2023届高考英语二轮复习外刊阅读训练为什么水电费飙升

23年高考英语外刊阅读训练——阅读理解：为什么水电费飙升
——改编自Soaring utility bill? Blame the instability of fossil fuels Californians are facing a harsh winter as natural gas prices soar, leading to big increases in utility bills. Wholesale natural gas prices have tripled since early December 2022, with Southern California Gas Co. warning its 5.9 million customers of “shockingly high”bills, estimating that if they paid $130 a month last winter, the same level of usage could cost $315 this year. This has put residents in a vulnerable position due to their dependence on fossil fuels, as Californians have a much higher percentage of homes with gas appliances than other parts of the country.
While conservation tips can help in the short term, the long-term solution is to transition to renewable energy and battery storage, divorcing ourselves from fossil fuel volatility. The spike in natural gas prices is also responsible for increasing electricity bills for millions of Southern Californian Edison customers by an average of $11.80 in January, as the utility still relies on gas-fired power plants.
Despite some recent progress on climate policy, new data
on global temperatures and US emissions show that we’re still on a reckless path in the wrong direction. Leaders need to accelerate the transition to electric buildings powered by renewable energy and battery storage, making clean, safe, and reliable energy a reality.
The pain of these higher bills should provide policymakers with motivation to move beyond unhealthful and outdated ways of the past toward a sustainable future, free from polluting and planet-warming fossil fuels. It’s time to prioritize the health and well-being of Californians.
【重点词汇】
1. Californians /ˌkælɪˈfɔːniənz/ n. 加州人
2. natural gas /ˈnætʃrəl ɡæs/ n. 天然气
3. prices /ˈpraɪsɪz/ n. 价格
4. soar /sɔːr/ v. 飙升，暴涨
5. increases /ɪnˈkriːsɪz/ n. 增加
6. utility bills /juːˈtɪləti bɪlz/ n. 公用事业账单
7. wholesale /ˈhoʊlseɪl/ adj. 批发的
8. tripled /ˈtrɪp l̩d/ v. 三倍增长
9. Southern California Gas Co. /ˈsʌðərn kælɪˈfɔːniəɡæs ko
ʊ/ n. 南加州煤气公司
10. shockingly high /ˈʃɑːkɪŋli haɪ/ adj. 非常高的
11. estimating /ˈestəmeɪtɪŋ/ v. 估计
12. vulnerability /ˌvʌlnərəˈbɪləti/ n. 脆弱性
13. dependence /dɪˈpendəns/ n. 依赖
14. fossil fuels /ˈfɑːsl ˈfuːlz/ n. 化石燃料
15. appliances /əˈplaɪənsɪz/ n. 家用电器
16. conservation /ˌkɑːnsərˈveɪʃn/ n. 保护，节约
17. short term /ʃɔːrt tɜːrm/ n. 短期
18. long-term /lɔːŋtɜːrm/ adj. 长期的
19. transition /trænˈzɪʃn/ n. 过渡
20. renewable energy /rɪnjuːəbl ˈenədʒi/ n. 可再生能源
21. battery storage /ˈbætri ˈstɔːrɪdʒ/ n. 电池储存
22. volatility /vɒləˈtɪləti/ n. 不稳定性
23. responsible for /rɪˈspɑːnsəbl fɔːr/ adj. 对……负责
24. increasing /ɪnˈkriːsɪŋ/ adj. 增加的
25. electricity bills /ɪlɛkˈtrɪsɪti bɪlz/ n. 电费
26. millions /ˈmɪljənz/ n. 百万
27. Southern Californian Edison /ˈsʌðərn kælɪˈfɔːniən edəs ən/ n. 南加州爱迪生公司
28. climate policy /ˈklaɪmət ˈpɑːləsi/ n. 气候政策
29. global temperatures /ˈɡloʊbl ˈtemprətjʊrz/ n. 全球温
度
30. US emissions / juːɛmɪʃənz/ 美国排放
31. reckless path /ˈrekləs pæθ/ n. 草率的道路
32. leaders /ˈliːdərz/ n. 领导者
33. accelerate /əkˈseləreɪt/ v. 加快
34. electric buildings /ɪˈlektrɪk ˈbɪldɪŋz/ n. 电气化建筑物
35. clean /kliːn/ adj. 干净的
36. safe /seɪf/ adj. 安全的
37. reliable /rɪˈlaɪəbl/ adj. 可靠的
38. reality /riˈæləti/ n. 现实
39. pain /peɪn/ n. 疼痛
40. policymakers /ˈpɒlɪsiˌmeɪkərz/ n. 决策者
41. motivation /ˌmoʊtɪˈveɪʃn/ n. 动力
42. unhealthful /ʌnˈhɛlfuːl/ adj. 不健康的
43. outdated /ˌaʊtˈdeɪtɪd/ adj. 过时的
44. sustainable future /səˈsteɪnəbl ˈfjuːtʃər/ 可持续未来
45. polluting /pəˈluːtɪŋ/ v. 污染
46. planet-warming /ˈplænɪt ˈwɔːrmɪŋ/ adj. 地球变暖的
47. prioritize /praɪˈɔːrɪtaɪz/ v. 优先考虑
48. health /hɛlθ/ n. 健康
49. well-being /ˌwɛlˈbiːɪŋ/ n. 幸福感
50. future /ˈfjuːtʃər/ n. 未来
【阅读理解练习题】
1. What has led to big increases in utility bills for Californians?
A. The use of gas-fired power plants by Southern Californian Edison.
B. A recent spike in wholesale natural gas prices.
C. The dependence on fossil fuels by Californians.
D. Shifts towards renewable energy and battery storage.
Answer: B
中文解析：自2022年12月初以来，天然气的批发价格已经翻了三倍，在这种情况下，南加州煤气公司警告其590万客户将面临“难以置信”的高额账单，估计如果他们在去年冬季付每月130美元的费用，那么同样的使用量在今年可能会花费315美元。

