Free energy is everywhere around us. There are many ways to make and collect energy from various sources like sun, wind and water. People also realize that everyday stuff can be a source of energy too. For example, riding a bike, running or just walking, etc. We simply have to change our way of thinking if we want to change the world.
So comes the idea of solar roadways. Are they the road of future? Why use roads just for driving and collecting tolls (过路费)? Why don’t we use them for collecting energy?
The US Department of Transportation recently awarded $100,000 to Solar Roadways to build the first ever Solar Road Panel. So how do these future roads work?
The Solar Road Panels will contain embedded (嵌入的) LEDs which “paint” the road lines from beneath to provide safer nighttime driving as well as to give drivers instant instructions such as detour (绕行) ahead. The road will be able to sense wildlife on the road and can warn drivers to “slow down”. There will also be embedded heating elements in the surface to prevent snow and ice buildup, providing safer winter driving.
Replacing asphalt (沥青) roads and parking lots with Solar Roadway Panels will be a major step toward stopping climate change. Fully electric vehicles will be able to recharge along the roadway and in parking lots, finally making electric cars practical for long trips.
We just can’t wait to see more of these roads all over the world in the near future.
【小题1】The first paragraph serves as a(n)______.

Plastic is everywhere because plastic is an extremely useful material. It is cheap, strong and lightweight. What’s more, it can take on nearly any form or shape, from soft and stretchy (有弹性的) to hard and glasslike.

Plastic, however, is far from perfect. It may even be bad for us. Studies now suggest that poisonous chemicals can get out of some types of plastic, get into our bodies, and cause a variety of health problems, including cancer, birth defects and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (注意缺陷障碍).

Two types of chemicals in particular have raised special concern lately. They are called phthalates (邻苯二甲酸盐) and Bisphenol-A (二酚基丙烷), BPA for short. Not all plastic products contain them. But the ones that do are surrounded by controversy (争议). That’s because experts disagree on how dangerous these chemicals are.

Plastic is a single word, but plastic isn’t just one thing. What all plastics share in common are plasticizers -- special chemicals that allow the material to be changed into nearly any shape or texture. Plasticizers (塑化剂) are added to plastic during the manufacturing process.

Phthalates and BPA are two types of plasticizers that work in different ways. Phthalates add softness to things like shampoo bottles, raincoats and rubber. They are also used in perfumes and makeup. BPA, on the other hand, gives a hard, clear, almost glasslike feel to products such as infant bottles. BPA also appears in food and soda cans, DVDs and other unexpected places.

How do these chemicals get into us? When plastic is heated in the microwave or dishwasher, chewed on or scratched, the chemicals can seep (渗透) out of the plastic. Even though we can’t see them, we eat them, drink them and breathe them in.

Scientists and parents are especially worried about young children, who tend to chew on everything, including plastic. Dozens of countries, including the European Union, Japan, Canada and Mexico have already banned phthalates from products made for children younger than three. California and Washington have done the same. And a number of other states are considering similar rules. As for BPA, Canada became the first country to ban the chemical from baby bottles. A dozen states are considering it.

1.What can we know about the plastic from the first paragraph?

A. Its characters and effects.                   B. Its wide use and bad points.

C. Its importance and chemicals.               D. Its popularity and advantages.

2.Which of the following products contains BPA?

A. A soft plastic cup.                           B. A pencil eraser.

C. A baby milk bottle.                            D. A new perfume.

3.Phthalates and BPA can get into us __________.

A. through mouth or nose                          B. through blood transfusion

C. by feeling plastic products                  D. by heating in the microwave

4.What is the passage mainly about?

A. A new ban on plastic products.             B. Problems caused by the plastic. 

C. Good points of the plastic.            D. The use of plasticizers.

Free energy is everywhere around us. There are many ways to make and collect energy from various sources like sun, wind and water. People also realize that everyday stuff can be a source of energy too. For example, riding a bike, running or just walking, etc. We simply have to change our way of thinking if we want to change the world.

So comes the idea of solar roadways. Are they the road of future? Why use roads just for driving and collecting tolls (过路费)? Why don’t we use them for collecting energy?

The US Department of Transportation recently awarded $100,000 to Solar Roadways to build the first ever Solar Road Panel. So how do these future roads work?

The Solar Road Panels will contain embedded (嵌入的) LEDs which “paint” the road lines from beneath to provide safer nighttime driving as well as to give drivers instant instructions such as detour (绕行) ahead. The road will be able to sense wildlife on the road and can warn drivers to “slow down”. There will also be embedded heating elements in the surface to prevent snow and ice buildup, providing safer winter driving.

