The idea of billions of people going through a few masks a week during this pandemic (疫情) rings alarm bells, but a team of researchers in Melbourne, Australia, may have the solution.
To recycle the abandoned masks, Jie Li and his team added millions of face masks to road-paving (铺路) materials. They found the polypropylene (聚丙烯)plastic used to make single-use face masks could really increase the flexibility of the road.
The new composite material is a mixture of about 2% masks, with recycled concrete aggregate (RCA)—a material produced from waste concrete and other minerals from buildings pulled down. This recycled material found in the study is ideal for two of the four layers generally required to create roadways. And the final product is more resistant to wear than normal asphalt (沥青), as well as being cheaper too, if there was a method for collecting masks.
Li and his team did a cost-analysis and found that, at $26 per ton, the RCA was about half the cost of mining materials, and as much as a third of the cost of shipping the used masks to a landfill (垃圾填埋场). If the percentage of damaged roads in Washington state were repaired with Li’s mixture, it would reuse nearly 10 billion masks, sparing American landfills hundreds of millions of tons of trash.
The team is going to look for industry partners or governments willing to give their plastic mask road an opportunity for a large-scale test.
1. What’s the purpose of the research?| A．To reduce burden on the environment. |
| B．To invent a method for collecting masks. |
| C．To find a substitute for asphalt. |
| D．To ring the alarm bells. |
| A．popular. | B．combined. |
| C．powerful. | D．original |
| A．It is mainly made of masks. | B．It is expensive to ship. |
| C．It has four layers. | D．It is money-saving. |
| A．His team will do a cost-analysis. |
| B．His team will seek for support. |
| C．His team will increase the flexibility of roads. |
| D．His team will repair the damaged roads. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】The next generation of artificial intelligence (AI) may be sitting right beneath you, at least if furniture maker Ikea has any say in the matter. The Swedish furniture company’s “future-living” research lab in Copenhagen is conducting a survey to understand what people want when it comes to smart furniture.
AI is now walking into more aspects of people’s daily lives. Self-driving cars are just around the corner, and AI robots can play and beat the best players of strategy games. As smart home technologies have become more ubiquitous, products ranging from smart electrical outlets（插座）to smart smoke alarms are flooding the market. Therefore, it’s not surprising that Ikea would be moving in the same direction.
Exactly why people would want their sofa or bed frame to speak to then, track their daily movements or offer help is not yet clear. Though Ikea’s the new survey doesn’t directly answer that question, it does provide a hint of what people would feel comfortable with. Most participants wanted a more human like form of virtual（虚拟的）assistants, as opposed to one that is more robotic. In terms of the ideal gender（性别）of the assistants, the most popular choice was neither male nor female. Few wanted a religious form of AI.
Just as with human friends, most wanted AI friends that were like them, affirming their own worldview. They wanted an AI assistant that was reasonably intelligent-that could collect data to predict what a person wanted before he or she asked, and that could prevent someone from making mistakes.
This is not the first time that Ikea has set foot in the field or futuristic technologies. In addition to wireless charging tables and chainless bikes that never rust（生锈）, the furniture giant has also pictured smart kitchens that can cook the best meal. To decide on how intelligent you want your next sofa or bookshelf to be, you can take Ikea’s survey online.
1. What does the underlined word “ubiquitous” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．Beautiful. | B．Common. |
| C．Normal. | D．Environment. |
| A．The differences between robot-like and human-like assistants. |
| B．What form of AI assistants people want. |
| C．What kind of friends people want. |
| D．The popular robots on the market. |
| A．help them became smarter |
| B．communicate with them without troubles |
| C．have its own worldview |
| D．deal with their problems in advance |
| A．Smart sofas that can speak to you. |
| B．Smart beds than can track your daily movements. |
| C．Wireless charging cars. |
| D．Rustless bikes without chains. |
【推荐2】Even if you’re in the market for a new smartphone, your older one needn’t go to landfill.