2. Why are Californians particularly vulnerable to the spike in natural gas prices?
A. They rely heavily on gas appliances in their homes.
B. They have a greater percentage of homes with solar panels than other parts of the country.
C. They are less affected by cold weather than other parts
of the US.
D. They have a higher number of electric cars per capita.
Answer: A
中文解析：由于依赖化石燃料，加利福尼亚人拥有比全国其他地区更高的燃气设备使用率，因此对于天然气价格飙升，他们变得更加脆弱。

3. According to the article, what is the long-term solution to the current crisis of soaring natural gas prices in California?
A. Conservation tips.
B. The use of gas-fired power plants.
C. A transition to renewable energy and battery storage.
D. A reduction of the usage of electricity.
Answer: C
中文解析：虽然保护小窍门可以在短期内有所帮助，但长期的解决方案是转向可再生能源和电池存储，离开化石燃料的不稳定性。

4. How has the spike in natural gas prices affected Southern Californian Edison customers?
A. It has reduced their electricity bills by an average of
$11.80 in January.
B. It has caused them to become more reliant on gas-fired power plants.
C. It has increased their electricity bills by an average of $11.80 in January.
D. It has led to a decrease in their usage of gas appliances.
Answer: C
中文解析：天然气价格飙升也导致南加州诸万电公司数百万客户的电费在1月份平均增加了11.80美元，因为这家公用事业公司仍然依赖燃气发电厂。

5. What do recent data on global temperatures and US emissions show?
A. We are making progress towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
B. We are on a reckless path in the wrong direction in terms of climate change.
C. We have achieved a significant reduction in our reliance on fossil fuels.
D. Climate change is not as urgent an issue as previously believed.
Answer: B
中文解析：尽管在气候政策上取得了一些进展，但最新的全球气温和美国排放数据显示，我们在错误的方向上走得很危险。

