Modern agriculture and its beauty to feed billions of people may be one of humanity’s greatest achievements. However, it comes with hidden costs. For example, have you ever considered how much water is needed to provide you with a steak or a salad? It may surprise you.
In a recent study published in the journal Nutrients, scientists from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australia’s national science organization, took a close look at the diets of 9,341 adult Australians-specifically, their “water-scarcity footprints (水消耗足迹)”.
It turns out that a sweet tooth not only adds to our waistlines but also stresses our water resources.
The water-scarcity footprint is a widely recognized measurement of water consumption. First, it counts the liters of water you used. Then, it looks at the place where the water was used. Using a liter of water in the desert is not the same as using a liter of water in a tropical rainforest. The more scarce water is in your area, the larger your water-scarcity footprint.
The scientists found that the average Australian’s diet had a water-scarcity footprint of 362 liters per day. Snacks and beverages-cookies, cakes, sodas and alcohol-accounted for 25 percent of the water-scarcity footprint. The research also included a glass of wine (41 liters), a single serving of potato chips (23 liters), and a small bar of milk chocolate (21 liters).
Not surprisingly, cutting out snacks would be the top priority if you wanted to lower your own water-scarcity.
Earth’s surface is 70 percent water, but only 2.5 percent of that can be used for drinking or farming. While humanity faces an uphill battle to feed its growing population, climate change is causing droughts and extreme weather in agricultural centers like California and eastern Australia.
Cities aren’t safe, either. In 2018, Cape Town, South Africa, nearly ran out of water due to drought. Its freshwater reservoir (水库) stayed at just about 13.5 percent of full capacity.
By 2030, a world of about 8.6 billion people will need 35 percent more water, 40 percent more energy, and 50 percent more food, according to the United States National Intelligence Council.
So, we need to watch what we eat, not just for our personal health but for the health of our societies.
1. What did the recent study from CSIRO find?
A.There are many hidden places like lacking water. |
B.The foods we consume could cause our water-scarcity footprints to be bigger. |
C.Climate change is the leading reason for larger water-scarcity footprints. |
D.Eating sweets leads to a smaller water-scarcity footprint. |
A.They show how much a person affects their local water supply. |
B.They change with a country’s population. |
C.They count the amount of water a family wastes. |
D.They are mainly used to measure how scarce water is in the desert. |
A.South Africa is the area with the worst water shortages. |
B.We are facing a greater shortage of water than of food. |
C.Our eating habits could make a difference to the problem of water shortage. |
D.Water shortage may bring about many social problems. |
A.How to get rid of snacks |
B.Why we should reduce water waste |
C.The more water is, the bigger the water-scarcity footprints are |
D.Water waste starts with snacks |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Healthy Planet, Healthy People:
We talk a lot about the healthy planet here at Planetpals, but we don’t want to lose sight of the importance of a healthy body as well.
Make sure the food you eat and the food you buy are clean and nutritious, too! That makes you healthier and happier.
Foods that are safe from harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites (寄生虫), and chemical fertilizer are vital for health. Safe means that the food brings little risk of food-borne illness. Farmers, restaurants, and shops have standards to keep things safe. However, we also need to keep and prepare foods safely in the home, and be alert when we are out.
A few health precautions (预防措施)about your food:
•At the Store:
•Look at the dates on all packaging
•Check nutrition facts on the package, buy healthy foods!
•Separate. Separate raw, cooked, and ready-to-eat foods while shopping .
♦At Home
•Wash hands and surfaces often.
•Wash meats, fruits and vegetables thoroughly
•Cook foods to a safe temperature.
•Check and follow the label cooking/storing instructions.
•Serve safely. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
•Read labels carefully before storing!
•When in doubt, throw it out.
Be a Planetpal-Eat Healthy. Be Healthy!
