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Part 1
Read the text below and answer questions 1-13.
Crop-growing skyscrapers
By the year 2050, nearly 80% of the Earth's population will live in urban centres. Applying the most conservative estimates to current demographic trends, the human population will increase by about three billion people by then. An estimated 109 hectares of new land (about 20% larger than Brazil) will be needed to grow enough food to feed them, if traditional farming methods continue as they are practised today. At present, throughout the world, over 80% of the land that is suitable for raising crops is in use. Historically, some 15% of that has been laid waste by poor management practices. What can be done to ensure enough food for the world's population to live on?
The concept of indoor farming is not new, since hothouse production of tomatoes and other produce has been in vogue for some time. What is new is the urgent need to scale up this technology to accommodate another three billion people. Many believe an entirely new approach to indoor farming is required, employing cutting-edge technologies. One such proposal is for the 'Vertical Farm'. The concept is of multi-storey buildings in which food crops are grown in environmentally controlled conditions. Situated in the heart of urban centres, they would drastically reduce the amount of transportation required to bring food to consumers. Vertical farms would need to be efficient, cheap to construct and safe to operate. If successfully implemented, proponents claim, vertical farms offer the promise of urban renewal, sustainable production of a safe and varied food supply (through year-round production of all crops), and the eventual repair of ecosystems that have been sacrificed for horizontal farming.
It took humans 10,000 years to learn how to grow most of the crops we now take for granted. Along the way we despoiled most of the land we worked, often turning verdant, natural ecozones into semi-arid deserts. Within that same time frame, we evolved into an urban species, in which 60% of the human population now lives vertically in cities. This means that, for the majority, we humans have shelter from the elements, yet we subject our food-bearing plants to the rigours of the great outdoors and can do no more than hope for a good weather year. However, more often than not now, due to a rapidly changing climate that is not what happens. Massive floods, long droughts, hurricanes and severe monsoons take their toll each year, destroying millions of tons of valuable crops.
The supporters of vertical farming claim many potential advantages for the system. For instance, crops would be produced all year round, as they would be kept in artificially controlled, optimum growing conditions. There would be no weather-related crop failures due to droughts, floods or pests. All the food could be grown organically, eliminating the need for herbicides, pesticides and fertilisers. The system would greatly reduce the incidence of many infectious diseases that are acquired at the agricultural interface. Although the system would consume energy, it would return energy to the grid via methane generation from composting nonedible parts of plants. It would also dramatically reduce fossil fuel use, by cutting out the need for tractors, ploughs and shipping.
A major drawback of vertical farming, however, is that the plants would require artificial light. Without it, those plants nearest the windows would be exposed to more sunlight and grow more quickly, reducing the efficiency of the system. Singlestorey greenhouses have the benefit of natural overhead light: even so, many still need artificial lighting. A multi-storey facility with no natural overhead light would require far more. Generating enough light could be prohibitively expensive, unless cheap, renewable energy is available, and this appears to be rather a future aspiration than a likelihood for the near future.
One variation on vertical farming that has been developed is to grow plants in stacked trays that move on rails. Moving the trays allows the plants to get enough sunlight. This system is already in operation, and works well within a single-storey greenhouse with light reaching it from above: it is not certain, however, that it can be made to work without that overhead natural light.
Vertical farming is an attempt to address the undoubted problems that we face in producing enough food for a growing population. At the moment, though, more needs to be done to reduce the detrimental impact it would have on the environment, particularly as regards the use of energy. While it is possible that much of our food will be grown in skyscrapers in future, most experts currently believe it is far more likely that we will simply use the space available on urban rooftops.Questions 1-7
Complete the sentence below.ChooseNO MORE THAN TWO WORDSfrom the passage for each answer.Write your answers in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.1 Some food plants, including , are already grown indoors.
