What defines an eco-house? There are two features to take into consideration. Firstly, the energy efficiency and carbon emissions associated with running the house, and then the type of construction materials used, their associated emissions and the raw materials required.
At Baufritz, we have won awards relating to the sustainability of our houses. This is because as a company we had decided to put environmental stewardship at the core of our values way back in the 1960s. So how do we do it?
Heating is the biggest emissions factor for any house. It is really rather simple to solve this problem — make a house extremely energy efficient and this will no longer be a factor. Ultra low energy houses have become known as Passive houses, where a certain set of design characteristics help to improve efficiencies. You need a very high level of insulation in the walls and roof. Glass should be suitably positioned to optimize solar gaintucmrr (heat from the sun). The house needs to be very well engineered so no heat is lost through cracks or poorly fitted windows and doors. At Baufritz we manufacture Kit houses, and use Modern Manufacturing Methods in our factory to engineer our houses in such a way that leaks are minimized.
We have also developed “HOIZ” insulation. Manufactured from natural wood waste products, HOIZ is placed between the inside and outside layers of our timber framed houses to create the highest level of insulation. Our windows and doors use triple glazing to minimize heat loss. Overheating is one of the biggest challenges Passive houses face and our architects use some very clever ventilation systems to manage internal environmental conditions. All houses still have energy-consuming appliances, but with the addition of solar for both electricity generation and water heating, the carbon footprint of the homes we produce are further reduced.
Embedded carbon in building manufacturing materials such as concrete, as well as a historic tendency to send materials to landfills, results in a high carbon footprint and natural resource exploitation. Baufritz addresses this problem in a number of ways. Our primary manufacturing material is wood. We source from sustainable certified forests where felled trees are replanted. In fact, we believe all building materials should be as natural as possible. We say no to PU construction foams, chemical insulation materials, toxic adhesives and laminate flooring. A house constructed using only natural materials creates a healthy living environment for its residents. As all our houses are manufactured in our state-of-the-art factory, waste is kept to an absolute minimum. At the end of their life-cycle, our houses can also be recycled. Today, demolition（拆除）firms clearing the site for the new build are able to recycle nearly all of the building materials, therefore closing the manufacturing loop.
My house is old, so why is this relevant? There are still lots of things which can be done. Improve your insulation. When your appliances expire, replace based on efficiency. Consider heat pumps instead of gas boilers and explore solar to deliver electricity and water heating. By designing and building houses to ultra low energy standards, and by using natural sustainably sourced materials and recycling the waste products from our manufacturing processes, we are able to deliver Carbon Neutral Houses. This means that the total carbon footprint throughout the life-cycle of each house is zero, which is why we call ourselves eco-house pioneers. All houses are prefabricated at our state-of-the-art factory in Erkheim, Germany, and then assembled on site.
1. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT associated with the sustainability of eco-houses?| A．The raw materials used. |
| B．Energy efficiency of the house. |
| C．Carbon emissions released by house designers. |
| D．Construction materials used and their emissions. |
| A．fail to optimize solar gain |
| B．need to be carefully engineered to trap heat |
| C．use more energy-consuming appliances than Kit houses |
| D．could have less comfortable environmental conditions inside them |
| A．House recycling is an additional service provided free by Baufritz. |
| B．Building materials are obtained from factories to ensure their quality. |
| C．Man-made materials are applied to reduce their impact on the environment. |
| D．The houses are all manufactured in their factory so as to reduce costs and waste. |
| A．argue for the necessity of eco-houses |
| B．advertise Baufritz, an eco-house builder |
| C．explain the underlying values of eco-houses |
| D．expand people’s knowledge of what eco-houses are |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Have you ever imagined what it would be like to see the world through an animal's eyes? For example, what a chimpanzee sees as it sits at the top of a tree, or a penguin;s view as it dives into the sea to catch its dinner?
These questions are answered in the nature documentary Animals with Cameras, produced by the BBC. The three-part series was first aired in the UK last month. To explore animal stories "told” by the animals themselves, the documentary's filmmakers worked with scientists to develop cameras that wild animals could wear.
"Never before have we seen such high-quality footage （连续镜头）directly from the animal's point of view, ” BBC Nature executive producer Fred Kaufman told PBS. “ This miniseries greatly expands our comprehension of animal behavior and this camera technology opens up new possibilities for discovering so much more."
