Debate over the use of Renewable energy
Ausubel of Rockefeller University in New York, US. says the key renewable energy sources, including sun, wind and biofuels, would all require vast 1 of land if developed up to large scale production1 unlike nuclear power. That land would be far better left alone2, he says. Renewables look attractive when they are quite 2 . But if we start producing renewable energy on a large scale, the fallout is going to be horrible. Instead, Ausubel argues 3 renewed development of nuclear.
Ausubel draws his conclusions by analysing the amount of energy renewables, natural gas and nuclear can produce in terms of power per square metre of land used3. Moreover, he claims that as renewable energy use increases, this measure of efficiency4 will 4 as the best land for wind, biofuels, and solar power gets used up.
Using biofuels to obtain the 5 amount of energy as a 1000 megawatt nuclear power plant would require 2500 square kilometres of farm 6 , Ausubel says. We should be sparing land for nature5, not using it as pasture for cars and trucks, he adds.
Solar power is much more efficient than biofuel in terms of the area of land 7 , but it would still require 150 square kilometres of photovoltaic cells to 8 the energy production of the 1000 MW nuclear plant. In another example, he says meeting the 2005 US electricity demand via wind power alone would need 780,000 square kilometres, an area the size of Texas.
However, several experts are highly critical 9 Ausubels conclusions. John Turner of the US governments National Renewable Energy Laboratory says that 10 the US got all of its power from solar energy, it would still need less than half the amount of land that has been paved over for highways. Further, it need not 11 additional land. The US could get a quarter of its energy just from covering rooftops of 12 buildings, he says.
According to Turner, the same dual use also applies to wind power6. The footprint for wind7 is only 5% of the land that it 13 . Farmers can still farm the land that the turbines are on8. Turner says looking solely at land use is an oversimplification of the 14 . Im not sure Id want to build one of these nuclear plants in Afghanistan9, but we could 15 put in wind and solar power, he adds.
词汇：
renewable adj. 可再生的
n. 可再生能源photovoltaic adj. 光电的
rooftop n. 屋顶
biofuel n 生物燃料footprint n. 足迹，影响区域
fallout n. 余波，结果turbine n. 涡轮机
megawatt n. 兆瓦
pasture n. 牧场，牧地Oversimplification n. 过于简单化
注释：
1. if developed up to large scale production：如果开发达到大规模的程度。 if developed up to large scale production = if (the key renewable energy sources were) developed up to large scale production
2.That land would be far better left alone：保留那一片土地远比使用它为好。(be) left alone 是别动它的意思。如：
Leave him alone. He can solve the problem himself.
(不要打搅他。他自己会解决问题的。)
3.Ausubel draws his conclusions by analysing the amount of energy renewables, natural gas and nuclear can produce in terms of power per square metre of land used：Ausubel 用每平方公尺土地与产生的能量的比率这一方法，对可再生能源、天然气和核电厂发出多少能量进行分析，从而得出他的结论。 (that) renewables, natural gas and nuclear can produce in terms of power per square metre of land used 是定语从句，修饰 the amount of energy, 关系动词 that 省略。in terms of 是 按照，依据。如：
We cannot measure everything in term of money.
(我们不能用金钱来衡量每一件事。)
4.this measure of efficiency：这种效率的值。measure 这里指值的大小。
5.We should be sparing land for nature：我们应该将土地留给自然。spare 是免去，免遭。如：
Call him and you will spare a visit.
(打个电话给他，省得自己跑一趟。)
6.the same dual use also applies to wind power：同样的双重利用土地 也适用于风力发电
7.The footprint for wind：风力发电占用的土地。footprint 在此的意思是影响区。wind 实际上指的是风力发电。
8.Farmers can still farm the land that the turbines are on：农民在涡轮机占用的土地上仍然可以耕种。 Farmers can still farm the land that the turbines are on = Farmers can still farm the land on which the turbines are
9.Im not sure Id want to build one of these nuclear plants in Afghanistan：我确定不了我是否还想在阿富汗建立一个这样的核电厂。这是一种委婉的英语表达方式 (understatement)，其真正要表达的意思是：我不想在阿富汗建立一个这样的核电厂。
练习：
1.A) figuresB) amountsC) numbersD) digits
2.A) smallB) hugeC) littleD) vast
3.A) atB) overC) forD) against
4.A) expandB) minimizeC) enlargeD) decrease
5.A) sameB) similarC) alikeD) identical
6.A) regionB) siteC) areaD) land
7.A) leasedB) cultivatedC) usedD) purchased
8.A) patchB) matchC) catchD) fetch
9.A) inB) withC) ofD) on
10.A) even ifB) only if C) what ifD) as if
11.A) lock upB) take upC) give upD) step up
12.A) toweringB) interestingC) nicelookingD) existing
13.A) surroundsB) containsC) includesD) covers
14.A) issueB) stuffC) summaryD) suggestion
15.A) doubtfully B) supposedlyC) certainlyD) honestly
答案与解析：
1.分析文章主题： Debate over(关于...的争论) the use(使用) of renewable(可再生的) energy(能量)
文章主题词：renewable energy, debate, use
2. 直接解题：
1.A) figures B) amounts C) numbersD) digits
Ausubel of Rockefeller(洛克菲勒) University in New York(纽约), US. says the key(关键， 钥匙，答案) renewable(可再生的) energy sources(能源), including(包括) sun, wind and biofuels(生物燃料), would all(全部) require(需要，要求) vast(辽阔的) 1 of land(土地，陆地， 着陆) if(they are) developed (被发展)up to large scale production (大规模生产) unlike(与...不同) nuclear power(核动力) .
