Question

Energy independence. It has a nice ring to it. Doesn’t it? If you think so, you’re not alone, because energy independence has been the dream of American president for decades, and never more so than in the past few years, when the most recent oil price shock has been partly responsible for kicking off the great recession.

“Energy independence” and its rhetorical (修辭的) companion “energy security” are, however, slippery concepts that are rarely through, though. What is it that we want independence from, exactly?

Most people would probably say that they want to be independent from imported oil. But there are reasons that we buy all that oil from elsewhere.

The first reason is that we need it to keep our economy running. Yes, there is a trickle（涓涓細流）of biofuel（生物燃料）available, and more may become available, but most biofuels cause economic waste and environmental destruction.

Second, Americans have basically decided that they don’t really want to produce all their own oil. They value the environmental quality they preserve over their oil imports from abroad. Vast areas of the United States are off-limits to oil exploration and production in the name of environmental protection. To what extent are Americans really willing to endure the environmental impacts of domestic energy production in order to cut back imports?

Third, there are benefits to trade. It allows for economic efficiency, and when we buy things from places that have lower production costs than we do, we benefit. And although you don’t read about this much, the United States is also a large exporter of oil products, selling about 2 million barrels of petroleum products per day to about 90 countries.

There is no question that the United States imports a great deal of energy and, in fact, relies on that steady flow to maintain its economy. When that flow is interrupted, we feel the pain in short supplies and higher prices, at the same time, we derive massive economic benefits when we buy the most affordable energy on the world market and when we engage in energy trade around the world.

1.What does the author think of biofuels?

A. They keep America’s economy running healthily.

B. They prove to be a good alternative to petroleum.

C. They do not provide a sustainable energy supply.

D. They cause serious damage to the environment.

2.Why does America rely heavily on oil imports?

A. It wants to expand its storage of crude oil.

B. Its own oil reserves are quickly running out.

C. It wants to keep its own environment intact.

D. Its own oil production falls short of demand.

3.What does the author say about oil trade?

A. It proves profitable to both sides.

B. It improves economic efficiency.

C. It makes for economic prosperity.

D. It saves the cost of oil exploration.

Answer 1

1.D

2.C

3.B

【解析】

試題分析：作為世界上最大的能源消費國，美國的“能源獨立”聽起來不錯，這會改變全球能源市場格局，對于保持經(jīng)濟增長、保障能源安全、降低能源行業(yè)碳排放具有重大意義。

1.小題1】細節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第四段得知作者對生物燃料的真正想法是他們導致經(jīng)濟浪費和環(huán)境破壞。A、B選項中選項均為正態(tài)度，與原文不符直接排除。C選項為干擾項，文章未提及“可持續(xù)的能源供給”，故此選D。

2.小題2】推理判斷題。根據(jù)第五段得相比從國外進口石油，美國人更看重環(huán)境質量，希望保持自己國家環(huán)境是完好的。選C。

3.小題3】細節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)倒數(shù)第二段得知作者認為石油貿易是有經(jīng)濟效益的。我們從中受益。選B。

考點：環(huán)保類文章