Indeed, the groundbreaking technology provides a new viewpoint of the animal kingdom. New cameras with enough battery life to shoot for hours at a time were designed to be comfortable enough for animals to wear, according to the documentary's camera designer Chris Watts.
The technical challenges didn't stop there. Some animals were very curious about the equipment, with some even fighting each other for the chance to wear a camera. In the case of chimpanzees, "we had to create dummy （仿造的）cameras, so that every chimpanzee could get one" , the miniseries' wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan told Live Science.
For animals that were comfortable enough to be with human beings, the cameras could be fitted and removed by hand. But for others, the cameras came off automatically using a timed release and were collected afterward. This meant that the cameras needed to be as tough as possible.
To avoid disturbing the animals, scientists who were good at dealing with wildlife came to help by putting the cameras on the animals. " The last thing we want to do is cause them distress." the documentary's producer Dan Rees told the BBC. “To follow an animal in the first place, there had to be a clear benefit in terms of knowledge about it that might be useful to protecting a species in the future.
Their efforts certainly paid off. “ Footage that captures （捕 捉）these rare and exciting glimpses of animals bidden habits is important to scientists, but documentaries like Animals with Cameras also resonate with （引 起共鸣）audiences, connecting them with the beauty - and danger - of wildlife in their natural environments," Live Science noted.
1. According to the text, Animals with Cameras .| A．is a documentary made by wildlife experts |
| B．presents high-quality footage of animals for the first time |
| C．shows wildlife from the unique viewpoint of animals |
| D．mainly records the life of chimpanzees and penguins |
| A．reflect the weakness of the camera technology |
| B．present how filmmakers put cameras on chimpanzees |
| C．explain why chimpanzees were attracted by the equipment |
| D．show how filmmakers dealt with the challenges in shooting |
| A．set up a protected area for them to live in |
| B．invited scientists to help equip them with cameras |
| C．made the cameras look like animals in disguise |
| D．fitted and removed the cameras by hand |
| A．changing | B．supportive |
| C．cautious | D．pessimistic |
【推荐2】Imagine how you’d feel if you had to get more than 9,000 tons of junk out to the sidewalk. That’s how much trash is floating around in space. In fact, there’s about 4 million pounds flying over our heads in low-Earth orbit. Daan, a Dutch artist, and his team at Space Waste Lab have come up with a creative plan that could clear up space junk in a spectacular fashion.
①Most space waste comes from dead satellites and rockets. Functioning satellites are the backbone of the information systems that keep our world running smoothly. But all the satellites eventually become obsolete within just a few decades. When they die out, there’s the problem of them drifting in outer space, collecting in what scientists call the “graveyard orbit.”
Maybe you’re thinking, “Why should I care about garbage 12,500 miles above me?” Well, all that fun stuff that satellites help beam down to us—mobile games, Instagram, cat videos—could be shut down by space waste. Lots of old junk floating around up there, plus new satellites added each year, means more and more high-speed collisions (碰撞). And when chunks of junk crash into one another, they break apart into millions of pieces, quickly building up speed and turning into fast-moving objects, which are dangerous to operational satellites as well as astronauts working on the International Space Station.
②Space waste is a problem that’s escalated so much, some scientists say that by 2050 we’ll be forced to stop launching new spacecraft altogether, including new satellites. Think about that for a minute. When the last satellites finally become disused, GPS, cell phones, and the Internet will no longer function.
③So we have to find a way to deal with this space garbage, and Daan pictures a sort of trash pickup, which involves groups of small spacecraft casting large nets into orbit that would collect space debris (碎片) and send it back toward Earth at top speed. Here’s the best part—while reentering Earth’s atmosphere, the pieces of junk would burn up all at once, creating a light show similar to hundreds of shooting stars falling in the night sky. A spectacle indeed!
To get ready for such an amazing effort, Space Waste Lab has been traveling to major cities across Europe and enlightening the public on the problem of the junk in space. ④But Daan doesn’t just talk about ways to relieve the problem—he’s created something a little grander than that. In October 2018, his team launched Space Waste Lab Performance, an outdoor art exhibition that shows the location of each piece of space trash using large lasers that make each debris look a bit like a star wandering slowly and silently over the sky, allowing viewers to wave and say, “Hallo, space trash!”
