new mixtures designed by his team contain industrial waste products. He says these make the concrete better able to resist damage from water and salt over time. One of the products is fly ash. This is released into the air as pollution when coal is burned. Professor Tikalsky says particles (颗粒) of fly ash are almost exactly the same size and chemical structure as Portland cement. This is the most costly material in concrete. So using fly ash to replace some of it would save money.
Over the next two years, engineers will study ten bridges in Pennsylvania. These were built from the different cement mixtures designed by Professor Tikalsky’s team. He says longer-lasting bridges could save the state more than 35 million dollars a year. And he says the materials would be environmentally friendly.
The federal government is paying for part of the research. Engineers anywhere can use the technology. Professor Tikalsky says some of the ideas have already been put to use in China, the Philippines and other countries.
1. Why did the United Nations launch the campaign?| A．Because two million people were killed in the accidents. |
| B．Because engineers wanted to design ten new concrete mixtures. |
| C．Because the economic costs are greatest for developing countries. |
| D．Because the United Nations wanted to reduce road accidents and economic costs. |
| A．Fly ash | B．Portland cement | C．Sand | D．Chemical |
| A．Engineers have to pay a lot of energy and money to use the new bridge technology. |
| B．Pennsylvania State University is paying all the money for the research. |
| C．Bridges built with fly ash are cheaper than common bridges. |
| D．Fly ash is much more expensive than Portland cement. |
| A．The advantages of fly ash |
| B．The causes of road accidents. |
| C．The measures of avoiding road accidents |
| D．Latest information about long-life concrete bridges |
【推荐1】Australian scientists have successfully tested a new method for freezing and storing coral larvae(珊瑚幼虫), which they say could eventually help restore the wild coral reefs(珊瑚礁) threatened by climate change. They are struggling to protect coral reefs as rising ocean tem peratures damage ecosystems.The Great Barrier Reef has suffered four events of becoming white in the last seven years including the first one during a La Nina phenomenon, which typi-cally brings cooler temperatures.
Frozen coral can be stored and later reintroduced to the wild, but the current process requires some modern equipment including lasers(激光). The scientists say a new lightweight “cryomesh(冷冻网)” can be produced cheaply and better protect coral. In a December lab tri- al,the world’s first with Great Barrier Reef coral, they used the “cryomesh” to freeze coral larvae at the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences(AIMS). “If we can protect the coral, we’ll have tools for the future to really help restore the reefs, and this technology for coral reefs in the future is a real game-changer,” said Mary Hagedorn, Senior Research Scientist at AIMS.
The “cryomesh” was previously tested on smaller and larger kinds of Hawaiian corals. Some trials on the larger kinds failed. But then other trials are continuing with larger varieties of Great Barrier Reef coral. The trials involved scientists from AIMS, the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute,the Great Barrier Reef foundation and the Taronga Conservation Society Australia as part of the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program.
The technology,which will help store coral larvae at - 196 ℃, was invented by a team from the University of Minnesota’s College of Science and Engineering. It was first tested on corals by PhD student Nikolas Zuchowicz. “This new technology that we’ve got will allow us to do that, and it can actually help to support the growing and restoration of wildlife in water,” said Jonathan Daly of the Taronga Conservation Society Australia.
1. What is the new method of restoring the coral reefs?| A．Keeping coral larvae warmer. |
| B．Keeping coral larvae by freezing them. |
| C．Decreasing the temperatures of the reefs. |
| D．Controlling the ecosystems around the reefs. |
| A．It will be applied in a game. |
| B．It requires an expensive“cryomesh” . |
| C．It will be used to make a new“cryomesh” . |
| D．It requires the support of advanced devices. |
| A．The time and place. |
| B．The range and way. |
| C．The effect and participants. |
| D．The equipment and conditions. |
| A．Positive, | B．Curious. | C．Uncertain. | D．Unconcerned. |
【推荐2】A man from Ivory Coast has found a creative way to repurpose (稍加改动) footwear that washes up on the beach-he turns it into artwork.
Aristide Kouame is a 26-year-old artist. But he says no one would know this when they see him going around beach areas picking up flip-flops (人字拖) and other kinds of footwear. They probably think he is gathering the old objects to sell on the street. But Kouame has recognized the real value of such waste. He has created artworks from the material that can sell for up to $1,000. He cuts the rubber and plastic bottoms from the footwear into pieces and uses them to create largo collages (拼贴画).
“This is the rubbish people have thrown into the sea and the sea brings it back to us because it doesn’t want it,” Kouame told Reuters News Agency. He was collecting material from a beach in Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s economic and cultural capital. “I make art from used shoes. It’s a way to give Life to the objects that litter the beaches,” the artist explained.
Sitting on the floor of a narrow street, Kouame creates shapes, letters and faces with the rubber pieces he picked up on the beach. His method is not costly and does not harm the environment. Plastic and other waste-including large amounts of lost flip-flops-litter most city beaches in West Africa. The waste is thrown away in cities and carried out to sea. But a lot of it ends up on the beach later.
