Transport has a lot to answer for when it comes to harming the planet.While cars and trains are moving towards greener，electric power，emissions（排放） from air travel are expected to increase massively by 2050.If we want big green sky solutions，we need blue sky thinking.Fortunately，there's plenty of that happening right now，particularly the short﹣haul flights powered by batteries.
Harbour Air is the largest seaplane airline in North America，flying 30，000 commercial flights in 40 seaplanes each year.Significantly，all Harbour Air routes last less than 30 minutes，making it perfectly fit for electric engines. "As an airline，we're currently in the process of turning all our planes into electric airplanes." says CEO Greg McDougall.To make this happen，the airline has partnered up with MagniX to create the world's first commercial flight with an electric engine.
Making the skies electric isn't just good for the environment，it also makes sound financial sense：a small aircraft uses ﹩400 on traditional fuel for a 100﹣mile flight，while an electric one costs ﹩8-12 for the same distance，and that's before you consider the higher maintenance（保養(yǎng)） costs of a traditional engine.There's also the added bonus that electric planes are just much more pleasant to fly in.No loud engine noise，no smell of fuel，just environmentally friendly peace and quiet.
While there has been real progress in the e-plane industry，the technical challenges that remain are keeping everyone's feet firmly on the ground.A battery，even a lithium on，only provides 250 watt-hours per kilogram；compare this to liquid fuel，which has a specific energy of 11，890 watt-hours per kilogram.Carrying enough batteries，however，would make the plane too heavy to get off the ground.In aircraft，where every bit of weight counts，this can't just be ignored.
The transition（過渡） from gas to electric in the automobile industry has been made easier by hybrids-
vehicles powered by both fuel and electricity.Many believe the same pattern could be followed in the air.Fuel consumption could be reduced as the electric part is switched on at key parts of the journey，especially on take-off and landing.
It?s certainly an exciting time for electric flying.With companies like Harbour Air taking the lead，battery-powered planes，especially on short-haul journeys，are set to become a reality in a few years.
（1）Why is Harbour Air fit for electric flights？ AA
A．It runs short routes.
B．It has a strong partner.
C．Its planes can land on the sea.
D．It has planes with powerful engines.
（2）The expression "added bonus" refers to the fact that electric planes CC.
A．give passengers more pleasant views
B．bring airlines more financial benefits
C．offer more enjoyable flying experiences
D．cost less in maintenance than traditional ones
（3）What might be the biggest challenge of electric flying？ DD
A．To improve the ground service for e-planes.
B．To find qualified technicians for e-plane industry.
C．To calculate（計(jì)算）the energy needed to power e-planes.
D．To balance power and weight of batteries in e-planes.
（4）What is the author's attitude towards the prospect of electric flying？ CC
A．Short-sighted.
B．Wait-and-see.
C．Optimistic.
D．Skeptical.
【考點(diǎn)】說明文．
【答案】A；C；D；C
【解答】
【點(diǎn)評】
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發(fā)布：2024/4/20 14:35:0組卷：1引用：1難度：0.5
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（2）What do international students staying in the United States think of the new rule？
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D．Unbelievable.發(fā)布：2025/1/6 15:30:8組卷：0引用：1難度：0.5 -
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（1）What can we infer from paragraph 1？
A．The loss of any species can affect humans.
B．Endangered species are paid more attention to by humans.
C．Species can still survive when their ecosystems are destroyed.
D．Ecosystem protection is as important as diversity protection.
（2）What does the underlined word "ecocide" in paragraph 2 mean？
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D．Habitats protection.
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（4）What's the author's opinion on protecting the hotspots？
A．It's simple to carry out.
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D．It suggests that the local people are well educated.發(fā)布：2025/1/6 16:30:6組卷：0引用：1難度：0.5 -
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（1）According to the author，people enjoyto seek nature.
A．jogging on the street
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C．shopping in the supermarket
D．sitting in the garden
（2）From the second paragraph，we can see that.
A．Children don't want to approach nature
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C．climbing trees will certainly do good to the children
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B．Children's performance at school is greatly improved.
C．Problems with crime and violent behavior will easily be solved.
D．A garden nearby improves the quality of old people's life.
（4）what is the main idea of this passage？
A．Access to nature improves our life.
B．Nature treats children for ADHD.
C．Getting close to nature reduces crime.
D．Man can't live without natural areas.發(fā)布：2025/1/6 16:30:6組卷：0引用：1難度：0.5
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