1. What is essential to keep a healthy body?A.Food free of pests. |
B.Nutritious and safe food. |
C.Health precautions in our life. |
D.Low risk of food-borne illness. |
A.Pay attention to labels. |
B.Wash the surface thoroughly. |
C.Heat food to a certain temperature. |
D.Check nutrition facts before separate. |
A.To introduce Planetpals. |
B.To expand knowledge about food . |
C.To offer tips on how to treat food properly. |
D.To call on people to keep food safe at home. |
【推荐2】A Taste of Chinese Tea Culture
China’s traditional tea-making practices have been added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage items.
The origins of tea
Tea is believed to have originated in China. Ancient Chinese people first chewed on raw tea leaves for medicinal purposes, then added them to soups or greens, and brewed tea to drink.
The functions of tea
Ancient books recorded tea’s positive health effects, such as curing indigestion and improving brain function.
Tea has gained widespread popularity since the Tang Dynasty and the Song Dynasty. especially in literary circles, including with the famous Chinese poets Bai Juyi, Su Shi, and Lu You, who all wrote poems about tea.
Tea making crafts
Since ancient times, Chinese people have been planting, picking, making and drinking tea. Traditional tea processing techniques are mainly found in four major regions for tea production in China. Associated social practices, however, are spread throughout the country and shared by multiple ethnic groups.
Tea’s role in building cultural bridges
A.Cultural value of tea |
B.Famous tea lovers in history |
C.Let’s have a taste of Chinese tea culture |
D.In 2020 China ranked first in the world for tea leaves production |
E.Together with reprocessed teas, there are over 2. 000 tea varieties in China |
F.Chinese tea’s medical purposes are also recognized in other parts of the world |
G.Tea has long been a means of building peace and friendship between China and the world |
【推荐3】There is one food that takes center stage during autumn - the pumpkin!
Pumpkins are packed with important nutrients and vitamins.
Pumpkin is good for your eyesight.
The nutrient beta-carotene (β胡萝卜素) and Vitamin A are necessary for maintaining good eyesight.
Pumpkin helps your skin
Beta-carotene also helps to keep your skin healthy and young-looking. Yet another good reason to eat pumpkin!
Pumpkin may be good for weight loss.
A.Pumpkin may help your heart. |
B.Pumpkin also has a lot of fiber. |
C.Pumpkins are a great source of both. |
D.Pumpkins are the king of vegetables. |
E.Pumpkin may help reduce your risk of getting cancer. |
F.Many people use pumpkins as a decoration at Halloween. |
G.If cooked in a healthy way, pumpkin is a powerhouse of health benefits. |
【推荐1】When an empty parking spot appears before us, many of us would see it for what it is—a place that could be filled with cars and trucks. But to eco-engineer Shubhendu Sharma, it's a space to be planted with trees and turned into a forest.
What's more, he believes these tiny forests can grow anywhere, including our most crowded and polluted cities where they can help maintain clean air and water and provide habitat for animals and insects. “A forest is not an isolated piece of land where animals live together,” says Sharma. “A forest can be a complete part of our urban existence.” Most of us know just how important trees are to our health and to the planet. Yet millions of hectares of forest are cleared every year due to farming, ranching, logging and construction. The World Wildlife Foundation estimates that 20 percent of the Amazon rainforest and surrounding ecosystems have already been lost.
Inspired by the work of Japanese scientist Akira Miyawaki, Sharma built a forest in the backyard of his family's home in northern India in 2010. He planted 100 young trees in the 75-square-meter plot. They grew and a dozen species of birds came to check them out. The plantings created welcome shade, and their roots were able to absorb even the abundant monsoon rains. After a year, he had his own forest. Since then, Sharma has founded a company called Afforestt. Its top priority is to bring back natural forests to places where they no longer exist. So far, Afforestt has planted 144 forests in 45 cities around the world. Sharma has shown you can take a space the size of six or seven parking spots and create a forest with 100 trees. Ready to create your own tiny forest? If your answer is yes, let's follow Sharma's 5-step procedures to grow our own forests.