Replacing asphalt (沥青) roads and parking lots with Solar Roadway Panels will be a major step toward stopping climate change. Fully electric vehicles will be able to recharge along the roadway and in parking lots, finally making electric cars practical for long trips.

We just can’t wait to see more of these roads all over the world in the near future.

1.The first paragraph serves as a(n)______.

A. argument      B. comment       C. explanation      D. background

2.Which of the following is NOT true of LEDs?

A. They color the road lines.   

B. They are embedded in the Solar Road Panels.

C. They are beneficial for nighttime driving.

D. They can provide instant instructions.

3. When some animals are on the solar road, what will the road do?

A. Guide them to a safer place.           B. Remind drivers to drive slowly.

C. Frighten them away from the road.      D. Advise drivers to choose another way.

4. From the text, we can know that the Solar Road Panels can______.

A. provide heat for drivers in winter  

B. guide drivers who get lost on the highway

C. melt snow and ice soon in winter        

D. help drivers see the road clearly in the sun

Plastic is everywhere because plastic is an extremely useful material. It is cheap, strong and lightweight. What’s more, it can take on nearly any form or shape, from soft and stretchy (有弹性的) to hard and glasslike.

Plastic, however, is far from perfect. It may even be bad for us. Studies now suggest that poisonous chemicals can get out of some types of plastic, get into our bodies, and cause a variety of health problems, including cancer, birth defects and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (注意缺陷障碍).

Two types of chemicals in particular have raised special concern lately. They are called phthalates (邻苯二甲酸盐) and Bisphenol-A (二酚基丙烷), BPA for short. Not all plastic products contain them. But the ones that do are surrounded by controversy (争议). That’s because experts disagree on how dangerous these chemicals are.

Plastic is a single word, but plastic isn’t just one thing. What all plastics share in common are plasticizers -- special chemicals that allow the material to be changed into nearly any shape or texture. Plasticizers (塑化剂) are added to plastic during the manufacturing process.

Phthalates and BPA are two types of plasticizers that work in different ways. Phthalates add softness to things like shampoo bottles, raincoats and rubber. They are also used in perfumes and makeup. BPA, on the other hand, gives a hard, clear, almost glasslike feel to products such as infant bottles. BPA also appears in food and soda cans, DVDs and other unexpected places.

How do these chemicals get into us? When plastic is heated in the microwave or dishwasher, chewed on or scratched, the chemicals can seep (渗透) out of the plastic. Even though we can’t see them, we eat them, drink them and breathe them in.

Scientists and parents are especially worried about young children, who tend to chew on everything, including plastic. Dozens of countries, including the European Union, Japan, Canada and Mexico have already banned phthalates from products made for children younger than three. California and Washington have done the same. And a number of other states are considering similar rules. As for BPA, Canada became the first country to ban the chemical from baby bottles. A dozen states are considering it.

1.What can we know about the plastic from the first paragraph?

A. Its characters and effects.                   B. Its wide use and bad points.

C. Its importance and chemicals.               D. Its popularity and advantages.

2.Which of the following products contains BPA?

A. A soft plastic cup.                           B. A pencil eraser.

C. A baby milk bottle.                            D. A new perfume.

3.Phthalates and BPA can get into us __________.

A. through mouth or nose                          B. through blood transfusion

C. by feeling plastic products                  D. by heating in the microwave

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A. A new ban on plastic products.             B. Problems caused by the plastic. 

C. Good points of the plastic.            D. The use of plasticizers.

M: Miss Dermott, do you think, w___1___ a few years, many people could work at home i___2___ of working in offices?

W: Oh, yes. It’s happening now. You see, the communication industry has made a lot of p____3____ in the last ten years.

M: And how do these people m___4___ to work? I mean, what equipment do they have at home?

W: Well, they have a television set, a computer, a printer, and a telephone to c___5___ with other computers.

M: Oh, I see. But surely there’re some a____6____ in being able to work at home.

W: Yes. Working at home, people don’t have to get up early so that they can a____7____ the rush hours.

M: Ah, I see. What do you think about the conditions of home-workers?

W: Oh, let me tell you what might happen. In the f___8___ a British firm in, for example, London, might e____9____ clerks in Belfast, or a Paris company could have their secretaries in Spain, and then they just use a t___10___ to call around for the labour.