2 Vertical farms would be located in , meaning that there would be less need to take them long distances to customers.
3 Vertical farms could use methane from plants and animals to produce .
4 The consumption of would be cut because agricultural vehicles would be unnecessary.
5 The fact that vertical farms would need light is a disadvantage.
6 One form of vertical farming involves planting in which are not fixed.
7 The most probable development is that food will be grown on in towns and cities.
我的答案： 1. tomatoes 2. urban centres 3. energy 4. fossil fuel 5. artificial light 6. stacked trays 7. rooftops 7. rooftops
正确答案： 1.tomatoes 2.urban centres|centers 3.energy 4.fossil fuel 5.artificial 6.stacked trays|trays 7.rooftops 7.rooftops
查看解析
1 解析
解析：
题目提到一些作物已经进行室内种植，这与文章第二段首句The concept of indoor farming is not new, since hothouse production of tomatoes and other produce has been in vogue for some time 含义一致。所填答案出现在 including 之后，因此应当填入属于food plants 范畴的名词，原文定位句中说到 hothouse production of tomatoes and other produce ，其中 tomatoes 符合题目要求 2 解析
解析：
本题问的是 vertical farms 的位置，并且指出不需要运送很长的距离。这一内容在文中第二段第六句Situated in the heart of urban centres, they would drastically reduce the amount of transportation required to bring food to consumers ，其中 situated in 相当于题目中的located in ，reduce the amount of transportation required to bring food to consumers 相当于题目中的 less need to take them long distances to customers. 3 解析
解析：
题目中的名词methane 出现在文中第四段第六句Although the system would consume energy, it would return energy to the grid via methane generation from composting non-edible parts of plants. 题目中间到垂直农场通过使用 methane from plants and animals 可以产生什么，因此需要在文中找到produce 的宾语。原文中 return energy to the grid 中的 energy 即通过 methane generation 产生的，因此本题答案为 energy 。 4 解析
解析：
题目同到由于 agricultural vehicles 变得unnecessary ，什么的消耗会被 cut 。此处的agricultural vehicles 与原文第四段第七句It would also dramatically reduce fossil fuel use, by cutting out the need for tractors, ploughs and shipping 中提到的tractors 是同义替换，原文中提到 reduce fossil fuel use ，因此答案为 fossil fuel 。 5 解析
解析：
本题问到 vertical farms 的一个缺点，题目中的 disadvantage 与原文第五段第一句A major drawback of vertical farming, however, is that the plants would require artificial light 中的drawback 是同义替换，可在本句中看出 require artificial light 就是 vertical farms 的缺点，题目中已经出现 light ，需要填入其修饰词artificial 6 解析
解析：
首先本题说到 vertical farming 的一种形式，这与第六段第一句One variation on vertical farming that has been developed is to grow plants in stacked trays that move on rails 中 one variation 相对应，not fixed 等于move ，因此答案是that move 这个定语从句修饰的先行词stacked trays 7 解析
解析：
本题问到 the most probable development 是食物在哪里生长。可以在文章第七段最后一句看到 While it is possible that..., most experts currently believe it is far more likely that... 这一表达，说明重点强调后面信息，通过这种比较也就说明了之后的内容是 the most probable development ，因此通过分析可以找到表示地点的 urban rooftops Questions 8-13
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?In boxes 8-13 on your answer sheet, writeTRUEif the statement agrees with the information given in the text.FALSEif the statement contradicts the information.NOT GIVENif there is no information on this.8 Methods for predicting the Earth's population have recently changed.
9 Human beings are responsible for some of the destruction to food-producing land.
10 The crops produced in vertical farms will depend on the season.
11 Some damage to food crops is caused by climate change.
12 Fertilisers will be needed for certain crops in vertical farms.
13 Vertical farming will make plants less likely to be affected by infectious diseases.
我的答案： 8. NOT GIVEN 9. TRUE 10. FALSE 11. TRUE 12. FALSE 13. TRUE
正确答案： 8.NOT GIVEN 9.TRUE 10.FALSE 11.TRUE 12.FALSE 13.TRUE
查看解析
8 解析
解析：
本题的定位词是 predicting the Earth's population ，定位文中第一段第一二句By the year 2050, nearly 80% of the Earth’s population will live in urban centres. Applying the most conservative estimates to current demographic trends, the human population will increase by about three billion people by then. 其中出现了原词Earth’s population
本题的关键考点是 Methods recently changed. 但文中没有提到预测人口的方法，也没有提到方法是否改变 9 解析
解析：
本题的定位词是destruction ，food-producing land ，定位文中第一段第四、五句At present, throughout the world, over 800 of the land that is suitable for raising crops is in use. Historically, some 15% of that has been laid waste by poor management practices. 其中destruction = waste ； food-producing land = land that is suitable for raising crops
本题的关键考点是 Human beings are responsible 同义替换文中的poor management practices. 10 解析
解析：
本题的定位词是crops produced in vertical farms，定位文中第二段最后一句：If successfully implemented, proponents claim, vertical farms offer the promise of urban renewal, sustainable production of a safe and varied food supply (through year-round production of all crops), and the eventual repair of ecosystems that have been sacrificed for horizontal farming，其中production of all crops = crops produced in vertical farms
本题的关键考点是depend on the season，但文中说到 through year-round production of all crops，说明了垂直农场可以全年都使用，也就是不会受到季节的影响，11 解析
解析：
本题的定位词是damage to food crops，climate change，定位文中第三段第五、六句：However, often than not now, due to a rapidly changing climate，that is not what happens. Massive floods, long droughts, hurricanes and severe monsoons take their toll each year, destroying millions of tons of valuable crops. 其中changing climate = climate change , destroying = damage
本题的关键考点是caused，也就是一些作物受到破坏的原因是否为气候变化，文中说到很多 valuable crops 受到破坏是由于句首提到的各种气候现象，即 massive floods, long droughts，hurricanes and severe monsoons，这些都属于上一句中的 rapidly changing climate，也就是题目中的 climate change，cause = due to题目与原文含义一致12 解析
解析：
本题的定位词是Fertilisers，定位文中第四段第四句：All the food could be grown organically, eliminating the need for herbicides, pesticides and fertilisers，其中fertilisers原词出现
本题的关键考点是will be needed，也就是肥料还需不需要，文中说到eliminating the need，eliminate是消除，消灭的意思，则表示不需要要除草剂、杀虫剂及肥料，这与题目的表述相反
13 解析
解析：
本题的定位词是infectious diseases，定位文中第四段第五句：The system would greatly reduce the incidence of many infectious diseases that are acquired at the agricultural interface，其中infectious diseases原词出现
本题的关键考点是less likely to be affected，也就是还会不会被影响，文中说到reduce the incidence of many infectious diseases，表明降低了发生的可能性，也就是影响力减弱，与less likely to be affected一致 -
Part 2
Read the text below and answer questions 14-26.
