For as long as I can remember, I’ve been coming up with ambitious little business ideas. The Eco Denim Movement is the fourth business I’ve founded. Last year, I built this business on three strong passions of mine: business, op-shopping and saving our world. Recently, I did a project on the cotton industry and found out some true facts in the production phases of cotton. I couldn't believe that a single pair of jeans took around 10,000 litres of water to produce.
My project promotes slow fashion and encourages people to purchase my used and repurposed denim (斜纹粗棉布). The denim industry is one of the biggest water consumers in our world — there are 2.7 billion people in our world currently facing water scarcity (缺乏). Every year, the denim industry uses over 12 trillion litres of water. This is enough to supply each of those 2.7 billion people with 4 years' worth of water. Reselling denim, which has already made it through the water-draining production stages, means that with every purchase of secondhand jeans over brand new ones we are saving 10,000 litres of valuable water.
I've sourced denim from my family, friends and op-shops all over Adelaide — the capital city of the state of South Australia. But the most difficult part about starting my business as a girl was that there were a lot of expenses involved in starting up: buying all the pieces of denim, getting all the equipment required for my business, and purchasing my website domain (域名). However, that didn’t stop me. No one is ever too young to start a business. So many people feel like they are not skilled enough or don’t have the brains to start a business, but that’s not true! All you need to start a successful business is ambition and a whole lot of passion.
1. How did the fact mentioned in paragraph 1 make the author feel?| A．Ashamed. | B．Confused. |
| C．Shocked. | D．Relieved. |
| A．The popularity of slow fashion. |
| B．Different methods of saving water. |
| C．Huge profits from selling used jeans. |
| D．The significance of reselling denim. |
| A．The tight budget. | B．The source of denim. |
| C．Her lack of practical experience. | D．Bitter opposition from her family. |
| A．She is a girl of determination. |
| B．She is too young to do business. |
| C．She shows no interest in shopping. |
| D．She is a kind-hearted and generous girl. |
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【推荐1】McDonald’s customers are sharing their excitement over an eco-friendly change making its way to select US restaurants. McDonald’s eaters across the globe are used to collecting their burgers in paper wrapping, their fries in cardboard, and their drink in a plastic cup — even if they’re dining inside a McDonald’s restaurant. However, this may become a thing of the past. One American diner said there were reusable containers available at their local McDonald’s for dine-in meals only.
Plastic containers and cups have an environmental cost: Plastics are made using fossil fuels like oil and natural gas. And when these materials are heated to mould (浇铸) plastic, poisons are again released into the air.
According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, about 100 million tons of plastics are produced on an annual basis — releasing an estimated 850 million tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. “Generally, when those plastics go to landfill, they take hundreds of years to break down and slowly release substances into the environment,” Dr. Thornton said.
It is reported in the industry research that about 27 percent of customers at fast food establishments eat at the restaurant. This means McDonald’s could potentially remove a quarter of its packaging waste through a reusable container system. “If you’re comparing the single-use with the reusable, the reusable take a lot more combined in terms of resources, and energy and water and so on. If you use them a sufficient number of times, that’s when they start to become better environmentally.”
Currently, most of the fast-food outlets use paper containers. But in order to truly be sustainable(可持续的), Dr. Thornton said these items should be made of recycled materials — and only distributed to customers on a need-to-use basis. “Don’t use new resources. That’s probably one of the most important things to say,” he said. “Close the loop in terms of recycling, and make sure that they only provide packaging or the amount of packaging as needed.”
1. What is the eco-friendly change in some of the US McDonald’s?| A．Recycled plastic cups for drinks. |
| B．Cardboard packagings for fries. |
| C．Reusable containers for dine-in meals. |
| D．Selected paper wrappings for burgers. |
| A．25%. | B．50%. | C．75%. | D．100%. |
| A．Use paper containers for dine-in meals. |
| B．Reduce the food waste in their establishments. |
| C．Make reusable containers out of new materials. |
| D．Provide necessary recycled packaging to customers. |
| A．The impact of McDonald’s on the environment. |
| B．The cost of plastic containers and cups in McDonald’s. |
| C．The disadvantage of plastic packaging in fast-food establishments. |
| D．The significance of sustainable practices in the fast-food industry. |
【推荐2】For some people, walking or running outdoors is a great way to work out. What may not be so pleasant is seeing trash all over the ground. Well, some people are doing something about it. They are logging!
