17．"The British government will offer￡1，000，000to anyone who can solve the world's biggest problem-whatever it might be，"said Prime Minister（首相） David Cameron at a science conference．In an unusual competition，the Government will ask people to find out the greatest challenge（挑战） today，such as finding a replacement（替代） for oil，producing low cost food or curing AIDS/HIV．When the toughest problem has been decided，the Prime Minister will give away￡1，000，000to the person who successfully works out the answer．The competition follows the example of the Longitude Prize started by the government in 1714，which offered￡20，000 （worth￡6，000，000today） to anyone who could discover how far east or west ships had sailed．Sailors could work out their location north and south，and were able to decide their local time from the sun．However，they needed to know the time at a reference（参照） point in order to find out how far they had travelled east or west．Many people thought the problem was impossible to solve，but the prize was finally won by John Harrison，an ordinary worker．He did this by designing a clock that kept accurate（准确的） time at sea and made it possible for sailors to work out their location．Almost exactly 300years on，Mr Cameron will have a group of scientists collect suggestions and draw up a short list of problems facing the world．He will then start a race to solve the most difficult problem．A government officer said，"We want people to think big：what does the world need and how can we achieve that？We are looking for the next penicillin（青霉素），airplane or World Wide Web．Something that is going to really change what we do and how we live our lives-sending us ahead in the global race．"According to Mr Cameron，it is important to"encourage new ideas"and"attract back the best and the brightest"to Britain．
32、The British government promises￡1，000，000to any person whoA．
A．can solve the biggest challenge facing the world
B．can find how the next penicillin works on illnesses
C．can think of the most difficult problem in the world
D．can help the Prime Minister run his government better
33、The Longitude Prize is mentioned mainly toD．
A．explain why the government set up the prize in 1714
B．show John Harrison was a great success as an inventor
C．show that the government is very grateful to John Harrison
D．explain what gave Mr Cameron the idea of starting the competition
34、We can infer（推断） from Paragraphs 4and 5 thatD．
A．ships no longer get lost at sea with Harrison's invention
B．clocks on ships kept good time before Harrison's invention
C．sailors found it hard to work out their location north and south
D．the sailing industry was very important in Britain around the 1700s
35、Which of the following is true according to the text？C
A．John Harrison was sure that he would win the prize．
B．The million pound prize will go to a British scientist．
C．The British government pays special attention to the nation's creativity．
D．A replacement for oil is considered as the toughest problem by the scientists．
分析 短文大意：
"英国政府提供1，000，000英镑，给那些能解决世界最大问题的人，不管什么问题都可以．"首相戴维卡梅伦在一个科学会议说到．通过一个不寻常的竞争，政府让人们找到今天的最大的挑战．如发现代替石油的燃料，生产成本低的食物或者治疗艾滋病的药．当这些棘手的问题已经被解决了，政府将会奖励解决这些问题的人￡1000000奖金．在1714年，英国政府提供20，000英镑的奖金，设立了经度奖，奖励能在海上准确定位的人．水手可以在任何地方工作，并能根据太阳判定他们的当地时间．然而，他们需要在参照点找出他们曾前往东或西．许多人认为这个问题不可能解决，但是最后这笔奖金被一个叫John Harrison的普通工人获得．他通过设计一个在海上能准确知道时间的闹钟，让水手们确定他们所处的位置成为了可能．在几乎三百年时间里，卡梅伦将会组织一组科学家收集建议和制定一个世界面临的问题的短名单．他将通过一场比赛来解决最困难的问题．政府官员说，"我们希望人们认为大：世界需要什么，我们如何才能实现？我们正在寻找下一个青霉素（青霉素），飞机或万维网．这是要真正改变我们做什么和在全球竞争中向我们大踏步的前进．据卡梅伦先生说，重要的是要"鼓励新思路"和"吸引最好的和最聪明的"英国．
解答 32．A．细节理解题．根据The British government will offer￡1，000，000 to anyone who can solve the world's biggest problem-whatever it might be．可知，英国政府提供1，000，000英镑，给那些能解决世界最大问题的人，不管什么问题都可以．故选A．
33．D．推理判断题．根据The competition follows the example of the Longitude Prize started by the government in 1714．可知短文中提到了经度奖，这是一个英国政府用来奖励能在海上确定准确方位的人的奖项，是在1714年设立的．现在300年后，受经度奖的影响，Cameron又重新设立奖项，奖励那些能解决世界难题的人．故选D．
34．D．推理判断题．根据Paragraphs 4 and 5，可知，在1714年，英国政府提供20，000英镑的奖金，奖励能在海上准确定位的人．由此我们可见，当时航海业对于英国是多么的重要．故选D．
35．C．推理判断题．根据Many people thought the problem was impossible to solve，but the prize was finally won by John Harrison，an ordinary worker．He did this by designing a clock that kept accurate（准确的） time at sea and made it possible for sailors to work out their location．可知，第一个经度奖被Harrison获得，文章中并没有提到说他就确定自己一定能得到这个奖项，故A不对；根据Almost exactly 300 years on，Mr Cameron will have a group of scientists collect suggestions and draw up a short list of problems facing the world．可知，这个奖项是给那些能破解世界难题的人，不一定是科学家，故B不对；根据such as finding a replacement（替代） for oil，producing low cost food or curing AIDS/HIV．可知，找到石油的替代品只是世界上难题之一，故D表述与文章内容不一致；根据，it is important to"encourage new ideas"and"attract back the best and the brightest"to Britain．可知英国政府奖励百万英镑给那些有创新能力，能解决世界难题的人，故C是正确的．故选C．
点评 这是一篇科普知识类阅读短文．这篇短文讲述的是英国政府在设立经度奖300年后，重新设置了百万奖项，给那些能破解世界难题的人．短文中还给我们讲述了第一届经度奖，以及Cameron重设这一奖项的目的．要做好这类阅读理解题，先要掌握这类文章的特点和结构，真正读懂并理解它．其次，工夫在课外，平时一定要多读科技幻想类文章，比如：太空与海洋、创造与发明、计算机发展、人类未来、动物世界等．长期坚持，既可以增长知识、开阔视野，又可以扩充科技词汇，还能提高解答这种类型试题的能力．