6. What is the long-term solution to combat climate change?
A. To stick with the use of fossil fuels.
B. To prioritize economic growth over environmental concerns.
C. To move towards renewable energy and battery storage.
D. To rely solely on nuclear energy.
Answer: C
中文解析：为了应对气候变化，长期的解决方案是转向可再生能源和电池存储。

7. How should policymakers respond to the issue of higher utility bills for Californians?
A. By sticking with unhealthful and outdated ways of the past.
B. By prioritizing the health and well-being of Californians.
C. By ignoring the problem and hoping it will go away.
D. By increasing government funding for gas-fired power plants.
Answer: B
中文解析：高昂的公用水电费应该促使政策制定者设法超越不健康和过时的过去方式，走向一个没有污染和温室气体的可持续未来，优先考虑加利福尼亚人的健康和幸福。

8. Which option would be the best choice to help reduce carbon emissions from transportation in California?
A. Subsidizing private car ownership.
B. Investing in public transport infrastructure.
C. Encouraging more people to buy gas-guzzling SUVs.
D. Increasing the number of flights at airports across California.
Answer: B
中文解析：帮助减少加州交通运输领域的碳排放最好的选择是投资公共交通基础设施，而不是对私人车辆所有权提供补贴，或鼓励更多人购买大排量SUV，或增加的加州机场航班数量。

【全文逐句对照翻译】
由于天然气价格飙升，加州人正面临一个严酷的冬天，导致水电费大幅上涨。

Californians are facing a harsh winter as natural gas prices soar, leading to big increases in utility bills.
自2022年12月初以来，天然气批发价格上涨了两倍，南加州天然气公司警告其590万客户“高得惊人”的账单，估计如果他们去年冬天每月支付130美元，今年同样的使用量可能会花费315美元。

Wholesale natural gas prices have tripled since early December 2022, with Southern California Gas Co. warning its 5.9 million customers of “shockingly high” bills, estimating that if they paid $130 a month last winter, the same level of usage could cost $315 this year.
由于加州居民对化石燃料的依赖，这使得他们处于弱势地位，因为加州拥有燃气设备的家庭比例比美国其他地区高得多。

This has put residents in a vulnerable position due to their dependence on fossil fuels, as Californians have a much higher percentage of homes with gas appliances than other parts of the country.
虽然保护贴士在短期内可以有所帮助，但长期的解决方案是过渡到可再生能源和电池存储，使我们摆脱化石燃料的波动性。

While conservation tips can help in the short term, the long-term solution is to transition to renewable energy and battery storage, divorcing ourselves from fossil fuel volatility.
天然气价格的飙升也导致南加州爱迪生公司数百万用户1月份的电费平均上涨11.80美元，因为该公司仍然依赖燃气发电厂。

The spike in natural gas prices is also responsible for increasing electricity bills for millions of Southern Californian Edison customers by an average of $11.80 in January, as the utility still relies on gas-fired power plants.
尽管最近在气候政策方面取得了一些进展，但有关全球气温和美国排放的新数据表明，我们仍然在错误的方向上鲁莽行事。

Despite some recent progress on climate policy, new data on global temperatures and US emissions show that we’re still on a reckless path in the wrong direction.
领导者需要加快向可再生能源和电池储能供电的电力建筑的过渡，使清洁、安全和可靠的能源成为现实。

Leaders need to accelerate the transition to electric buildings powered by renewable energy and battery storage, making clean, safe, and reliable energy a reality.
这些更高的账单带来的痛苦应该会给决策者提供动力，让他们摆脱过去不健康和过时的方式，走向可持续的未来，摆脱污染和导致地球变暖的化石燃料。

The pain of these higher bills should provide policymakers with motivation to move beyond unhealthful and outdated ways of the past toward a sustainable future, free from polluting and planet-warming fossil fuels.
是时候优先考虑加州人的健康和福祉了。

It’s time to prioritize the health and well-being of Californians.。