“Plogging” began in Sweden. The name combines the Swedish word “plocka” which means to pick up, and the word “Jogging”, which means to run slowly. A Swedish man named Erik, started the movement in 2016. On the World Environment Day website, Erik says that he moved to Stockholm from a small community in northern Sweden. Each day he would ride his bike to work.
Concerned about the amount of trash and litter he saw each day on his way to work, he took matters into his own hands.
Flogging, by that term, may have officially begun in Sweden. But many people who exercise outdoors have been doing this for years. Take Jeff Horowitz, for example. He is a personal trainer in Washington D.C. He often picks up trash while running outside. He even has turned it into a game. He will try to pick up the trash without stopping. “I didn’t know it was a thing really. This is just my personal ethics (道德标准) where I go for a run and if I happen to see a piece of garbage lying around and it’s within reach — it is a kind of a little test for me to see if I can grab it and throw it in a near trash can without stopping. And that way, I think, it gives me a little exercise and a little focus for my run. And it helps clean up the neighborhood,” he announced.
Today, logging is an official activity, one that is becoming increasingly popular. Cities around the world now hold plogging events. “I would just hope people would think twice before dropping a garbage on the ground. We have containers…seems on every block. So, it’s easy to put your garbage in the trash cans. I just think people should think about it a little bit more. I do hope one day there will not be a need for logging.” said an interviewee.
1. Which of the following can replace the underlined phrase “took matters into his own hands”?| A．began to pick up the trash. | B．appealed to people to go green |
| C．called on people to join him. | D．had the collected trash recycled |
| A．deliberate | B．automatic | C．arbitrary | D．temporary |
| A．Jogging is truly beneficial. | B．Trash cans should be within reach. |
| C．Communities should be kept clean. | D．Littering is not acceptable. |
| A．New Exercise Trend Also Helps Environment |
| B．New Exercise Enjoys unbelievable popularity |
| C．Plogging — a Fashionable Way to clear waste |
| D．Plogging — an Exercise Originating in Sweden |
【推荐3】A future where insects make up a large part of the world’s diet is on the horizon. Despite the unpleasant nature of such cuisine, insects have been considered a delicacy in some parts of world for centuries. Their being low-fat and high-protein makes them a perfect choice for reducing hunger.
Animal protein from livestock (家畜), such as cows, chicken and pigs, takes up 80 percent of the entire world’s farmland, despite only making up less than one-fifth of calories consumed globally.
Insects such as grasshoppers, meal worms and crickets are packed full of protein with much higher vitamin levels than pork or beef.
It seems that insects are an ideal solution for many issues the world today is faced with.
Times are changing. The European Union last year declared that meal worms were safe for human consumption. Cricket protein powder is also increasing greatly in popularity, with Canada rapidly becoming the largest market for the product.
| A．They also have a host of environmental benefits. |
| B．Insects reproduce quickly and have high growth rates. |
| C．Unlike agriculture, insects produce far fewer greenhouse gases. |
| D．They require little space, water and technology to raise compared to livestock. |
| E．However, making them a delicious cuisine can be a challenge in several cultures. |
| F．By freeing up livestock space, huge expanses of land could be returned to nature. |
| G．A future where insects will become invaluable to space exploration is also upcoming. |
【推荐1】In the 1940s, Josephine Baker, who was a big part of the new jazz genre and culture and had a diverse group of fans, was one of the most famous women in France. The French people adored her as much as she loved France. So when World War Il threw France into great danger, she decided to do whatever she could to help the nation that had given her so much.
In 1940, when armed German troops marched into Paris, some French people established a secret alliance (同盟）,known as the French Resistance. The group worked for the defense of France by assisting the European and American armies in the fight against the Germans.
As a member of the Resistance, Baker applied herself devotedly to the cause. The tasks she took up proved to be valuable. She collected coded messages written on her sheets of music and then relayed them to other members. At the same time, taking advantage of her fame, Baker provided shelter and goods for the Resistance members. It would have been dangerous if the Germans had found them.
Baker's final task was critical. She made it her mission to entertain German politicians and army members, whom she lured (引诱）in with her promises of a good show. While pleasing them with her singing and dancing, Baker, equipped with a small notebook at these concerts, listened for and wrote down details about the war. She then sorted the details and turned in reports to the Resistance.
Some thought Baker's fame would be a problem. The Germans knew who she was, but they didn't think she was smart enough to work for the Resistance. So she could get information from the Germans easily, which helped the Resistance and the French army save lives and win the war. Baker had a big influence on the Resistance's work. When she died, the army and the French people held a special ceremony to honor her contribution.