THE FALKIRK WHEEL
A unique engineering achievement
The Falkirk Wheel in Scotland is the world's first and only rotating boat lift. Opened in 2002, it is central to the ambitious £84.5m Millennium Link project to restore navigability across Scotland by reconnecting the historic waterways of the Forth & Clyde and Union Canals.
The major challenge of the project lay in the fact that the Forth & Clyde Canal is situated 35 metres below the level of the Union Canal. Historically, the two canals had been joined near the town of Falkirk by a sequence of 11 locks - enclosed sections of canal in which the water level could be raised or lowered - that stepped down across a distance of 1.5 km. This had been dismantled in 1933, thereby breaking the link. When the project was launched in 1994, the British Waterways authority were keen to create a dramatic twenty-firstcentury landmark which would not only be a fitting commemoration of the Millennium, but also a lasting symbol of the economic regeneration of the region.
Numerous ideas were submitted for the project, including concepts ranging from rolling eggs to tilting tanks, from giant seesaws to overhead monorails. The eventual winner was a plan for the huge rotating steel boat lift which was to become The Falkirk Wheel. The unique shape of the structure is claimed to have been inspired by various sources, both manmade and natural, most notably a Celtic double- headed axe, but also the vast turning propeller of a ship, the ribcage of a whale or the spine of a fish.
The various parts of The Falkirk Wheel were all constructed and assembled, like one giant toy building set, at Butterley Engineering's Steelworks in Derbyshire, some 400 km from Falkirk. A team there carefully assembled the 1,200 tonnes of steel, painstakingly fitting the pieces together to an accuracy of just 10 mm to ensure a perfect final fit. In the summer of 2001, the structure was then dismantled and transported on 35 lorries to Falkirk, before all being bolted back together again on the ground, and finally lifted into position in five large sections by crane. The Wheel would need to withstand immense and constantly changing stresses as it rotated, so to make the structure more robust, the steel sections were bolted rather than welded together. Over 45,000 bolt holes were matched with their bolts, and each bolt was hand-tightened.
The Wheel consists of two sets of opposing axe-shaped arms, attached about 25 metres apart to a fixed central spine. Two diametrically opposed water-filled 'gondolas,' each with a capacity of 360,000 litres, are fitted between the ends of the arms. These gondolas always weigh the same, whether or not they are carrying boats. This is because, according to Archimedes' principle of displacement, floating objects displace their own weight in water. So when a boat enters a gondola, the amount of water leaving the gondola weighs exactly the same as the boat. This keeps the Wheel balanced and so, despite its enormous mass, it rotates through 180° in five and a half minutes while using very little power. It takes just 1.5 kilowatt-hours (5.4 MJ) of energy to rotate the Wheel - roughly the same as boiling eight small domestic kettles of water.
Boats needing to be lifted up enter the canal basin at the level of the Forth & Clyde Canal and then enter the lower gondola of the Wheel. Two hydraulic steel gates are raised, so as to seal the gondola off from the water in the canal basin. The water between the gates is then pumped out. A hydraulic clamp, which prevents the arms of the Wheel moving while the gondola is docked, is removed, allowing the Wheel to turn. In the central machine room an array of ten hydraulic motors then begins to rotate the central axle. The axle connects to the outer arms of the Wheel, which begin to rotate at a speed of 1/8 of a revolution per minute. As the wheel rotates, the gondolas are kept in the upright position by a simple gearing system. Two eight-metre-wide cogs orbit a fixed inner cog of the same width, connected by two smaller cogs travelling in the opposite direction to the outer cogs - so ensuring that the gondolas always remain level. When the gondola reaches the top, the boat passes straight onto the aqueduct situated 24 metres above the canal basin.
