While fossil fuels – coal, oil, gas – still generate roughly 85 percent of the world’s energy supply, it’s 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.

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.

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.

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 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.

The question "what happens when the wind doesn’t blow or 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.

The advance is driven in part by vehicle manufacturers, who are 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.

While there’s 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 – or doesn’t do – to promote alternative energy may mean less and less at a time of a global shift in thought.

26、The word "plummeting" (Line 3, Para 2) is closest in meaning to_____.

 Directions:

Suppose you have to cancel your travel plan and will not be able to visit Professor Smith. Write him an email to

1) apologize and explain the situation, and

2) suggest a future meeting.

You should write about 100 words neatly on the ANSWER SHEET.

Do not use your own name at the end of the email. Use “Li Ming” instead (10 points)

Directions：Write an essay based on the following chart. In your writing you should

1) interpret the chart, and

2) give your comments.

You should write about 150 words on the ANSWER SHEET.(15 points)

45_____.

A fifth grader gets a homework assignment to select his future career path from a list of occupations. He ticks "astronaut" but quickly adds "scientist" to the list and selects it as well. The boy is convinced that if he reads enough, he can explore as many career paths as he likes. And so he reads-everything from encyclopedias to science fiction novels. He reads so fervently that his parents have to institute a "no reading policy" at the dinner table.

That boy was Bill Gates, and he hasn't stopped reading yet-not even after becoming one of the most successful people on the planet. Nowadays, his reading material has changed from sci-fi and reference books: recently, he revealed that he reads at least 50 nonfiction books a year. Gates chooses nonfiction titles because they explain how the world works.

"Each book opens up new avenues of knowledge to explore."-Gates say.

42___.

43_____.

44_____.

This text is mainly about_____.

Five ways to make conversation with anyone

Conversations are links, which means when you have a conversation with a new person a link gets formed and every conversation you have after that moment will strengthen the link.

You meet new people every day: the grocery worker, the cab driver, new people at work or the security guard at the door. Simply starting a conversation with them will form. a link.

Here are five simple ways that you can make the first move and start a conversation with strangers.

41._____

Suppose you are in a room with someone you don't know and something within you says" I want to talk with this person”—this is something the mostly happens with all of us. You wanted to say something—the first word—but it just won't come out. It feels like itis stuck somewhere, I know the feeling and here is my advice just get it out.

Just think: that is the worst that could happen? They won't talk with you? Well, they are not talking with you now!

I truly believe that once you get that first word out everything else will just flow. So keep it simple: “Hi”,“ Hey” or “Hello”—do the best you can to gather all of the enthusiasm and energy you can, put on a big smile and say “Hi”.

42._____

It's a problem all of us face: you have limited time with the person that you want to talk with and you want to make this talk memorable.

Honestly, if we got stuck in the rut of "hi", "hello", “how are you?” and" what' s going on?" you will fail to give the initial jolt to the conversation that's can make it so memorable.

So don't be afraid to ask more personal questions. Trust me, you'll be surprised to see how much people are willing to share if you just ask.

43._____

When you meet a person for the first time, make an effort to find the things which you and that person have in common so that you can build the conversation from that point. When you start conversation from there and then move outwards, you'll find all of a sudden that the conversation becomes a lot easier.

44._____

Imagine you are pouring your heart out to someone and they are just busy on their phone, and if you ask for their attention you get the response “I can multitask”.

So when someone tries to communicate with you, just be in that communication wholeheartedly. Make eye contact, you can feel the conversation.

45._____

You all came into a conversation where you first met the person, but after some time you may have met again and have forgotten their name. Isn't that awkward!

So remember the little details of the people you met or you talked with; perhaps the places they have been to the place they want to go, the things they like, the thing the hate—whatever you talk about.

When you remember such thing you can automatically become investor in their wellbeing. So the feel a responsibility to you to keep that relationship going.

That's it. Five amazing ways that you can make conversation with almost anyone. Every person is a really good book to read, or to have a conversation with!

41、_____.

Pillay believes that our brains' shift between being focused and unfocused_____.