Blue Planet II's latest episode focuses on how plastic is having a devastating effect on the ocean and slowly poisoning our sea creatures. Researchers recently also found that sea creatures living in the deepest place on Earth, the Mariana Trench, have plastic in their stomachs. Indeed, the oceans are drowning in plastic.
Though it seems now that the world couldn't possibly function without plastics, consumer plastics are a remarkably recent invention. The first plastic bags were introduced in the 1950s, the same decade that plastic packaging began gaining in popularity in the United States. This growth has happened so fast that science is still catching up with the change. Plastics pollution research, for instance, is still a very early science.
We put all these plastics into the environment and we still don't really know what the outcomes are going to be. What we do know, though, is disturbing. Ocean plastic is estimated to kill millions of marine animals every year. Nearly 700 species, including endangered ones, are known to have been affected by it. One in three leatherback turtles, which often mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, have been found with plastic in their bellies. Ninety percent of seabirds are now eating plastics on a regular basis. By 2050, that figure is expected to rise to 100 percent.
And it's not just wildlife that is threatened by the plastics in our seas. Humans are consuming plastics through the seafood we eat. I could understand why some people see ocean plastic as a disaster, worth mentioning in the same breath as climate change. But ocean plastic is not as complicated as climate change. There are no ocean trash deniers, at least so far. To do something about it, we don't have to remake our planet energy system.
This is not a problem where we don't know what the solution is. We know how to pick up garbage. Anyone can do it. We know how to dispose of it. We know how to recycle. We can all start by thinking twice before we use single-use plastic products. Things that may seem ordinary, like using a reusable bottle or a reusable bag—when taken collectively really do make a difference.
1. Why is plastics pollution research still a very early science?| A．The plastics pollution research is too difficult. |
| B．Plastics have produced less pollution than coal. |
| C．The world couldn't possibly function without plastics. |
| D．Plastics have gained in popularity too fast for science to catch up. |
| A．He presented statistics. |
| B．He cited quotes from leading experts. |
| C．He used examples from his own experience. |
| D．He used the strategy of comparison and contrast. |
| A．Climate change is caused by human activities. |
| B．Some people cast some doubts about climate change. |
| C．Climate change is less important than ocean pollution. |
| D．Ocean plastic is more complicated than climate change. |
| A．Ocean plastic is a global issue. |
| B．Blue Planet II has left viewers heartbroken. |
| C．The oceans become choked with plastic. |
| D．Plastics gain in popularity all over the world. |
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【推荐1】With its tall buildings and crowded streets, Hong Kong is one of the last places you would expect to find a wild animal. But green sea turtles have become regular visitors to beaches found in more peaceful parts of the metropolis.
Over the last month, people living in Hong Kong and Hainan Province have been lucky enough to see the giant turtles lay their eggs on the beaches at night. Male turtles spend their entire lives in the sea. But every two to six years, the females swim thousands of miles from their feeding grounds to lay eggs in their own birthplaces
Unluckily, few of the baby turtles survive with only one in 1,000 living into adulthood. If they manage to grow big, which takes 20 to 30 years, they can live for more than a century.
Man is the main reason why turtles are dying out. The creatures’ habitats are destroyed by fishing and pollution, while the turtles themselves are killed for food and leather.
“Sea turtle eggs and meat saved us during Japan's occupation of Hong Kong in World War II,”
said 65-year-old resident Chan Kam-wan. But the days of eating turtle eggs have long since passed. Hong Kong banned the eating and sale of them in 1976, hoping to help save the endangered creatures.
In recent years, the government has closed beaches between June and October so the turtles can lay eggs in peace. Scientists also try and keep a count of the number of turtles, even following them using satellites. Through tracking the turtles, they hope to learn new ways of protecting them.
Officials in Hong Kong have recently finished a study on sea life in the area. They are considering setting up a sea park to protect the sea turtles from water pollution and illegal fishing.