Is your older smartphone or tablet now lacking the ability to meet your daily demands? If so, don’t throw away just yet—it could still be useful for jobs that require a little less processing power.
Smartphones and tablets can enjoy a second life as a universal remote control for smart devices and their various apps around the home. You can also use them to play music and video from streaming services, to cast to compatible devices, or as a home server.
Why not attach an old iPad to the wall to use as a digital calendar or family planner? Or save a huge amount of money on baby monitors by fixing a phone or tablet with a monitoring app above the bassinet (婴儿摇篮) instead?
If you can’t repurpose your old smartphone, recycle it instead. Smartphones are full of recyclable materials including rare and valuable metals such as gold, silver, platinum and copper—99% of these can be reused if you recycle your phone correctly. They may end up in new tech products or enjoy a new life as something entirely different.
For example, the plastic in mobile phone casing can be processed into pellets (小球) and used for products such as pallets (托盘). Not only does this mean producing less plastic, but it cuts down on the energy needed to make new plastics.
Some people are understandably unwilling to recycle their phones because they worry about losing their personal data, or that it’ll end up in the wrong hands. But, by following some simple steps, you can wipe your data before you recycle it.
1. Your older smartphone or tablet can be reused for many jobs except ________.| A．working as a digital calendar | B．monitoring babies |
| C．processing complex data | D．playing streaming video |
| A．Reuse the metals in it to develop new products | B．Fix it with a monitoring app. |
| C．Break it down with certain chemicals. | D．Transform it to a new one. |
①It helps to make less plastic.
②It allows for the reuse of valuable metals.
③It reduces the amount of energy needed to produce new plastics.
④It saves money on buying new devices.
⑤It ensures that personal data are wiped clean.
| A．①②③ | B．②③④ | C．①③⑤ | D．②④⑤ |
| A．People’s addiction to their smartphones. | B．Measures to recycle your older smartphone . |
| C．Importance of protecting your personal data. | D．Steps to wipe the data of your older smartphone. |
【推荐3】Wildfires have recently seriously destroyed areas across the world. Hoping to reduce harm, researchers led by Yapei Wang, a chemist at Renmin University of China, say they have developed a sensor to detect such wildfires earlier and with less effort.
Present detection methods rely heavily on human watchfulness, which can delay an effective response. The team says its new sensor can be placed near tree trunks’ bases and send a wireless signal to a nearby receiver if there is a sharp temperature increase. That heat also powers the sensor itself, with no need to replace batteries. The sudden temperature change will give off electrons (电子) to move within the liquids, creating electrical energy to send the signal.
McCarty, a geographer at Miami University says places such as San Diego—where wild land and city meet—could benefit from sensors like this. When a fire breaks out in a valley that extends to someone’s property, she says, with such a device, “as a homeowner, you will know it earlier than the fire agency.” And she adds that it is even more important to improve cooperation among the different agencies involved in firefighting.
Wang says his team’s next steps are to extend the device’s signal range beyond the present100 meters, which can limit its practical use, and to develop a protective cover for it. The sensor’s effectiveness, Wang notes, will also need to be tested in the field.
1. What can we learn about the new sensor?| A．It replaces batteries itself. | B．It produces response more easily. |
| C．It depends on human observation. | D．It sends a wireless signal continuously. |
| A．Critical. | B．Ambiguous. | C．Supportive. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．How people use the new sensor. | B．How much the new sensor costs. |
| C．How the new sensor comes into effect. | D．How Wang’s team better the new sensor. |
| A．A research into wildfires. | B．A widely accepted new sensor. |
| C．A new senor to detect wildfires. | D．Different opinions on a new sensor. |
【推荐1】Travelers to the Arctic islands of Svalbard would find a rough, ice-hardened land, sheltering polar bears in its frozen landscapes. This group of Norwegian islands is the land of the “midnight sun” with almost 24 hours of sunlight during the winter months. It is also home to one of the most important storage facilities in world farming — the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.