1. Ordinary people may regard a parking spot as a place for ________.A.parking vehicles | B.planting trees | C.building houses | D.producing cars and trucks |
A.Cities. | B.Forests. | C.Air and water. | D.Animals and insects. |
A.45. | B.144. | C.244. | D.l4,400. |
A.How to create a forest. | B.Why we should plant trees. |
C.What kind of forest we need. | D.Who will follow the steps. |
【推荐2】Four Ways to be More Environmentally Friendly Daily
Often, we may not find our lifestyle harmful to nature.
Reevaluate Your current Lifestyle
Before you can begin your green living lifestyle, you will need to take a good look at what you currently do in your house.
One of the easiest ways to help with your green living project is to limit your use of plastic. This includes not purchasing plastic water bottles and using a reusable one, a very easy change to make, as well as limiting your plastic bag use at the supermarket by bringing in your own reusable bags.
Reduce Products Full of Chemicals
Unfortunately, chemicals are in so many of the products we use. In some cases, we can get rid of the chemicals that affect us and the environment by making our own products. Therefore, cleaning supplies with a simple mixture of vinegar, water, lemon juice as well as some essential oils are all natural. It will still give you a great clean!
Consider Your Carbon Footprint
You can lower your carbon footprint by focusing on a few environmental changes. Consider biking, walking, public transportation in place of your car whenever you can. Take shorter showers, use less electricity.
A.Say no to plastic |
B.Bring your own bags |
C.Go through each room in your house |
D.One that is also environmentally conscious |
E.The things in our house may be friendly to the ecosystem |
F.However, there are ways to make it better for the environment |
G.These tricks also help reduce your bill, a win-win if you ask me |
【推荐3】After years of heated debate, gray wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. Fourteen wolves were caught in Canada and transported to the park. By last year, the Yellowstone wolf population had grown to more than 170 wolves.
Gray wolves once were seen here and there in the Yellowstone area and much of the continental United States, but they were gradually displaced by human development. By the 1920s, wolves had practically disappeared from the Yellowstone area. They went farther north into the deep forests of Canada, where there were fewer humans around.
The disappearance of the wolves had many unexpected results. Deer and elk populations — major food sources (来源) for the wolf — grew rapidly. These animals consumed large amounts of vegetation (植被), which reduced plant diversity in the park. In the absence of wolves, coyote populations also grew quickly. The coyotes killed a large percentage of the park’s red foxes, and completely drove away the park’s beavers.
As early as 1966, biologists asked the government to consider reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone Park. They hoped that wolves would be able to control the elk and coyote problems. Many farmers opposed the plan because they feared that wolves would kill their farm animals or pets.
The government spent nearly 30 years coming up with a plan to reintroduce the wolvers. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service carefully monitors and manages the wolf packs in Yellowstone. Today, the debate continues over how well the gray wolf is fitting in at Yellowstone. Elk, deer, and coyote populations are down, while beavers and red foxes have made a comeback. The Yellowstone wolf project has been a valuable experiment to help biologists decide whether to reintroduce wolves to other parts of the country as well.
1. What is the text mainly about?A.Wildlife research in the United States. |
B.Plant diversity in the Yellowstone area. |
C.The conflict between farmers and gray wolves. |
D.The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone Park. |
A.Damage to local ecology. |
B.Preservation of vegetation. |
C.A decline in the park’s income. |
D.An increase in the variety of animals. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Uncaring. | C.Positive. | D.Disapproving. |
【推荐1】Anyone who has had a long-term illness knows that recovering at home can be boring. This can be especially true of children. They may feel cut off from their friends and classmates. Now, these children may have a high-tech friend to help feel less lonely. That friend is a robot.
The robot is called Avatarl (AV1). It takes their place at school. Through the robot, the children can hear their teachers and friends. They also can take part in classes from wherever they are recovering. And the children's school friends must help. They carry the robot between classes and place the robot on their desks.
A Norwegian company called No Isolation created the robot. There are another two co-founders: Karen Dolva and Marius Aabel.