1.B虽然四个选项的词 (figures 数字， 体形，考虑(figure out计算出/断定)， amounts 数量， 总计，numbers 数目，digits 阿拉伯数字) 都是与数字有关的，在vast... of修饰不可数名词 land ，因此需要用 amounts。B 是答案。
That land would be far(更加， 遥远的) better (when it is) left alone, he says.
Leave...alone 不管...
2.A) small(小的， 少的)B) huge(巨大的， 极大的)C) little(很少的， 短暂的， 矮小的) D) vast(巨大的， 辽阔的， 大量的)
Renewables (可再生能源)look attractive(吸引人的) when they are quite(十分， 相当) 2 .
2.A在 Renewables look attractive when they are quite __?__. But if we start producing renewable energy on a large scale, the fallout is going to be horrible这两个句子之间，有个连词 But, 说明两个句子的意思相反。后一句说，如果大规模开发可再生能源，其后果十分可怕。既然 大规模、可怕，前一句填入空格的词应该与之相反。选项 A 是 small ，正符合要求，A 是答案。
考点：上下文之间的意义。
But(但是) if we start(开始) producing(生产) renewable energy on a large scale(大规模地) , the fallout(附带结果) is going to (将会...)be horrible(可怕的).
3.A) atB) overC) forD) against
Instead(代替)(instead of using renewable energy), Ausubel argues 3 renewed(更新的，重建的) development(发展) of nuclear(核能).
3.CAusubel 是不赞成大规模开发可再生能源的。空3后出现 nuclear, 可以合理地推论出，这是他赞同的能源。所以要选 C 的for( argue for...(争论以支持...)。 argue over (就进行争论), argue against (争论以反对...) 都不符合上下文的意思。.
Ausubel draws his conclusions by (通过...得出结论)analyzing(分析) the amount of energy renewables, natural gas (天然气)and nuclear can produce(生产，结(果)， 创作) in terms of (根据...,按照...) power per(每) square metre(平方米) of land used (被用的).
4.A) expand(使膨胀， 扩大)B) minimize(把...减到最少)C) enlarge(扩大， 放大)D) decrease(减少)
Moreover(而且), he claims(声称， 主张) that as(当) renewable energy use(使用) increases(增加), this measure(测量， 估量) of efficiency(功效， 效率)will 4 as(随着， 当) the best(最好的) land for wind, biofuels, and solar power(太阳能) gets used up(用光) .
4.D空4前面一句说，Ausubel 对可再生能源、天然气和核电厂发出的电量与其占用土地的量的比值作一比较。空4所在的句子说，随着风力发电、生物燃料发电和太阳能发电占用的最好的土地逐渐用完，这个效率比值会发生什么变化呢?从 gets used up 分析，效率比值应该变小才对。所以要选 D的 decrease。minimize (使最小化)不符合上下文的意思。
5.A) same(相同的)B) similar(相似的)C) alike(相似的， 类似地)D) identical(同样的)
6.A) region(区域，地方)B) site(场所， 现场， 遗址)C) area(区域， 面积， 领域)D) land
Using biofuels(生物燃料) to obtain(获得) the 5 amount of energy as a 1000 megawatt(兆瓦特) nuclear power plant (核电站)would require(需要) 2500 square kilometers of farm 6 , Ausubel says.
5.A从句子的意思和词的搭配上看，填入 空5的词是选项 A 的 same。sameas 是固定搭配。填入 same 之后，句子的意思也完整了，即：用生物燃料得到与 1000 兆瓦核电厂相同的能量需要 2500 平方公里的耕地。
6.DLand在前文中出现过， 因此land成为答案的可能性较大。Region 和area词义十分接近， 可以彼此排除掉， B出现在空格中不合适。 Farm land的含义为耕地。
We should be sparing(节约， 多余的， 剩下的) land for nature(自然), not using it as(作为) pasture(牧场，草原) for cars and trucks(卡车), he adds(增加， 补充说).
7.A) leased(出租， 租借)B) cultivated(耕耘， 培养)C) usedD) purchased(购买)
8.A) patch(修补， 碎片)B) match(相匹配)C) catch(捕捉，赶上(车)，感染(疾病))D) fetch(取来，带来)
Solar power(太阳能)is much more (更加)efficient(有效率的) than biofuel in terms of the area(面积) of land 7 , but it would still(仍然， 更，禁止的) require(需要) 150 square kilometers (平方公里) of photovoltaic cells (光电池)to 8 the energy production(发电) of the 1000 MW(兆瓦) nuclear plant(核工厂).