1. What happened when the Germans entered Paris?| A．The French Resistance was set up. | B．They sent messages in secret code. |
| C．Armed French soldiers defeated them. | D．They were attracted by Baker's music. |
| A．Entertaining many fans. | B．Writing messages in code. |
| C．Giving reports to the Resistance. | D．Providing shelter for the homeless. |
| A．Her secret was exposed. | B．Her work was recognized. |
| C．Her music won many awards. | D．Her fame caused a big trouble. |
| A．Stubborn and tough. | B．Generous and creative. |
| C．Determined and proud. | D．Courageous and clever. |
【推荐2】When I saw my 10-year-old avoiding the dirty plate in the sink or my 8-year-old feeling uncomfortable about the wet sand in her hands, I’m reminded of a time when I was unwilling to get my hands a little dirty.
My parents owned a 500-acre farm in Montana to raise animals, such as cows, sheep, horses and so on. It was during the time of new life (a newborn lamb or a calf) that my favorite childhood memory took place. One exceptionally cold day, I was checking on the sheep with my mother when she spied a ewe (母羊) in trouble. The poor thing was trying to deliver her baby lamb and needed our help. My mother calmly held the ewe’s head and instructed me to grab hold of the two protruding (突出) legs.
I hesitated, and must have had quite a look of panic on my young face. The slimy little things were definitely not something I wanted to touch. But I worked up my courage and wrapped my fingers around them. I can still recall the feel of unexpectedly weak legs and their sharp little hooves as if it happened yesterday.
My heart pounded in fear and excitement as I pulled with all my strength. The lamb was delivered safely, and I’d never seen anything so beautiful.
I was no stranger to seeing farm animals being born, but to have a hand in it was something I treasured then and will treasure forever. I remember feeling excited with delight to see “my lamb” being licked clean by her mother, and I’m sure everyone got very tired of hearing me tell and retell my heroic story. Looking back, I’m so glad that I didn’t refuse to get my hands dirty. If I had, the wonderful moment and the precious memory would have been lost.
1. What impressed the writer most during her childhood?| A．Her dirty little hands. | B．Her parents’ large farm. |
| C．Helping deliver a baby lamb. | D．Raising animals on the farm. |
| A．Sympathetic. | B．Rather frightened. |
| C．Quite astonished. | D．Highly delighted. |
| A．It is not unusual to see a new life coming into the world. |
| B．It is not easy to make up and tell a heroic story in daily life. |
| C．Memories formed during childhood are worth valuing all life long. |
| D．You need to get your hands dirty to experience something precious. |
| A．Valuable Life Lesson | B．A Tidy and Clean Child |
| C．A Ewe Delivering her Baby | D．A Beautiful Newborn Lamb |
【推荐3】Magawa was born in Tanzania in 2014 , and he's a little bigger than normal rats. Magawa and several other rats are part of the " Hero Rat " program run by a group called APOPO. Because the rats are so light , there's little danger that they will cause accidents while working.
From a young age he was trained to sniff out TNT( 炸药). The training normally takes about a year. Magawa's main job is to sniff out a trickier kind of bomb, known as a mine which is hidden,usually underground. In Cambodia , where Magawa works , mines were common during long periods of civil war between 1975 and 1988. During that time , around 5 million mines were planted in the country. About half of Cambodia's minefields haven't yet been cleared. Since 1979 , these mines have killed or injured over 64 ,000 people.
Magawa is taken out to a minefield, which he carefully goes over , section by section. Magawa's master , Malen , guides him carefully across the field on a leash( 绳子 ). When Magawa finds a mine,he scratches at the dirt above it , wigwagging that he's found something.
Because the rats work by sniffing , they're very fast. It only takes Magawa 30 minutes to search an area as big as a tennis court. A human doing the same job would take four days. Malen says that Magawa and his colleagues are very confident in the field. He works quickly and is easily able to make decisions about whether something is a danger or not. Magawa is the star sniffer of the Hero Rat program. He's found 39 landmines and 28 bombs that were dropped from planes , but never exploded.
To honor Magawa , the PDSA made a special gold award that was small enough for Magawa to wear.
1. What made Magawa join in the " Hero Rat" program?| A．His beneficial birthplace. | B．His great achievements. |
| C．His strict training. | D．His being light in weight. |
| A．Signaling. | B．Pretending. |
| C．Remembering. | D．Accepting. |
| A．He finds a minefield ffectively. |
| B．He makes accurate judgments. |
| C．He has other rats act confidently. |
| D．He spends less time digging mines. |
| A．A textbook. | B．A novel. |
| C．A magazine. | D．A diary. |
