第二部分：阅读理解(Part A 多项选择)
Text 2
A deal is a deal—except, apparently, when Entergy is involved. The company, a major energy supplier in New England, provoked justified outrage in Vermont last week when it announced it was reneging on a longstanding commitment to abide by the strict nuclear regulations.
Instead, the company has done precisely what it had long promised it would not: challenge the constitutionality of Vermont’s rules in the federal court, as part of a desperate effort to keep its Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant running. It’s a stunning move.
The conflict has been surfacing since 2002, when the corporation bought Vermont’s only nuclear power plant, an aging reactor in Vernon. As a condition of receiving state approval for the sale, the company agreed to seek permission from state regulators to operate past 2012.In 2006, the state went a step further, requiring that any extension of the plant’s license be subject to Vermont legislature’s approval. Then, too, the company went along。
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26. The phrase “reneging on” (Line 3, Para.1) is closest in meaning to
[A]condemning. [B]reaffirming。
[C]dishonoring. [D]securing。
27. By entering into the 2002 agreement, Entergy intended to
[A]obtain protection from Vermont regulators。
[B]seek favor from the federal legislature。
[C]acquire an extension of its business license。
[D]get permission to purchase a power plant。
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【答案解析】
26. 答案：C 【考点：猜测生词】
分析：本题要求考生根据上下文信息猜测生词reneging on的意思。四个选项如下：
[A]谴责。 [B] 重申。
[C]不遵守。 [D] 获得。
文章首段一开始，作者就暗示安特吉公司将不遵守交易规则：“交易就是交易——除非涉及到安特吉公司”。由此可知该公司违约的事实，并且就此还引起轩然大波：这家新英格兰的主要电力供应商上周宣称将……严格遵守核能规定的长期承诺时，这在佛蒙特州激起了合情合理的愤怒。因此，reneging on 的意思应为“不履行，不遵守”，[C]dishonoring是正确答案。
27. 答案：D 【考点：识别正确信息】
分析：本题要求考生根据文意判断，安特吉公司签署2002年的协议时的意图。四个选项如下：
[A]从佛州营监管部门获得保护。
[B]寻求联邦立法机关的支持。
[C]获得蒙特业执照的延期。
[D]获得批准去收购一个电厂。
文章第三段提到，“这个冲突在2002年就开始显现了，那时该公司收购了佛蒙特州唯一的核电厂，位于弗农的一个老旧的核反应堆。作为获得州政府批准该交易的条件，公司承诺如果2012年后继续运营需获得州监管部门的许可。”显然，该公司在2002年作出承诺，如果在2012年后继续运营，必须获得批准，承诺的目的是为了让州政府批准它收购那里的一座核电厂。因此[D]get permission to purchase a power plant是正确答案。