The seed vault was opened in 2008 in an effort to safeguard the world’s food supply for future generations. Svalbard is the perfect frozen environment to house seed samples, set inside an Arctic mountain at 130 meters above sea level, so it is unlikely to be flooded. Low humidity , geological stability, and the surrounding permafrost can keep seed-keeping places cool, dry, and usable for centuries.
Seed gene banks from around the world have sent food crops seeds for safety in case a natural disaster or environmental damage destroys existing supplies. Worldwide there are more than 1.700 seed gene banks that store seeds locally and many choose to send back-up samples to facilities like the Svalbard’s vault.
There is space in the global vault for 4.5 million different crop varieties with each variety storing on average 500 seeds, meaning it can house 2.5 billon seeds. There are around one million seed samples from 80 institutes in the vault at present so there is a lot of spare capacity for the vegetables, grains, peas and beans that are banked annually. On the top of that, there are rare flowers from the Myanmar rain forests.
The largest numbers of samples in the vault are varieties of rice and wheat. The seed vault has been listed as one of the most influential projects of the past 50 years for its efforts. Seeds themselves are not kept for farmers or gardeners to grow produce. Their true value is as a genetic resource in plant upbringing to create new crop varieties.
1. What makes Svalbard a global seed vault?| A．Its eco-friendly tourism. | B．Its rich supplies of food. |
| C．Its favorable environment. | D．Its strong sunlight in winter. |
| A．To protect them from climate changes. | B．To exchange them for new crop seeds. |
| C．To make sure of the safety of food supplies. | D．To compare them with new crop varieties. |
| A．It values plant different types of plant. | B．It has little space for newcomers. |
| C．It is costly for most institutes. | D．It sees a big increase in seed samples every year. |
| A．To explain how to store seeds safely. | B．To introduce an influential seed vault. |
| C．To seek sponsors for world seed vaults. | D．To call on seed institutes to work together. |
【推荐2】An individual from an unknown hominid (原始人类) species walked across a field of wet, volcanic ash in what is now East Africa around 3.66 million years ago, leaving behind a handful of footprints.
Those five ancient footprints, largely ignored since they were partly unearthed at Tanzania’s Laetoli site in 1976, show features of upright walking by a hominid, a new study finds. Researchers had previously considered them hard to classify, possibly produced by a young bear that took a few steps while standing. But the latest analysis refutes that suggestion.
McNutt, DeSilva, who started the new investigation as a Dartmouth College graduate student, and their colleagues fully dug out and cleaned the five Laetoli footprints in June 2019. Then they measured, photographed and 3-D scanned the ancient tracks. McNutt’s group focused on two footprints that were particularly well-preserved. Foot shapes, sizes, and walking characteristics of the Laetoli individual differed in various ways from those of other hominid individuals at the same site. The prints also didn’t match those from modern black bears and modern chimps (黑猩猩) walking upright.
The Laetoli individual possessed a wider, more chimplike foot than humans, the researchers say. Its big toe stuck out slightly from the second toe (脚趾), but not to the degree observed in chimps. On one step, the Laetoli individual’s left leg crossed in front of the right leg, leaving a left footprint directly in front of the previous track. People may cross-step in this way when trying to regain balance. And bears and chimps assume a relatively wide standing due to knee and other bone arrangements that prevent them from walking like the Laetoli individual and probably from cross-stepping, the scientists say.
Given that only two of the ancient footprints are complete enough to analyze thoroughly, the possibility that a chimp other than a hominid made the Laetoli footprints can’t be ruled out, says William Harcourt Smith, a scientist at Lehman College. But evidence of cross-stepping is enough to prove that it was a hominid track maker, he says.
1. What does the underlined word “refutes” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．Objects to. | B．Supports. | C．Puts forward. | D．Criticizes. |
| A．They are less chimplike. | B．They have toes sticking out. |
| C．They show relatively wide standing. | D．They possess features of cross-stepping. |
| A．It’s convincing. | B．It’s challenging. |
| C．It’s confusing. | D．It’s conflicting. |
| A．To describe a major event. | B．To share a new discovery. |
| C．To introduce an unknown species. | D．To settle a huge disagreement. |
【推荐3】Scientists have found evidence of a giant planet far out in our solar system. In a statement, the California Institute of Technology—Caltech—said this planet travels in a strange orbit in the distant solar system.
