1 . Renewable energy projects, including onshore and offshore wind and solar farms, have so far been subsidized (资助) by government support schemes. This has led to some to complain that clean energy is pushing up bills.
However, the most recently approved offshore wind projects will most likely operate with ‘negative subsidies’ -- paying money back to the government. The money will go towards reducing household energy bills as the offshore wind farms start producing power in the mid-2020s.
This is the conclusion of an analysis by an international team led by Imperial College London researchers published today in Nature Energy.
Lead researcher Dr Malte Jansen, from the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial, said: “Offshore wind power will soon be so cheap to produce that it will undercut fossil-fueled power stations and may be the cheapest form of energy for the UK. Energy subsidies used to push up energy bills, but within a few years cheap renewable energy will see them brought down for the first time. This is an astonishing development.”
The analysis for five countries in Europe, including the UK, focused on a series of government auctions (拍卖) for offshore wind farms between February 2015 and September 2019. Companies that want to build wind farms bid in the auctions by stating the price at which they will sell the energy they produce to the government.
These are known as ‘contracts for difference’ or CfDs. If a company’s bid is higher than the wholesale electricity price on the UK market once the wind farm is up and running, then the company will receive a subsidy from the government to top up the price.
However, if the stated price (规定价格) is less than the wholesale price, then the company will pay the government back the difference. This payback is then passed through to consumer’s energy bills, reducing the amount that homes and businesses will pay for electricity.
The winning companies said they could build new offshore wind farms for around £40 per megawatt hour (MWh) of power. This was a new record set by these wind farms with bids 30 percent lower than just two years earlier.
1. What does the passage mainly talk about?| A．Offshore wind farms to be built in the UK could reduce household energy bills by producing electricity very cheaply. |
| B．Offshore wind farms will not be subsidized by government in the near future. |
| C．The importance of CfDs. |
| D．The operation of negative subsidies. |
| A．will stop producing power in the mid-2020s |
| B．are paying money back to the government |
| C．will help reduce household energy bills |
| D．will all operate with ‘negative subsidies’ |
| A．make up |
| B．take up |
| C．cover |
| D．fill up |
| A．The renewable energy projects will lead to some to complain that clean energy is pushing up bills. |
| B．The company whose bid is less than the wholesale electricity price will receive a subsidy. |
| C．The stated electricity price is now higher than the wholesale electricity price. |
| D．Fossil-fueled power will be soon produced cheaply. |
| A．Curious. |
| B．Pessimistic. |
| C．Indifferent. |
| D．Optimistic. |
| A．A science fiction. |
| B．A financial magazine. |
| C．An advertisement. |
| D．A science report. |
2 . Not all vegetables need lots of sunshine. Mark Hoffman and his wife own a bed-and -breakfast guesthouse in rural Kempton, Illinois. They often serve their guests fresh products from the garden.
The Hoffmans have been growing food and flowers for twenty-five years. For almost ten of those years, Mr. Hoffman has been experimenting and working with shade (阴凉) plantings. He says, “The bottom line here is that most plants will produce more in full sun. But if you do not have full sun, there are other choices.”
For example, he grows tomatoes near oak trees. Oak trees can produce a lot of shade. But Mr. Hoffman says his tomato plants grow as long as they get five hours a day of direct sunshine, especially morning sun. Not only does this go against the traditional advice that tomatoes need six，eight，even twelve hours a day of full sun, it also shows how plants and trees roots can share nutrients and water．Mr. Hoffman also planted asparagus（芦笋）around a tree at its drip line，the area below the outer limit of the branches. So when it rains，all the rain drips down right on the asparagus．Mr. Hoffman says plants with wider leaves seem to do better in shady environments. He also found that his potatoes did better partly in shade than in full sun.
Moving them out of the sun helped control an insect problem. Mr. Hoffman does not use pesticide (农药). Instead, he planted the potatoes in the shade, especially on the east side of the tree. The potatoes get morning sun, but they are shaded during the hottest part of the day. Some insects dislike shade, and the hottest part day is when they do the worst of their damage.
Time of day, sun intensity (强度), shadows from trees, walls and buildings all influence how much sunlight falls on plants. And people interested in shade planting should also remember something else. The term “shade” can describe different amounts of darkness. It can even mean different things in different parts of the world.
1. What’s the author’s purpose of writing the passage?| A．To present a kind of eco-friendly lifestyle. |
| B．To recommend an approach to manage a website |
| C．To show vegetables can be planted in the shade. |
| D．To introduce Mark Hoffman and his family. |
| A．five hours a day | B．Six hours a day |
| C．Eight hours a day | D．Twelve hours a day |
| A．Food and flowers produce more in the shade. |
| B．Food growing in the shade contains more nutrients. |
| C．Sun can affect the production of some plants. |
| D．Food growing in the shade is the best choice for most plants. |
| A．asparagus prefer to grow in the shade. |
| B．how plants and tree roots share water. |
| C．vegetables grow better in partial shade. |
| D．how leaves gain sunshine under the tree. |
| A．environment | B．traveling |
| C．lifestyle | D．agriculture |
3 . It’s wonderful to have a relaxing bath in mineral water while looking out over beautiful scenery. If you live in the US or are planning a visit, consider going to one of the two natural hot springs (温泉) in the western US:
Travertine Hot Springs
At the edge of the Sierra Nevada Mountains near Bridgeport, California lie the Travertine Hot Springs. The orange, green, and red rocks and the mountains create beautiful views for you to enjoy while you bathe. Each pool is a different temperature, so you can find one that’s comfortable for you. These springs can easily be reached by car. Take Route 395 south from Bridgeport and turn left onto Jack Sawyer Road. In about a mile you’ll arrive at the springs. If you like to camp, you can camp along Jack Sawyer Road.
Bagby Hot Springs
In the middle of an ancient forest you’ll find the Bagby Hot Springs. At the springs there are wooden bathhouses, with both private baths and communal baths. Through a system of pipes the spring water is brought to the baths at a temperature of 136 degrees Fahrenheit. If that’s too hot buckets of cold water are also available to mix into the bathtub (浴缸) or to cool off with after your bath.
The Bagby Springs are about 45 minutes from Estacada, Oregon, on Highway 224. To get to the bathhouse there is a 1.5-mile walk from the parking lot through the beautiful Mt. Hood National Forest. While in the area, make sure to visit Portland, which is known for its coffee, restaurants, and music.
The best time to visit the two hot springs is in late spring, or in summer or fall. While in the area, check out the Curecanti National Recreation Area, where you can enjoy canoeing, fishing, bird watching, camping, and hiking.
1. Which is not the advantage of bathing in the spring in California?| A．Beautiful scenery can be seen while bathing there. |
| B．You can choose different pools suitable for you. |
| C．It’s convenient for families with cars to travel there. |
| D．You can camp anywhere around the springs. |
| A．shared | B．comfortable |
| C．personal | D．common |
| A．the temperature of the two springs |
| B．beautiful views near the springs |
| C．the walking distance from the parking lot |
| D．the design of the bathhouses |
| A．May | B．July |
| C．October | D．December |
| A．A report. | B．A paper. |
| C．A magazine. | D．A diary. |