1. The word “obsolete” (paragraph 2) is closest in meaning to “______”.| A．accessible | B．profitable |
| C．floating | D．outdated |
| A．Working satellites can be damaged and astronauts can be hurt. |
| B．Satellites can help people track the weather and find new locations. |
| C．There is more junk floating in space each year as new satellites are added. |
| D．The Space Waste Lab Performance can show people where satellites are located. |
| A．Sentences ① | B．Sentence ② |
| C．Sentence ③ | D．Sentence ④ |
| A．Space Junk Harms Digital Systems |
| B．Artists’ Proposal to Save Space |
| C．A New Glimpse into Outer Space |
| D．Test of Waste Collection Nets |
【推荐3】China’s first home-built polar research vessel and ice breaker has been named Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon 2, according to a report of Science and Technology Daily on Tuesday.
The construction (建造)of the ship, jointly designed by China State Shipbuilding Corporation and Finland-based Aker Arctic Technology, was launched (开始建造)by Jiangnan Shipyard (Group) in December. The new vessel will be 122.5 meters long and be able to break through 1.5-meter thick ice at a maximum speed of 3 knots(节，海里), said the Polar Research Institute of China.
Xuelong 2 is scheduled to be completed in 2019, when it will team up with the country's currently only icebreaker Xuelong to form a polar research fleet, directing scientific research groups and supplying resources to polar regions.
Xuelong, the country's first icebreaker, was built in Ukraine and put into service in 1994. China first sent a research team to the Antarctic in 1984. Since then, the country has set up four scientific research stations in the Antarctic.
1. From the passage, China’s first icebreaker was constructed in_________.| A．Finland | B．Ukraine |
| C．China | D．America |
| A．plane | B．train |
| C．ship | D．coach |
| A．China’s first home-built icebreaker named Snow Dragon 2 |
| B．China designed her first icebreaker by herself |
| C．China has established four scientific research stations in the Antarctic |
| D．China’s first icebreaker is being built |
| A．Xuelong 2 has been completed |
| B．The new vessel will be able to break through 3-meter thick ice |
| C．China’s first icebreaker was put into service in 1984 |
| D．XUelong 2 is being constructed |
【推荐1】If you're a fan of smart technology, you may have had some sleepless nights lately. That's because Alexa, the artificial intelligence （Al） behind US company Amazon's Echo smart speakers, has been "letting out an unprompted （自发的）,creepy （令人毛骨悚然的）cackle for no apparent reason, according to BBC News.
Many social media users shared their stories of Alexa scaring them with the seemingly unprompted laugh.
“Every time Alexa laughs, an angel dies," Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk joked on social media.
On March 7, Amazon released an update that fixed the problem, saying that the laugh was caused by Echo devices mistakenly thinking that users had said the command " Alexa, laugh".
However, what should have been a funny story raised the ongoing topic of man versus machine.
With the rise of artificial and robotic technology, " Digital machines started to demonstrate broad abilities in pattern recognition, complex communication, and other area that used to be particularly human," wrote Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee in their book The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies. They believe that AI will "do more and more, and our lives will get better".
However, ever since the earliest days of AI there have been concerns that some day, software will take over the world. leaving the fate of humans unknown.
“With artificial intelligence we are order the demon （魔鬼）Musk told students during a meeting at MIT in 2014. "If I had to guess at what our biggest existential threat is, it's probably that. So we need to be very careful
Many scientists have shared the same concern. The late British physicist Stephen Hawking said at a technology conference in Portugal in November that "computers can. in theory, imitate human intelligence, and exceed it ••• AI could be the worst event in the history of our civilization."
If creators are to safely control AL however, Hawking suggested that they " employ best practice and effective management" .
I am an optimist and I believe that we can create AI for the good of the world," he said at the conference. "We simply need to be aware of the dangers, identify them, employ the best possible practice and management, and prepare for its consequences well in advance/*
1. What does the underlined word "cackle" in Paragraph I probably mean?| A．movement | B．laughter | C．scream | D．story |
| A．lead into the discussion about humans and AI |
| B．prove artificial intelligence has its weaknesses |
| C．inform readers of the development of AI |
| D．show how Alexa's problem was fixed |
| A．The development of AI could threaten our survival one day. |
| B．Digital machines have complete ability to recognize something without mistakes. |
| C．Robots will never match humans in complex communication. |
| D．Humans lives will be greatly improved with the help of robots. |
| A．Man VS.Machine | B．Time to Control Rise of AI |
| C．Creepy AI | D．AI: The Biggest Threat |
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rushing into business. Firms of all types are using AI to forecast demand, hire workers and deal with customers. The McKinsey Global Institute, a think-tank within a consultancy, forecasts that just applying AI to marketing, sales and supply chains could create economic value of $2.7trn over the next 20 years.