Dolva explains how the robot works. She says from home the child uses an iPad or a phone to start the robot, control the robot’s movements with touch, and talk through it. The child can take part in classroom activities. The robot is equipped with speakers, microphones and cameras that make communicating easy. So it’s the eyes and the ears and the voice of the child at school. Inside AVI is a small computer connected to a 4G network. A small camera connected to a small computer could do the job. But that would not be the same.
AV1 was designed to be tough. It won't allow water to pass through it and can take a fall from a desk without damage. AV1 is large and looks like a human for a reason. Dolva says it can't be just a tiny camera because the other kids can't pick it up and take it with them. This is important because the robot is supposed to be a friend to the children.
Hopefully AV1 will help some children feel less lonely while they are absent from class.
1. What is the passage mainly about?A.The robot has been used widely in many fields. |
B.The robot can make friends with sick children. |
C.The robot will take sick children to take part in classes. |
D.The robot may help sick children feel less lonely. |
A.an iPad | B.a camera | C.a computer | D.a speaker |
A.Strong. | B.Amazing. | C.Attractive. | D.Fancy. |
A.A tourist guide. | B.An exhibition guide. |
C.A science textbook. | D.A science report. |
【推荐2】Geography plays a critical role in shaping civilizations, and this is particularly true of ancient Greece.
The Greek peninsula (半岛)has two distinctive geographic features that influenced the development of Greek society. First, Greece has easy access to water. This easy access to water meant that the Greek people might naturally become explorers and traders. Second, Greece’s mountainous geography led to the development of the city-state. The high mountain s made it very difficult for people to travel or communicate. Therefore, each city-state developed independently and, often, very differently from one another. Athens and Sparta are two good examples of city-states that contrasted greatly with each other.
The city-state of Athens was the birthplace of many significant ideas. Ancient Athenians were a thoughtful people who enjoyed the systematic study of subjects such as science, philosophy, and history, to name a few. Athenians placed a heavy emphasis on the arts, architecture, and literature. Athenians also enjoyed a democratic(民主的)form of government in which some of the people shared power.
Life in Sparta was vastly different from life in Athens. The rulers requested citizens to become hardened soldiers so that they could fight off potential enemies or slave revolts(奴隶起义). By age seven,Spartan boys were taken from their families and underwent severe military training. Boys lived away from their families until the age of 30 even after they more married. Men were expected to be ready to serve in the army until they were 60 years old. The devotion of Spartans to developing a military state left litte time for the arts or literature.
The differences between Athens and Sparta eventually led to war between the two city-states. Sparta and Athens fought on and off for decades because no single city-state was strong enough to defeat the other.
With war came death and misfortune. But war cannot kill ideas. Despite the eventual submission of Athens, Athenian thought spread throughout the region. After temporary setbacks. these ideas only became more widely accepted and developed with the passing centuries.
1. How did geography affect ancient Greece?A.Access to water led to independent cities. |
B.The mountains led to distinctive city-states. |
C.The mountains facilitated natural exploration. |
D.Access to water allowed cities to communicate easily. |
A.A people ready to fight. | B.A commitment to the arts. |
C.A ruler exercising political power. | D.An emphasis on the beauty of the city. |
A.Strict and violent. | B.Calm and peaceful. |
C.Intellectual and educated. | D.Chaotic and uncontrollable. |
A.Athenians lost the war and their culture. |
B.Spartans achieved victory in an injustice manner. |
C.Athenians failed militarily but their ideas spread. |
D.Spartans won and forced Athenians into slavery |
【推荐3】Smile: It’s a family photo! While your background might not be a foreign place or an international landmark, it’s still important to capture your family’s current experiences for future reference and enjoyment. Here are five ideas to consider:
①People pictures stand the test of time
Including people, especially your loved ones. In your shot adds tremendous (极大的) interest. Encourage family members to be the focus of landscape images, providing context and great memories. Overtime, you may not remember that towering forest or the flower-strewn grassland. But you will recall the memories made in that location.
