Question

Sunny countries are often poor. A shame, then, that solar power is still quite expensive. Eight19, a British company by Cambridge University, has, however, invented a novel way to get round this. In return for a deposit of around $10 it is supplying poor Kenyan families with a solar cell able to generate 2.5 watts of electricity, a battery that can deliver a three amp（安培）current to store this electricity, and a lamp whose bulb is a light-emitting diode（二極管）.The firm thinks that this system, once the battery is fully charged, is enough to light two small rooms and to power a mobile-phone charger for seven hours. Then, next day, it can be put outside and charged back up again. 

The trick is that, to be able to use the electricity, the system's keeper must buy a scratch card—for as little as a dollar—on which is printed a reference number. The keeper sends this reference, plus the serial number of the household solar unit, by SMS to Eight19. The company's server will respond automatically with an access code to the unit.

Users may consider that they are paying an hourly rate for their electricity. In fact, they are paying off the cost of the unit. After buying around $80 worth of scratch cards—which Eight19 expects would take the average family around 18 months—the user will own it. He will then have the option of continuing to use it for nothing, or of trading it in for a bigger one, perhaps driven by a 10-watt solar cell.

In that case, he would go then through the same process again, paying off the additional cost of the upgraded kit at a slightly higher rate. Users would therefore increase their electricity supply steadily and affordably.

According to Eight19's figures, this looks like a good deal for customers. The firm believes the average energy-starved Kenyan spends around $10 a month on oil—enough to fuel a couple of smoky lamps—plus $2 on charging his mobile phone in the market-place. Regular users of one of Eight19's basic solar units will spend around half that, before owning it completely. Meanwhile, as the cost of solar technology falls, it should get even cheaper.

1.What should the user do when the electricity in the battery is used up?

A．Recharge it outside.                     B．Buy another solar cell.

C．Return it to the company.                 D．Buy a scratch card.

2.How much would users pay for the cell and scratch cards before they own a 2.5-watt solar cell?

A．Around $10.       B．Around $80.       C．Around $180.      D．Around $90.

3.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ________.

A．Kenyan families would find it difficult to afford the solar cell

B．the company will make a great profit from selling solar cells

C．few Kenyan families use mobile phones for lack of electricity

D．using the solar cell would help Kenyan families save money

4.What might be the most suitable title for the passage?

A．Solar Energy: Starting from Scratch.

B．Eight19: a creative British Company.

C．Kenyan Families: Using Solar Energy for Free.

D．Poor Countries: Beginning to Use Solar Energy.

 

Answer 1

【答案】

1.A

2.D

3.D

4.A

【解析】

試題分析：本文講述的是Eight19,這家英國的公司所采用的使用太陽能的一種新的方法。

1.A 細節(jié)題。根據(jù)文章第一段最后一句Then, next day, it can be put outside and charged back up again.可知沒有電了，你可以把它放在外面重新充電，故A正確。

2.D 細節(jié)題。根據(jù)文章1,3段After buying around $80 worth of scratch cards—which Eight19 expects would take the average family around 18 months—the user will own it. 和In return for a deposit of around $10 it is supplying poor Kenyan families with a solar cell able to generate 2.5 watts of electricity可知在你擁有這些之前，你要花費90元。故D正確。

3.D 推斷題。根據(jù)文章最后一段The firm believes the average energy-starved Kenyan spends around $10 a month on oil—enough to fuel a couple of smoky lamps—plus $2 on charging his mobile phone in the market-place. Regular users of one of Eight19's basic solar units will spend around half that, before owning it completely. Meanwhile, as the cost of solar technology falls, it should get even cheaper.可知這樣做會讓太陽能的成本降低，會給肯尼亞的人來到好處。故D正確。

4.A 主旨大意題。根據(jù)文章主題段第一段內(nèi)容可知本文講述的是Eight19,這家英國的公司所采用的使用太陽能的一種新的方法。故A正確。

考點：考查新聞報告類短文閱讀

點評：本文講述的是Eight19,這家英國的公司所采用的使用太陽能的一種新的方法。本文主要考查推理題。在解題時要立足已知，推斷未知。立足現(xiàn)在，猜測未來。不能主觀臆想，憑空想象，隨意揣測，更不能以自己的觀點代替作者的觀點;要把握句、段之間的邏輯關(guān)系，了解語篇的結(jié)構(gòu)。要體會文章的基調(diào)，揣摸作者的態(tài)度，摸準邏輯發(fā)展的方向，悟出作者的弦外之音。