1. We can learn from the passage EXCEPT_________.| A．Most of the baby turtles die before growing up |
| B．It is difficult to find wild animals in Hong Kong |
| C．Turtles can live for more than one hundred years |
| D．You can find some male turtles on the beaches if lucky enough |
| A．1976 | B．1978 |
| C．1944 | D．1898 |
| A．The Problems that the turtles were facing have been settled. |
| B．The government has built walls on the beaches to protect turtles. |
| C．The government will plant many trees on the beaches to set up a park. |
| D．The government is using some advanced equipment to protect turtles |
| A．In a novel. | B．In a tour guidance. |
| C．In a newspaper. | D．In a history book |
【推荐2】The online takeaway industry is growing in China along with the rapid development of the Internet economy. But environmental activists complain that the huge volume of plastic utensils (用具), wrapping and containers presents a great challenge to the environment, and that the heavy use of throwaway wooden chopsticks is reducing natural resources.
On September 1, the Beijing No.4 Intermediate People’s Court accepted a lawsuit filed by the Chongqing Green Volunteer League, an environmental non-government organization (NGO), against the country’s three largest food delivery platforms—Baidu Waimai, Ele.me and Meituan. The NGO stated that the companies failed to provide customers with the choice to not receive throwaway plastic utensils along with their food deliveries. Meanwhile, these utensils have created large amounts of rubbish and caused serious ecological damage.
In response, both Meituan and Ele.me, which acquired Baidu Waimai in August, have promised to take measures to reduce plastic waste. Meituan announced that it would appoint a chief environmental officer to oversee environmental issues from plastic waste and upgrade its smartphone app to provide consumers with the option of ordering food without single-use chopsticks, spoons or napkins. Ele.me followed by offering a similar choice and putting forward a plan to introduce suppliers of degradable (可降解的) plastic utensils to restaurants in the long term.
Is there a possible way out? Combined efforts by delivery platforms, consumers, restaurants and government departments are required to address plastic waste pollution.
For platforms, promoting environmental protection and introducing this idea to consumers are a meaningful move. Moreover, in the future, they should also make strict rules on the use of plastic utensils. For example, no more than one plastic bag should be used to wrap soup dishes, and all plastic products should be degradable. It is a long and difficult task for them, and the recent reactions from Ele.me and Meituan are just beginnings.
Considering most takeout food packaging is thrown into garbage bins and then taken away along with other household garbage, sorting of waste also becomes more important. Government departments could play a major role in this, and by recycling some materials, waste pollution could be reduced and resources saved. Furthermore, there have been growing calls that the government should also invest more in developing degradable plastic products or environmentally friendly alternatives.
Though consumers enjoy the convenience yet also suffer exposure to the pollution, many of them have paid little attention to the plastic waste problem. Environmental groups suggest that consumers change their habits a little by using their own utensils and dishes and refusing unnecessary plastic containers.
1. The Chongqing Green Volunteer League accused the three food delivery platforms of ________.| A．causing damage to people’s health |
| B．violating environmental standards |
| C．using many wooden chopsticks |
| D．offering no utensil option |
| A．raise people’s awareness | B．research possible alternatives |
| C．upgrade their application design | D．hire a chief environmental officer |
| A．Government departments. | B．Food delivery platforms. |
| C．Environmental groups. | D．Fast food restaurants. |
| A．why environmental problems arise |
| B．who food delivery platforms affect most |
| C．how plastic utensil pollution can be solved |
| D．what efforts environmental groups have made |
【推荐3】You are drinking plastic,I’m drinking plastic and we’re all drinking plastic.Bottled water drinkers may be drinking the most plastic of all.
A new study released by Orb Media evaluates that on average,a liter of bottled water from big brands like Dasani,Aquafina,and Nestle,contains roughly 10.4 tiny plastic bits.The world drinks them in swiftly,consuming roughly a million plastic bottles a minute,as The Guardian evaluates.Aquafina and Dasani both said that their bottled water is tested on strict standards.Nestle said the company hasn’t found microplastics in its water bottles beyond a “trace(微量)level”.Evian did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In our modern,plastic-filling world,these little plastic bits-many thinner than a human hair-seem to be very common everywhere.We don’t know exactly what these plastic parts are doing to our bodies,but we’re drinking them in anyway.That’s an alarming possibility,because in the ocean,these little plastics are doing harmful things to fish.In some species,they’re even slowing down growth and reproduction.
While there isn’t clear evidence yet that the plastics in single-use water bottles can increase cancer risk,we know that bottles containing a chemical called Bisphenol A(BPA) do.The hard BPA plastics in certain reusable water bottles can lead to higher risks of breast cancer,and other diseases.And a few studies suggest the softer kinds of single-use water bottles can have similar chemicals inside.
