公共英语PETS二级阅读复习(41)

　　While Finland is best enjoyed during the warmer months of May to September. A little known fact is that Santa Claus does not live at the North Pole, but in the Lapland region of Finland. There, Santa receives about 600,000 letters a year written by children from over 150 countries.

　　虽然芬兰在暖和的5月至9月间气候最为宜人。一个罕为人知的事实是圣诞老人并非住在北极，而是住在芬兰的拉普兰一带。在那里，圣诞老人每年会收到来自世界150多个国家孩子的约60万封信。

　　公共英语PETS二级阅读复习(42)

　　The sun fuels life on earth has the potential to do a whole lot more. If we could find more ways to harness solar power safely and efficiently, we could get much more usable energy from it than we currently get from burning fossil fuels like oil, coal, and gas.

　　太阳除了给地球带来生命，还有很多潜在的功能。如果能够找出更多安全有效的方法来利用太阳能，就能从中获得更多有用的能源，这比我们目前以燃烧石油、煤、汽油等化石燃料所获得的能源还要多。

　　公共英语PETS二级阅读复习(43)

　　This would be a great advantage because, as most scientists agree, burning fossil fuels is the main cause of environmental problems such as acid rain and global warming. Many warn that we will face widespread environmental disaster if we do not cut back on our use of these fuels. That is why environmentalists and scientists alike say it is time to look seriously for ways to harness an energy source that is clean, safe and cheap: namely, the sun. The only question is how.

　　诚如大多数科学家所言，利用好太阳能相当有益，燃烧化石燃料是导致酸雨和全球变暖等环境问题的首要因素。他们警告人类必须减少使用化石燃料，否则将面临全面的环境灾难。 难怪环保人士和科学家都主张要积极设法利用干净、安全而又便宜的能源──太阳能。问题是，怎么利用呢?

　　公共英语PETS二级阅读复习(44)

　　Energy comes to us from the sun in two main forms: heat and light. Solar thermal technologies use water or air to trap the sun's heat. On a small scale, this kind of solar power is already being used to heat homes, offices, and factories. On a large scale, it could be used to drive huge electricity-generating power plants.

　　太阳产生‘热能’和‘光能’两大能源。太阳热能技术运用水或空气来捕捉太阳的热能。在小规模应用上，这种太阳能目前已经用于为居室、办公室以及工厂供暖;在大规模应用上，这种太阳能可用于为大型发电厂提供电力。

　　公共英语PETS二级阅读复习(45)

　　Photovoltaic technologies use semiconductors to trap the son's light and convert it to electricity. Such solar power is already being used to run all sorts of devices, from calculator to the Hubble Telescope in outer space. These accomplishments show that harnessing solar power is possible, but it remains expensive and in efficient. Scientists are still trying to find ways to make solar power a more widely used energy source. It is a big challenge, but many believe that the future of our planet depends on it.

　　光电技术利用半导体捕获太阳光能，然后把太阳光能转换成电能。这类太阳能已应用在诸如计算机和哈伯太空望远镜等各种装置中。 上述各项应用成果均证明了太阳能是可以加以利用的，只是还很昂贵，而且成效还不够明显。科学家们至今仍在设法充分利用太阳能。虽然这是一大挑战，但是许多人都认为地球的未来就靠太阳能了。