Question

The world's largest solar thermal plant(太阳热能发电站)is set to begin producing power in the United States by the end of the year. Wind and energy from the sun are generally considered clean, unlike energy from coal-burning power stations. However, environmentalists now worry that too much solar power development could harm the local environment.

A California company — BrightSource Energy is building a huge solar power plant in the Mojave desert, about 60 kilometers southwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. The plant is known as the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System. Joe Desmond works for the company. "This is actually one of the highest concentrations of sunlight in the world, out here in Ivanpah." explained Desmond. BrightSource Energy will deploy 170,000 specially de­signed mirrors to direct solar energy towards boilers on top of three power towers. The steam produced in the boilers will drive turbine (涡轮) to make electricity. Joe Desmond says the steam can reach temperatures of more than 260 degrees Celsius. "We can store the sun's thermal energy in the form of molten salt, so we can produce electricity even when the sun goes down. There is a lot of interest in concentrating solar power around the globe in environmnents where you have lots of sun, such as China, South Africa, the Mid­dle East, North Africa, explained Desmond.

Environmentalists generally support the idea of solar power, however, many are concerned about the effect of power plants on sensitive environment. Lisa Belenky is a lawyer with the Center for Biological Diversity, a private group. She says environmentalists are specifically worried about the effect of the Ivanpah Solar Project on the sensitive plant and animal life in that part of Mojave desert. "Even though the desert seems big, when you start cutting it up, it can really affect how the species and the animals and the plants are able to survive in the long run,"said Lisa Belenky. BrightSource Energy has already spent more than $ 50 million to move endangered desert tortoises away from the power plant. but Lisa Belenky says this is not the answer. "We should be reusing areas that have a1ready been disturbed, like old mining sites, for example...either on homes, on businesses, parking lots." said Belenky.

There have also been reports of birds dying at the Ivanpah Plant and others like it.

Some birds die after colliding with solar equipment which the animals mistake for water. Other birds were killed or suffered burns after flying through the intense heat at the solar thermal plant. As solar projects increase, environmentalists and developers are considering what to do to reduce bird death.

1.Why is the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System being built in the desert?

A. Because the temperature is extremely high in the desert.  

B. Because there is no life in the desert.

C. Because there is much salt in the desert.             

D. Because sunlight is highly focused in the desert.

2.Why can the plant make electricity at night?

A. Because the sun's thermal energy can be stored in the form of steam.

B. Because the sun's thermal energy can be stored in the form of molten salt.

C. Because the sun'ss thermal energy can be stored through mirrors

D. Because the sun's thermal energy can be stored in the boilers.

3.According to Lisa Belenky, in order to reduce the effect,_____.

A. we should move all the plants and animals away from the solar plant

B. we should guide the bird not to hit the solar plant

C we should build the solar plant in disturbed areas

D. we should build the solar plant in the desert

4.The author’s attitude towards the solar projects is _____.

A. supportive              B. critical                          C. indifferent                         D. cautious

Answer

1.D

2.B

3.C

4.D

【解析】

试题分析：太阳能一直被认为是一种安全、绿色的能源，太阳能发电也开始蓬勃发展 。但是建设太阳能发电站却带来了一些不可估量的问题，有些对于当地的生态环境的打击是巨大的。

1.细节理解题。由“A California company — BrightSource Energy is building a huge solar power plant in the Mojave desert, about 60 kilometers southwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. ”可知伊凡帕太阳能发电系统 会建在沙漠是由于沙漠里太阳能强度大并且集中。故选D。

2.细节理解题。由“We can store the sun's thermal energy in the form of molten salt, so we can produce electricity even when the sun goes down.”可知，把太阳能存储在熔盐中，在晚上就可以利用其来发电 。故选B。

3.细节理解题。由“"We should be reusing areas that have a1ready been disturbed, like old mining sites, for example...either on homes, on businesses, parking lots." said Belenky.”可知 Lisa Belenky建议把太阳能发电站建在已经荒废的地方。故选C。

4.推理判断题。全文讲述了建设太阳能发电站带来的环境问题以及一些专家提出的原因和解决办法，但作者本身并没有表明支持或反对那一种观点，因此他的态度很谨慎。supportive支持的；critical批判的； indifferent漠不关心的；cautious谨慎的。故选D。

考点： 科普类阅读。