单选题 Many are aware of the tremendous waste of energy in our environment, but fail to take advantage of straightforward opportunities to conserve that energy. For example, everyone knows that lights should be switched off when no one is in an office. Similarly, when employees are not using a meeting room, there is no need to regulate temperature.
Fortunately, one need not rely on human intervention to conserve energy. With the help of smart sensing and network technology, energy conservation processes such as turning off lights and adjusting temperature can be readily automated. Ultimately, this technology will enable consumers and plant managers to better identify wasteful energy use and institute procedures that lead to smarter and more efficient homes, buildings and industrial plants.
Until now, wires and cables for power and connectivity have limited the widespread adoption of sensor networks by making them difficult and expensive to install and maintain. Battery-powered wireless networks can simplify installation and reduce cost. But their high power consumption and the corresponding need for regular battery replacement has made wireless networks difficult and costly to maintain. Nobody wants to replace hundreds or thousands of window sensor batteries in a large building on a regular basis.
The promise of wireless sensor networks can only be fully realized when the wiring for both the data communication and the power supply is eliminated. Doing so requires a true battery-free wireless solution, one that can utilize energy harvested directly from the environments. To facilitate the widespread deployment of wireless sensor networks, Greenpeak has developed an ultra-low-power communication technology that can utilize environmental energy sources such as light, motion and vibration. This technology, employing on-board power management circuits and computer software to monitor energy harvesters and make the best use of harvested energy, enables sensors to operate reliably in a battery-free environment.
Wireless sensor networks deployed in our offices and homes will have an enormous impact on our daily lives, helping to build a smarter world in which energy is recycled and fully utilized. These wireless platforms, equipped with advanced sensing capability, will enable us to better control our lives, homes and environment, creating a truly connected world that enables people worldwide to live in a more comfortable, safer, and cleaner environment.
单选题 By "human intervention" (Para. 2), the author refers to ______.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。根据第二段第一、二句可知,人们没有必要依赖人为干预以节约能源,有了智能遥感技术和网络技术的帮助,诸如关灯和调控温度此类的节能方式就很容易实现自动化。因此答案为C项。
单选题 Batteries are not an ideal energy source for sensor networks because they ______.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。通过第三段第二到第五行可知,靠电池供电的无线网络可以简化安装程序,并降低成本。但是由于网络能量消耗高,需要定期更换电池,所以这种网络很难维护,而且维护成本相当高。因此答案为A项。
单选题 Battery-free wireless sensor networks are made possible by the fact that ______.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。根据第四段前两句可知,当数据通信和供电系统之间的线全部清除时,无线传感器网络这个愿望就完全可以实现。这就需要一个真正的不同电池的无线网络解决方案。那种网络可以直接利用从环境中获得的能源。因此答案为A项。
单选题 According to the passage, Greenpeak ______.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] 推断题。通过第四段第三句可知,为了方便无线传感器网络广泛部署,已经开发出一种超低功耗的通信技术,该技术能够利用环境中的光、运动和震动之类的能源。据此推断,答案为B项。
单选题 Wireless sensor networks promise to ______.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] 推断题。通过第五段最后一句可知,这些无线平台具有先进的传感性能,能帮助我们更好地控制生活、住房及环境,创造一个真正相连的世界,一个能让来自世界各地的人的居住环境更加舒适、更加安全、更加干净的世界。据此推断,答案为D项。