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1、Britain's last coal-fired power plant will close on Monday, ending 142 years of coal-generated electricity in the nation that sparked the Industrial Revolution.
The Ratcliffe-on-Soar station in central England is to finish its final shift at midnight, after more than half a century of turning coal into power. Owner Uniper says many of the 170 remaining employees will stay on during a two-year decommissioning (停用关闭) process.
The UK government hailed (赞扬) the closure as a milestone in efforts to generate all of Britain's energy from renewable sources by 2030. The shutdown makes Britain the first country from the Group of Seven major economies to phase out coal — though some other European nations, including Sweden and Belgium, got there sooner.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks said the plant's closure "marks the end of an era and coal workers can be rightly proud of their work powering our country for over 140 years. We owe generations a debt of gratitude as a country. The era of coal might be ending, but a new age of good energy jobs for our country is just beginning."
The world's first coal-fired electricity plant, Edison Electric Light Station, opened in London in 1882. Ratcliffe-on-Soar, which opened in 1968, is a landmark whose eight concrete cooling towers and 199-meter chimney are seen by millions of people a year as they drive past on the M1 highway or speed by on trains.
In 1990 coal provided about 80% of Britain's electricity. By 2012 it had fallen to 39%, and by 2023 it stood at just 1%, according to figures from the National Grid. More than half of Britain's electricity now comes from renewable sources such as wind and solar power, and the rest from natural gas and nuclear energy.
"Ten years ago, coal was the leading source of this country's power — generating a third of our electricity," said Dhara Vyas, deputy chief executive of Energy U. K. "So, to get to this point just a decade later, with coal's contribution replaced by clean and low carbon sources, is an incredible achievement. As we aim for further ambitious targets in the energy transition (转变), it's worth remembering that few back then thought such a change at such a pace was possible."
(1)、What is the significance of the closure of Ratcliffe-on-Soar station?A、It marks the beginning of Britain's energy transition. B、It is the first step towards renewable energy in the UK. C、It shows the end of coal-generated electricity in Britain. D、It indicates that Britain has already reached its renewable energy goals.(2)、What can we learn from paragraph 4?A、The country is in debt and needs to repay its loans to the past generations. B、The country asked for gratitude from future generations for its current energy policies. C、The UK's gratitude to coal workers is now complete with the closure of the last coal plant. D、The UK acknowledged the significant contributions of coal workers throughout the industrial history.(3)、What does Dhara Vyas mainly imply in the last paragraph?A、Britain should have aimed for more ambitious energy transition targets earlier. B、The replacement of coal by clean sources in Britain happened faster than expected. C、The decline of coal as a power source in Britain was a slow and predictable process. D、Despite the remarkable shift to clean and low-carbon energy, challenges still remain.(4)、Which of the following can be a best title for the text?A、"The Economic Impact of Coal Plant Closures in the UK" B、"Britain's Coal Legacy: A Century of Power and Progress" C、"Renewable Energy Triumph: Britain Says Goodbye to Coal" D、"The Final Countdown: Britain's Last Coal Plant Closes Its Doors" -
2、In July 2020, over two nights and three days, with my wife, three kids and another family of camping friends, we enjoyed views of St. Vincent Gulf and a time made even more memorable by a ring.
My father had died four months earlier and I had been wearing a gold ring of his that was gifted to me. On the second day of our hike, as the rest of our group set off after lunch, I was walking at the back with my wife when I looked down at my hand where my dad's ring usually was. It was gone.
I spent the next few minutes and hours being comforted by my friends and family and regretting how I could lose something so precious on a hiking trip. My friend encouraged me to search for my ring in my pack, which I did when we stopped for a drink. There was no ring.
We set up camp and settled in at Kingfisher Flat, the most beautiful campsite, sitting beside a flowing creek. That night I went to sleep and eventually reconciled that my ring was gone for good.
Finishing the hike the following day, back at Mambray Creek, my mate said we should have one last look for the ring at the campsite before setting off. I went along with the idea, especially given there were toilets nearby and it was a four-hour drive back to our home on the Fleurieu Peninsula.
As we approached our campsite our friends started searching around the grounds for the ring. I inspected our fuel gauge completely, while my eldest daughter walked to the fire ring where we'd been chatting and laughing. Seconds later I heard my daughter say "I've found it!"
I seriously could not believe what she'd said until she presented me with my dad's ring. I accepted the ring, hugged my daughter and to this day find it hard to believe my dad's ring was found. This precious chapter made the two nights hiking something I will never forget.
(1)、What happened after the author losing his father's ring during the hike?A、The author decided to buy a new ring. B、The group decided to end the trip early. C、The author received comfort from friends and family. D、The author immediately found the ring in his sleeping bag.(2)、What does the underlined word "reconciled" in paragraph 4 mean?A、Felt angry and frustrated. B、Argued about the situation. C、Made peace with the situation. D、Found a solution to the problem.(3)、Why did the author agree to have one last look for the ring at the campsite?A、Because his friends insisted on searching again. B、Because he was still hopeful of finding the ring. C、Because he wanted to spend more time with his family. D、Because there were toilets nearby, making it a convenient stop.(4)、What's the purpose of the story?A、to describe the natural beauty of St. Vincent Gulf and its surroundings. B、to promote the benefits of family camping trips and outdoor activities. C、to provide a detailed account of hiking techniques and outdoor survival tips. D、to share the emotional journey of losing and finding a cherished family treasure. -
3、For many, the desire to travel peaks when summer rolls around. To help you pick a vacation spot, use this list of the best summer vacations to help you plan your getaway.
