14.The behavior of a building's users may be at least as important as its design when it comes to energy use,according to new research from the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC).The UK promises to reduce its carbon emissions (排放)by 80percent by 2050,part of which will be achieved by all new homes being zero carbon by 2016.But this report shows that sustainable building design on its own-though extremely important-is not enough to achieve such reductions:the behavior of the people using the building has to change too.
The study suggests that the ways that people use and live in their homes have been largely ignored by existing efforts to improve energy efficiency,which instead focus on architectural and technological developments.
"Technology is going to assist but it is not going to do everything,"explains Katy Janda,a UKERC senior researcher,"consumption patterns of building users can defeat the most careful design."In other words,old habits die hard,even in the best designed eco home.
Another part of the problem is information.Households and bill payers don't have the knowledge they need to change their energy use habits.Without specific information,it's hard to estimate the costs and benefits of making different choices.Feedback(反馈) facilities,like smart meters and energy monitors,could help bridge this information gap by helping people see how changing their behavior directly affects their energy use; some studies have shown that households can achieve up to 15percent energy savings using smart meters.
Social science research has added a further dimension,suggesting that individuals'behavior in the home can be personal and cannot be predicted-whether people throw open their windows rather than turn down the thermostat (恒温器),for example.
Janda argues that education is the key.She calls for a focused program to teach people about buildings and their own behavior in them.
32.As to energy use,the new research from UKERC stresses the importance ofD.
A.zero carbon homes
B.the reduction of carbon emissions
C.sustainable building design
D.the behavior of building users
33.The underlined word"which"in Paragraph 2refers to"B".
A.their homes
B.existing efforts
C.developments
D.the ways
34.What are Katy Janda's words mainly about?A
A.The importance of changing building users'habits.
B.The necessity of making a careful building design.
C.The variety of consumption patterns of building users.
D.The role of technology in improving energy efficiency.
35.The information gap in energy useC.
A.affects the study on energy monitors
B.brings about problems for smart meters
C.can be bridged by feedback facilities
D.will be caused by building users'old habits.
分析 本文是一篇说明文,主要讲述英国承诺,到2050年,英国的二氧化碳的排放减少80%.英国能源研究中心的研究发现,可持续发展建筑物的设计很重要,而改变其使用者的习惯也很重要.说明建筑物的使用者的行为至少和它的设计一样的重要,即人们家庭对于能源的消费量直接影响我们的生活环境的质量.
解答 32.D 细节理解题.根据文章第一段首句"The behaviour of a building's users may be at least as important as its design when it comes to energy use,according to new research from the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC)."可知:根据英国能源研究中心的研究,建筑物使用者的行为也许至少和它的设计一样重要.故答案D正确.
33.B 词义判断题.此题考查which引导的非限定性定语从句,which指代的是先行词existing efforts现有的努力.故答案B正确.
34.A 推理判断题.根据文章第三段Katy Janda 的话"consumption patterns of building users can defeat the most careful design."以及后面的"In other words,old habits die hard,even in the best-designed eco-home."可知建筑物使用者改变习惯的重要性.故A正确.
35.C 细节理解题.根据文章第四段"Feedback (反馈) facilities,like smart meters and energy monitors,could help bridge this information gap by helping people see how changing their behaviour directly affects their energy use"可知反馈设备能够缩短信息差距.故C正确.
点评 本文是一个科教类阅读理解,题目涉及多道细节理解题,做题时结合原文和题目有针对性的找出相关语句进行仔细分析,结合选项选出正确答案.推理判断题也是要在抓住关键句子的基础上合理的分析才能得出正确答案,切忌胡乱猜测,一定要做到有理有据.