The tiny plastic bits aren’t just in our bottles.They come out of our taps,too.The tiny plastics are also swimming in the seas and disturbing the way fish eat.In some countries,microplastics are even slipping into the salt markets.Even Dasani wrote in its statement:“It’s clear the world has a problem with plastic waste.”
1. What can we infer about Evian?| A．It is a social medium. |
| B．It produces a chemical. |
| C．It can be a plastic bottle. |
| D．It can be a water company. |
| A．Describe basic facts about plastics. |
| B．Focus on the potential danger of plastics. |
| C．Discuss the living conditions of fish. |
| D．Illustrate the part plastics are playing. |
| A．Anxious. | B．Positive. | C．Disappointed. | D．Uncaring. |
| A．Here’s What Microplastics in Bottled Water Do. |
| B．Bottled Water Does Harm to the Environment. |
| C．The Importance of Recycling Water Bottles. |
| D．Species Are Suffering From Microplastics. |
【推荐1】The Memorial Art Gallery (MAG) opened its doors again this weekend for the University of Rochester’s Clothesline Arts Festival. This event has been an annual tradition at the Centennial Sculpture Park right outside the MAG for the last 62 years. Initially organized with less than 100 artists showing their work on clothes lines and fences, this festival has attracted over 500 artists from across the nation.
The park was decorated with colorful tents where artists proudly displayed their works. Each tent was a story within itself — a display of skill, creativity, and years of experience.
Piche Design, a unique custom creation art store owned by Chuck Peashy, had one of the most interesting tents: an eye-catching, old setting with lamps shaped like musical instruments. “People come to me with objects that belonged to their long-gone loved ones, and I make beautiful items out of those for them. It is, indeed, rewarding,” said Peashy.
Jill Schiller started doodling (涂鸦) when she was very young. Her hobby gave way to a series of super cool modern designs. She now draws with Swedish weaving techniques on scarves, carpets, bags, and T-shirts in her tent. Schiller believes that it is evidently a great method of expressing creativity and emotion.
George Banagis’ tent, which presented watercolor and pen and ink pieces, had a variety of options. His complicated pen and ink illustrations were available in the original full-size versions, which were made after weeks of effort, and also small, affordable postcards, notepads, and other souvenirs. Visitors loved this inexpensive form of art and flooded inside to buy.
Visitors also experienced all seven continents in one tent, Tatarzyn Photography. From penguins lined up on an Antarctic coastline to swans and wandering African elephants, Ted Tatarzyn has traveled all around the world to catch these moments of amazing creatures with a camera. “This is actually my second career,” said Tatarzyn, who interestingly worked at Kodak for many years before its shutdown. He then started touring around the world for the pictures.
Strolling across the little artistic showcases is a learning experience that every student should take advantage of. And Clothesline had many other stories to tell.
1. What was the Clothesline Arts Festival most probably named after at first?| A．The hosting place of the festival. | B．The diverse artists joining the event. |
| C．The unique way of displaying works. | D．The cloths and various materials used. |
| A．It focuses on the musical instrument design. | B．It helps people recall their loved ones. |
| C．It repairs valuable things for people. | D．It mainly sells classical furniture. |
| A．They are both about art drawings with strong personal styles. |
| B．They are both popular among university students. |
| C．They both display products with local cultures. |
| D．They are both about inexpensive paintings. |
| A．Travel experience sharing. | B．Artistic creativity training. |
| C．Professional camera skill teaching. | D．Animal photos displaying. |
| A．To remember a 62-year-old tradition. | B．To recommend some excellent artists. |
| C．To advertise a secondhand market. | D．To introduce a special artistic festival. |
【推荐2】Very old people do raise moral problems for almost everyone who comes in contact with them. Their values — this can’t be repeated too often — are not necessarily our values. Physical comfort, cleanness and order are not necessarily the most important things. The social services from time to time find themselves faced with a flat with decaying food covered by small worms, and an old person lying alone in bed, taking no notice of the worms. But is it interfering (干涉) with personal freedom to insist that they go to live with some of their relatives so that they might be taken better care of. Some social workers, the ones who clear up the worms, think we are in danger of carrying this concept of personal freedom to the point where serious risks are being taken with the health and safety of the old.
