Batteries can power anything from small sensors to large systems.While scientists are finding ways to make them smaller but even more powerful, problems can arise when these batteries are much larger and heavier than the devices themselves.University of Missouri(MU) researchers are developing a nuclear energy source that is smaller, lighter and more efficient.
“To provide enough power, we need certain methods with high energy density(密度)”,said Jae Kwon, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at MU.“The radioisotope(放射性同位素) battery can provide power density that is much higher than chemical batteries.”
Kwon and his research team have been working on building a small nuclear battery, presently the size and thickness of a penny, intended to power various micro / nanoelectromechanical systems (M/NEMS).Although nuclear batteries can cause concerns, Kwon said they are safe.
“People hear the word ‘nuclear’ and think of something very dangerous,” he said, “However, nuclear power sources have already been safely powering a variety of devices, such as pace-makers, space satellites and underwater systems.”
His new idea is not only in the battery’s size, but also in its semiconductor(半導(dǎo)體).Kwon’s battery uses a liquid semiconductor rather than a solid semiconductor.
“The key part of using a radioactive battery is that when you harvest the energy, part of the radiation energy can damage the lattice structure(晶體結(jié)構(gòu)) of the solid semiconductor,” Kwon said, “By using a liquid semiconductor, we believe we can minimize that problem.”
Together with J.David Robertson, chemistry professor and associate director of the MU Research Reactor, Kwon is working to build and test the battery.In the future, they hope to increase the battery’s power, shrink its size and try with various other materials.Kwon said that battery could be thinner than the thickness of human hair
【小題1】The text is most probably a ________.

A.science news reportB.book review
C.newspaper adD.science fiction
【小題2】Liquid semiconductor is used to _________.
A.get rid of the radioactive waste
B.test the power of nuclear batteries
C.decrease the size of nuclear batteries
D.reduce the damage to lattice structure
【小題3】According to Jae Kwon, his nuclear battery _______.
A.uses a solid semiconductorB.will soon replace the present ones
C.could be extremely thinD.has passed the final test
【小題4】Jae Kwon gave examples in Paragraph 4_________.
A.to show chemical batteries are widely applied
B.to introduce nuclear batteries can be safely used
C.to describe a nuclear-powered system
D.to introduce various energy sources


【小題1】A
【小題2】D
【小題3】C
【小題4】B

解析試題分析:本篇為科普短文,介紹由美國(guó)密蘇里大學(xué)研究者所開(kāi)發(fā)的核能電池的情況。這些科學(xué)家研發(fā)出高性能核電池只略大于1美分硬幣。
【小題1】推理判斷題。本文講述了 Kwon 的原子能電池的有關(guān)情況,文章體裁應(yīng)屬于科普文章,所以 A 項(xiàng)正確。
【小題2】細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第六段的句子:part of the radiation energy can damage the lattice structure(晶體結(jié)構(gòu)) of the solid semiconductor,”及“By using a liquid semiconductor, we believe we can minimize that problem.”可知,通過(guò)使用液態(tài)半導(dǎo)體材料,可減少對(duì)晶體結(jié)構(gòu)的破壞。選D
【小題3】細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù) Kwon said that battery could be thinner than the thickness of human hair 可知這種原子能電池可以做的很薄,C 項(xiàng)正確。
【小題4】細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)文章第四段的句子:“However, nuclear power sources have already been safely powering a variety of devices, such as pace-makers, space satellites and underwater systems.”可知 Kwon 舉例的目的是為了說(shuō)明核能電池是安全性,選B
考點(diǎn):考查科普類短文

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Feeling blue about the world? “Cheer up,” says science writer Matt Ridley. “The world has never been a better place to live in, and it will keep on getting better both for humans and for nature.”
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【小題1】What is the theme of Ridley’s most recent book?

A.Weakness of human nature.
B.Concern about climate change.
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D.Optimism about human progress.
【小題2】 How does Ridley look at shopping?
A.It encourages the creation of things.
B.It results in shortage of goods.
C.It demands more fossil fuels.
D.It causes a poverty problem.
【小題3】The candle and lamp example is used to show that__________.
A.oil lamps give off more light than candles
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D.increased production rate leads to lower cost of goods.
【小題4】 What does the last sentence of the passage imply?
A.Cutting carbon is necessary in spite of the huge cost.
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D.Careless medical treatment may cause great pain.
【小題5】 According to the passage, which of the following statements is True?
A.Matt Ridley doesn’t think the world is a good place to live in.
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C.Matt Ridley based his unique point of view on his long-term research.
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