Such grand forecasts fuel anxiety as well as hope. Less familiar, but just as important, is how AI will transform the workplace.
Start with the benefits.AI ought to improve productivity. Humanyze, a people analytics software provider, combines data from its badges（工牌）with employees’ calendars and e-mails to work out, say, whether office layouts favour teamwork .Slack, a workplace messaging app, helps managers assess how quickly employees accomplish tasks. Companies will see when workers are not just dozing off but also misbehaving.
Employees will gain, too. Thanks to advance in computer vision, AI can check that workers are wearing safety equipment and that no one has been harmed on the factory floor. Some will appreciate more feedback on their work and welcome a sense of how to do better.
Machines can help ensure that pay rises and promotions go to those who deserve them. That starts with hiring. People often have biases but algorithms（算法）, if designed correctly, can be more unprejudiced. Software can flag patterns that people might miss.
Yet AI’s benefits will come with many potential drawbacks. Algorithms may not be free of the biases of their programmers, which can have unintended consequences. The length of a travel may predict whether an employee will quit a job, but this focus may harm poorer applicants. Older staff might work more slowly than younger ones and could risk losing their positions if all AI looks for is productivity. And surveillance（监控）may feel Orwellian—a sensitive matter now that people have begun to question how much Facebook and other tech giants know about their private lives.
As regulators and employers weigh the pros and cons of AI in the workplace, three principles ought to guide its spread. First, data should be anonymized where possible. Microsoft, for example, has a product that shows individuals how they manage their time in the office, but gives managers information only in aggregated（整合）form. Second, the use of AI ought to be transparent. Employees should be told what technologies are being used in their workplaces and which data are being gathered. As a matter of routine, algorithms used by firms to hire, fire and promote should be tested for bias and unintended consequences. Last, countries should let individuals request their own data, whether they are ex-workers wishing to contest a dismissal or jobseekers hoping to demonstrate their ability to prospective employers.
The march of Al into the workplace calls for trade-offs between privacy and performance. A fairer, more productive workforce is a prize worth having, but not if it chains employees. Striking a balance will require thought, a willingness for both employers and employees to adapt and a strong dose of humanity.
AI Spy | |
Passage outline | Supporting details |
Introduction | While its future in business is full of |
Advantages of AI | ·AI makes business more productive by analyzing the office layout, assessing the employees’ working efficiency and ·AI can ·AI helps businesses hire more suitable employees and develop a better |
Potential drawbacks of AI | ·Undesirable results may arise due to the biases of the programmers. ·Poorer applicants and older staff are at a ·Employees’ privacy is |
Principles | ·Keep the data anonymous when they are gathered and used. · |
Summary | Only when employees and employers are |
Search for a Human Face for Robots
Looking for a $130,000 payday? Geomiq, a British engineering and manufacturing firm is searching for a “kind and friendly” face to be the face of a robot once it goes into production. “This will entail（需要）the selected person’s face being reproduced on potentially thousands of versions of the robots worldwide,” Geomiq says in a blog post about the project.
Robots have been at the forefront of technology for decades, and are widely considered the future of our technological advancement. With the number of adults over 85 expected to triple by 2050, according to some estimates, robots designed to keep the elderly company are becoming increasingly common.
They do things like responding to voice commands, offering proactive（积极主动的）notifications and advice and letting relatives monitor conditions at home. There is still a long way to go but new robotic products are coming into fruition all the time. Geomiq says the robot line has been in the works for five years and will result in a companion for seniors.
The designer has noted in an interview with a select press pool that they can’t release too many details at this stage.
The blog past doesn’t share age or gender parameters（参数）.
| A．A technology company wants to buy the rights to use someone’s face for its robots. |
| B．It just asks people who want to license their face to submit a photo via email for the chance at $130,000. |
| C．It is a once - in - a - while opportunity for the right person. |
| D．They also serve a practical purpose. |
| E．The company is privately - funded. |
| F．However, ideal candidates will be given the specifics of the project. |
【推荐1】Efforts to preserve the Amazon rain forest are growing ever more urgent as the ecosystem’s destruction accelerates. A recent study shows that a new program combining on-the-ground monitoring with satellite data and smartphone technology could help put the brakes on Amazon deforestation (毁林) —and potentially that of forests elsewhere.
