(Shidaowan Nuclear Power Plant Photo: Screenshot from the WeChat account of China National Nuclear Corporation)

The Shidaowan Nuclear Power Plant in Rongcheng, East China’s Shandong Province, which uses a high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor (HTGR), entered commercial service on Wednesday following a 168-hour trial, according to the National Energy Administration (NEA).

It is the world’s first fourth-generation (4G) nuclear power plant and uses China’s fully independent intellectual property rights, reflecting the nation’s global leading position in 4G nuclear power technology, said the NEA.

The HTGR will be safe even in the absence of all cooling capabilities and without taking any intervention measures, and accidents such as reactor core meltdowns or radioactive material releases won’t happen, said Zhang Zuoyi, chief designer of the project.

Compared with other clean power sources such as solar, wind and hydro, nuclear power is more stable and cost-effective, Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times. It will largely facilitate China to achieve its carbon emission reduction goal as the safety concern is addressed, Lin noted.

Construction of the plant, with a capacity of 200,000 kilowatts, started in December 2012 by China Huaneng Group Co, Tsinghua University and China National Nuclear Corp. It was first linked to the power grid in December 2021.

The power plant was the collaborative effort of more than 500 companies across the industry chain including design, research and development, construction, component manufacturing and operations management, with the localization rate of equipment exceeding 90 percent.

Based on the construction of the plant, China Huaneng Group Co and Tsinghua University together developed six core technologies, fostered a group of experienced talent and formed a reproducible operation mechanism with independent intellectual property rights, said the Xinhua News Agency’s report.

Amid China’s effort in achieving carbon emission reduction goals, the installed capacity of the renewable energy power generation nationwide reached a new high, exceeding 1.4 billion kilowatts by the end of October, reaching 1.404 billion kilowatts, an increase of 20.8 percent year-on-year, accounting for about 49.9 percent of the country’s total installed capacity of power generation.

1. What type of nuclear reactor does the Shidaowan Nuclear Power Plant use?

A．Low-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor.	B．High-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor.
C．Third-generation nuclear reactor.	D．Liquid-cooled nuclear reactor.

2. According to the NEA, what does the operation of the Shidaowan Nuclear Power Plant represent in terms of technology?

A．China’s dependency on foreign nuclear technology.

B．A step backward in nuclear power technology.

C．China’s lead in third-generation nuclear tech.

D．The world’s first 4G nuclear power plant with China’s own technology.

3. The word “meltdowns” in the third paragraph most likely refers to _________.

A．a rapid increase in temperature

B．a severe accident in which the reactor core loses its structural integrity

C．the normal operation of a nuclear reactor

D．the release of radioactive material for energy production

4. By the end of October, what is the probable installed capacity of energy power generation nationwide in billion kilowatts?

A．20.8.

B．49.9.

C．28.

D．1.4.

英译汉
1. manufacturing        (n.) ________
2. cost-effective        (adj.) ________
3. trial                      (n.) ________
4. reflect                  (v.) ________
5. leading               (adj.) ________
6. year-on-year        (adj.)   ________
7. position                 (n.) ________
8. carbon emission (phr. n.) ________
9. stable                 (adj.) ________
10. renewable energy (phr. n.) ________

汉译英
1. 超过(v.)________
2. 合作，协作(v.)________
3. 建设，构造(n.)________
4. 培养，促进(v.)________
5. 容量，能力(n.)________
6. 全国范围内的(adj.)________
7. 减少；降低；折扣(n.)________
8. 智力的；知识分子(adj./n.) ________
9. 大部分的；主要的(adv.)________
10. 占一定比例，解释(v. phr.) ________

词性转换
1. capacity (n.)                 ___________ (adj.)
2. talent (n.)                    ___________ (adj.)
3. install (v.)                    ___________ (adj.)
4. reproducible (adj.)        ___________ (v.)
5. largely (adv.)               ___________ (adj.)
6. reduction (n.)               ___________ (v.)
7. collaborate (v.)             ___________ (n.)
8. commercial (adj.)          ___________ (n.)
9. reflect (v.)                    ___________ (n.)
10. leading (adj.)               ___________ (v.)

