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impact on your energy bill， your comfort and the environment. Here are some handy tips to make your house more energy-efficient.
Lower the heat
If your home has adjustable central heating，lowering the room temperature even slightly can make a difference. You may not feel it，but your wallet will. It is even more advisable to control temperatures at different times of the day.
Hang clothes out to dry
If the weather allows it，head outside and dry your laundry on a clothesline. The sunlight will help eliminate bacteria and dust. While clothes dryers get the job done faster，they also use up energy.By hanging your clothes out you’ll be cutting greenhouse gases by about three kilograms per load.
Take advantage of natural light Installing large windows on the northern side of your house can help you make use of sunlight’s natural warmth. To stay cool indoors on hot summer days，install blinds(百叶窗) to block the heavy sun.Put your desk near the window，then you don’t need a lamp in the daytime.
Wrap(裹)your pipes
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Be sure your hot—water pipes are properly wrapped.In an average home，heating water
accounts for more than one—quarter of the energy bill.Why let warmth go to waste before it reaches you?
Choose the right size for appliances(家用电器)
When the time comes to replace appliances，select those that are both energy—efficient and of the appropriate size for your needs.Don’t buy bigger ones just because you can. 第48题单选 What benefit may using less energy at home bring about?
A.Having a healthier living environment. B.Improving your work efficiency. C.Keeping old habits unchanged. D.Enlarging your living space. 参考答案：A
第49题单选 Which of the following is one of the advantages of hanging clothes out to dry?
A.It may help to build a greenhouse.
湖北专升本网 www.hbzsb.cn 2006-2017年11年奉献 湖北省专升本信息门户网站
B.It helps remove bacteria in clothes.
C.It uses half the energy that clothes dryers do. D.It gets clothes dry much faster than clothes dryers. 参考答案：B
第50题单选 What can be installed on the northern side of your house to make better use of natural light?
A.Blinds. B.Curtains. C.Windows. D.Shades. 参考答案：C
第51题单选 Besides energy-efficiency，what else should be considered when replacing appliances? A.Replacing time. B.Reasonable price. C.Good quality. D.Proper size.
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参考答案：D Passage Five
As we recently discovered，there is a Stepmother’s Day，though it is not on any official holiday calendar.So，it would be safe to assume that there is a similar day for stepdads，too.
Right? Well，it depends on what you read.A Google search brought up posts that say，for example，“It’s on father’s day--father’s day is for fathers，step—fathers and people who are like fathers to you-it’s a day for making father figures feel special.”Further searching found a Stepfather’s Day Facebook page that says，“The unofficial Stepfather’s Day is the fourth Sunday of June.” Unfortunately，as of the publishing of this article，only 30 people have “liked” the page.Considering that studies show 3.3 million men，or 11.1%of U.S.fathers，live with at least one stepchild，that’s only a drop in the ocean. It’s interesting to note that there is a National Grandparents’ Day.President Jimmy Carter signed it into law in 1978.Law! While grandparents are undoubtedly special people in our children’s lives，they are often seen as the most loving family members.But what about the stepparents? The stepparents are the ones who are often the
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outsiders，the ones who have to endure the hurtful “You’re not my dad!” or “You’re not my mom!” And yet they never give up.
They do their best to overcome the inherent challenges of
stepparents and be role models for their stepchildren.These unsung(未被颂扬的)family heroes deserve “official” days of honor.Perhaps if we are loud enough，President Obama，who had a stepfather himself，will sign into law National Stepmother’s Day and National Stepfather’s Day. Are you with me? Follow me and get your voice heard.How cool it would be if we could make this happen! 第52题单选 What does the underlined word“that’’in Paragraph 1 refer to?
A.Father figures who are equally honored in the U.S. B.30 people who support Stepfather’s Day on the Facebook page. C.3.3 million men who live with at least one stepchild in the world. D.11.1%of U.S.fathers who live with at least one stepchild in the U.S. 参考答案：B
第53题单选 What did President Jimmy Carter sign into law in 1978 ? A.The National Grandparents’Day.