Harnessing the Sun|利用太阳能

Harnessing the Sun

by Brian Foden

The Atacama Desert is figuring out a way to use the sun to grow grapes.

Solar energy is used for a wide variety of purposes these days. Lights, batteries, and even vehicles are being powered by this source of renewable energy. In the Atacama Desert region in northern Chile, the power of the sun is being harnessed for a much different purposerowing grapes. More precisely, solar energy is used to run the pumps that irrigate the grapes.

There are numerous reasons why using solar power for this agricultural purpose makes perfect sense. Firstly, the Atacama Desert has the reputation for being the driest region on Earth, with numerous hours of sunshine. In fact, it is estimated that the number of cloudy days per year there rarely exceeds 30. Secondly, there is a lot of competition between the agricultural and mining companies in the region for electricity. The energy-hungry, booming mining industry, consumes half of Chile's electrical supply. Solar power offers an abundant amount of renewable energy that could greatly assist in the expansion of agricultural production.

Despite the advantages of developing solar power in the   , its usage has been limited. One company that is taking advantage of solar power, however, is Subsole. A major producer of fresh fruit in the South American country, Subsole has built a small solar park in conjunction with its partner, a German-based company named Kraftwerk. While the current capacity of the solar park only generates enough electricity to power a 20-story building, it's expected to boost fruit production by about 60 percent over the next few years. In the future, the use of solar energy in the Atacama Desert is expected to increase, providing Chile with a partial solution to its energy demands.

    1.     In the first paragraph, what does precisely mean?

(A) Practically.

(B) Strangely.

(C) Accurately.

(D) Humorously.

    2.     What is solar power used for in the Atacama Desert?

(A) To power water pumps.

(B) To run machines that pick grapes.

(C) To fuel machines used in mining.

(D) To give electricity to other parts of Chile.

    3.     What is primarily discussed in the second paragraph?

(A) The various types of energy used in the Atacama Desert.

(B) The desperate need for water in the Atacama Desert.

(C) The reasons solar energy hasn't been developed in the Atacama Desert.

(D) The logical arguments for using solar energy in the Atacama Desert.

    4.     What will Subsole's solar park be able to do in the near future?

(A) Provide electricity for 20 buildings in the region.

(B) Solve all of Chile's energy needs.

(C) Allow Subsole to become a partner with Kraftwerk.

(D) Increase the amount of agricultural production.

利用太阳能

阿塔卡马沙漠想出利用太阳能来灌溉葡萄的方法。

现今，太阳能被用在各式各样的用途上。灯光、电池、甚至连车辆都是利用这种可再生能源发电。在智利北部的阿塔卡马沙漠地区，太阳能正被用在一个截然不同的目的上种植葡萄。更精确地说，当地人利用太阳能以驱动帮浦灌溉葡萄。

有很多原因可以解释为何在此农业用途上利用太阳能发电有十足的道理。首先，阿塔卡马沙漠是地球上出了名的最干燥的地区，该地有无数小时的日照。事实上，据估计那里每年阴天数几乎不会超过 30 天。其次，本区的农矿业彼此之间为了争夺电力而产生激烈的竞争。这个既耗能又蓬勃发展的矿产业耗费了智利境内一半的电力供应。太阳能发电提供了丰富的可再生能源，这些可再生能源大大有助于扩大农业生产。

尽管在阿塔卡马沙漠发展太阳能有上述这些优势，太阳能的使用却还是受到限制。然而，某家正在利用太阳能发电的公司就是 Subsole 公司。Subsole 公司为南美洲主要的鲜果生产商，与合伙公司，即总部位在德国的 Kraftwerk 公司，连手建造了一座小型太阳能公园。虽然那座太阳能公园目前的供电量只够供给一栋 20 层楼高的大楼使用，但在接下来几年之间，供电量预计将使水果产量增加达百分之 60 左右。未来，阿塔卡马沙漠使用太阳能的情况预计还会增加，如此为智利境内对能源的需求提供了部分的解决之道。

答案：  1.  C   2.  A   3.  D   4.  D

阿塔卡马沙漠比加州的死谷早 1500 万年形成，气候干旱 100 倍。沙漠东部的安第斯山脉阻挡了来自大西洋的湿润水气，虽然亚他加马地处海傍，但该带水域地区常年受副热带高压控制，盛行下沉的离岸风，加之西边的太平洋由于秘鲁寒流的经过，下层水气易凝结成云或者雾，但难以成雨，这些因素的综合导致亚他加马沙漠成为世界上最为干燥的地方，其年平均降雨量仅 1 毫米，有统计更指，1570 年至1998年长达 400 多年时间几乎未曾下雨。（数据源：维基百科）