It is the world’s first fourth-generation (4G) nuclear power plant and uses China’s fully independent intellectual property rights, reflecting the nation’s global leading position in 4G nuclear power technology, said the NEA.(英译汉)

Compared with other clean power sources such as solar, wind and hydro, nuclear power is more stable and cost-effective, Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times. (英译汉)

Construction of the plant, with a capacity of 200,000 kilowatts, started in December 2012 by China Huaneng Group Co, Tsinghua University and China National Nuclear Corp. It was first linked to the power grid in December 2021. (英译汉)

Amid China’s effort in achieving carbon emission reduction goals, the installed capacity of the renewable energy power generation nationwide reached a new high, exceeding 1.4 billion kilowatts by the end of October... (英译汉)

据学校通知，位于市中心的新图书馆在经过一年的建设后，将于下个月正式对学生开放。
According to the school notice, the new library located in the city center will officially open to students next month, _____________________________ (经过一年的建设).

这部新上映的电影是中国电影史上票房最高的作品之一，展示了中国电影产业的快速发展。
The newly released film, _____________________________ (是中国电影史上票房最高的作品之一), demonstrates the rapid development of China's film industry.

与传统的教学方法相比，多媒体教学能够提供更丰富的学习资源和更生动的学习方式。
_____________________________ (与传统的教学方法相比), multimedia teaching can provide richer learning resources and more vivid learning methods.

这项科技成就是团队合作的结果，涉及了多个领域的专家，包括工程师、科学家和研究人员。
This technological achievement is the result of teamwork, _____________________________ (涉及了多个领域的专家), including engineers, scientists, and researchers.

尽管遇到了很多困难，但这个科研团队还是坚持了下来，最终成功地研发出了新型材料。
Despite encountering many difficulties, the research team persevered and _____________________________ (最终成功地研发出了新型材料).

语法填空

The Shidaowan Nuclear Power Plant, located in Rongcheng, Shandong Province, has officially begun commercial operations following     1     successful 168-hour trial, as announced by the National Energy Administration (NEA). This marks a significant milestone as it is the world's first fourth-generation (4G) nuclear power plant, utilizing high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor (HTGR) technology.

The plant, which boasts China's fully independent intellectual property rights, showcases the nation's prowess in 4G nuclear power technology. According to Zhang Zuoyi, the chief designer of the project, the HTGR is designed to be inherently safe, even in the absence of cooling capabilities and without any intervention     2     (measure). This ensures    3     accidents such as reactor core meltdowns or radioactive material releases are prevented.

In comparison to other renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydro, nuclear power stands out for its stability and cost-effectiveness, as       4    (highlight) by Lin Boqiang, the director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University. This makes it a viable option for China to achieve its carbon emission    5     (reduce) goals.

The construction of the 200,000-kilowatt plant, which     6     (start) in December 2012, was a collaborative effort between China Huaneng Group Co, Tsinghua University, and China National Nuclear Corp. It was first connected to the power grid in December 2021, marking a significant step forward in the development of nuclear power technology.

The success of the plant is attributed to the collaborative efforts of over 500 companies across the industry chain, including design, research and development, construction, component manufacturing, and operations management. With a localization rate of equipment exceeding 90%, this achievement underscores China's commitment to foster innovation and technological advancement.

Based on this project, China Huaneng Group Co and Tsinghua University have jointly developed six core technologies, nurtured a talented team of experts, and formed a reproducible operation mechanism with independent intellectual property rights. This not only demonstrates China's capabilities in nuclear power development but also     7     (pave) the way for future collaboration and innovation in the field.

As China continues its efforts to achieve carbon emission reduction goals, the installed capacity of renewable energy power generation nationwide has reached a new high. By the end of October, it had exceeded 1.4 billion kilowatts,     8     (reach) 1.404 billion kilowatts, representing a year-on-year increase of 20.8%. This significant growth accounts for    9    (approximate) 49.9% of the country's total installed capacity of power generation, further underscoring the importance of renewable energy in China's energy mix.

With the successful commercial operation of the Shidaowan Nuclear Power Plant, China has once again proven     10     (it) leadership in the global energy landscape and its commitment to sustainable development.

Lesson 1 Scientific Breakthroughs

If you had to choose the single most important discovery of the 20th century, you would have a real problem on your hands. In just 100 years, the world has changed completely. Amazing discoveries were made in medicine, communications and transport, not to mention our knowledge of the world and space. Medical advance has changed from discovering the causes of diseases under microscopes to staging operations to replace diseased organs with donated ones. Communications changed with the introduction of mobile phones, and the way we correspond went from writing letters to emailing and sending instant messages. We started flying around the world. Launching satellites into orbit and, at the same time, scientists figured out how to split the atom, previously thought to be the smallest particle of matter in the universe.

Although it is impossible to choose the most important discovery, it is possible to single out a few pioneers of the 20th century. Here are some of them.