7.C空7所在的句子的意思是： 根据...土地计算，太阳能的效率比生物燃料的效率高得多 。最适合填入的词是 C 的 used。其它三个选项 leased (租借)、cultivated (耕种)、purchased (购买)都不符合上下文的意思。
8.B本题只能选 B 的 match (相匹配)，其它三个选项，即 patch (补缀)、catch (捕捉)、fetch (取来) 只是与 match 发音接近，意思与上下文不匹配。
In another(另外的) example(例子), he says meeting the 2005 US electricity demand(满足...的需要) via(通过) wind power alone(单独地，单独的) would need 780,000 square kilometres, an area(面积)(of) the size(大小，尺寸) of Texas(得克萨斯州).
9.A) inB) withC) ofD) on
However(然而), several(几个的) experts(专家) are highly(非常) critical 9 Ausubels conclusions(结论).
9.Ccritical 要求后接 of。C 是答案。
10.A) even if(即使)B) only if(只有当...) C) what if(如果...怎么办)D) as if(仿佛)
John Turner of the US government(政府)s National(国家的) Renewable Energy Laboratory(实验室) says that 10 the US got(获得) all of its power from solar energy, it would still need less than (少于)half the amount of land that has been paved(铺(路)) over for highways(公路).
10.A从空10所在的句子分析：the US got all of its power from solar energy 应该是宾语从句中的让步状语从句，选 A 的 even if 是对的。only if (只有当...)、what if (如果怎么办)、as if (仿佛)从其分别得使用特点上看都不能出现在空格处。
e.g. only if you pass(通过) the driving test (驾车考试)can you get drivers license(驾照).
e.g. what if my mother knows I lied to (向...说谎) her? 如果我妈妈知道我说了谎话怎么办?
e.g. He looks as if he didnt sleep(睡觉) last night(昨晚).他看起来就像昨晚没有睡觉的样子
11.A) lock up(锁上)B) take up(占据， 开始从事)C) give up(放弃)D) step up(逐步增加， 提升)
Further(此外， 更远地， 更远的), it need not 11 additional(附加的， 额外的) land.
11.B本题只能选 B 的 take up (占用)，因为用上 take up 后，上下文的意思就连贯了。其它三个选项，即 lock up(锁上)、give up (放弃)、step up (逐步增加) 的意思与上下文不匹配。
12.A) towering(高耸的， 杰出的)B) interesting(有趣的)C) nicelooking(样子好看的)D) existing(现有的)
The US could get a quarter of (1/4) its energy just(仅仅) from covering(铺设的) rooftops(屋顶) of 12 buildings(建筑物), he says.
12.D空12所在的句子的意思是： 美国仅仅从 ? 大楼的楼顶(铺设的太阳能电池板)中就能得到四分之一的能量。从意思连贯的角度选择，选项 D 的 existing 最符合题意。
According to (根据)Turner, the same dual(双重的) use also applies to(适用于...) wind power (风能).
13.A) surrounds(围绕)B) contains(包含， 容纳)C) includes(包括， 包含)D) covers(覆盖，包括， 盖子， 封面 )
The footprint(足迹，影响区域) for wind is only 5% of the land that it 13 . Farmers can still farm(耕种， 农场) the land that the turbines(涡轮) are on(处于工作状态中).
13.D本段第一句用了 dual use。第二句说风力发电占用土地的百分数 (土地的第一个用途)。第三句说建有涡轮发电机的土地仍然可以用于耕种 (土地的第二个用途)。空13要填的动词应该是 D 的 covers (覆盖)。the land that it (指代 wind) covers, 意为 风力发电所覆盖的土地。
14.A) issue(问题， 期， 出版， 流出， 发行(钞票))B) stuff(原料，材料， 塞满)C) summary(摘要， 概要)D) suggestion(建议， 暗示)
Turner says(说) looking solely(单独地) at (看)land use is an oversimplification(过于单纯化) of the 14 .
14.A从上下文看，应该是对占用土地问题的过度简单化。选项 A 的 issue (问题) 正是上下文缺失的词。stuff 、summary 、suggestion 都不对。
15.A) doubtfully(怀疑地) B) supposedly(按照推测)C) certainly(的确， 当然)D) honestly(真诚地，公开地)
Im not sure(对...有把握的，的确) Id want to (想要) build(修建) one of these nuclear plants(核工厂) in Afghanistan(阿富汗) , but we could 15 put in(在...上投入资金/时间， 打断谈话) wind and solar power, he adds.
15.C空15所在句子的前半句是说不会在阿富汗建造核电站，后半句用 but 开始，说明前半句和后半句的意思相反。前半句用了 Im not sure，后半句用 选项 C 的 certainly, 与 not sure 的意思相反，是很合理的。