The remaining 11 metres of lift needed to reach the Union Canal is achieved by means of a pair of locks. The Wheel could not be constructed to elevate boats over the full 35-metre difference between the two canals, owing to the presence of the historically important Antonine Wall, which was built by the Romans in the second century AD. Boats travel under this wall via a tunnel, then through the locks, and finally on to the Union Canal.Questions 14-19
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2?In boxes 14-19 on your answer sheet, writeTRUEif the statement agrees with the information given in the text.FALSEif the statement contradicts the information.NOT GIVENif there is no information on this.14 The Falkirk Wheel has linked the Forth & Clyde Canal with the Union Canal for the first time in their history.
15 There was some opposition to the design of the Falkirk Wheel at first.
16 The Falkirk Wheel was initially put together at the location where its components were manufactured.
17 The Falkirk Wheel is the only boat lift in the world which has steel sections bolted together by hand.
18 The weight of the gondolas varies according to the size of boat being carried.
19 The construction of the Falkirk Wheel site took into account the presence of a nearby ancient monument.
我的答案： 14. FALSE 15. NOT GIVEN 16. TRUE 17. NOT GIVEN 18. FALSE 19. TRUE
正确答案： 14.FALSE 15.NOT GIVEN 16.TRUE 17.NOT GIVEN 18.FALSE 19.TRUE
查看解析
14 解析
参考译文：法尔柯克水轮在历史上第一次连接了福斯&克莱德运河和联盟运河。
定位词：the Forth & Clyde Canal, the Union Canal
解题关键词：l linked, for the first time
文中对应第段第一、 二句: The Falkirk Wheel in Scotland is the world's first and only rotating boat lift. Opened in 2002, it is central to the ambitious £84.5m Millennium Link project to restore navigability across Scotland by reconnecting the historic waterways of the Forth &Clyde and Union Canals.
题干说到法尔柯克水轮在历史上第一次连接了两条运河,题目中的the Falkirk Wheel和两条代表运河名称的专有名词都可以帮助我们定位到文章第一段。 本段第二句明确地说到reconnecting the historic waterways, 其中reconnect和historic都说明两条运河间曾经有连接，因此这不是the first time,题目表述与原文相反，本题答案为FALSE。15 解析
参考译文：起初对于法尔柯克水轮的设计存在一些反对意见。
定位词：at first, the design of the Falkirk wheel
解题关键词：some opposition
文中对应第三段
题目说到起初对于法尔柯克水轮的设计存在一些反对意见。与at first 以及法尔柯克水轮设计有关的内容出现在文章第三段，但本段并没有提到人们对设计是否有所反对，因此本题的答案为NOT GIVEN。16 解析
参考译文：法尔柯克水轮最初在它的部件制作地点进行组装。
定位词：The Falkirk Wheel, put together
解题关键词：the location where its components were manufactured
文中对应第四段第一句: The various parts of The Falkirk Wheel were all constructed and assembled, like one giant toy building set, at Butterley Engineering's Steelworks Derbyshire, some 400 km from Falkirk.
题目说的是法尔柯克水轮的组装和制作。在文中第四段第一句已经说到法尔柯克水轮的各个部分都在同一个地点constructed and assembled,其中constructed与题目中的manufactured为同义替换，而assembled与题目中的put together为同义替换，因此本题答案为TRUE。17 解析
参考译文：法尔柯克水轮是世界上唯一个钢铁 部件由螺栓手动组装的船只升降装置。
定位词：steel sections bolted together by hand
解题关键词：the only boat lift
文中对应第四段最后一句: Over 45,000 bolt holes were matched with their bolts, and each bolt was hand-tightened.
本题表述中存在两个要点: 一是法尔科克水轮的钢铁部分是否为手动组装;二是它是不是世界上唯一一个这样的装置。第一个要点在文中第四段结尾处有提及: Over 45,000 bolt holes were matched with their bolts, and each bolt was hand-tightened,与题目表述一致,但是否为the only boat lift在文中并未涉及，因此本题答案为NOT GIVEN。18 解析
参考译文：贡多拉的重量根据携带船只的大小而不同。
定位词：the weight of the gondolas
解题关键词：varies, the size of boat
文中对应第五段第三句: These gondolas always weigh the same, whether or not they are carrying boats.
