ARTICLE · 1272695
2018 年英语二· Text 2 真题精讲
While fossil fuels — coal, oil, gas — still generate roughly 85 percent of the world's energy supply, it is clearer than ever that the future belongs to renewable sources such as wind and solar. The move to renewables is picking up momentum around the world: They now account for more than half of new power sources going on line.
参考译文：尽管化石燃料——煤、石油、天然气——仍产生全球约 85% 的能源供应，但比以往任何时候都更清楚的是，未来属于风能和太阳能等可再生能源。向可再生能源的转变正在全球范围内积蓄势头：它们如今占到新增并网电力来源的一半以上。
本段词汇：
fossil fuels 化石燃料
renewable sources 可再生能源
energy supply 能源供应
belong to 属于
pick up momentum 积蓄势头，获得动力
go on line 并网，投入使用
Some growth stems from a commitment by governments and farsighted businesses to fund cleaner energy sources. But increasingly the story is about the plummeting prices of renewables, especially wind and solar. The cost of solar panels has dropped by 80 percent and the cost of wind turbines by close to one-third in the past eight years.
参考译文：部分增长源于各国政府和有远见的企业为清洁能源提供资金的承诺。但越来越主导这个故事的是可再生能源——尤其是风能和太阳能——不断暴跌的价格。过去八年里，太阳能电池板的成本下降了 80%，风力涡轮机的成本下降了近三分之一。
本段词汇：
stem from 源于
commitment n. 承诺，投入
farsighted adj. 有远见的
fund v. 资助
plummeting adj. 暴跌的
solar panel 太阳能电池板
wind turbine 风力涡轮机
In many parts of the world renewable energy is already a principal energy source. In Scotland, for example, wind turbines provide enough electricity to power 95 percent of homes. While the rest of the world takes the lead, notably China and Europe, the United States is also seeing a remarkable shift. In March, for the first time, wind and solar power accounted for more than 10 percent of the power generated in the US, reported the US Energy Information Administration.
参考译文：在世界许多地区，可再生能源已是主要能源来源。例如在苏格兰，风力涡轮机提供的电力足以满足 95% 家庭的用电。当世界其他地区——尤其是中国和欧洲——占据领先地位之时，美国也正经历着显著的转变。美国能源信息署报告称，今年三月，风能和太阳能发电首次占到美国总发电量的 10% 以上。
本段词汇：
principal adj. 主要的
take the lead 占据领先地位
notably adv. 尤其是
remarkable shift 显著转变
account for 占比
President Trump has underlined fossil fuels — especially coal — as the path to economic growth. In a recent speech in Iowa, he dismissed wind power as an unreliable energy source. But that message did not play well with many in Iowa, where wind turbines dot the fields andprovide 36 percent of the state's electricity generation — andwhere tech giants like Microsoft are being attracted by the availability of clean energy to power their data centers.
参考译文：特朗普总统强调化石燃料——尤其是煤炭——是经济增长之路。在艾奥瓦州近期的一次演讲中，他把风能贬斥为不可靠的能源。但这一信息在艾奥瓦州并不被许多人买账，这里的风力涡轮机点缀着田野，提供该州 36% 的发电量——而且，像微软这样的科技巨头正被可用来为数据中心供电的清洁能源所吸引。
本段词汇：
underline v. 强调
dismiss...as 把……贬斥为
unreliable adj. 不可靠的
play well with 被……买账
dot v. 点缀
tech giant 科技巨头
availability n. 可获得性
The question "what happenswhen the wind doesn't blowor the sun doesn't shine?" has provided a quick put-down for skeptics. But a boost in the storage capacity of batteries is making their ability to keep power flowing around the clock more likely.
参考译文："风不吹或太阳不照时会怎样？"这一问题给怀疑者提供了一个快速的反击利器。但电池储能容量的提升，正使它们全天候持续供电的能力变得更有可能实现。
本段词汇：
put-down n. 贬损之词，反击
skeptic n. 怀疑者
boost n. 提升
storage capacity 储能容量
around the clock 全天候
The advance is driven in part by vehicle manufacturers, whoare placing big bets on battery-powered electric vehicles. Although electric cars are still a rarity on roads now, this massive investment could change the picture rapidly in coming years.
参考译文：这一进步在一定程度上由汽车制造商推动，他们正把大笔赌注押在电池驱动的电动汽车上。尽管目前电动汽车在道路上仍属罕见，但这一巨额投资可能在未来几年迅速改变这一局面。
本段词汇：
advance n. 进步
in part 在一定程度上
place big bets on 在……上押大注
battery-powered 电池驱动的
rarity n. 罕见的事物
massive investment 巨额投资
While there is a long way to go, the trend lines for renewables are spiking. The pace of change in energy sources appears to be speeding up — perhaps just in time to have a meaningful effect in slowing climate change. What Washington does — ordoesn't do — to promote alternative energymay mean less and less at a time of a global shift in thought.
