From the lush green hill you can see Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, in the distance. Populations of deer, rabbits and turtle live here. The air is stinky and the only signs that we are standing above a 24-metre (79 feet) deep landfill are the methane gas pipes rising from the grass.
Ljubljana is the first European capital to commit to going zero-waste. But fifteen years ago, all of its refuse went straight to landfill. “And that is expensive,” says Nina Sankovic of Voka Snaga, the city’s waste management company. “It takes up space and you’ re throwing away resources.”
So the city decided to change course.
It began in 2002 with separate collection of paper, glass and packaging in Roadside container stands. Four years later the city began collecting biodegradable waste door to door; separate collection of biowaste is set to become mandatory across Europe in 2023, but Ljubljana was nearly two decades ahead of the curve.
In 2013, every doorstep in the city received bins for packaging and paper waste. And, most controversially, scheduled collections of the residual waste were cut by half-forcing people to separate their rubbish more efficiently.
The results have been impressive. In 2008, the city recycled only 29.3% of its waste and was lagging behind the rest of Europe. Today that figure is 68%, and its landfill receives almost 80% less rubbish, putting it at the top of there cycling leader board of EU capitals. The Slovenian capital now produces only 115kg of residual waste per capital annually(the European city with the lowest figure is the much smaller Treviso, Italy, at 59kg).
1. What is the usage of the pipe rising from the grass?| A．A sign to show there is a deep landfill. | B．To emit gas rising from the grass. |
| C．To discharge methane from the deep landfill. | D．A water pipe to water grass. |
| A．Compulsory. | B．Typical. | C．Normal. | D．Reasonable. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Intolerant. | C．Doubtful. | D．Unclear. |
| A．Society. | B．Geography education. | C．Tourism. | D．Environmental protection. |
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【推荐1】Do you have a summer firefly (萤火虫) memory? I have many. I knew it was finally summer when I would be outside playing after dinner and those little flying lights appeared. I imagined each light was a fairy with long hair. But fireflies are disappearing. While the exact reason isn't known, several factors are suspected: habitat (栖息地) loss, light pollution and harmful chemicals.
As the human population continues to grow, more and more wild habitats will be developed for our use. The more we destroy forest land, the fewer fireflies there will be--- unless we start living in some totally different ways.
Another part of the problem is light pollution. Both female and male fireflies use their glowing lights to communicate with one another to find mates. Research has shown that lights — both streetlights or lights from a house, and temporary, like car headlights — make it harder for fireflies to communicate. If mom and dad fireflies can’t find each other to mate (交配) because they're thrown off by car headlights, young fireflies never get created.
White firefly number will continue to decline in some places, in others they're becoming an attraction. In China, firefly pupae (蛹) were brought into some special parks. One of the first of these parks, in the city of Wuhan in Hubei province, opened in 2015. The response was so positive that the park planned to open annually.
Kids who grow up without fireflies will never know what they're missing. The little lovely bugs are a magical addition to the landscape, but once they die out, they will exist only in the memories of older people. If you'd like to keep fireflies around in real life, you can help create firefly habitats in and around your own home.
1. What might cause the number of fireflies to decrease?| A．The effect of air pollution. |
| B．The loss of natural habitats. |
| C．The growth of population. |
| D．The over-use of chemicais. |
| A．likely to get lost | B．find mates easily |
| C．lose sight temporarily | D．unable to produce young |
| A．How to keep fireflies around. |
| B．How chemicals harm fireflies. |
| C．How to stop fireflies' habitat loss. |
| D．How fireflies struggle to live on. |
【推荐2】Scientists are seeking new and creative ways to deal with climate change. As well as reducing our carbon dioxide sent into the air, scientists say we must remove the gas from the air to keep Earths temperature down.
One expert has now suggested pouring carbon dioxide into deep trenches (海沟), forming vast liquid lakes, Steve Goldthorpe, an energy analyst based in New Zealand, says the lakes could forever hold vast quantities of carbon dioxide. This is because once the gas reaches a depth of 3,000 meters it is denser (密度大) than water, meaning it naturally sinks to the seafloor.