The scientists cooperated with 76 local communities, 36 of which participated in using satellite-based “early deforestation alerts” —an early-alert system on a smartphone app, to watch over the forest and to inspect forests and document damage. Over the next two years the participants were paid to work as forest monitors and received monthly alerts via the app when satellite data indicated local forest losses. Monitors investigated alerts and inspected for deforestation in the areas. They reported confirmed losses back to their communities which decided whether to deal with the affairs on their own or inform state authorities.
The researchers analyzed the same forest-loss satellite data from the given time period in all 76 communities. They found the program reduced forest loss by 8.4 hectares (公顷) in the first year—a 52 percent reduction compared with the average loss in the control communities, says Tara Slough, an economist at New York University. “This reduction in deforestation was concentrated in communities facing the largest threat of forest loss,” she adds.
Results for the program were less striking in its second year when forest loss was reduced by only 3.3 hectares compared with that in control communities. The researchers explain that a Peruvian government campaign against coca planting that year may have discouraged deforestation in both experimental and control communities narrowing differences between the two groups in the program.
Experts say this approach to dealing with Amazonian deforestation looks promising. Local groups may continue the work they started in the program. “We want to apply this in other communities. In doing so we are making a contribution to the world,” wrote Francisco, a community member involved in the research.
1. Why did the research team conduct the program?| A．To stop carbon being locked away. | B．To tackle Amazon deforestation. |
| C．To monitor satellite movement. | D．To control illegal activities. |
| A．By analyzing the data. | B．By surveying the monitors. |
| C．By observing the area. | D．By investigating the damage. |
| A．It applies to all the forests. | B．It adopts multiple technologies. |
| C．It involves no human participation. | D．It solves the problem beforehand. |
| A．Amazon Protecting the Rainforest | B．Experts Testing Early-alert System |
| C．Communities Dealing With Deforestation | D．Smartphone Watching Over the Forest |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
In their book Time to Eat the Dog: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living, Robert and Brenda Vale say keeping a medium sized dog has the same ecological impact as driving 10,000 km a year in a 4.6 liter Land Cruiser.
“We’re not actually saying it is time to eat the dog. We’ re just saying that we need to think about and know the ecological impact of some of the things we do and that we take for granted.”
Constructing and driving the jeep for a year requires 0.41 hectares of land, while growing and manufacturing a dog’s food takes about 0.84 hectares — or 1.1 hectares in the case of a large dog such as a German shepherd.
Convincing flesh eating cats and dogs to go vegetarian for the sake of the planet is a non starter, the Vales say. Instead they recommend keeping “greener”, smaller, and more sustainable pets, such as goldfish, chickens or rabbits.
The book’s playful title, and serious suggestion that pet animals may be usefully “recycled”, by being eaten by their owners or turned into pet food when they die, may not appeal to animal fans.
Annoying as the idea may be, the question is valid given the planet’s growing population and limited resources, Robert Vale said.
“Issues about sustainability are increasingly becoming things that are going to require us to make choices which are as difficult as eating your dog. It’s not just about changing your light bulbs or taking a cloth bag to the supermarket,” he said.
“It’s about much more challenging and difficult issues,” he added. “Once you see where cats and dogs fit in your overall balance of things, you might decide to have the cat but not also to have the two cars and the three bathrooms and be a meat eater yourself.”
1. The authors gave their book the playful title to________.
| A．make it amusing | B．create a vivid image |
| C．show writing skills | D．arouse people’ s concern |
| A．the amount of consumed land | B．the neglected ecological impact |
| C．some familiar examples | D．some actual figures |
| A．Going vegetarian. | B．Raising cats and dogs. |
| C．Using a cloth bag. | D．Keeping a greener life. |
| A．Manufacturers. | B．Drivers. | C．Animal fans. | D．The authorities. |
| A．Challenging. | B．Inspiring. | C．Inviting. | D．Touching. |
【推荐3】The future in energy production is here. And some of the materials used to supply the energy may surprise you! Companies have developed a way to turn plant wastes and other garbage into fuel. It has been called one of the most promising technologies in energy. And the process is expected to become more common this year.