本题说到贡多拉的重量。在文中第五段第三句中能够找到对应信息,文中写到these gondolas always weigh the same, 后面说明贡多拉的重量并不会由于携带船只而变得不同，因此本题答案为FALSE。19 解析
参考译文：法尔柯克水轮的建造地考虑到了附近古代历史遗迹的存在。
定位词：The construction of the Falkirk Wheel site
解题关键词：the presence of a nearby ancient monument
文中对应第七段第二、三句: The Wheel could not be constructed to elevate boats over the full 35-metre difference between the two canals, owing to the presence of the historically important Antonine Wall, which was built by the Romans in the second century AD. Boats travel under this wall via a tunnel, then through the locks, and finally on to the Union Canal.
本题说到了附近的古代历史遗迹，从文中第七段第二句中可以看到水轮建造时需要考虑the presence of the historically important Antonine Wall这个因素，而实际上法尔柯克水轮也确实考虑到了这点;题目表述与原文信息完全一致,因此本题答案为TRUE。Questions 20-26
Label the diagram blow.ChooseONE WORDfrom the passage for each answer.Write your answers in boxes 20-26 on your answer sheet.
A pair of are lifted in order to shut out water from canal basin
A is taken out, enabling Wheel to rotate
Hydraulic motors drive
Boat is raised, floating in one of Wheel's two gondolas
A range of different-sized ensures boat keeps upright
Boat reaches top Wheel, then moves directly onto
Boat travels through tunnel beneath Roman
raise boat 11 m to level of Union Canal我的答案： 20. gates 21. clamp 22. axle 23. cogs 24. aqueduct 25. wall 26. Locks
正确答案： 20.gates 21.clamp 22.axle 23.cogs 24.aqueduct 25.wall 26.locks
查看解析
20 解析
题干： A pair of 20 are lifted in order to shut out water from canal basin
定位词： A pair of、lifted、shut out water from canal basin
答案句： 第五段 Two hydraulic steel gates are raised, so as to seal the gondola off from the water in the canal basin.
翻译： 两座液压钢闸门被升起，以便将 gondola 与运河盆地的水隔开。
解析： 题干问一对什么被升起以挡住水。“two hydraulic steel gates” 对应 “a pair of gates”。答案是 gates。
同义替换：
two hydraulic steel gates are raised → a pair of gates are lifted
seal the gondola off from the water → shut out water from canal basin
答案： gates
21 解析
题干： A 21 is taken out, enabling Wheel to rotate
定位词： taken out、enabling Wheel to rotate
答案句： 第五段 A hydraulic clamp, which prevents the arms of the Wheel moving while the gondola is docked, is removed, allowing the Wheel to turn.
翻译： 当 gondola 停靠时，防止 Wheel 臂移动的液压夹被移除，允许 Wheel 转动。
解析： 题干问什么被拿掉使 Wheel 能旋转。“hydraulic clamp … is removed” 对应 “a clamp is taken out”。答案是 clamp。
同义替换：
hydraulic clamp is removed → a clamp is taken out
allowing the Wheel to turn → enabling Wheel to rotate
答案： clamp
22 解析
题干： Hydraulic motors drive 22
定位词： Hydraulic motors drive
答案句： 第五段 In the central machine room an array of ten hydraulic motors then begins to rotate the central axle.
翻译： 在中央机房，一组十个液压马达然后开始旋转中央轴。
解析： 题干问液压马达驱动什么。“rotate the central axle” 对应 “drive the axle”。答案是 axle。
同义替换：
rotate the central axle → drive the axle
答案： axle
23 解析
题干： A range of different-sized 23 ensures boat keeps upright
定位词： A range of different-sized、ensures boat keeps upright
答案句： 第五段 Two eight-metre-wide cogs orbit a fixed inner cog of the same width, connected by two smaller cogs travelling in the opposite direction to the outer cogs - so ensuring that the gondolas always remain level.
翻译： 两个八米宽的齿轮围绕一个同样宽的固定内齿轮旋转，由两个较小的齿轮连接，它们与外齿轮方向相反——从而确保 gondolas 始终保持水平。
解析： 题干问一系列不同尺寸的什么确保船保持直立（水平）。“cogs” 出现了 large (eight-metre-wide) 和 smaller，对应 “a range of different-sized cogs”。答案是 cogs。
同义替换：
two eight-metre-wide cogs … two smaller cogs → a range of different-sized cogs
ensuring that the gondolas always remain level → ensures boat keeps upright
答案： cogs
24 解析
题干： Boat reaches top Wheel, then moves directly onto 24
定位词： Boat reaches top Wheel、moves directly onto
答案句： 第五段 When the gondola reaches the top, the boat passes straight onto the aqueduct situated 24 metres above the canal basin.
翻译： 当 gondola 到达顶部时，船直接驶入位于运河盆地上方 24 米处的渡槽。
解析： 题干问船到达 Wheel 顶部后直接移动到什么上。“passes straight onto the aqueduct” 对应 “moves directly onto aqueduct”。答案是 aqueduct。
同义替换：
passes straight onto the aqueduct → moves directly onto aqueduct
答案： aqueduct
25 解析
题干： Boat travels through tunnel beneath Roman 25
定位词： Boat travels through tunnel beneath Roman
答案句： 最后一段 Boats travel under this wall via a tunnel, then through the locks, and finally on to the Union Canal.