参考译文：尽管还有很长的路要走，可再生能源的趋势曲线正在飙升。能源结构变化的步伐似乎正在加快——或许正赶上对减缓气候变化产生有意义的影响。在全球思想转变的当下，华盛顿在推动替代能源方面做或不做什么，其意义可能越来越小。
本段词汇：
trend line 趋势曲线
spike v. 飙升
pace n. 步伐
in time 及时
meaningful effect 有意义的影响
alternative energy 替代能源
| A. stabilizing | B. changing |
| C. falling ✓ | D. rising |
STEP 1 找定位词：plummeting（词义题，看上下文释义）
STEP 2 找定位句：第 2 段第 2、3 句 "the story is about the plummeting prices of renewables, especially wind and solar. The cost of solar panels has dropped by 80 percent and the cost of wind turbines by close to one-third..."
STEP 3 精读定位句：plummeting 修饰 renewables 的 prices（价格），紧接下句用数据解释：太阳能电池板成本 dropped by 80 percent（下降 80%）、风力涡轮机成本下降近三分之一。可见 plummeting 即"价格急剧下跌"。
STEP 4 匹配选项：C. falling（下降的）= prices dropping → C。
A 稳定不符（是降不是稳）；
B 改变太宽泛（明确方向是下降）；
D 上升方向相反。
| A. is progressing notably ✓ | B. is as extensive as in Europe |
| C. faces many challenges | D. has proved to be impractical |
STEP 1 找定位词：Paragraph 3, renewable energy in America
STEP 2 找定位句：第 3 段第 3、4 句 "the United States is also seeing a remarkable shift. In March, for the first time, wind and solar power accounted for more than 10 percent of the power generated in the US..."
STEP 3 精读定位句：remarkable shift（显著转变）+ for the first time（首次）+ accounted for more than 10 percent（占比超 10%）——美国可再生能源的发展呈现明显进展。
STEP 4 匹配选项：A. is progressing notably（进展显著）= remarkable shift → A。
B 与欧洲同样广泛不符（文中 "also seeing" 只说明也在转变，未说与欧洲同等）；
C 面临诸多挑战文中无；
D 不切实际与文意相反。
| A. wind is a widely used energy source ✓ | B. wind energy has replaced fossil fuels |
| C. tech giants are investing in clean energy | D. there is a shortage of clean energy supply |
STEP 1 找定位词：Iowa
STEP 2 找定位句：第 4 段第 3 句 "...where wind turbines dot the fields and provide 36 percent of the state's electricity generation — and where tech giants like Microsoft are being attracted by the availability of clean energy to power their data centers."
STEP 3 精读定位句：wind turbines dot the fields（风力涡轮机点缀田野）+ provide 36 percent of the state's electricity generation（提供该州 36% 的发电量）——风能在艾奥瓦州已被广泛使用。
STEP 4 匹配选项：A. wind is a widely used energy source（风能是被广泛使用的能源）= dot the fields + 36% → A。
B 风能已取代化石燃料过度推断（36% ≠ 取代）；
C 科技巨头"投资"清洁能源不符（文中是 are being attracted 被吸引，非投资行为）；D 清洁能源供应短缺与文意相反（是 availability 充足）。
| A. Its application has boosted battery storage. | B. It is commonly used in car manufacturing. |
| C. Its continuous supply is becoming a reality ✓ | D. Its sustainable exploitation will remain difficult. |
STEP 1 找定位词：Paragraphs 5 & 6, clean energy（储能/电池相关）
STEP 2 找定位句：第 5 段第 2 句 "a boost in the storage capacity of batteries is making their ability to keep power flowing around the clock more likely." + 第 6 段汽车制造商押注电池驱动电动汽车。
STEP 3 精读定位句：电池储能容量提升 → 使 keep power flowing around the clock（全天候持续供电）more likely（更有可能）。around the clock = continuous（连续不断）。
STEP 4 匹配选项：C. Its continuous supply is becoming a reality（其持续供应正成为现实）= keep power flowing around the clock more likely → C。
A 因果颠倒（是储能提升使持续供电成为可能，而非应用促进了储能）；
B 汽车制造中普遍使用不符（电动汽车仍是 rarity）；
D 持续开发仍困难与文意相反（正变得越来越可能）。
| A. will bring the US closer to other countries | B. will accelerate global environmental change |
| C. is not really encouraged by the US government ✓ | D. is not competitive enough with regard to its cost |
STEP 1 找定位词：last paragraph, renewable energy（推断题，结合上文 Trump 背景与末段评价）
STEP 2 找定位句：第 7 段第 3 句 "What Washington does — or doesn't do — to promote alternative energy may mean less and less at a time of a global shift in thought."（结合上文 Trump 强调化石燃料、贬斥风能）
STEP 3 精读定位句：Washington 在推动替代能源方面做或不做什么，意义越来越小（may mean less and less）——暗示美国政府对可再生能源的推动有限、并不真正鼓励，但全球趋势仍在飙升（trend lines spiking）。
STEP 4 匹配选项：C. is not really encouraged by the US government（并未真正受到美国政府鼓励）= Trump 强调化石燃料 + Washington 作用越来越小 → C。
A 让美国接近其他国家无中生有；
B 加速全球环境变化方向反（是减缓气候变化）；
D 成本竞争力不足与文意相反（价格暴跌，竞争力强）。