The discovery was made by two researchers at Caltech: Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown. They used mathematical modelling and computer simulations to find the planet. So far, there have not been any direct observations of the planet.
“My jaw hit the floor,” said astronomer Mike Brown when he realized there might be a ninth planet.
The scientists said it would take the planet 10,000 to 20,000 years just to make one full orbit around the sun. The new planet which is called “Planet Nine” has a mass about 10 times the size of the earth. If they are right, the newly found planet will be the ninth planet in our solar system.
It is believed that the planet orbits, or travels, around the sun from a great distance. The planet Neptune’s average distance to the sun is about 4.5 billion kilometres. But “Planet Nine” could be 20 times farther away from the sun than that.
While they did not get a picture of “Planet Nine” yet, the scientists say they are using the biggest and the best telescopes on earth to try to find “Planet Nine”. They want to find out more about its orbit and its impact on the outer part of our solar system.
Brown and Batygin reported their findings in the Astronomical Journal. They say that this new planet is so large that there should be no doubt that it is a true planet.
Robert Massey is with the Royal Astronomical Society in London. He said that planet had been predicted before, and then was not found. But he said the work of these researchers was definitely worth following up.
1. “Planet Nine” is thought to exist because ________.| A．scientists have got a picture of it |
| B．astronomers once discovered it in space |
| C．scientists have discovered it by using a simulating method |
| D．researchers have found it by using the most advanced telescopes |
| A．He fell on the floor. | B．It was a blow to him. |
| C．He hurt his jaw badly. | D．He was surprised by the discovery. |
| A．prove there are many planets in the solar system | B．indicate “Planet Nine” is too far from the sun |
| C．suggest it is hard for “Planet Nine” to orbit | D．imply “Planet Nine” is larger than Neptune. |
| A．Have the Scientists Discovered a New Planet? |
| B．Is the Ninth Planet Far From the Solar System? |
| C．Is There a Ninth Planet in Our Solar System? |
| D．Has Any Evidence Been Found for the Ninth Planet? |
【推荐1】COVID — 19 has greatly affected the lives of people across the world. It has challenged and changed people’s lifestyles. It has also helped us think about our relationships with others.
Changing our lives
● COVID - 19 has made people think harder about their relationship with nature. It has also raised questions about urban lifestyles. The sharing economy, working in open offices, living in crowded apartments and the food industry’s use of reusable products have made the perfect storm for a pandemic.
● Although the sharing economy might be good — it’s cheaper to rent than to own — sharing spaces and objects are great ways to spread the virus. How does one do “social distancing” when they are expected to share cars, bikes, apartments and even the same offices?
● The trend of using open offices, which can save space, is working against us. In this type of office, workers don’t have their own desk — everything is shared. Sometimes, computers and chairs are also shared, which is not hygienic (卫生的). Fortunately, more workers are working from home during the pandemic, but that won’t last forever.
● Reusability is a common practice in the restaurant industry. Reusable cups and chopsticks are often used. Unfortunately, reusable products increase the chance of spreading disease. For example, Starbucks recently stopped refilling customers’ reusable cups in order to stop the spread of the virus.
●People like to be social. But the virus has made this more dangerous. We have to be careful about how we interact with others for now. Perhaps we need to rethink about our lifestyles to reduce the spread of future pandemics.
