2020考研即将考试，新的2021考研马上来临，印校园考研网竭诚为考研er整理发布2018考研英语二真题以供参考学习，如有疑问可以直接在线提问，印校园考研名师助你一站上岸。

2018考研英语二真题试卷-阅读理解二

Text 2

While fossil fuels-coal, oil, gas-still generate roughly 85 percent of the world’s energy supply, it's cleaner 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 such as Facebook, Microsoft, and Google 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 train 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.

21. The word “plummeting” (Line 3, Para. 2) is closest in meaning to  .

A. stabilizing

B. changing

C. falling

D. rising

22. According to Paragraph 3, the use of renewable energy in America  .

A. is progressing notably

B. is as extensive as in Europe

C. faces many challenges

D. has proved to be impractical

23. It can be learned that in Iowa,  .

A. wind is a widely used energy source

B. wind energy has replaced fossil fuels

C. tech giants are investing in clean energy

D. there is a shortage of clean energy supply

24. Which of the following is true about clean energy according to paragraphs 5＆6?

A. Its application has boosted battery storage.

B. It is commonly used in car manufacturing.

C. Its continuous supply is becoming a reality.

D. Its sustainable exploitation will remain difficult.

25. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that renewable energy  .

A. will bring the US closer to other countries.

B. will accelerate global environmental change.

C. is not really encouraged by the US government.

D. is not competitive enough with regard to its cost.

本次2018考研英语二真题分享大家理解了吗，印校园考研网后续还将为大家分享更多相关考研真题解析内容，在此预祝大家20考研取得理想成绩。

      2018考研英语二真题往期回顾：

      1.2018考研英语二真题试卷（阅读理解一）