Part A: Reading Comprehension
Directions: Read the following text. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points)
Text 2
I was shocked to learn recently that some scientists want to scale back their research in an effort to decrease carbon emissions. The crisis is here, they said, and we need to cut back on our energy-intensive modelling. At the very least, we need to make our energy use far more sustainable.
It is unarguable that our laboratories, scientific instruments, rockets and satellites—the tools we scientists need to measure the planet’s pulse—demand significant amounts of energy both in their construction and operation. And it is equally true that science’s unrelenting appetite for information has caused a mushrooming of energy-intensive data centres around the world. According to the International Energy Agency, these buildings now consume about 1 percent of the world’s electricity.
However, this is a price we must pay for understanding the world. How can we inform decision makers about the best ways to bring down carbon emissions if we can’t track the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, where it’s coming from and who’s producing it? The carbon emissions from technological research are well spent: ultimately this research will safeguard the future of our planet.
It can be hard for scientists to make the case because our work is complex, often takes place behind closed doors and does not always lend itself to easy interpretation or explanation. But demonstrating the efficacy of science will be crucial if we are to solve humanity’s greatest challenges. It is all too easy to feel paralysed in the face of daunting problems such as climate change and to do nothing. But then I think of a friend’s daughter who turned her fears into action: she became a wind energy engineer and now thrives on delivering renewable energy, limiting emissions.
Recognising the hope that science and engineering can bring was the impetus behind the creation of the Millennium Technology Prize, which is now entering its 20th year as a celebration of human ingenuity. One of the past winners, Professor Martin Green from the University of New South Wales, Australia, is the inventor of the Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell technology which is now found in most of the world’s solar panels. Thanks to his invention, we have a real chance to decrease the world’s carbon emissions.
Every day, scientists, technologists and engineers are discovering new ways to exploit renewable energy sources and develop techniques not just to use power more intelligently but to power our intelligence. A great example of this is Europe’s largest supercomputer, LUMI in Finland, which is astonishingly carbonnegative. Established in an old paper mill, it is powered by a nearby river and its remote heat warms the people who live in the surrounding town of Kajaani.
If the world is to meet its net-zero ambitions, we must think hard about how we can deliver sustainable computing and deliver more LUMIs.
26. The author expressed great surprise at some scientists’
27. The author believes that carbon emissions from research
28. The example of Green in Paragraph 5 is used to illustrate
29. It can be learned from the last two paragraphs that LUMI
30. Which of the following statements would the author agree with?
答案与解析 (Answers)
26. [B] intention to reduce their research.
解析：第一段首句明确指出，“我最近震惊地得知，一些科学家想要缩减他们的研究（scale back their research），以努力减少碳排放”。选项 B 的 reduce their research 完美对应 scale back their research。
27. [D] are justifiable in the long run.
解析：第三段作者提出，虽然研究会产生碳排放，但这是“理解世界的代价”。如果不能追踪二氧化碳，就无法告知决策者最佳减排方案。段末总结道：“技术研究产生的碳排放是值得的（well spent）：最终（ultimately）这项研究将保卫我们星球的未来”。ultimately 对应 long run，well spent 对应 justifiable。
28. [D] the value of fostering human ingenuity.
解析：第五段首句提到，千年技术奖是为了“庆祝人类的独创性（celebration of human ingenuity）”。随后举出马丁·格林教授的例子，说明由于他的发明（人类独创性的产物），我们才有了减少全球排放的真正机会。因此格林的例子是用来阐述“培养人类独创性的价值”。
29. [A] is a model of sustainability efforts.
解析：第六段介绍了 LUMI 超算。它不仅是负碳排放的（carbon-negative），而且由河水供电，废热还用于温暖周围小镇的居民。最后一段作者呼吁“交付更多像 LUMI 这样的项目”。这表明 LUMI 是“可持续性努力的典范”。
30. [C] Energy-intensive research work is inevitable.
解析：第二段承认实验室、火箭等工具需要大量能源（demand significant amounts of energy）。第三段首句直接定调：“然而，这是我们为了理解世界而必须付出的代价（this is a price we must pay）”。作者认为没有这些高能耗的研究，我们就无法解决减排问题，因此这种研究是不可避免/必须付出的代价。
核心长难句精解 (Highlighted Sentences)
1. 宾语从句与目的状语：
"I was shocked to learn recently that some scientists want to scale back their research in an effort to decrease carbon emissions."
【解析】that 引导宾语从句，解释 learn 的内容。in an effort to 是固定短语作目的状语，表示“为了...”。
【翻译】最近我震惊地得知，一些科学家为了减少碳排放，竟然想要缩减他们的研究。
"I was shocked to learn recently that some scientists want to scale back their research in an effort to decrease carbon emissions."
【解析】that 引导宾语从句，解释 learn 的内容。in an effort to 是固定短语作目的状语，表示“为了...”。
【翻译】最近我震惊地得知，一些科学家为了减少碳排放，竟然想要缩减他们的研究。
2. 插入语与并列主语结构：
"It is unarguable that our laboratories, scientific instruments, rockets and satellites—the tools we scientists need to measure the planet’s pulse—demand significant amounts of energy both in their construction and operation."
【解析】It 是形式主语，that 引导真正的主语从句。破折号之间是插入语，对前面的四个并列名词进行同位说明。both... and... 连接两个并列的介词短语。
【翻译】无可争辩的是，我们的实验室、科学仪器、火箭和卫星——这些我们科学家用来测量地球脉搏的工具——在其建造和运行过程中都需要消耗大量的能源。
"It is unarguable that our laboratories, scientific instruments, rockets and satellites—the tools we scientists need to measure the planet’s pulse—demand significant amounts of energy both in their construction and operation."
【解析】It 是形式主语，that 引导真正的主语从句。破折号之间是插入语，对前面的四个并列名词进行同位说明。both... and... 连接两个并列的介词短语。
【翻译】无可争辩的是，我们的实验室、科学仪器、火箭和卫星——这些我们科学家用来测量地球脉搏的工具——在其建造和运行过程中都需要消耗大量的能源。
3. 条件状语从句与反问句式：
"How can we inform decision makers about the best ways to bring down carbon emissions if we can’t track the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, where it’s coming from and who’s producing it?"
【解析】if 引导条件状语从句。主句是一个反问句，增强语气。从句中 where... 和 who... 是两个并列的宾语从句，补充说明 track 的对象。
【翻译】如果我们无法追踪大气中二氧化碳的含量、来源以及排放者，我们又怎能告知决策者降低碳排放的最佳方案呢？
"How can we inform decision makers about the best ways to bring down carbon emissions if we can’t track the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, where it’s coming from and who’s producing it?"
【解析】if 引导条件状语从句。主句是一个反问句，增强语气。从句中 where... 和 who... 是两个并列的宾语从句，补充说明 track 的对象。
【翻译】如果我们无法追踪大气中二氧化碳的含量、来源以及排放者，我们又怎能告知决策者降低碳排放的最佳方案呢？