One of the 20th century’s premier scientists was Albert Einstein. In the summer of 1905, this outspoken young man was rocking his one-year-old baby when he was suddenly inspired. Subsequently, “E=mc²” was born. It showed how a small piece of mass could produce an unbelievable amount of energy. Einstein then showed in his "theory of relativity that not even time, mass or length are constant-they change according to our experience of them

In 1929, another important finding was made by biologist Alexander Fleming Before he went on holiday, Fleming left a dish of bacteria in his laboratory When he came back, he noticed something strange. He double-checked and saw a blue mould in the dish around which the bacteria had been destroyed. This blue mould was in fact the natural form of penicillin, which Fleming perceived could be used to kill bacteria. A few years later, penicillin was being mass-produced and helping to save the lives of millions. Fleming remained humble about the amazing outcome of his discovery. “Nature made penicillin,” he said, “I just found it.”

During World War II, when Fleming’s discovery was first helping to cure people, the US Navy was looking for ways of improving the accuracy of their missiles. The navy turned to Eckert, an engineer, and Mauchly, a physicist, to deal with the problem and produce a machine to do the job in a joint effort. Although they only finished after the war in 1946, it did not matter. This huge machine was the world’s first computer, but it was nothing like our computers today. It measured 100 feet long by over 10 feet high and weighed over 30, 000 kilograms. With 18,000 tubes, thousands of circuits and 6,000 switches, it used so much energy that when it was turned on, the lights in the local town went out!

With the development of computers, people expected to get more things done efficiently. During the Cold War, a “huge network” of computers was proposed by two American scientists. With computers talking to one another, it would enable government leaders to communicate with each other. By the end of the 1960s, some mini-networks were established, but only a few computers could connect to them In 1990, Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, which enabled computer all over the world to communicate with each other. Nowadays, life without the Internet for most people is unimaginable.

These pioneers of the 20th century were all dedicated to improving the quality of human life on Earth. Human life on this planet has been transformed into a “global village”, with all the different countries linked in the chain of common interests. There is no doubt about it. Without the breakthroughs of these pioneers in science and technology, whether lucky or planned, the world as we know it today would be a completely different place.

根据文章内容，完成下列思维导图：

1. ________
2. ________
3. ________
4. ________
5. ________
6. ________
7. ________
8. ________
9. ________
10. ________

According to the Solar Energy Industry Association, the number of solar panels installed(安装)has grown rapidly in the past decade, and it has to grow even faster to meet climate goals. But all of that growth will take up a lot of space, and though more and more people accept the concept of solar energy, few like large solar panels to be installed near them.

Solar developers want to put up panels as quickly and cheaply as possible, so they haven’t given much thought to what they put under them. Often, they’ll end up filling the area with small stones and using chemicals to control weeds. The result is that many communities, especially in farming regions, see solar farms as destroyers of the soil.

“Solar projects need to be good neighbors,” says Jordan Macknick, the head of the Innovative Site Preparation and Impact Reductions on the Environment(InSPIRE)project. “They need to be protectors of the land and contribute to the agricultural economy.” InSPIRE is investigating practical approaches to “low-impact” solar development, which focuses on establishing and operating solar farms in a way that is kinder to the land. One of the easiest low-impact solar strategies is providing habitat for pollinators(传粉昆虫).

Habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change have caused dramatic declines in pollinator populations over the past couple of decades, which has damaged the U.S. agricultural economy. Over 28 states have passed laws related to pollinator habitat protection and pesticide use. Conservation organizations put out pollinator-friendliness guidelines for home gardens, businesses, schools, cities—and now there are guidelines for solar farms.

Over the past few years, many solar farm developers have transformed the space under their solar panels into a shelter for various kinds of pollinators, resulting in soil improvement and carbon reduction. “These pollinator-friendly solar farms can have a valuable impact on everything that’s going on in the landscape,” says Macknick.

1. What do solar developers often ignore?

A．The decline in the demand for solar energy.

B．The negative impact of installing solar panels.

C．The rising labor cost of building solar farms.

D．The most recent advances in solar technology.

2. What does InSPIRE aim to do?

A．Improve the productivity of local farms.

B．Invent new methods for controlling weeds.

C．Make solar projects environmentally friendly.

D．Promote the use of solar energy in rural areas.

3. What is the purpose of the laws mentioned in paragraph 4?

A．To conserve pollinators.	B．To restrict solar development.
C．To diversify the economy.	D．To ensure the supply of energy.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Pollinators: To Leave or to Stay	B．Solar Energy: Hope for the Future
C．InSPIRE: A Leader in Agriculture	D．Solar Farms: A New Development