Think about the different ways that people use the wind. You can use it to fly a kite or to sail a boat. Wind is one of our cleanest and richest power sources, as well as one of the oldest. Evidence shows that windmills(风车) began to be used in ancient Iran back in the seventh century BC. They were first introduced to Europe during the 1100s, when armies returned from the Middle East with knowledge of using wind power.
For many centuries, people used windmills to grind(碾碎) wheat into flour or pump water from deep underground. When electricity was discovered in the late 1800s, people living in remote areas began to use them to produce electricity. This allowed them to have electric lights and radios. However, by the 1940s when electricity was available to people in almost all areas of the United States, windmills were rarely used.
During the 1970s, people started being concerned about the pollution that is created when coal and gas are burned to produce electricity. People also realized that the supply of coal and gas would not last forever. Then, wind was rediscovered, though it means higher cost. Today, there is a global movement to supply more and more of our electricity through the use of wind.
【小题1】 From the text we know that windmills . A．were invented by European armiesB．have a history of more than 2,800 yearsC．used to supply power to radio in remote areasD．have rarely been used since electricity was discovered【小题2】What was a new use for wind power in the late 19th century?A．Sailing a boat.B．Producing electricity.C．Grinding wheat into flour.D．Pumping water from underground.【小题3】One of the reasons wind was rediscovered in the 1970s is that .A．wind power is cleanerB．it is one of the oldest power sources. C．it was cheaper to create energy from windD．the supply of coal and gas failed to meet needs【小题4】 What would the author probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?A．The advantages of wind power.B．The design of wind power plants.C．The worldwide movement to save energy.D．The global trend towards producing power from wind.C
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(答案→)C
解析：文章介绍风能发展的过程和用途，并介绍全球已越来越多地使用风力发电，因为它的清洁环保的能源。
【小题1】细节理解题。根据第二段的“When electricity was discovered in the late 1800s, people living in remote areas began to use them to produce electricity. This allowed them to have electric lights and radio.”可推出风车可以给遥远的地方的无线电提供电力，C项符合题意。
【小题2】细节理解题。根据第二段的“When electricity was discovered in the late 1800s, people living in remote areas began to use them to produce electricity.”可知在19世纪末期，风车可以用来发电，B项符合题目要求。B
【小题3】细节理解题。根据第三段的“people started being concerned about the pollution that is created when coal and gas are burned to produce electricity”可知现在重新使用风能是因为它是清洁的，A项符合题意。
【小题4】推理判断题。第三段最后已提出现在全球已越来越多地使用风力发电，所以下一段应该要进一步推广使用风力发电，这是一种总体的能源发展趋势。故D项正确。