英语听力精选进阶版 7163（在线收听）

Background: F1 也就是一级方程式赛车，因其动力十足、昂贵和耗油的特点向来都不是一项与环保相关联的运动。但是现在，一级方程式赛车的组织者宣布他们正在计划减少这项比赛的碳排放量。

The Formula One Teams Association believes it can reduce carbon emissions by fifteen percent in the next three years.

A 'carbon audit' was carried out looking at every aspect of the sport, from the race weekend to the challenge of moving from country to country during the season.

Teams' buying in equipment was the largest contributor to carbon emissions. Moving to each race was anotherfactor, as was electricity usage - much of it to power wind tunnels to carry out aerodynamic testing.

Improvements may include rationalising the race calendar so that teams have shorter distances to travel.

Given that the cars themselves burn around one hundred and sixty litres of fuelduring each grand prix, it is perhaps surprising that racing and testing them counts for less than one percent of emissions.

Nonetheless rules may be changed from 2013, restricting the amount of fuel that teams can use, forcing the development of more efficient racing engines.

These moves to promote a more carbon conscious Formula One seem to be being driven by pressure from sponsors.

There are also hopes that the sport can become an attractive testing ground for more efficient technologies.

Glossary 词汇表

carbon emissions 碳排放量 

audit 审计 

aspect 方面 

buying in 大宗买进 

contributor 贡献者 

power wind tunnels 给风洞提供动力 

aerodynamic testing 空气动力测试 

rationalising 使合理化 

grand prix 大奖赛 

restricting 限制 

efficient 有效的 

promote 提倡 

conscious 意识 

sponsors 赞助商

Questions and Answers

What was found to contribute most to carbon emissions? 

Formula One teams buying in equipment was found to be the largest contributor to carbon emissions.

What improvement has been suggested? 

Changing the race calendar has been suggested as one of the improvements, so that the Formula One teams have shorter distances to travel.

What is changing in Formula One from 2013? 

The amount of fuel teams can use will be changing from 2013.

Where is the pressure for reducing carbon emissions thought to be coming from? 

The pressure to reduce carbon emission is thought to be coming from sponsors.