The American-based company Fiberight is taking the lead in this new form of energy production. Truck loads of garbage are sent to Fiberight’s test plant in southern Virginia. Old vegetables, cardboard boxes and other wastes become something much more valuable through the work done at the factory. 50% of this material is going to be processed for the change of biofuel such as ethanol（乙醇）.
Ethanol makes up about 10 percent of America’s fuel supply. Nearly all of it comes from corn, the food known as maize in some countries. Critics say this creates competition between food and fuel, and raises food prices. Environmentalists say farmers are using more land to plant corn crops. They also say farmers are using more fertilizers and products for killing insects. They say this creates more pollution.
This year, several other fuel production plants are expected to start making ethanol from the cellulose（纤维素） in corn stalks, wheat straw and other plant materials. However, making cellulosic ethanol turned out to be harder than expected. We know how to do that in a lab. The main problem is doing that in a continuous way, cost-effectively on a large scale. Besides, our cars may limit how much the industry can grow. Even if we can begin to produce this cost-effectively, we need to be able to consume it as well. Only a few models of automobiles can operate on high-ethanol fuel. Without more of them, there is only so much gas from garbage that will sell.
1. What is the advantage of this energy production?| A．Using advanced technology. |
| B．Producing energy in large quantities. |
| C．Making energy from some waste. |
| D．Making energy easily and cheaply |
| A．oil | B．electricity | C．gas | D．biofuel |
| A．The need of growing corn for ethanol. |
| B．The amount of ethanol needed in America. |
| C．The disadvantages of ethanol made from corn |
| D．Pollution caused by making ethanol from corn. |
| A．It is impossible to make this energy on a large scale. |
| B．It is difficult to produce this energy out of laboratory. |
| C．Few fuel production plants are interested in making it. |
| D．There is a long way to go before it is widely produced. |
【推荐1】What if your smartphone or laptop starts charging as soon as you walk in the door? Scientists have developed a specially-built room that can conduct energy to a variety of electronic devices within it without plugs or batteries.
It’s a custom test room of about 18 cubic meters, built from conductive aluminum(铝) panels with a metal pole running down the middle. When the scientists ran an electric current through the walls and pole following a set pattern, it generated two separate magnetic (磁的) fields: one that fills the center of the room and the other that covers the corners, thus allowing any devices within the space to charge.
By carrying out tests, scientists found their method could deliver 50 watts of power throughout the room. firing up all devices they tested. Without safeguards, running currents through the room's metal walls would typically fill it with two types of waves: electric and magnetic. This presents a problem, because electric fields can produce heat in biological tissues and pose a danger to humans. So the team built capacitors, devices that store electric energy, in the walls. “It limits the safe magnetic fields to the room volume while limiting risky parts to all the components built in the walls.” lead author Takuya Sasatani explains.
The scientists also tested the room’s safety, and the result showed the absorption of energy would remain well below acceptable limits. “We’re not saying this technology is safe under all circumstances—we’re still exploring,” says study co-author Alanson Sample. “But it shows us that there's still much area to explore.”
But applying the technology is still far in the future. It’s just too burdensome to put aluminum sheets all over the walls-that benefit doesn't make sense yet. “We’ve just developed a brand-new technique. Now we have to figure out how to make it practical,” Sample says. Meanwhile, scientists hope to improve the efficiency of power conduction and remove spots that the charge does not reach.
1. What does paragraph 2 mainly talk about?| A．What the room looks like. | B．How electric currents are generated. |
| C．How the special room works. | D．What the technology was developed for. |
| A．Produce electric power. | B．Measure magnetic field. |
| C．Stop devices from heating. | D．Protect people from harm. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Cautious. | C．Doubtful. | D．Content. |
| A．The cost. | B．The safety. | C．The effectiveness. | D．The material. |
【推荐2】"Changing the world" might seem like an unrealistic goal. When faced with huge problems such as air pollution or energy shortages, where do you start? Taoyuan-based Gogoro believes you start with a scooter.