Paris
Daytime temperatures in the 70s makes summer one of the best times to wander around the City of Light. Dine alfresco at a cafe along the Champs-Élysées, or have a picnic at the Luxembourg Gardens or on the lawns in front of the Eiffel Tower. The only cons: bigger crowds and higher prices on hotel rooms. You may want to consider a vacation rental to save money, and you should plan to visit world-renowned attractions like the Louvre first thing in the morning to avoid a great many tourists.
Great Barrier Reef
Australia's Great Barrier Reef offers some of the most scenic snorkeling and diving on the globe at hot spots like Osprey Reef and Heron Island. And, believe it or not, your tourism dollars can help protect this quickly disappearing natural wonder. However, you don't have to be a diver to fully enjoy this region. Sailing on the open ocean and kicking back on a Whitsunday Islands beach will no doubt satisfy relaxation seekers.
London
Get down to London town for your next summer vacation. Spend your days touring the grounds of Buckingham Palace and admiring London's green spaces from above with a ride on the London Eye. Though temperatures historically sit in the 70s during these warmer months, heat waves bringing weather in the 90s aren't unprecedented (史无前例的). If you're willing to deal with some heat and the crowds the season brings, you are guaranteed to have a jolly good trip.
(1)、What is a suggested way to save money in Paris?A、Booking a vacation rental. B、Having a picnic at the Eiffel Tower. C、Visiting the Louvre first thing in the morning. D、Dining alfresco at a cafe along the Champs-Élysées.(2)、What is one way that tourism can help protect the Great Barrier Reef?A、By sailing on the open area. B、By promoting diving activities. C、By contributing to protection funds. D、By kicking back on a Whitsunday Islands beach.(3)、What is a common challenge faced by tourists in both Paris and London during the summer?A、High hotel prices. B、Extreme heat waves. C、Crowded tourist sites. D、Limited access to popular attractions. -
4、听下面一段独白,回答以下小题。(1)、What is Tim mainly talking about?A、The career of him and Sam. B、The development of his musical talent. C、The experiences of being twin brothers.(2)、When was Tim born?A、In January. B、In October. C、In December.(3)、What is probably the physical difference between the twins?A、The hair. B、The build. C、The voice.(4)、What can we learn about Tim?A、He is less confident than Sam. B、He is not interested in going out. C、He is going to put out Soul Brothers.
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5、听下面一段较长对话,回答以下小题。(1)、What are Nicole and Anthony?A、Film critics. B、News reporters. C、Radio presenters.(2)、What is the speakers' opinion on the new James Bond actor?A、He was a good fit but not the best. B、He was a typical James Bond actor. C、He made the character unbelievable.(3)、Which does Nicole think was good about the movie?A、The music. B、The story. C、The special effects.(4)、What rating does Anthony give the movie?A、Two stars. B、Four stars. C、Five stars.
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6、听下面一段较长对话,回答以下小题。(1)、What is Simon's main job responsibility?A、Selling products. B、Developing software. C、Providing customer support.(2)、What is the function of the software?A、To analyze market trends. B、To work out production costs. C、To manage relations with customers.(3)、How many employees work at Simon's company?A、3. B、12. C、13.
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7、听下面一段较长对话,回答以下小题。(1)、Where are the speakers?A、In the man's house. B、On a plane. C、At an airport.(2)、What does the woman suggest the man do?A、Use the fast check-in service. B、Take the blue suitcase on board. C、Let his children go through security first.
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8、听下面一段较长对话,回答以下小题。(1)、What is the man's primary concern about the investment?A、The profit. B、The safety. C、The flexibility.(2)、What is the woman going to do?A、Show the man a website. B、Give the man a user guide. C、Open an account for the man.
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9、Where is the woman's book now?A、On a bed. B、On a desk. C、In a chest.
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10、How does the man feel about his grandmother's moving in?A、Appreciative. B、Surprised. C、Anxious.
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11、What will the woman do?A、Collect some plants. B、Go to work in the lab. C、Deliver some materials.
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12、Why did the man call off his trip?A、The weather was bad. B、He wasn't interested in it. C、There was an urgent situation.
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13、What will the woman take with her?A、A sports bag. B、A suitcase. C、A backpack.
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14、假如你是李华,你的美国朋友Sam听说你刚参加了校运会,很感兴趣,你写信同他分享你的经历和感受。内容包括:
1.你参加的项目;
2.你取得的成绩;
3.你的感受。
注意:1.词数100左右;
2.可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯;
3.开头和结尾已给出,不计入总词数。
Dear Sam,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Li Hua
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15、I prefer to do housework(而不愿坐在那里) doing nothing. (根据汉语提示完成句子)
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16、Anyone who is interested in this activity should(报名) before June 30. (根据汉语提示完成句子)
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17、I feel it hard (跟上,保持同步) the fast development of technology. (根据汉语提示完成句子)
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18、An independent adult must(能够,有能力) adapting to a new environment. (根据汉语提示完成句子)
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19、Of all the leisure activities at home, I'm fond of (网上冲浪). (根据汉语提示完成句子)
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20、He (击败) the champion in three sets. (根据汉语提示单词拼写)