A breakthrough in the provision of energy from the sun for the European Economic Community (EEC) could be brought forward by up to two decades, if a modest increase in financial support could be provided in the EEC’s research effort in this field, according to the senior EEC scientists engaged in experiments in solar energy at EEC’s scientific laboratories at Ispra, near Milan.

The senior West German scientist in charge of the Community’s solar energy program, Mr. Joachim Gretz, told journalists that at present levels of research spending it was most unlikely that solar energy would provide as much as three per cent of the Community’s energy requirements even after the year 2,010. But he said that with a modest increase in the present sums, devoted by the EEC to this work it was possible that the breakthrough could be achieved by the end of the next decade.

Mr. Gretz calculates that if solar energy only provided three per cent of the EEC’s needs, this could still produce a saving of about a billion pounds in the present bill for imported energy each year. And he believes that with the possibility of utilizing more advanced technology in this field it might be possible to satisfy a much bigger share of the Community’s future energy needs.

At present the EEC spends about $ 2.6 millions a year on solar research at Ispra, one of the EEC’s official joint research centers, and another $ 3 millions a year in indirect research with universities and other independent bodies.

1. The phrase "be brought forward" in Line 2 most probably means         .

   A) be expected       B) be completed       C) be advanced       D) be introduced

2. According to scientists, a breakthrough in the use of solar energy depends on         .

   A) sufficient funding                      C) advanced technology

   B) further experiments                    D) well-equipped laboratories

3. According to Mr. Gretz, the present sum of money will enable the scientists to provide      .

A)   a littke more than 3% of the EEC’s needs after the year 2010

B)   3% of the EEC’s needs before the year 2010

C)    less than 3% of the EEC’s needs before the year 2010

D)   only 3% of the EEC’s needs even after the year 2010

4. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A)   The EEC spends one billion pounds on imported energy each year.

B)   At the present level of research spending, it is difficult to make any significant progress in the provision of energy from the sun.

C)    The desired breakthrough could be obtained by the end of the next decade if investment were increased.

D)   The total yearly spending of the EEC on solar energy research amounted to almost 6 million dollars.

5. The application of advanced technology to research in solar energy            .

A)   would lead to a big increase in research funding

B)   would make it unnecessary to import oil

C)    would make it possible to meet the future energy needs of the EEC

D)   would provide a much greater proportion of the Community’s future energy needs

参考答案：Passage 9. C A C B D

根据欧盟设在米兰附近的太阳能研究实验室的资深科学家的观点，如果支持太阳能研究的资金数额有适度的增加，欧盟太阳能的供给上突破性进展就会提前20年。
负责欧盟太阳能开发计划的德国资深科学家Joachim Gretz告诉新闻界：以现在的研究资金投入水平，即使到2010年后欧盟所利用的太阳能也不可能达到其所需能源总量的百分之三。但是，如果欧盟投入到该研究工作的资金在现在的基础上适度增加的话，下一个十年末就有可能实现大的突破。
Gretz总在算一笔账：如果太阳能给欧盟提供的能量达到总量的百分之三，欧盟每年就会节省进口能源花费中的十亿英镑。他认为由于有可能将更先进的技术应用到该领域，这就有可能在将来给欧盟提供更大份额的能源。
目前，欧盟每年投入Ispra欧盟联合太阳能研究研究中心约二百六十万美元；另外，大学及个体研究机构每年得到欧盟约三百万美元的研究资金。