In modern society, energy plays an important role in human activities. Generally, fossil fuels (化石燃料) are limited and unfriendly to our environment, while wind and water energy, though clean, can be easily influenced by weather conditions. The present nuclear plants (核电站) probably harm our environment. There is nothing like the sun to provide humans with unlimited clean energy. Under the guidance of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, Chinese scientists are working harder to build a kind of “artificial (人造的) sun”.

What is it like? Of course, it’s not the sun above our heads that provides energy for lives on Earth. In fact, it’s a special machine designed to make the nuclear fusion (核聚变) happen, similar to that of the sun. Nuclear fusion happens when lighter atomic nuclei (原子核) join together to form heavier atomic nuclei. Through this process, a huge amount of energy is produced. Unlike the present nuclear energy production method, this new way is environmentally friendly.

However, producing practical energy from a nuclear fusion machine has many requirements, such as reaching temperatures above 100 million degrees for thousands of seconds. It is a must for the continuous energy production. That is very hard to achieve. Besides, making sure of its controllability is also a challenge.

A report presented by Chinese scientists said that China’s controllable nuclear fusion energy development is entering a decisive period. The machines, such as the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak, or EAST in Hefei, have set world records by keeping temperatures above 100 million degrees for more than 1,000 seconds. It means inside the test machines, humans have created the needed environment for future fusion plants for the first time. So far, no other country in the world has made this achievement. China’s fusion research has developed a lot in recent years. In November 2025, China put forward a research plan to build the BEST machine, China’s next-generation (下一代) “artificial sun”. Once completed by the end of 2027, BEST will do tests and check its working abilities.

Even though there are many challenges, China has been making great progress in fusion energy with world records continuously broken. Controllable nuclear fusion, as one of the main projects during our country’s 15th Five-Year Plan period, brings the hope of clean and rich energy a step closer to reality.

1.37. Why does the writer mention different kinds of energy in Paragraph 1?

A To explain their influences.

B To list the progress made by China.

C To find out their differences.

D To show the value of “artificial sun”.

解析：选D。写作目的推理题。原文定位：第一段依次指出化石燃料、风能水能、现有核电站各自的缺点；继而引出：太阳可以提供无限清洁能源，中国科学家研发 “人造太阳”。逻辑：列举现有各类能源的短板，用来反衬、引出人造太阳的价值与研发必要性。✅D 体现 “人造太阳” 的价值。❌A：不只是单纯解释各类能源的影响，解释影响只是铺垫，不是写作目的；❌B：第一段还没有讲中国的各项进步，相关内容在后文；❌C：不是单纯对比找差异，对比差异是手段，引出人造太阳才是最终目的。解题技巧：写作目的题区分手段和最终目的，铺垫内容不是答案，要看段落结尾引出的核心对象。

2.38. How does “artificial sun” produce energy?

A By repeating testing the sun.

B By working like the sun.

C By gathering the sun’s atomic nuclei.

D By getting heat from the sun.

解析：选B。细节理解题。原文定位句：In fact, it’s a special machine designed to make the nuclear fusion happen, similar to that of the sun.翻译：它是一台特制机器，用来实现核聚变，原理和太阳（的核聚变）相似。✅B 以和太阳相似的原理工作。❌A：并不是去测试天上真实太阳；❌C：不需要收集太阳的原子核；❌D：不从天上太阳获取热量，机器自身模拟太阳内部反应。解题技巧：similar to that of the sun，that 指代 nuclear fusion 核聚变。

3.39. What do the underlined words “this achievement” refer to (指) in Paragraph 4?

A Earlier test results have been confirmed.

B Correct working steps have been followed.

C Possible test reasons have been explained.

D Some working conditions have been reached.

解析：选D。代词指代题。定位第四段：机器实现了 “1 亿摄氏度维持 1000 秒以上”，It means inside the test machines, humans have created the needed environment for future fusion plants for the first time. So far, no other country in the world has made this achievement.this achievement指代前文：在实验装置中，创造出未来聚变电站所需要的工作环境（达成所需工作条件）。✅D 已经达成部分工作所需条件。❌A 文中没有讲 “证实早期结果”；❌B 没有谈论操作步骤；❌C 没有解释实验原因，三项原文均无信息支撑。解题技巧：代词向前找，this achievement 指代前面整件科研成果事件，不是某一个单词。

4.40. What’s the best title for the text?

A “Artificial Sun”: Future World Record

B “Artificial Sun”: Future Energy Hope

C “Artificial Sun”: Future Fuel Provider

D “Artificial Sun”: Future Science Leader

解析：选B。主旨大意（选标题）。全文：介绍人造太阳，它有望提供清洁充足的能源，结尾 “brings the hope of clean and rich energy a step closer to reality” 点明核心 —— 它是人类未来能源的希望。✅B “人造太阳”：未来能源希望。❌A：创造纪录只是实验过程中的成果，不是文章主旨；❌C：人造太阳产出能源，并非 “燃料供给者”，概念错误；❌D：文章重点讲能源价值，不是讲成为科学领域的领跑者。解题技巧：标题要匹配文章核心主题 “能源、希望”，排除局部细节、概念偷换选项。