In just a few years, Kouame’s methods have caught the attention of Ivory Coast’s art establishment and his works have hung in galleries in Ivory Coast and in oilier countries. His works have included large portraits of civil rights and political leaders such as Nelson Mandela. Other pieces were created to draw attention to world problems, including climate change, COVID-19 and economic inequality.
The United Nations estimates that about 13 million tons of plastic waste is put into the world’s oceans each year. Two of Africa’s biggest waste producers, Ghana and Nigeria, share the same Atlantic coastal areas as the beach where Kouame searches for supplies. For his part, Kouame says he plans to keep collecting and creating. “My goal is to get people lo question the issue of their environment, in order to create a better life.”
1. Where does Kouame create his artworks?| A．On a beach in Abidjan. | B．In galleries in Ivory Coast. |
| C．On the floor of a narrow street. | D．In the coastal areas shared by Ghana and Nigeria. |
| A．Making money by selling his artworks. |
| B．Arousing people’s environmental awareness. |
| C．Purposing footwear that washes up on the beach. |
| D．Catching the attention of Ivory Coast’s art establishment. |
| A．Kouame collects used items to sell on the street. |
| B．Kouame has drawn a large portrait of Nelson Mandela. |
| C．Plastic and other waste litter everywhere in West Africa. |
| D．Tons of waste is thrown into the world's oceans annually. |
| A．Amazing Artworks Made of Rubbish |
| B．A Creative Way to Get Rid of Rubbish |
| C．Aristide Kouame, Waste Collector from Ivory Coast |
| D．Ivory Coast Man Turning Old Flip-Flops into Artworks |
【推荐3】Kevin Randall, a teacher, who teaches biology at Grandville High School, runs the environmental club at the high school which has around 2, 000 students. The club is known as the GHS Green Team, and it aims to raise awareness among students and teachers of sustainability(可持续性). It also works on projects to reduce the environmental footprint of the building itself.
One of the club’s recent projects focused on reducing waste in the school cafeteria. Randall said their cafeteria supervisor told them that the school went through 54, 000 plastic forks every year. The club applied for financial help, built recycling centers for the cafeteria and bought metal silverware.
And now every student uses a durable metal fork or spoon instead of disposables（一次性用品）. “And that’s just one way we’re trying to capture the low-hanging fruit,” Randall said.
The efforts of Randall and his students have earned Grandville High School the Michigan Green School certification from the state. In addition to their work reducing waste in the cafeteria, the GHS Green Team has also built a garden with flowers and vegetables on campus. Over the years, Randall and his students have also been working on raising money to install solar panels(太阳能电池板) on the roof of the high school.
Randall said he was inspired to take the lead on environmental issues for his school because he wanted his students to have someone to turn to in the building who understands what’s at stake(有风险) when it comes to climate change.
“And I also felt like I need to do more in my life for my own two children at home,” Randall added. “They need to know that their dad is working as hard as he can to reduce the effects of climate change and to make sure that other students out there are learning about this just the way they are at home.”
1. What’s the purpose of the GHS Green Team Club?| A．To inspire students’ love for biology. |
| B．To promote environmental protection. |
| C．To finish projects given by the school. |
| D．To prepare students for their future jobs. |
| A．The service of the cafeteria is improved. |
| B．The fresh fruit will be offered to students. |
| C．The financial trouble of the cafeteria is solved. |
| D．The use of plastic forks has been reduced greatly. |
| A．The activities organized by the club. |
| B．The function of the projects. |
| C．The features of the club. |
| D．The future of the club. |
| A．All students know the stake of climate change now. |
| B．Many people took part in the project for material rewards. |
| C．Randall thinks it necessary to set a good example for his children. |
| D．Randall was unwilling to take the lead on environmental issues at first. |
【推荐1】History can be found at every turn and every corner, as you walk on the streets of this architectural marvel of the city, and at Powis Place and Fraser Studios, you are just a short 15-minute walk away from one of the oldest universities in the country. Information about the University of Aberdeen can be found to as far back as 1495, with a beautiful medieval (中世纪的) campus to back up its claims.
All of these make it the fifth oldest university in the whole of the UK, and as a result it has always been a well-regarded higher education establishment. Having been voted the Scottish University of 2019 and ranked in the Top 30 Universities in the UK in 2019, it appeals to people from all over the UK and abroad. With distance learning options, it is an attractive choice to many students. The Sir Duncan Rice Library has perfect views of the entire city and beaches, and the university has one of the largest medical campuses in the whole of Europe.
