Despite the bad economy, or maybe because of it, the rooftop-solar industry is booming, as Americans become increasingly intrigued by the idea of turning their roofs into mini power plants and cutting their electric bills. In 2008,33,500 rooftop solar systems were installed in the United States, a 63 percent increase over the amount of capacity installed in 2007. In California. the solar capital of country, the increase was 95 percent. Meanwhile, the outlook for the other side of the solar industry—the large, centralized power plants—isn't so sunny. These megaprojects—acres of desert covered in thousands of solar panels sending electricity—controlled mostly by utility companies that have had a monopoly over the country's electricity grid, were supposed to be the key to the future of the solar industry. So far, they're getting vastly outpaced by the decentralized rooftop approach. According to the Interstate Renewable Energy Council's 2006—08 count, consumers added 522 megawatts to the grid: whereas utility companies added just 96 megawatts. The disparity has utilities worried about loosing their grip on the country's energy industry, and the $130 billion residential electricity market. In some cases, utilities are actually taking direct steps to thwart rooftop solar. "There is a tension between distributed solar generation and utilities," says Adaln Browning, executive director of The Vote Solar initiative, a solar advocacy group in San Francisco. They've had the energy pie to themselves for a century, and now facing a future where clean distributed energy will play a large part, they're looking for ways to profit from it and maintain control. People want solar panels on their roofs, so utilities should be working to make that happen rather than getting in the way. "says Browning. " "It's not hard to understand why a big utility might not like the idea of homes and buildings being covered in solar panels. If every building in America is generating its own solar energy, that throws a big wrench into their business model. But as most states have passed renewable-energy standards recently, mandating that a certain percentage of their energy come from renewable sources, utilities have become reluctant players in the solar game because, frankly, they have no choice. However, thanks to state and federal government subsidies, private sector can seize this opportunity to grow.
单选题
According to the passage, which statement about the rooftop solar systems installment in the U. S. can NOT be inferred?
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】由题干定位到文章原句：In 2008…in the United States, a 63 percent increase over the amount of capacity installed in 2007，(在2008年，美国的比2007年增加了63%)，选项A认为2008年美国屋顶太阳能的装置率与比2007年相比，增长率超过了50%。选项A与文意相符。选项B认为加利福利亚95%的家庭都装有屋顶太阳能，定位到文章原句in California, the solar capital of country, the increase was 95 percent，在加利福利亚，太阳能之都，其增长率是95%，选项B与文意不符，故选择B。选项C认为越来越多的家庭选择使用太阳能作为节省用电的方法，定位到文章原句，as Americans become increasingly intrigued by the idea of turning their roofs into mini power plants and cutting their electric bills，(美国人越来越被这一想法吸引，即使用屋顶太阳能来减少用电开支)，可见选项C与文意相符。选项D认为经济环境和安装太阳能没有正向联系，定位到文章原句Despite the bad economy, or maybe because of it, the rooftop-solar industry is booming，即使经济环境糟糕，或正是因为此，屋顶太阳能发展迅速，可见选项D是符合文意的。
单选题
According to the passage, which of the following statements is the main idea of the second paragraph?
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】由题干定位到文章第二段第一句Meanwhile, the outlook for the other side of the solar industry-the large, centralized power plants-isn't so sunny. (太阳能产业的另一半，大型的集中的电力厂却表现平平。可见第二段的大意主要是说明大型电力企业在太阳能发电领域的表现一般)。选项A认为大型电厂的太阳能发电量超过普通家庭的太阳能发电量，定位到consumers added 522 megawatts to the grid; whereas utility companies added just 96 megawatts，可见普通家庭提供的太阳能发电量高于大型电力氽业。选项B认为虽然目前大型电力企业的太阳能集中发电项目的现状不理想，但这个部分的发展是太阳能产业的关键，此表述与文章原意相符，故B是正确答案。
单选题
What is the meaning of the word "thwart" in the third paragraph?
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】由题干定位到文章原句：utilities worried about loosing their grip on the country's energy industry, and the $130 billion residential electricity market. In some cases, utilities are actually taking direct steps to thwart rooftop solar. (大型企业担心失去对国家能源产业的控制，还有居民用电市场。在很多时候，这些大型企业会反对建立屋顶太阳能设施)。选项A意为修建，B意为协助、促进，C意为鼓励，D意为反对。可见D项正确。
单选题
According to the passage, which one of the following statements is NOT in agreement to Adam Browning's ideas?
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】由题干定位到文章原句“There is a tension between distributed solar generation and utilities”，(分散的太阳能发电和大型电力企业之间的关系紧张)，可见选项A认为大型企业和分散的太阳能发电不能很好合作，选项A是符合文意的。选项B认为大型氽业不想和别的太阳能发电单位分享市场，定位到文章原句，They've had the energy pie to themselves for a century, they're looking for ways to profit from it and maintain control. (大型企业已经享有一个世纪的产业垄断了，他们现在寻找盈利和保持对产业控制的方法)。可见B是符合文意的。选项C认为大型企业应该在需要时，帮助人们建立屋顶太阳能系统，定位到文章原句，People want solar panels on their roofs, so utilities should be working to make that happen，可见C是符合文意的。选项D认为居民应该向电力企业为其享用的太阳能电力付费，文章中关于Adam Browning的表述并没有此项，故D不是Adam Browning的想法，应选择D。
单选题
According to the passage, which one of the following statemets can not be inferred from the passage?
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】文章原句Private sector can seize this opportunity to grow，(私人企业也抓住这个机会，大力发展)，选项A认为现在对于私营企业来说，有很好的发展环境，可见A是符合文意的。选项B认为文章述了政府的在发展太阳能产业方面的鼓励措施，是符合文意的。选项c认为文章讲述了大型企业对屋顶太阳能系统不感兴趣的原因，是合文意的。选项D认为文章讲述了使用屋顶太阳能系统的优缺点，这并没有在文章中捉到，故D是不符台文意的，应选择D。