地特四等
113年
[一般行政] 法學知識與英文(包括中華民國憲法、法學緒論、英文)
第 47 題
📖 題組：
The history of windmills, from ancient grain grinders to modern wind turbines, illustrates a long journey of innovation and adaptation. The earliest windmills used sturdy reed mats for blades on horizontal axes in the 600s. Starting in the 14th century, Dutch engineers utilized windpumps to reclaim land from low-lying valleys. However, the advent of the Industrial Revolution marked a decline in windmill use, as the need for more reliable energy sources grew to power the burgeoning factory system. The steam engine emerged as a pivotal invention during this era, offering the consistent power necessary for mass production. The transition to electricity generation saw the creation of wind turbines in Europe and North America, with the first wind turbine lighting up James Blyth’s home in Scotland in 1887 and the first grid-connected turbine in Vermont in 1941. Despite their potential, wind energy became overshadowed by fossil fuels due to their reliability and abundance. Yet, the Oil Crisis of the 1970s, alongside environmental concerns, reignited interest in wind as a sustainable energy source, leading to the establishment of the world’s first wind farm in New Hampshire. Currently, wind farms are a common sight in various locales, from the U.S. Midwest’s agricultural landscapes to California’s Alta Wind Energy Center, the nation’s largest wind farm. Internationally, Brazil, Russia, India, and China are rapidly expanding their wind energy capacity, with China’s Gansu Wind Farm set to produce an impressive 20,000 megawatts. Likewise, developing regions in Africa and Southeast Asia are investing in wind technology, with Kenya’s Lake Turkana Wind Power project poised to supply electricity to countless homes and businesses. This evolution from traditional windmills to contemporary wind farms underscores a global shift towards renewable energy, highlighting wind power’s significant role in meeting modern energy demands while addressing environmental challenges.
The history of windmills, from ancient grain grinders to modern wind turbines, illustrates a long journey of innovation and adaptation. The earliest windmills used sturdy reed mats for blades on horizontal axes in the 600s. Starting in the 14th century, Dutch engineers utilized windpumps to reclaim land from low-lying valleys. However, the advent of the Industrial Revolution marked a decline in windmill use, as the need for more reliable energy sources grew to power the burgeoning factory system. The steam engine emerged as a pivotal invention during this era, offering the consistent power necessary for mass production. The transition to electricity generation saw the creation of wind turbines in Europe and North America, with the first wind turbine lighting up James Blyth’s home in Scotland in 1887 and the first grid-connected turbine in Vermont in 1941. Despite their potential, wind energy became overshadowed by fossil fuels due to their reliability and abundance. Yet, the Oil Crisis of the 1970s, alongside environmental concerns, reignited interest in wind as a sustainable energy source, leading to the establishment of the world’s first wind farm in New Hampshire. Currently, wind farms are a common sight in various locales, from the U.S. Midwest’s agricultural landscapes to California’s Alta Wind Energy Center, the nation’s largest wind farm. Internationally, Brazil, Russia, India, and China are rapidly expanding their wind energy capacity, with China’s Gansu Wind Farm set to produce an impressive 20,000 megawatts. Likewise, developing regions in Africa and Southeast Asia are investing in wind technology, with Kenya’s Lake Turkana Wind Power project poised to supply electricity to countless homes and businesses. This evolution from traditional windmills to contemporary wind farms underscores a global shift towards renewable energy, highlighting wind power’s significant role in meeting modern energy demands while addressing environmental challenges.
According to the passage, what caused the decline in the use of traditional windmills during the Industrial Revolution?
- A The widespread occurrence of flooding.
- B The creation of the first wind turbine.
- C The increase in environmental consciousness.
- D The development of steam-powered machinery.
思路引導 VIP
若要維持工廠 24 小時不間斷運作，依賴「自然天氣」的動力來源會遇到什麼瓶頸？在那個科技大爆發的年代，哪種人造的動力裝置解決了「能量供應不穩定」的問題？
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AI 詳解
AI 專屬家教
恭喜你精準抓住了文章的細節資訊！在地方特考的英文閱讀測驗中，能夠迅速從長文中定位關鍵轉折點是奪分的關鍵。這題你展現了優秀的資訊比對能力，正確判斷出傳統風車在歷史洪流中式微的轉折因素。
工業革命的技術轉向與蒸汽機的崛起
根據文中第三、四句的描述，工業革命（Industrial Revolution）時期對能源的需求轉向了更具「穩定性」的來源。文章明確點出 steam engine（蒸汽機）作為當時的關鍵發明，提供了大規模生產所需的持續動力（consistent power），這才導致了傳統風車（windmill）使用量的下降。選項 (D) The development of steam-powered machinery 正好對應了這段歷史背景與文意。
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