Indeed, the old can be easily hurt or harmed. The body is like a car, it needs more mechanical maintenance (机械维修，保养) as it gets older. You can carry this comparison right through to the provision of spare parts. But never forget that such operations are painful experiences, however good the results will be. And at what point should you stop to treat the old body? Is it morally right to try to push off death by seeking the development of drugs to excite the forgetful old mind and to activate the old body, knowing that it is designed to die? You can't ask doctors or scientists to decide, because so long as they can see the technical opportunities, they will feel bound to give them a try, on the principle that while there’s life, there’s hope.
When you talk to the old people, however, you are forced to the conclusion that whether age is happy or unpleasant depends less on money or on health than it does on your ability to have fun.
1. What does the passage mainly tell us?| A．The values are different between the old and the young. |
| B．The moral problems raised by old people. |
| C．The personal freedom for the old. |
| D．Old people’s viewpoint on life. |
| A．very old people would like to live alone to have more personal freedom |
| B．very old people are able to keep their room clean |
| C．very old people like to live with their children |
| D．social services have nothing to do with very old people |
| A．The older a person, the more care he needs. |
| B．Too much emphasis has been put on old people’s values. |
| C．The human body can’t be compared to a car. |
| D．It is easy to provide spare parts for old people. |
| A．their money or their health |
| B．the conclusion you come to |
| C．your talk to the old people |
| D．whether age is happy or unpleasant |
【推荐3】How do you relax after a stressful day in the office? There are many solutions to help you relax, but the best solution, according to some experts, lies in the great outdoors. It takes a little effort to get there but the benefits can be a perfect medicine for our stressed out lives. I am talking about the activity of forest bathing.
The Japanese concept of shinrin - yoku - or forest bathing - starts from the 1980s, when it was introduced as a national heath programme by the country's government. Stressed Japanese workers are today still relaxing and reconnecting with nature. The Forest Therapy Society has approved 62 forest treatment sites in the country and the forest bathing movement is also gathering force in other parts of the world. It says: “Just as bathing in a hot spring helps to remove your anxiety away, going for a walk in the woods is said to have a relieved effect.”
If you’re worried that bathing involves taking off your clothes, don't be! This is about taking time to wander through woodland with no fixed plan or route and just completely involve yourself in the forest atmosphere. Some health experts have said that having this exposure to nature seems to promote well-being and that's particularly good for people with mental health issues. A study conducted in 24 forests across Japan found that walking among trees lowered blood pressure, the pulse rate, and the levels of the hormone cortisol (荷尔蒙皮质醇), which is released in response to stress. It also found phytoncides - chemicals given off by trees have an anti - microbial (抗菌的) effect on humans.
Another study carried out a few years ago by Stanford University, found similar benefits. Brain scans showed reduced activity in an area of the brain linked to the risk of mental illness in participants who took a 90 - minute walk among oaks (橡树) birds and squirrels. One of the researchers, Gregory Bratman, told the BBC: “There's an increasing body of evidence showing that natural versus urban areas benefit us at least emotionally with our mood and possibly also our cognitive (认知的) development too. " The evidence seems clear that forest bathing is a shot in the arm for stressed out workers, so now is the time to get out and lose yourself in the natural environment - you could even hug a tree as it could be your new best friend!
1. What does Paragraph 1 mainly talk about?| A．The reasons for relaxing after office work |
| B．The most effective way to relieve stress |
| C．The efforts to take part in outdoor activities |
| D．The potential harm of stressed out lives |
| A．By helping Japanese housewives relax and connect with nature |
| B．By looking for 62 forest treatment sites in the Japanese cities |
| C．By serving as a national health program by the Japanese government |
| D．By calling on people in the other parts of world to accept a health plan |
| A．Enjoying the forest atmosphere to the fullest |
| B．Wandering through the forest with a planned route |
| C．Exposing yourself to nature following experts' advice |
| D．Bathing in the forest land after taking off your clothes |
| A．build the relations between humans and animals |
| B．improve stressed workers' physical health certainly |
| C．make stressed workers more refreshed and relaxed |
| D．force stressed workers to get out to breathe in nature |
