Question

What if we could replace oil with a fuel which produced no pollution and which everybody had equal access to? The good news is that we can. In fact, we are swimming in it--- literally.

Hydrogen is one of the building blocks of the universe. Our own sun is basically a big, dense cloud of the stuff. And hydrogen can be used to create electricity for power, heat and light.

The problem is that hydrogen is everywhere and nowhere at the same time. It does not exist as a material on its own, but is always part of something else. So it has to be separated before it can be used.

Most commercial hydrogen in use now is created from natural gas. As oil will start to run out in around the year 2030, it makes sense to produce as much hydrogen as possible as soon as we can. But natural gas supplies will also begin to run out soon after. Another source is needed.

Researchers are now using electricity to make water into hydrogen. Companies are working on the problem in their own areas. The first commercial hydrogen “fuel cells” for computers and mobile phones have already come on to the market. Auto companies have also invested over US $2 billion in the production of hydrogen fuelled cars.

The nations of a hydrogen fuelled planet would not fight over energy recourses. There would be a great reduction in pollution. The only by-product of creating hydrogen is pure drinking water--- something that is very scarce in many parts of the world. But that is not where the good news ends. Once the costs of producing hydrogen have been brought down, it will possibly provide power for a third of the Earth’s population that has no electricity.

And electricity creates wealth. In South Africa over the last decade there has been a large programme of electrification. Thanks to the programme, people do not have to spend their days looking firewood to burn for heat. And with electric light, they can work long into the night.

Some scientists see radical changes in the way the human race co-operates. Hydrogen creates electricity, and is also created by it. With dual use fuel cells, everyone who consumes energy could also produce it. Late at night, a man drives home in London and connects his car into the “world-wide hydrogen web,” which it supplies with electricity. A few hours later, a man in Beijing uses that electricity to power the hydrogen cell in his car. Hydrogen could be the first democratic energy source.

Like all dreams of the future, it seems very far away. But the threat of war and terrorism in the Middle East has made governments and businesses more aware of the need to end oil dependency and spend more time and money on hydrogen resource. So maybe the threat of war is not a completely bad thing for the future of the human race.

1.What does the underlined word “it” in the last but one paragraph refer to?

A. wealth                            B. hydrogen                         C. electricity                       D. fuel

2.What is the problem with using hydrogen as energy?

A. It has by-products.

B. It has to be separated from other materials.

C. It will make energy too cheap.

D. It is too far away from us.

3.Why does the author give the example in the last but one paragraph ?

A. To tell us that we produce energy while using hydrogen power.

B. To tell us that hydrogen power does not produce pollution.

C. To show hydrogen power can stop war.

D. To show hydrogen power is cheap.

4.What is the author’s attitude about the future?

A. skeptical                            B. negative              C. indifferent              D. positive

5.What is the passage mainly about?

A. war and energy                                          B. the future of hydrogen as an energy resource

C. the disadvantages of oil                        D. How to end war

 

Answer 1

【答案】

 

1.C

2.B

3.A

4.D

5.B

【解析】

试题分析：文章主要讲的是能源问题。石油和天然气都有枯竭的那一天，所以，研究新能源势在必行。氢气是普遍存在的一种气体，每个地方的人们都有权使用它，而且氢气不会产生污染。文章还讲到氢能源与电能的相互转换，各个国家都在投入大量时间和金钱研究氢能源。

1.根据“Hydrogen creates electricity, and is also created by it. With dual use fuel cells, everyone who consumes energy could also produce it.”可知，每一个消耗电能的人也可以生产电能。故选C。

2.根据第三段“The problem is that hydrogen is everywhere and nowhere at the same time. It does not exist as a material on its own, but is always part of something else. So it has to be separated before it can be used.”可知，氢气不单独存在，而是依附于其它物质，要想使用氢气，必须先分离出氢气。故选B。

3.氢气产生电能，同时电能也可以产生氢气。根据倒数第二段“Late at night, a man drives home in London and connects his car into the “world-wide hydrogen web,” which it supplies with electricity. A few hours later, a man in Beijing uses that electricity to power the hydrogen cell in his car.”可知，电能和氢气之间可以相互转化。故选A。

4.根据最后一段可知，中东战争与恐怖主义使越来越多的国家认识到应该终止对石油的依赖，转而投入时间和金钱研究氢能源，这对于人类的未来而言，战争和恐怖主义也许并非一无是处。作者对氢能源抱有积极的态度。故选D。

5.文章主要讲的是能源问题。氢气普遍存在，每个地方的人们都有权使用它，而且氢气不会产生污染。文章还讲到氢能源与电能的相互转换，各个国家都在投入大量时间和金钱研究氢能源。因此，B项“氢气作为一种能源的未来”最符合题意。故选B。

考点：科技类短文阅读