“If liquid CO2 were to be placed in such a trench, it would be 7 per cent more dense than seawater and could remain forever as a lake of liquid CO2 on the ocean floor,” Mr Goldthorpe wrote in his paper, “the stored carbon dioxide could become solid over time, which would stop it mixing with ocean currents.”
Previously, experts have suggested burying the extra carbon dioxide deep underground, possibly in abandoned (废弃的) oil and gas fields. While first tests have shown that this method has potential, scientists are still unsure whether people would accept the fix.
Carbon dioxide lakes do form naturally in the cold, high-pressure depths of the ocean, but they are rare.
Researchers have previously given up the idea of ocean CO2 storage because it can make the water more acidic, which may affect ocean ecosystems. Mr Goldthorpe recognizes this in his paper, writing, “Any influence on deep ocean ecosystems would need to be examined.”
1. What is Goldthorpe’s way of fighting climate change?| A．To cut down carbon dioxide sent into air. |
| B．To make the most of the traditional ways. |
| C．To pour carbon dioxide deep into the ocean. |
| D．To dig a large lake for storing carbon dioxide. |
| A．the trench has to be deep enough |
| B．CO2 must first be changed into solid |
| C．the trench has to be large enough |
| D．CO2 must first be taken to the seafloor |
| A．natural storing places rarely exist |
| B．many oil and gas fields will have to be abandoned |
| C．scientists are unsure whether people would accept the fix |
| D．there are concerns on possible damage to the ocean ecosystem |
| A．doubtful | B．cautious |
| C．disapproving | D．determined |
【推荐3】Protecting wildlife has become a tough problem in today’s world. As one of the effort, many countries formulate(制定) related laws to protect wildlife. The need for such protection was realized centuries ago in India.
About 300 BC an India writer described forests that were somewhat like national parks today. The game of killing animals was carefully controlled. Some animals that became dangerous to human visitors were trapped or killed outside the park.
The need for wildlife protection is greater now than ever before. About a thousand kinds of animals are in danger of extinction(灭绝), and the speed at which they are being destroyed has been increasing. With mammals(哺乳动物), for example, the speed of extinction is now about one kind every year. From AD 1 to 1800, the speed was about one kind every fifty years. Everywhere, men are trying to solve the problem of saving wildlife while caring for the world’s growing population(人口).
1. “Protect wildlife” means ______.| A．保护野生动物 | B．保护每一个生命 |
| C．猎杀野生动物 | D．关爱野生动物 |
| A．was understood in India centuries ago |
| B．was described by an India writer about 3,300 years ago |
| C．is not met in many centuries ago |
| D．is not carried out in the forests as well as in national parks |
| A．hunters were given permits to hunt games |
| B．all animals were to be killed |
| C．the game of killing animals was controlled |
| D．no killing of animals was allowed |
4. According to the report, men trying to save wildlife are thinking about ______ as well.
| A．the animals in national parks | B．stricter laws against hunting |
| C．the trees in the forests | D．the growth of the population |
【推荐1】First aid means what it says: the aid, or help that can be given to an injured person first and which is before any other help. Usually the first thing we should do if a serious accident happens is telephone for an ambulance, but sometimes quick actions by us may save someone’s life.
Shock: People often suffer from shock after receiving an injury. The face turns grey and the skin becomes damp and cold. They breathe quickly. They should be kept warm. Cover them with a blanket and give them a warm drink.
Broken Bones: Don’t move the person. Send for an ambulance at once.
Poison: A person who has swallowed the poison should be taken to hospital at once. With some poisons, sleeping pills, for example, it is a good thing to make the person sick by pushing your fingers down his throat. But if he has swallowed some kind of acid, or anything that burns, it would be a bad thing to make the person sick by pushing your fingers down his throat. The poison would burn his throat as it comes up. It is, therefore, best to find out what the person has taken so that you can call to tell the doctor.
Suffocation: This means not being able to breathe. For example, a drowning person will have his lungs full of water. Lay him down with his head lower than the rest of his body so that the water will drain out. If a person has something stuck in his throat, try to remove it with your fingers, or by hitting him on the back. When a person has stopped breathing because of drowning, electric shocks, breathing in a poisonous gas, etc. you can help him to begin breathing again.
