Look up over the white sand beaches of Mauritius and you may see a huge sail.It's much like the kind used by kite surfers but the size of a three-bedroom apartment.The sail isn't a tourist attraction — it's creating electricity for this island off the east coast of Africa.
Launched in December 2021 by SkySails Power，the massive wing is the world's first fully autonomous commercial "airborne wind energy"system.For the past two months，it has been delivering a little under its goal of 100 kilowatts — typically enough to power up to 50 homes.
To harvest wind energy from the heights where wind blows fastest，the key may be to fly a kite.These systems come in container and can be dropped off wherever there's a road or dock （碼頭）.They can also be tied to a fixed ship in deep waters.
Their height is adaptable，so they can be moved up or down to wherever the wind blows the hardest，which often changes with the seasons.
SkySails actually started back in 2001 with a different purpose：building soft kite wings to pull massive ships along at sea.In 2015 SkySails shifted focus to producing electricity with SkySails Power.
SkySails' system relies on a roughly 150 square metre wing to ride on the wind.There are no turbines （渦輪機(jī)） up in the air，and the line isn't an electric wire.Instead，the energy is generated on the ground，from the pull on the line. "The brake on the winch （絞車） is generating the electricity， "says Fagiano，the chief officer.Software flies the kite autonomously in a figure-of-eight pattern to get the strongest pull possible to produce energy.The system then changes the wing's flight pattern so it can be pulled in with minimal resistance，expending a little energy to wind it back.This pattern repeats，creating far more energy than it consumes.
The sails have less impact on the skyline than traditional turbines and are quieter too，says Fagiano.And they make economic sense for anyone currently paying more than ﹩ 0.30 per kilowatt hour from traditional generators.
（1）What is the most effective way for the system to get energy？
C
C
A．It is placed as high as possible.
B．It is tied to ship in the deep sea.
C．It is adjusted to the hardest winds.
D．It is fixed on the white sand beaches.
（2）What is SkySails' original intention to develop the system？
C
C
A．To beat traditional turbines.
B．To power the homes in need.
C．To pull the huge ships at sea.
D．To compete with other companies.
（3）What does paragraph 6 focus on？
B
B
A．Why turbines are abandoned.
B．How the SkySails' system works.
C．How software controls the wing.
D．Why the wing changes its flight pattern.
（4）Which of the following is a suitable title for the text？
B
B
A．SkySails：Pioneer in generating power.
B．SkySails：Competitor to traditional power.
C．The sails seeking the world's surest winds.
D．The sails generating the cheapest electricity.