翻译： 船通过隧道从这堵墙下面经过，然后通过船闸，最后进入联合运河。
解析： 题干问船从罗马什么下面的隧道穿过。“under this wall” 指代前一句的 “the historically important Antonine Wall”。答案是 wall。
同义替换：
under this wall via a tunnel → through tunnel beneath Roman wall
答案： wall
26 解析
题干： 26 raise boat 11 m to level of Union Canal
定位词： raise boat 11 m to level of Union Canal
答案句： 最后一段 The remaining 11 metres of lift needed to reach the Union Canal is achieved by means of a pair of locks.
翻译： 到达联合运河所需的剩余 11 米提升是通过一对船闸实现的。
解析： 题干问什么把船提升 11 米到联合运河的水平面。“a pair of locks” 对应 “locks”。答案是 locks。
同义替换：
achieved by means of a pair of locks → locks raise boat 11 m
答案： locks
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Part 3
Read the text below and answer questions 27-40.
Reducing the Effects of Climate Change
Mark Rowe reports on the increasingly ambitious geo-engineering projects being explored by scientists
A Such is our dependence on fossil fuels, and such is the volume of carbon dioxide already released into the atmosphere, that many experts agree that significant global warming is now inevitable. They believe that the best we can do is keep it at a reasonable level, and at present the only serious option for doing this is cutting back on our carbon emissions. But while a few countries are making major strides in this regard, the majority are having great difficulty even stemming the rate of increase, let alone reversing it. Consequently, an increasing number of scientists are beginning to explore the alternative of geo-engineering - a term which generally refers to the intentional large-scale manipulation of the environment. According to its proponents, geo-engineering is the equivalent of a backup generator: if Plan A - reducing our dependency on fossil fuels – fails, we require a Plan B, employing grand schemes to slow down or reverse the process of global warming.
B Geo-engineering has been shown to work, at least on a small localised scale. For decades, May Day parades in Moscow have taken place under clear blue skies, aircraft having deposited dry ice, silver iodide and cement powder to disperse clouds. Many of the schemes now suggested look to do the opposite, and reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the planet. The most eye-catching idea of all is suggested by Professor Roger Angel of the University of Arizona. His scheme would employ up to 16 trillion minute spacecraft, each weighing about one gram, to form a transparent, sunlight-refracting sunshade in an orbit 1.5 million km above the Earth. This could, argues Angel, reduce the amount of light reaching the Earth by two per cent.
C The majority of geo-engineering projects so far carried out - which include planting forests in deserts and depositing iron in the ocean to stimulate the growth of algae - have focused on achieving a general cooling of the Earth. But some look specifically at reversing the melting at the poles, particularly the Arctic. The reasoning is that if you replenish the ice sheets and frozen waters of the high latitudes, more light will be reflected back into space, so reducing the warming of the oceans and atmosphere.
D The concept of releasing aerosol sprays into the stratosphere above the Arctic has been proposed by several scientists. This would involve using sulphur or hydrogen sulphide aerosols so that sulphur dioxide would form clouds, which would, in turn, lead to a global dimming. The idea is modelled on historic volcanic explosions, such as that of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines in 1991, which led to a short-term cooling of global temperatures by 0.5 °C. Scientists have also scrutinised whether it's possible to preserve the ice sheets of Greenland with reinforced high-tension cables, preventing icebergs from moving into the sea. Meanwhile in the Russian Arctic, geo-engineering plans include the planting of millions of birch trees. Whereas the region's native evergreen pines shade the snow and absorb radiation, birches would shed their leaves in winter, thus enabling radiation to be reflected by the snow. Re-routing Russian rivers to increase cold water flow to ice-forming areas could also be used to slow down warming, say some climate scientists.
E But will such schemes ever be implemented? Generally speaking, those who are most cautious about geo-engineering are the scientists involved in the research. Angel says that his plan is 'no substitute for developing renewable energy: the only permanent solution'. And Dr Phil Rasch of the US-based Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is equally guarded about the role of geo-engineering: 'I think all of us agree that if we were to end geo-engineering on a given day, then the planet would return to its pre-engineered condition very rapidly, and probably within ten to twenty years. That's certainly something to worry about.'
F The US National Center for Atmospheric Research has already suggested that the proposal to inject sulphur into the atmosphere might affect rainfall patterns across the tropics and the Southern Ocean. 'Geo-engineering plans to inject stratospheric aerosols or to seed clouds would act to cool the planet, and act to increase the extent of sea ice,' says Rasch. 'But all the models suggest some impact on the distribution of precipitation.'