②Capture color
Whether you travel near or far, markets, parades (游行) and streetscapes will often provide a lot of colorful subjects and unique experiences that will help tell the story of your family adventure. At the market, for example, be on the lookout for brightly colored vegetables, fruits, meat or fish unlike those in your local grocery store. Inspire your children’s natural curiosity by asking the seller to explain the origin of items.
③Give animal pñotos a shot
Whether at the zoo, in the countryside or in a national park, shooting photos of animals can be an enriching experience. Will you get the shot when the lion roars, the giraffe reaches upward or the monkey swings from the branch?
④Get in on the action
It’s fun to capture the movement and the excitement of the adventure. Whether it’s a swing or slide in a nearby park, a child running through a field, rafting (漂流) through the rapids or biking down at rail, capture the action in an image or video.
⑤Seek beauty
Focus on the small details of everyday life. Look for the beauty found in blooming wildflowers, the fluttering wings of a hummingbird, a bird building a nest, shifting clouds or a full moon.
Consider sharing your favorite pictures with friends and family in distant places. They will likely take comfort in the connection and the glory of your extraordinary images.
1. Who is the passage intended for?A.Someone who loves his family. |
B.People who are good at finding beauty. |
C.People who want to take good family photos. |
D.Someone who wants to capture the family experiences. |
A.Your pictures can help bring back memories |
B.Your pictures can be stored for a long time |
C.The family members in the pictures will live forever |
D.The family members must stand for a long time while being photographed |
A.To get the kids interested. | B.To add more colors into your pictures. |
C.To better understand the local customs. | D.To get along well with the seller. |
A.shoot animals |
B.shoot while your family members are rafting through the rapids |
C.miss the little details of everyday life |
D.focus on the shifting clouds |
A.An ad website. | B.A fiction book. |
C.A travel magazine. | D.An environmental report. |
【推荐1】Body language is a part of non-verbal language. It includes things like the way you stand, gestures, facial expressions, and even small things like a nod of the head. We frequently communicate both bodily and verbally and about 70% of what we communicate may be non-verbal.
There are many ways to learn to understand body language but we must be aware that it is frequently connected to a culture. Still, since most of us live in one area where body language may be similar among people, it's important to know that you can communicate a lot by how you gesture. A person in much of the US who sits with hands crossed over the chest, and with legs crossed,may be sending a message that they're really not open to talking.
Eye contact is another key element of non-verbal contact in much of the Western world. Looking someone in the eyes enough but not too much may indicate that you're direct and frank.
How we gesture can tell people the level of confidence we have, or if we're a little too insistent on our opinions. Huge gestures may mean we have something to prove. Moderate gestures may simply suggest we're involved and confident in what we have to say.
Even the way you turn your head, shrug, yawn, look at your watch may all be forms of non-verbal communication that send clear signals to other people. Looking at your watch when you're in a meeting with your boss can send the message that you're bored.
If you really think your body language is improper or needs improvement, opening this book on non-verbal communication can help. You can also compare your gestures with those in the video to see if you are sending right messages.Confident body language common to a culture can be learned and may make you appear more confident or direct.
1. Which of the following is not included in body languages?A.Eye movement. | B.Facial expressions. |
C.Gestures. | D.Accent. |
A.Crossing your arms while standing. | B.Looking at your watch frequently. |
C.Using moderate gestures. | D.Always staring at the interviewers. |
A.Body language is cultural. |
B.Body language is equal to nonverbal language. |
C.People from different places have the same meaning of a gesture. |
D.Body language plays a slightly important role in our communication. |
A.To give some suggestions on body language. |
B.To advertise a book on body language. |
C.To list some body language types. |
D.To introduce something about body language. |
【推荐2】Home Laundry Automatic Dryer Product
Full Two Year Warranty (保修)
Limited Five Year Warranty on Cabinet (机箱)
Warranty Provides for:
FIRST TWO YEARS Amana will repair or replace any faulty part free of charge.
THIRD THRU FIFTH YEARS Amana will provide a free replacement part for any cabinet which proves faulty due to rust.
