For the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, and in China, the Olympic and Paralympic Games Beijing 2022 will use natural carbon dioxide (CO2) refrigeration systems at four of their ice sports competition and training venues.
The use of the natural CO2 technology is replacing hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), traditionally used to cool ice rinks（溜冰场）and proved to damage the earth’s ozone layer and contribute to global warming. HFCs have a warming impact that is up to four thousand times greater than CO2.
“The Olympic Games are first and foremost a sporting event, but with their global visibility, they also provide an important platform to showcase sustainable solutions, said Marie Sallois, IOC Director for Sustainability.
The use of natural CO2 refrigerants at the Games will help reduce carbon emissions equal to 3, 900 cars per year, cutting them to nearly zero. A similar carbon reduction could be achieved by planting about 1.2 million trees. The system also has a cooling efficiency that is 1.2 times higher than the traditional HFC refrigerants, and can maintain a temperature consistency of 0.5 degrees Celsius or less across ice surfaces, making the ice easier to skate on.
The carbon dioxide used for the technology is collected and purified from industrial waste gases, while the waste heat generated during the refrigeration process is recycled and used for the stadium’s ambient（周围的）heating, hot water for ice making and melting and showers, and the efficient control of indoor temperature and humidity all year around. It is estimated to save up to two million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually compared to the traditional HFC systems.
Beijing 2022 has committed to staging carbon-neutral Games, and the debut（首次亮相）of the new refrigeration technology is among many ways in which it is reducing the Games’ carbon footprint. Beijing 2022 will also power all its venues with renewable energy and use fuel-efficient and clean-energy vehicles for all passenger cars.
1. What do we know about HFCs?| A．It makes Earth warm. | B．It is a new technology. |
| C．It’s only used to cool ice rinks. | D．It will be used in Olympic Beijing 2022. |
| A．They can protect 1.2 million trees. |
| B．They cool more rapidly than traditional ones. |
| C．They will make carbon emissions zero. |
| D．They keep the temperature above 0.5 degrees Celsius. |
| A．It purifies its waste air. | B．It collects CO2 in the open air. |
| C．It controls indoor temperature. | D．It makes a good use of the waste heat. |
| A．Controlling. | B．Winning. |
| C．Holding. | D．Playing. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】The expression“a thirst for knowledge" may soon have a new meaning for millions of people who have no way to get clean water. Researchers have developed a book with specially treated pages that can turn dirty water into clean and drinkable water. They say their invention could improve the lives of many in the developing world.
About 700 million people around the world are at risk of disease or even death because their drinking water is not clean. The water is polluted by harmful bacteria.
The book contains 25 pages. Each page is about one millimeter thick. The pages contain very small particles (微粒) of silver. The pages can be used as filters（过滤器）to remove harmful microorganisms(微生物) that can pollute drinking water. The filter kills the organisms that pass through it.
Pictures on the pages show the dangers of dirty water and how to use the book for those unable to read. The pages are made of filter paper. They are designed to be torn from the book. Water can be poured through the paper to be cleaned.
Ms. Dankovich, the inventor, says each page can treat up to 100 liters of water. She recently presented her invention at the meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston, Massachusetts. She was asked whether she had considered adding classic literature on the book's pages.
"The idea of classic texts—that's of interest maybe later. We have discussed a little bit more exciting text. But we really haven't had the time to go through that part," she says.
Teri Dankovich and another researcher tested the drinkable book in Bangladesh, Ghana and South Africa. The tests proved to be successful.
Water for Life, a non-governmental organization, has provided financial support for the project.
1. What do we learn about the book from the text?| A．It has pages with several functions. | B．It is about environment protection. |
| C．It sells well around the world. | D．It can treat about 100 liters of water. |
| A．Classic texts. | B．Exciting discussion. |
| C．Invention presentation. | D．Financial support. |
| A．Ghana | B．Bangladesh. |
| C．South Africa. | D．America. |
| A．Researchers have found a way to save those being ill. |
| B．Book pages could provide safe drinking water. |
| C．Knowledge is as important as drinkable water. |
| D．Millions of people are in great need of drinkable water. |
【推荐2】Technology is starting to give us superpowers once reserved only for comic book heroes like Spider-Man and Superman. We now live in an age of human enhancement and related technology has captured the attention of the media and investors.
Some of these new technologies achieve their effects by means of electronic devices that connect our brains to external sources of knowledge, sensory data or physical power. We may not get chips implanted in our brains any time soon, but think about Google Glass--who needs an inserted chip when you can wear a computer on your head?
Wearable technology doesn’t only come in the form of a pair of glasses. A Japanese laboratory is working on a more practical prototype (雏形) of a muscle suit than lron Man’s shiny armor (盔甲). The muscle suit, called an exoskeleton, enables the sick and elderly to move around more easily, New Scientist magazine reported. Coveting (觊觎) the powers of Spider-Man, the US military is working on a “Spider-Man suit” that not only lets wearers climb vertical walls, but also allows them to sense approaching objects without looking at or hearing them, according to an American military technology website.
But perhaps you favor more subtle powers like mind control or mind reading. This may one day come true as well. The most amazing human enhancement technologies that have come into reality are devices that interact directly with the human brain.
Q Sensor, created by scientists at MIT, is a wireless sensor that measures electricity conducted through the skin. It can detect whether people are bored, stressed or excited, and therefore has wide applications in research and therapy, the BBC reported.
Scientists envision neural implants that could allow humans to manipulate real-world objects with their mind--a power not unlike mind control. Slate magazine reported this might already be happening.