Remember: When an accident happens, send someone to telephone for an ambulance at once. Keep the injured person warm and quiet. Give him plenty of air. Do not let other people crowd around him. If you see an injured person who is being looked after, keep away.
1. When someone is injured, what should we do first?| A．Keep him warm with a blanket. |
| B．Call for an ambulance at once. |
| C．Make him sick by pushing your fingers down his throat. |
| D．Lay him down with his head lower. |
| A．leave out | B．squeeze out |
| C．flow away | D．let out |
| A．the importance of first aid |
| B．the symptoms of shock |
| C．the types of injuries |
| D．how to offer first aid |
| A．In a safety booklet. |
| B．In an advertisement. |
| C．In a newspaper. |
| D．In a popular magazine. |
【推荐2】Human beings can use language to communicate, but what about animals? How do they communicate with each other without using language? Well, different animals use different types of communication.
Sounds are one of the most common types of communication in animals. Bats usually follow sound waves to communicate. Birds communicate through their chirping(唧唧叫).Mammals generally use sounds to give calls to other members of their community and whales are good at using sound waves.
Besides sounds, facial expressions are also used by animals. For example, when dogs are angry, they show their teeth barking and raise their ears. When they’re frightened, they pull their ears behind with the mouth open. For another example, when the parent bird brings food for the baby bird, the “begging expression” can be observed on its face.
Next, gestures and body movements are also common in animals. For example, honey bees dance to communicate. A deer waves its tail to warn others of some danger coming closer. A gorilla sticks its tongue out to express anger.
Many animals communicate through smells. They give off pheromones (信息素)to express messages to other animals. Wolves, deer and insects generally use this type of communication. Even amoebas (变形虫)need to communicate and do it by giving out chemicals. The animals use this type of communication to attract others for giving birth to baby animals.
Besides the above means of communication, some animals communicate by touching each other. For example, monkeys express feelings by touching each other’s hands, and they even give hugs and kisses to express love.
1. When a dog shows its teeth barking and raises its－ears, it must be _________.| A．expressing its fear | B．expressing its anger |
| C．begging its owner for something | D．warning its owner of some danger |
| A．produce their young | B．drive their enemies away |
| C．show their different feelings | D．ask for some food |
| A．a deer will waves its tail once it senses danger |
| B．most animals use their smells to attract others |
| C．bats are better at using sound waves than whales |
| D．a gorilla sticks its tongue out when it’s frightened |
| A．Sounds are the most common type of communication in animals. |
| B．Human beings can use language to communicate, but animals can’t. |
| C．Animals can communicate with each other without using language. |
| D．Animals communicate with each other in different ways, such as sound, smell etc. |
【推荐3】English Village is near the city of Paju in South Korea. It has a concert hall theater, and even a city hall. There are restaurants and coffee shops too, and the waiters in them are all English-speaking foreign teachers.
Students of about 13 or 14 years old are sent here to study English for two to four weeks. From nine to nine each day, they put their hearts into games, activities and tasks, which are specially designed to get them to communicate with English speakers. One of the most popular activities is making their own videos by using digital cameras and computers. The students are then asked to talk about their films in English.
There are lots of places for the kids to practice English speaking. For example, they can take money out of a pretend bank, and then use it to tip their waiter at the restaurant.
English village was built by Jeffrey John, an American businessman. He has worked in South Korea for a long time. He wants to make English learning be a happy and enjoyable task. “Everyone in Korea seems afraid of meeting and talking with foreigners,” said John, “but as you can see, the young girls who spent only three days in English Village are a lot more confident. They are no longer afraid of meeting foreigners and answering questions in English.”
1. What is one of the children’s favorite activities in English Village?| A．Going to the theatre. | B．Chatting in the restaurants. |
| C．Working in the pretend bank. | D．Making films by themselves. |
| A．He wanted to make a lot of money. |
| B．He wanted to make English leaning fun. |
| C．He wanted to make a lot of friends. |
| D．He wanted to be a good English teacher. |
| A．is doing business in America |
| B．is good at making his own films |
| C．is now staying in South Korea |
| D．is learning languages in South Korea |
| A．successful | B．boring | C．difficult | D．passive |
