2015年考研英语阅读理解考前专项训练（115）
发布时间：2012/11/6 14:33:05 来源：城市网学院 编辑：admin
According to Rifkin， who runs the Washington-based Foundation on Economic Trends and is a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Management'we still have two choices, although time is fast running OUt.
The first choice is to dig our heads and oil drills deeper into the ground.We can continue searching for tinv and hard to recover oil deposits around the world，supplementing the last few drops with dirtier carbon fuels like coal and heavy oil extracted from tar sand.①This is a short—term solution that would push the atmosphere to breaking point and fry the planet.Backed by an army of statistics'Rifkin calls this path foolish and suicidal.
The sane ahernative is hydrogen，the most abundant element in the universe.It ls eVerywhere. Unlike oil，it is not geographically concentrated，and therefore unlikely to precipitate power struggles and violence.Hydrogen has been dubbed“the forever fuel”，and harnessing it，Rifkin writes‘“would provide humanity with a[clean]virtually unlimited source of energy the kind of energy elixir that has Iong eluded alchemists and chemists alike.”
Hydrogen has been used as a #mercial fuel since the l920s，and the Soviets produced therst liquid hydrogen-powered airplane in the'70s.Thanks to rapid advances in fuel cell technology'Rifkin thinks a hydrogen-based energy grid could be put in place in time to prevent a global meltdown durlng the fast approaching end of the Oil Age.
In the long view，history is on hydrogen's side.The story of human-harnessed energY ls also the storv of“de-carbonization”the gradual reduction of the amount of carbon we use ln OUr fuel of choice. Since the industrial revolution，we have moved from first burning wood，and then on to coal，and then oil and now to a lesser extent natural gas. As we have done s0，the level of destruction we haVe visited on our environment has slowed（satanic clouds of soot no longer hang over New York，as they did in the coal age）and this can be explained by the increasing ratio of hydrogen to carbon in the fuels we use.There is only one molecule of hydrogen for every ten molecules of carbon in wood.There is one for every two in coal，and in oil the ratio inverts，with two hydrogens for every coal.In natural gas there are four hydrogen molecules for every molecule of carbon.0ur fuels be#e cleaner，in other words，as they grow higher in hydrogen content.So pure hydrogen is，logically，the cleanest alternative.[422 words]
1.This passage is mainly about______
A.de-carbonization
B.the oil crisis
C.hydrogen--a sound alternative to oil
D.hydrogen--another #mercial fuel
2.According to Rifkin，it is wise______
A.to develop hydrogen powered vehicles
B.to recover more oil deposits
C.to use coa nstead of oil
D.t0 1earn something useful from alchemists
3.The Oil Age______
A.is #ing to its end
B.is fast approaching
C.is still in its prime
D.is in the balance
4.In which of the following is there the lowest level of carbon?
A.Burning wood
B.Coal
C.Oil
D.Natural gas
5.The fuel be#es cleaner，when______
A.the ratio of carbon to hydrogen in it increases
B.the ratio of hydrogen to carbon in it increases
C.the amount of carbon in it remains constant
D.the amount of hydrogen ill it remains constant [NextPage] 难句透析
①We can continue[searching for tiny and hard tO recover oil deposits around the world]，[supplementing the last few drops with dirtier carbon fuels like coal and heavy oil（extracted from tar sand）].
【结构】第一个方括号标示的动名词短语用做“continue”的宾语。“searching for tiny and hard tO recover…”相当于“searching for tiny and（searching）hard tO recover…”。第二个方括号标示的现在分词短语用做补充说明状语。圆括号标示的过去分词短语用做“heavy oil”的后置定语。
【释义】我们可以继续搜寻小油田，并且努力在世界范围内寻找石油储藏，用比较脏的碳类燃料，比如煤以及从焦油沙中提取的重油，来补充最后可怜的一点点石油。
②Unlike oil，it is not geographically concentrated，and therefore unlikely tO precipitate power struggles and riolence.