1. According to the author, the strong point of the sharing economy is that ________.| A．it lasts longer | B．it costs less | C．it’s popular | D．it’s hygienic |
| A．how working at home won’t last long | B．how shared offices can save space |
| C．the hygienic problems of open offices | D．the sharing economy trend |
| A．everything is shared in many restaurants | B．they use too much disposable tableware |
| C．many restaurants have poor hygiene | D．cups and chopsticks are often reused |
| A．we need to change some of our lifestyles | B．the sharing economy won’t last forever |
| C．no one can stay out of the sharing economy | D．we shouldn’t stay away from shared products |
【推荐2】Here are some superheroes in the fight against COVID-19 (新冠肺炎). Let's come close to them and remember them.
 | Zhong Nanshan(1936.10-) He is one of the famous medical scientists in the 21st century. Dr. Zhong Nanshan was the first to tell the public that the virus could be transmitted from person to person. He is a good doctor in the countrymen's eyes and respected by all Chinese people. |
 | Li Lanjuan (1947.09-) When COVID-19 broke out, she suggested that Wuhan should be locked down immediately to prevent the spread of the disease. She headed for Wuhan and took an active part in the battle. Now, she still receives patients every day. |
 | Wang Yong (1985.12-) As a delivery (快递) driver, he volunteered to support the medical staff in Wuhan during the epidemic (疫情). He tried his best to keep life going for the doctors and nurses. Time magazine has put on its cover, presenting the courage and hard work of common people. |
 | Li Wenliang (1985.10-2020.02) He is the first doctor to warn people how dangerous the virus could be at the end of last December, so people call him the "whistle-blower (吹哨人). Because of COVID-19, he lost his life on February 7 th, 2020. People across the country were sad to hear about his death. |
| A．Wang Yong. | B．Zhong Nanshan. | C．Li Lanjuan. | D．Li Wenliang. |
| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
| A．At the end of last December. |
| B．At the beginning of 2019. |
| C．On January 25th, 2020. |
| D．On February 7th, 2020. |
| A．He drew a cover for Time Magazine. |
| B．He was busy with his own business. |
| C．He wrote an article to Time magazine. |
| D．He volunteered to support to the doctors and nurses to keep their life going. |
【推荐3】When schools around the U.S. closed starting in March 2020 because of COVID-19 restrictions(限制), more American students than usual received low grades.
Now, many people are wondering: How will colleges and universities consider promising students who will be applying to them this year or next?
Older high school students, like those who will be graduating in 2022, may no longer have grades colleges will like. Some high schools even changed the way they give grades. Classes where the best students once received an A grade have been changed to what is known as "pass/fail". This hurts students who did well in those classes because they cannot show colleges a good letter grade at the end of the term.
Some strong universities in the U.S. also decided they would not require students to take the SAT, ACT or Advanced Placement tests. Many group tests were called off when COVID-19 restrictions stopped large events. Those schools are now considered "test-optional". Some of them include universities like New York University, Colgate University and Harvard University.
So how can a college evaluate a student without traditional grades and test scores? Eric Hoover writes about college admissions(录取)for The Chronicle of Higher Education. He said universities are getting used to the idea of considering many things that are missing from students' high school transcripts(成绩单). In addition, he said, top colleges "have had to loosen(放松)all kinds of rules and standards and expectations this year." That is because good students could not show records that had letter grades for every class.
Even with the problems of the last year, Hoover said colleges want to see that students found a way to take on difficult projects. Also, he said, they should not give up on getting good grades. That is because colleges may be "test-optional, but no one's going to be grade-optional." Without a lot of normal activities like sports, theater and music, colleges are making decisions about students based on how seriously they take their studies.
1. How will excellent students react to the new way of being graded "pass/fail"?| A．They will feel very delighted. | B．They will show great interest. |
| C．They will express serious doubts. | D．They will feel quite disappointed. |
| A．Competition will be fiercer this year. | B．Students' transcripts won't be needed. |
| C．Fewer students will enter colleges this year. | D．Being admitted to colleges may be easier. |
| A．More tests are needed. | B．Good scores still matter. |
| C．Students are free to take tests. | D．Students' hobbies are also important. |
| A．Colleges try to choose suitable students. |
| B．Students face challenges during COVID-19. |
| C．How will colleges evaluate students during COVID-19? |
| D．What should high school graduates do to be admitted? |