Proof of concept In 2015, Gogoro broke onto the scene by releasing an electric scooter called the Smartscooter. Unlike most electric scooters, this one wouldn't need to be plugged in to recharge. Instead, users would stop by GoStations to exchange drained batteries for fully charged ones. Gogoro was taking a risk. If people were not happy with the system of changing batteries the whole project could fail. They didn't need to worry, though. Only one year later Gogoro sold their 10,000th Smartscooter! |
Setting the bar Fast forward to 2019 and the release of the Series 3 Smartscooter. Gogoro scooters are as popular and revolutionary as ever. Their bright colors are chosen by Beatrice Santiccioli, a famous color designer who helped shape major brands like Apple, Nike and Swatch. In addition to the scooters' bright colors, plenty of cool accessories (配件) are available so you can make your scooter your own. But most important of all, Gogoro continues to pave the way toward a future of responsible energy consumption. |
Looking forward Multiple cities and countries have committed to making their transportation all-electric in the coming years, and Gogoro is helping make that possible. Ordered a package? Companies like DHL and Taiwan Post now have fleets of Smartscooters to make deliveries. Need a ride? Unlock a Gogoro in Berlin, Paris or Madrid, thanks to scooter sharing services. The Smartscooter is definitely ingenious, but there's more "At Gogoro, I think the essential thing is that we want to change how people use energy. And the Smartscooter is only the beginning," says Horace Luke, Gogoro co-founder and CEO. This is where the GoStation comes in. |
Tomorrow's energy Gostations are Al-equipped. They track battery health to maximize each battery's life. They recharge batteries during off-peak hours to reduce strain on the city's power grid (输电网). But they also learn when users usually visit and prioritize supplying charged batteries at those times. The fact of the matter is, cities are only getting bigger. There are already dozens of megacities (特大城市) in the world, and there will only be more in the future. Gogoro's dream is the transformation of megacities into smart cities, where power is plentiful and responsible. They hope to be a big part of that transformation. |
1. Compared with other electric scooters, the Smartscooter ______.
| A．can recharge itself in Gostations in megacities |
| B．only needs to change batteries in Gostations |
| C．wouldn't need to be recharged at all in life |
| D．can be recharged by its users in Gostations |
| A．their colors are chosen by a famous color designer |
| B．their colors are different from those of others |
| C．it is a good way for people to consume energy |
| D．it can help us solve the problem of energy shortage |
| A．The more megacities there are, the more GoStations may appear. |
| B．GoStations will soon entirely take the place of traditional stations. |
| C．People need not go to GoStations especially during peak hours. |
| D．More megacities will appear throughout the world in the future. |
【推荐3】Which kind of diamond is better for the environment and the world we live in: a diamond from a traditional mine or one made in a laboratory? It seems that everyone would think that man-made diamonds would be better. But wait a minute. Don’t draw your conclusion so quickly.
Some recent reports suggest the answer may not be so clear. At the very least, these reports provide evidence of tensions between two different sectors of the diamond industry. Lab-grown diamond companies say they are more moral and cause less harm to the Earth’s environment as they don’t have to dig deep into the earth for diamonds.
The traditional diamond sector notes that its businesses help the communities where they operate mines. It says they provide jobs, help build roads and other infrastructure and make investments in conservation. Some companies, such as De Beers, work on both sides. De Beers sells natural and man-made diamonds.
In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission(FTC)investigates reports of deceptive, or misleading, advertising. In April, the commission sent warning letters to eight lab-grown diamond companies. One of the FTC’s concerns was the use of the word "eco-friendly", and similar terms, to describe diamonds made in a laboratory. The lab-grown process requires very high temperatures and uses a lot of energy.
Trucost is a company that estimates the costs of using natural resources. Asked by the Diamond Producers Association to study the issue, Trucost found the carbon intensity of natural diamonds was lower than lab-grown diamonds. The Trucost report did note that diamond miners should reduce their effect on the environment by using more wind power and sunlight.
The Reuters news agency reported that the International Grown Diamond Association did not immediately respond to requests for comments about the story.
1. What’s the opinion of traditional diamond companies about their business?| A．They refuse lab-grown diamonds. |
| B．They bring benefits to local people. |
| C．They cause less harm to the Earth’s environment. |
| D．They are more moral than lab-grown diamond companies. |
| A．They sold false diamonds. | B．They teased customers. |
| C．They took unfair competition. | D．They made false advertisements. |
| A．Use renewable energy. | B．Give up mining diamonds. |
| C．Change mining equipment. | D．Develop lab-grown diamonds. |
| A．Is Natural Diamond Mining Coming to an End? |
| B．Do Diamond Miners Really Protect the Environment? |
| C．Which Kind of Diamond Is Better for the Environment? |
| D．Why Are Lab-grown Diamonds Environmentally Friendly? |