【结构】本句是由“and”连接的两个分句构成的并列句。第二个分句省略了主谓语“it is”。“it”指“hydrogen”。
【释义】和石油不同，氢在地理上的分布并不集中，因而不可能引起势力的争夺和暴力冲突。
③Hydrogen has been dubbed“the forever fuel”，and harnessing it，Rifkin writes，“would provide humanity with a Eclean]virtually unlimited source of energy--the kind of energy elixir that has long eluded alchemists and chemists alike.”
【结构】本句是由“and”连接的两个分句构成的并列句。破折号后面的部分补充说明其前面的“energy”。
【释义】氢已经被称之为“永恒的燃料”。瑞福金写道：掌握了氢“则能为人类提供一种实际上永无穷尽的（清洁）能源，这种能源简直就像炼金术士们寻求多年但是求之不得的那类长生不老药一样。”
④As we have done S0，the level of destruction[we have visited on our environment]has slowed（satanic clouds of soot 00 longer hang over New York，as they did in the coal age）and this can be explained by the increasing ratio of hydrogen to carbon in the fuels fiwe use].
【结构】第一个方括号标示的部分是“the level of destruction”的定语从句。第二个方括号标示的部分是“the fuels”的定语从句。
【释义】在这样做的过程中，我们对环境破坏的程度减缓了（纽约上空不再像过去烧煤的时代那样被可怕的煤烟所笼罩），其原因在于我们所使用的燃料中的氢碳之比在不断提高。
全文翻译
瑞福金是位于华盛顿的经济趋势基金的运作者，同时还是宾夕法尼亚州立大学沃顿管理学院的一名讲师，根 据他的看法，虽然时间正在飞快地离去，但是我们仍然还有两种选择。
第一种选择是把钻头和油钻向地下打得更深。我们可以继续搜寻小油田，并且努力在世界范围内寻找石油储 藏，用比较脏的碳类燃料，比如煤以及从焦油沙中提取的重油，来补充最后可怜的一点点石油。这只是一个短期内 的解决方案，并且将会把大气污染推至崩溃的边缘，也有可能烤焦整个地球。由于得到大量统计数据的支持，瑞福 金称这种发展道路是愚蠢而且是自杀式的。
合乎情理的选择则是使用含氢元素较高的燃料，因为氢是整个宇宙中最充足的元素。它无处不在。和石油不 同，氢在地理上的分布并不集中，因而不可能引起势力的争夺和暴力冲突。氢已经被称之为“永恒的燃料”。瑞福 金写道：掌握了氢“则能为人类提供一种实际上永无穷尽的（清洁）能源，这种能源简直就像炼金术士们寻求多年但 是求之不得的那类长生不老药一样。
自从20世纪20年代以来，氢就被作为商业燃料出售，前苏联在70年代时就制造了首架以液氢为燃料的飞 机。由于燃料提纯技术的飞速进步，瑞福金推测在石油时代即将终结的时候将会出现一套基于氢能源的供应网络 来阻止全球能源系统的崩溃。
从长远来看，历史总是站在氢能源这边的。人类提纯能源的历史也就是”去碳化“的过程——也即在我们所选 用的燃料中碳的含量逐步减少。自从工业革命以来，我们从烧木头演变到烧煤，再到烧石油，直到现在在较小的规 模内使用天然气。在这样做的过程中，我们对环境破坏的程度减缓了（纽约上空不再像过去烧煤的时代那样被可 怕的煤烟所笼罩），其原因在于我们所使用的燃料中的氢碳之比在不断提高。木材当中的氢碳比例为1：10。煤 当中的氢碳比例为1：2，石油当中的比例正相反，为2：1。而天然气中氢碳的比例达到了4：1。我们的能源正变 得越来越干净，换句话说，它们所含的氢含量越来越高。所以从逻辑上讲，氢是我们最清洁的选择。
超纲词汇
alchemist n.炼金术士
Dub vt.授予称号
Elixir n.炼金药，不老长寿药
grid n.网，网络
Preeipitate vt.猛抛，促成
Satanic 恶魔的
参考答案：1.C 2.A 3.A 4.D 5.B