Warranty Limitations:
Warranty begins at date of original purchase.
Applies only to product used within the United States or in Canada if product is approved by Canadian Standards Association when shipped from factory.
Products used on a commercial or rental basis not covered by this warranty.
Service must be performed by an Amana servicer.
Adjustments covered during first year only.
Warranty Does Not Cover It If:
Product has damage due to product change, connection to an improper electrical supply, shipping and handling, accident, fire, floods, lightning or other conditions beyond the control of Amana.
Product is improperly installed or applied.
Owner’s Responsibilities:
Provide sales receipt.
Normal care and repair.
Having the product reasonably accessible for service.
Pay for service calls related to product installation or usage instructions.
Pay for extra service costs, over normal service charges, if servicer is requested to perform service outside servicer’s normal business hours.
* In no event shall Amana be responsible for consequential damages (间接损坏)
* This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have others which vary from state to consequential damages, so this exclusion may not apply to you.
1. According to Warranty Limitations, a product can be under warranty if ________.A.used in the U.S.A. |
B.rented for home use |
C.repaired by the user himself |
D.shipped from a Canadian factory |
A.the product installation |
B.a servicer’s overtime work |
C.the loss of the sales receipt |
D.a mechanic’s transportation |
A.Consequential damages are excluded across America. |
B.A product damaged in a natural disaster is covered by the warranty. |
C.A faulty cabinet due to rust can be replaced free in the second year. |
D.Free repair is available for a product used improperly in the first year. |
【推荐3】Multiple studies link music study to academic achievement. But what is it about serious music training that seems to correlate with outsize success in other fields? I put the question to top-flight professionals in industries from tech to finance to media, all of whom had serious past lives as musicians.
The phenomenon extends beyond the math-music association. Strikingly, many high achievers told me music opened up the pathways to creative thinking. And their experiences suggest that music training sharpens other qualities: Collection. The ability to listen. A way of thinking that weaves together disparate ideas. The power to focus on the present and the future simultaneously.
For many of the high achievers I spoke with, music functions as a “hidden language,” as Mr. Wolfensohn calls it, one that enhances the ability to connect disparate or even contradictory ideas. When he ran the World Bank, Mr. Wolfensohn traveled to more than 100 countries, often taking in local performances, which helped him understand “the culture of people, as distinct from their balance sheet.”
It is in that context that the connection between math and music grabs the most attention. Both are at heart modes of expression. Bruce Kovner, the founder of the hedge fund (对冲基金) Caxton Associates, says he sees similarities between his piano playing and investing strategy; as he says, both “relate to pattern recognition, and some people extend these patterns across different senses.”
For Roger McNamee, whose Elevation Partners is perhaps best known for its early investment in Facebook, “music and technology have converged,” he says. He became expert on Facebook by using it to promote his band, Moonalice, and now is focusing on video by live-streaming its concerts. He says musicians and top professionals share “the almost desperate need to dive deep.” This capacity to obsess seems to unite top performers in music and other fields.
“I’ve always believed the reason I’ve gotten ahead is by outworking other people,” he says. It’s a skill learned by “playing that solo one more time, working on that one little section one more time,” and it translates into “working on something over and over again, or double-checking or triple-checking.” He adds, “There’s nothing like music to teach you that eventually if you work hard enough, it does get better. You see the results.”
That’s an observation worth remembering at a time when music as a serious pursuit in decline in this country.
1. Music training can enhance all of the following abilities except __________.A.handling the present with a long-range vision |
B.listening to different opinions patiently |
C.thinking from other people’s perspective |
D.identifying connection between different ideas |
A.hedge fund | B.patterns | C.different senses | D.mathematics |
A.technology has increased the channels by which music is promoted |
B.advanced technology makes sound better than before |
C.Facebook has become a platform for promoting music albums |
D.musical techniques are directly used in managing business |
A.the claim that music is the key to success |
B.the belief that results determine the value of music |
C.the idea that hard work keeps getting you ahead |
D.the proposal that one should pursue music seriously |