G 'A further risk with geo-engineering projects is that you can "overshoot", 'says Dr Dan Lunt, from the University of Bristol's School of Geophysical Sciences, who has studied the likely impacts of the sunshade and aerosol schemes on the climate. 'You may bring global temperatures back to pre-industrial levels, but the risk is that the poles will still be warmer than they should be and the tropics will be cooler than before industrialisation.' To avoid such a scenario, Lunt says Angel's project would have to operate at half strength; all of which reinforces his view that the best option is to avoid the need for geo-engineering altogether.
H The main reason why geo-engineering is supported by many in the scientific community is that most researchers have little faith in the ability of politicians to agree - and then bring in - the necessary carbon cuts. Even leading conservation organisations see the value of investigating the potential of geo-engineering. According to Dr Martin Sommerkorn, climate change advisor for the World Wildlife Fund's International Arctic Programme, 'Human-induced climate change has brought humanity to a position where we shouldn't exclude thinking thoroughly about this topic and its possibilities.'Questions 27-29
Reading Passage 3 has eight paragraphs,A-H.Which paragraph contains the following information?Write the correct letter,A-H, in boxes 27-29 on your answer sheet.A B C D E F G H 27.mention of a geo-engineering project based on an earlier natural phenomenon 28.an example of a successful use of geo-engineering 29.a common definition of geo-engineering 我的答案： 27. D 28. B 29. A
正确答案： 27.D 28.B 29.A
查看解析
27 解析
参考译文：提到基于早期自然现象的地球工程项目
定位词：earlier natural phenomenon
解题关键词：less likely to be affected
文中对应D段：The idea is modelled on historic volcanic explosions, such as that of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines in 1991, which led to a short term cooling of global temperatures by 0.5°C. 这一想法模仿了历史上的火山爆发，例如1991年菲律宾皮纳图博火山的爆发，这次火山爆发使短时间内全球气温下降了0.5摄氏度。
本题说到了早期的自然现象,文中D段说到historic volcanic explosions,并且提到了菲律宾皮纳图博火山的爆发，这与题目中an earlier natural phenomenon一致,因此本题答案为D。28 解析
参考译文：成功进行地球工程的例子。
定位词：example, a successful use
文中对应B段：For decades, May Day parades in Moscow have taken place under clear blue skies, aircraft having deposited dry ice, silver iodide and cement powder to disperse clouds.
几十年来，莫斯科的劳动节阅兵在清液的蓝天下进行,利用飞机载着干冰、碘化银以及水泥粉来驱散云层。
本题需要寻找成功进行geo-engineering的例子。文章B段开头提到Geo engineering has been shown to work,说明后面如果出现具体事例,是为了证明geo-engineering的成功，而之后关于May Day parades in Moscow的例子，正对应题目中的a successful use,因此本题答案为B。29 解析
参考译文：对于地球工程的普遍定义
定位词：definition, geo engineering
文中对应A段：Consequently, an increasing number of scientists are beginning to explore the alternative of geo-engineering- a term which generally refers to the international large-scale manipulation of the environment.
因此，越来越多的科学家开始探索实施地球工程——这个术语通常指国际性的大规模环境管理。
本题问到关于地球工程的普遍定义，由于全文都是围绕geo-engineering展开，因此对于这-名词的界定往往会出现在文中比较靠前的位置，A段第一次出现geo-engineering时，便出现了破折号和a term which generally refers to这样下定义的表达，因此本题答案为A。Questions 30-36
Complete the table below.ChooseONE WORDfrom the passage for each answer.Write your answers in boxes 30-36 on your answer sheet.
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
我的答案： 30. sunshade 31. iron 32. algae 33. clouds 34. cables 35. snow 36. rivers
正确答案： 30.sunshade 31.iron 32.algae 33.clouds 34.cables 35.snow 36.rivers
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30 解析
定位词：tiny spacecraft, reduce the amount of light reaching Earth
B段第五、六句：His scheme would employ up to16 trillion minute spacecraft, each weighing about one gram, to form a transparent, sunlight-refracting sunshade in an orbit 1.5 million km above the Earth. This could, argues Angel, reduce the amount of light reaching the Earth by two per cent.
题目中的a large number of tiny spacecraft出现在文章B段第五句，其中a large number of相当于16 trillion, tiny spacecraft相当于minute spacecraft,之后题目在Aim中提到减少到达地球的太阳光，这与B段第六句的reduce the amount of light reaching the Earth by two percent一致，题目中的create相当于原文中的form。这组题目要求填人一个单词，因此本题答案为sunshade。
31 解析
定位词：in the sea
C段第一句：The majority of geo-engineering projects so far carried out which include planting forests in deserts and depositing iron in the ocean to stimulate the growth of algae have focused on achieving a general cooling of the Earth.