Aberdeen University Students' Association (AUSA) is home to over 150 societies and hundreds of activities relating to those societies. It ensures that whatever you are interested in you are well served when moving to the city as a student. It is a fantastic way to meet and make new friends with people from all over the world. Within the Association, there is a cafe and a shop, with many food stands providing daily refreshments (茶点) during breaks between lectures and study. There are also plenty of volunteering and training opportunities to take part in, whether you are looking for a hobby, to help others, to present your CV, or all of the above.
The University of Aberdeen certainly holds some reputations, home to five previous Nobel Prize Winners, an internationally-focused university in teaching and research, and even its very own tartan(格子昵) created in 1992 to celebrate the university 's 500th anniversary.
1. How long might be the history of the University of Aberdeen?| A．About 150 years | B．About 300 years |
| C．About 280 years | D．About 500 years |
| A．Participate in various training programmes. | B．Enjoy refreshments at lunch time. |
| C．Appreciate the whole city and beaches. | D．Conduct distance teaching. |
| A．Five scientists won the Nobel Prize in 2019. |
| B．It is the 30th biggest university in Europe. |
| C．It has the largest medical campus in the world. |
| D．It gained the Scottish University of 2019. |
| A．A University brochure |
| B．A travel guideline |
| C．A history textbook |
| D．A government report |
【推荐2】You Can Make a Windsock(风筒)
Have you ever seen a windsock blowing in the wind? Well，you can make one of your own！This is a fun project that you can do with things you may have.You just need to follow a few easy steps.
You will need：
one piece of colored paper
five ribbons
strong tape
a string
a pencil
What to do：
Step 1：Draw pictures on the paper.You can write your name on it.Do anything that will make it special to you.
Step 2：Make the paper into the shape of a tube.Hold one of the shorter edges(边缘)over the other.Then make them together with the tape at each end and in the middle.
Step 3：Use a pencil to make a hole into both sides of the tube.The holes should be only on one end of the tube.Pull the string through both holes.Then tie the ends of the string together.
Step 4：Now make five holes around the top of the other end of the tube.Put a ribbon through each of the holes.Tie a knot in the ends.Make sure the knots are bigger than the holes.
Now your windsock is ready to use，but how does it work? The shape of the tube plays an important part.Wind blows through the tube and makes it fly and dance around.Hold the windsock up in the air by its string and run around.It will fly behind you.You can also hang it outside and watch it dance around on its own!
1. You draw pictures on the paper to make the windsock ________．| A．fun | B．heavy |
| C．strong | D．special |
| A．Tape. | B．Ribbons. |
| C．A pencil. | D．A string. |
| A．Make holes in the tube. |
| B．Tape the tube together. |
| C．Tie knots in the ribbons. |
| D．Put a string through the hole. |
| A．Its shape. | B．Its size. |
| C．The color of the paper. | D．The number of the holes. |
| A．To tell an interesting story. |
| B．To explain how to make a windsock. |
| C．To teach an important lesson. |
| D．To show what a windsock is like. |
【推荐3】The Tour de France is a very difficult bike race. It lasts over three weeks and covers 3,351 kilometers. Every day, the riders finish a different part of the race, called a "stage". Every stage can have a different winner, and each day, the total time is added up. The person who is leading wears a yellow shirt to show that they are winning. But there're no women in the Tour de France, only men. From 1984 to 2009, there was a women's Tour de France. But over time, the event grew smaller and less challenging. In 2009, it ended completely.
The Tour de France is organized by Amaury Sport Organization（ASO）. In 2014, ASO began holding a shorter one or two-day race for women called La Course. But it is by no means a long and challenging race with many stages.
To call attention to the need for a women's Tour de France, a French cycling club has taken or an unusual project called “J-I". As part of J-1, since 2015,a group of women has been riding the exact same course as the men's Tour de France, just one day earlier.
Women won't have to take part in the J-I project in 2022 because ASO has announced that in July of 2022 , they'll be holding the Tour de France Femmes（TDFF）—a Tour de France for women.
It'll be an eight-day race with many stages, which will kick off as soon as the men's Tour de France comes to an end. That's likely to help attract viewers. In the past, the women's race was held just before or during the men's race. Now, all the people who have finished watching the men's race and are still looking for some racing excitement will have a chance to tune in for the women's race.
Christian Prudhomme, who organizes the Tour de France says that earlier versions of the women's Tour de France lost money. This time, they are hoping to set the race up in a way that it'll make money, allowing the event to continue.
1. What does the first paragraph mainly tell us?| A．Why the Tour de France is held. | B．What the men's Tour de France is. |
| C．How men mark the Tour de France. | D．How women lost the Tour de France. |
| A．It ended in 2019. | B．It sponsors ASO. | C．It replaces the TDFF | D．It is not competitive. |
| A．It has reached its initial purpose. | B．It supports the men's Tour de France |
| C．It's as famous as the Tour de France. | D．It's one stage of La Course since 2015 |
| A．It'll need more viewers. | B．It'll continue longer. | C．It will start later | D．It will cost more. |
