A(2015·淮安市第二次调研测试)Fuel Cell Technology for CarsFill her up with hydrogen? That’s what some California motorists may be saying soon，as car makers try to speed up production of zero emission(零排放) cars to meet state requirements in the near future.Beneath the skin of this ordinary looking Hondas FCX Concept Vehicle sits an electro-chemical reactor：a hand-built，astronomically expensive power_plant known as a fuel cell.It’s expected to be running ordinary family cars on California’s roads within three years.So what exactly is a fuel cell，anyway? Why are governments，private businesses and academic institutions cooperating to develop and produce them? A fuel cell，very simply described，is a power generator，making electricity through the combination of hydrogen and oxygen.Fuel cells generate electrical power quietly and efficiently，without pollution.Unlike power sources that use fossil fuels，the only by-products from an operating fuel cell are heat and water.To be more technical about it，a hydrogen atom with its one electron，attempts to pass through a fuel cell membrane(膜) to unite with an oxygen atom.The membrane allows only the hydrogen proton(质子) to pass through，forcing its electron to run around the membrane to catch up with the proton on the other side.This creates electricity，water，and heat，but no exhaust emissions.If the fuel cell is powered with pure hydrogen，it has the potential to be up to 80-percent efficient.That is，it turns 80 percent of the energy content of the hydrogen into electrical energy.However，we still need to turn the electrical energy into mechanical work.This is accomplished by the electric motor.A reasonable number for the efficiency of the motor is about 80 percent.So we have 80-percent efficiency in generating electricity，and 80­percent efficiency turning it into mechanical power.That gives an overall efficiency of about 64 percent.Honda’sFCX concept vehicle reportedly has 60-percent energy efficiency，which is twice or even three times more efficient than usual cars.But in spite of all the advantages described above，experts say，“We still have technical challenges getting this extremely complex system to work properly，the way customers expect it to work.There are challenges in using new fuels，and providing the new fuel basic facilities.And before fuel cell vehicles hit the road，there will have to be a network of hydrogen stations that will allow drivers to fill up with the flammable gas，under 36­hundred pounds of pressure.”【解题导语】本文主要讲的是未来的新能源汽车的一些情况。

1．What can be inferred from California’s “zero emissions policy”？A．New cars with fuel cell technology will surely become much cheaper.B．By carrying out the policy，traffic will not be so busy as it is now.C．The quality of life in California will improve once this policy is in effect.D．With facilities of new kinds，more local employment will be created.解析：选C。

推理判断题。

如果汽车零排放政策生效后，那么市民的生活质量一定会提高，因为污染减少了，故答案选C。

2．What does the underlined phrase “power plant”in Paragraph 2 refer to?A．A power device generating electricity.B．A power station providing electricity.C．A power component consuming electricity.D．A power engine using electricity.解析：选A。

词义猜测题。

根据句子结构可知，power plant就是指的后面的fuel cell(燃料电池)，还有下段中A fuel cell，very simply described，is a power generator，making electricity through the combination of hydrogen and oxygen.故据此推断答案选A，一个发电装置。

3．One of the reasons why fuel cell powered vehicles are superior is that________．A．they give out almost no water or heatB．they run faster and more smoothlyC．they give out almost no noiseD．they turn 64% of the energy into electricity解析：选C。

细节理解题。

根据第三段中的Fuel cells generate electrical power quietly and efficiently，without pollution.可知答案选C，燃料电池发电安静、高效、无污染。

4．What does the author want to tell us in the last paragraph?A．Customers will not think it a good idea to develop fuel cell technology.B．It is still not very easy to speed up production of zero emission cars.C．We can’t ignore the financial problems to build a network of hydrogen stations.D．We still have much difficulty turning all the chains of the business into reality.解析：选D。

细节理解题。

根据第一句话：But in spite of all the advantages described above，experts say，“We still have technical challenges getting this extremely complex system to work properly”可知，现在利用该项技术还有较大挑战。

故答案选D。

B(2015·南京市三模)ELMONT，N.Y.(AP)Elmont High School senior Harold Ekeh had a plan—he would apply to 13 colleges，including all eight Ivy League schools，figuring it would help his chances of getting into at least one great school.It worked.And then some，the teenager from Long Island was accepted at all 13 schools，and now faces his next big test：deciding where to go.“I was stunned，I was really shocked，”Ekeh told The Associated Press during an interview Tuesday at his home near the Belmont Park racetrack，his four younger brothers running around.He found out last week he had been accepted to Princeton University.That made him eight for eight in the Ivy League—he had already been accepted to Yale University，Brown University，Columbia University，Cornell University，Dartmouth College，Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania.His other acceptances came from Johns Hopkins University，Massachusetts Institute of Technology，New York University，Stony Brook University and Vanderbilt University.“We are so proud of him，”said his mother ，Roseline Ekeh.“Hard work，dedication and prayer brought him to where he is today.”Born in Nigeria，Harold was eight years old when his parents brought the family to the United States.“It was kind of difficult adjusting to the new environment and the new culture，”he said.But he saw his parents working hard，“and I took their example and decided to apply_myself．”He referenced that effort in his college essay，writing，“Like a tree，uprooted and replanted，I could have withered in a new country surrounded by people and languages I did not understand.Yet，I witnessed my parents persevere despite the potential to give in.I faced my challenges with newfound zeal; I risked insults，spending my break talking to unfamiliar faces，ignoring their sarcastic remarks.”“Harold is tremendously focused in everything he does.”said John Capozzi，the school’s principal，“He’s a great role model.All the students and faculty are so proud of him.”Harold is the second Long Island student in as many years to get into all eight st year，William Floyd High School’s Kwasi Enim chose to go to Yale.Harold，who has a 100.51 grade­point average and wants to be a neurosurgeon，said he was leaning toward Yale，and had heard from Enin，offering congratulations.Like Enin，he’s likely to announce his college choice at a press conference later this month.The deadline to decide is May.5．Which is closest in meaning to the underlined phrase“apply myself”？A．Work hard.B．Write to the college.C．Make a formal request.D．Make an adjustment.解析：选A。