题目中in the sea在原文C段第一句中出现，即depositing iron in the ocean,可见depositing之后的名词与place之后的名词即31题所填内容对应，因此本题答案为iron。
32 解析
定位词：encourage, to form
C段第一句: The majority of geo-engineering projects so far carried out which include planting forests in deserts and depositing iron in the ocean to stimulate the growth of algae have focused on achieving a general cooling of the Earth.
从C段第一句中可知，depositing iron in the ocean的目的是to stimulate the growth of algae,这部分内容与题目中to encourage____ to from一致，因此本题答案为algae。
33 解析
定位词：aerosol sprays
D段第一、二句：The concept of releasing aerosol sprays into the stratosphere above the Arctic has been proposed by several scientists. This would involve using sulphur or hydrogen sulphide aerosols so that sulphur dioxide would form clouds, which would, in turn, lead to a global dimming.
本题说到释放aerosol sprays,这一信息出现在文章D段第一句,而题目问的是这样做是为了产生什么，33题空前的create与D段第二句中的form对应，因此本题答案为clouds。
34 解析
定位词：strong, Greenland
D段第四句：Scientists have also scrutinized whether it's possible to preserve the ice sheets of Greenland with reinforced high-tension cables, preventing icebergs from moving into the sea.
本题可以根据Greenland定位到D段第四句，题目中的strong与句中的reinforced对应，可见对应的内容为reinforced high-tension cables,再根据题目的字数要求将其中的名词填人即可，因此本题答案为cables。
35 解析
定位词：Russian Arctic, reflect radiation
D段第六句：Whereas the region's native evergreen pines shade the snow and absorb radiation, birches would shed their leaves in winter, thus enabling radiation to be reflected by the snow.
Russian Arctic 在文中D段第五句中出现, 而本题中提到的reflect radiation在D段第六句中出现，通过分析enabling radiation to be reflected by the snow,可以看到其中名词snow符合题目要求，因此本题答案为snow。
36 解析
定位词：change the direction of
D段第七句：Re-routing Russian rivers to increase cold water flow to ice-forming areas could also be used to slow down warming, say some climate scientists.
本题说到改变方向，而D段第七句说到Re-routing Russian rivers,可见是河流的方向被改变，因此本题答案为rivers。
Questions 37-40
Look at the following statements (Questions 37-40) and the list of scientists below.Match each statement with the correct scientist,A-D.Write the correct letter,A-D, in boxes 37-40 on your answer sheet.-
A. Roger Angel
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B. Phil Rasch
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C. Dan Lunt
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D. Martin Sommerkorn
37 The effects of geo-engineering may not be long-lasting.37
38 Geo-engineering is a topic worth exploring.38
39 It may be necessary to limit the effectiveness of geo-engineering projects.39
40 Research into non-fossil-based fuels cannot be replaced by geo-engineering.40
我的答案： 37. B 38. C 39. C 40. A
正确答案： 37.B 38.D 39.C 40.A
查看解析
37 解析
译文：地球工程的效果可能不会持续很久。
本题对应的内容在文章E段出现，即And Dr Phil Rasch of the US-based Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is equally guarded about the role of geo-engineering:" I think all of us agree that if we were to end geo-engineering on a given day, then the planet would return to is pre-engineered condition very rapidly, and probably within ten to twenty years. That's certainly something to worry about." 一旦停止地球工程，地球将很快回到之前的状态，这说明地球工程的效果不会long-lasting,而这一观点是Phil Pasch表达的，因此本题答案为B。
38 解析
译文：地球工程是一个值得探索的话题。
本题所表达的观点对应文章H段，Human-induced climate change has brought humanity to a position where we shouldn't exclude thinking thoroughly about this topic and its possibilities,其中提到thinking thoroughly about this topic and its possibilities,即需要对这一话题进行研究，这与题目表达一致， 而这是Marin Sommerkorn提出的观点，因此本题答案为D。
39 解析
译文：有必要限制地球工程项目的效果。
本题所表达的观点对应文章G段，To avoid such a scenario, Lunt says Angle's project would have to operate at half strength; all of which reinforces his view that the best option is to avoid the need for geo-engineering altogether ,其中说到operate at half strength ,这与题目中limit the effectiveness一致,而这是Dan Lunt的观点，因此本题答案为C。
40 解析
译文：地球工程无法取代非化石原料的研究。
本题所表述的观点出现在文章E段，Angel says that his plan is 'no substitute for developing renewable energy: the only permanent solution' ,其中no substitute与题目中cannot be replaced对应，而renewable energy与题目中non-fossil-based fuels对应，这一观点是Roger Angle表达的，因此本题答案为A。
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