【推荐1】When it comes to going green, intention can be easier than action. Case in point: you decide to buy a T shirt made from 100% organic cotton. But that green label doesn’t tell the whole story — like the fact that even organic cotton requires more than 2,640 gal. (10,000 L) of water to grow enough fiber for one T shirt. Or the possibility that the T shirt may have been dyed (染色) using harmful industrial chemicals. If you knew all that, would you still consider the T shirt green? Would you still buy it?

It’s a question that most of us are ill-equipped to answer. That’s because the global economy development has outpaced our ability to comprehend the consequences — for ourselves and the planet. We are not prepared to understand the increasing impact of industrial chemicals on our children’s health or the climate. And we lack the data to understand the full impact of what we choose.

But what if we could calculate the full lifetime effect of our actions on the earth and on our bodies? Not just carbon footprints but social and biological footprints as well? What if we could think ecologically? That’s what psychologist Daniel Goleman describes in his forthcoming book, Ecological Intelligence. He compiles (汇编) the environmental and biological impact of our every decision and delivers that information to consumers in a user-friendly way. That’s thinking ecologically — understanding the global environmental consequences of our local choices.

Ecological intelligence is ultimately about more than what we buy. It’s also about our ability to accept that we live in an closely connected world with limited resources. Goleman highlights the Tibetan community of Sher, where for thousands of years, villagers have survived severe conditions by carefully conserving every resource available to them. The Tibetans think ecologically because they have no other choice. Neither do we. “We once had the luxury to ignore our impacts,” says Goleman. “Not any more.”

1. Why is it hard for us to decide whether a T shirt is green or not?

A．The green label tells lies.	B．We lack enough knowledge.
C．The economy grows too slowly.	D．We are misled by false data.

2. What can readers do after reading Ecological Intelligence?

A．Increase carbon footprint.	B．Give up regular consumption.
C．Develop ecological thinking.	D．Deliver information to customers.

3. How do the Tibetans of Sher live?

A．By searching for new resources.	B．By living on plentiful resources.
C．By treasuring their resources.	D．By distributing resources reasonably.

4. What’s the purpose of the text?

A．To praise Tibetan villagers.	B．To solve an environmental problem.
C．To instruct how to go green.	D．To advocate ecological intelligence.

【推荐2】More than one-third of the world’s food is wasted or thrown away. This adds up to an unbelievable 1.3 billion tons of waste a year, most of which rots in landfills, emitting (排放) methane and contributing to climate change.

But one of the most promising and simple solutions lies in the problem itself: this wasted food — if composted ( 堆 肥 ) — could slow climate change and improve soil quality. When food waste break down in composting facilities or even in backyard compost piles, they don’t produce methane, and they result in carbon-rich soil. Higher quality soil also continues to absorb more carbon from the atmosphere, helping to fertilize plants and contributing further to fighting against climate change. Increasing the amount of carbon in the world’s soil by just 0.4 percent a year would stop the rise of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Returning one ton of organic matter to each hectare of soil would increase production of cereal crops each year by millions of tons.

While it is true that people can compost in their yards, community gardens, schools or even on their kitchen counters, larger-scale efforts, including infrastructure ( 基 础 设 施 ) and reward system for consumers, would take it to the next level. Imagine that consumers could just leave food leftovers in a bin for pickup, or drop them off at a local store, earning a few cents a bucket, just like what has been offered for recycling bottles or newspapers. Moreover, in the case of composting, the reward system would be sustainable because the end-product of compost can be sold to farmers.

There have been important steps recently toward keeping food waste out of landfills. But food still makes up the largest part of city landfills. Until that changes through increased composting, we are wasting a lot more than food. We are wasting the opportunity to slow climate change and ensure adequate future food supply for the world.

1. What is the consequence of food waste?

A．Food shortage.	B．Climate change.
C．Less farming land.	D．Worse soil quality.

2. What can we learn about the carbon-rich soil?

A．It emits large amounts of carbon.	B．It stimulates the production of carbon-dioxide.
C．It increases by 0.4 percent every year.	D．It benefits both plants and the environment.

3. Which of the following does the author agree with?

A．Taking steps to ban landfills is urgent.

B．Composting on a large scale is helpful.

C．The end-product of compost is affordable.

D．It is just a matter of time before food waste stops.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Where Landfills Go	B．Why Farmers Compost Food Waste
C．What Modern Farming Brings Us	D．How Wasted Food Could Save the Planet