1. What can be learned from the first two paragraphs?| A．New technologies have brought us into a new era. |
| B．Superpowers of comic book heroes have been widely applied nowadays. |
| C．Human enhancement refers to the superpowers of the comic book heroes. |
| D．Spider-Man and Superman have captured the attention of the media and investors. |
| A．It is implanted in our brains. |
| B．It is technology with inserted chips. |
| C．It is a device which makes us superheroes. |
| D．It is a technology that enhances human power. |
| A．Google Glass. | B．The muscle suit. |
| C．Iron Man’s armor. | D．The Spider-Man suit. |
| A．Explore superpowers for human enhancement |
| B．Go beyond Iron Man’s shiny armor |
| C．Meet superheroes in real life |
| D．Embrace the unknown world |
【推荐3】On my fourth day in a self-driving car, I finally felt comfortable enough to let it stop itself Before then, I’d allowed the car-a Volvo S90 sedan（轿车）to control the direction，with my hands still on the wheel, and to adjust speed in traffic. By Day 4, I was ready to make a jump into the future.
With the car traveling on a busy road, I activated the driverless mode. Soon, a traffic light turned red. For a split second, I prepared to get on the brakes. There was no need. The cameras and computers in the Volvo recognized the traffic conditions and smoothly began applying the brake.
If you’re anything like most people, you’re familiar with this anxiety. Almost 80 percent of Americans fear traveling in a self-driving car, a recent survey found.
Researchers at the University of Chicago have conducted some clever experiments studying the phenomenon. They asked participants to complete tasks and compared their performance with a computer system’s. After the computer made a mistake, people were unwilling to use it again. After the people made mistakes, their self-confidence wouldn’t change. It didn’t matter that the human beings made more mistakes than the computer. So it is with driving. More than 37,000 Americans died in crashes last year, most from human error. The death count from cars goes beyond that from guns. So if you are shocked and angry by guns and want things to change, you should feel the same about car crashes.
Technology creates an opportunity to save lives. Computers don’t get drunk or distracted（走神、分心）by text messages，and they don’t have blind spots. Just look at commercial airlines Automation has helped all but get rid of deadly crashes among American air carriers. The last one happened in 2009.
The technology for self-driving cars still isn’t good enough. But it is improving rapidly! Within a few years, many cars will have advanced crash-avoidance systems and driving will be revolutionized sooner than many people now understand.
1. What does the author describe his experience in paragraph 1 for?| A．Introducing the topic. | B．Introducing a latest car. |
| C．Offering a piece of news. | D．Sharing background information. |
| A．The participants would ignore the mistakes made by the computer. |
| B．The participants lost self-confidence after making mistakes. |
| C．The death count from cars is the same as that from guns. |
| D．Car crashes is no less shocking than gun incidents. |
| A．To create an opportunity to save lives. |
| B．To prove the advantage of technology. |
| C．To find fault with computers. |
| D．To show computers don’t get drunk. |
| A．Doubtful | B．Uncaring |
| C．Supportive. | D．Concerned |
【推荐1】Poaching (偷猎) and habitat loss have threatened Africa’s two species of elephants, taking them closer toward the edge of extinction, according to a new report released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Before this update, Africa’s elephants were grouped together and were evaluated as vulnerable (脆弱的) by the IUCN. This is the first time the two species have been classified separately. In the past, elephants were mostly considered as either Asian elephants or African elephants. Forest and savanna elephants were typically classified as subspecies of African elephants.
The African forest elephant is now listed as critically endangered and the African savanna elephant as endangered. The number of African forest elephants fell by more than 86% over a 31-year assessment period. The population of African savanna elephants dropped by at least 60% over the last 50 years, according to the IUCN, which tracks the assessment risk of the world’s animals. Africa currently has an estimated 415,000 elephants, counting the two species together.
Both elephant species experienced significant population decreases because of poaching. Although it peaked in 2011, illegal hunting still happens and continues to threaten elephant populations. African elephants also face continued habitat loss as their land is converted for agriculture or other uses.
There is some good conservation news, the IUCN points out. Anti-poaching measures, combined with better land use planning to support better human-wildlife relationships, have helped conservation efforts. Some forest elephant population figures have stabilized in well-managed area as in Gabon and the Republic of Congo and savanna population figures have remained stable or have been growing, particularly in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area in southern Africa.
But with persistent demand for ivory and increasing human pressures on Africa’s wild lands, concern for Africa’s elephants is high, and the need to creatively conserve and wisely manage these animals and their habitats is severer than ever.
1. Which of the following can describe African forest elephants?| A．Their situation is terrible. |
| B．They are divided into two kinds. |
| C．They’re under threat due to poaching only. |
| D．Their population has grown in Gabon. |
| A．Expanded. | B．Accumulated. |
| C．Transformed. | D．Classified. |
| A．Uninterested. | B．Worried. |
| C．Uncertain. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．Poaching should be stopped. |
| B．Poaching and habitat loss will make elephants extinct. |
| C．More and more African elephants are being illegally hunted. |
| D．Africa’s elephant species are now endangered and should be protected. |
【推荐2】People’s creativity knows no bounds. There is always something new being developed that promises to improve people’s quality of life. These two inventions promise to do just that.
Riding a bicycle is an enjoyable activity. Most people wear a helmet to protect their heads as accidents do happen and can be deadly. Helmets protect to a degree, but now a Swedish company has something even better. Meet Hövding 3, an airbag for cyclists that blows up to protect the head in an accident. A scientific study shows that it protects the head much better than a traditional bike helmet. The Hövding 3 airbag is worn around the neck like a collar. If the cyclist is in an accident, the airbag fills with air in 0.1 seconds.
The Hövding 3 is easy to use. Just charge it up, zip it around your neck and activate it. It can also be linked to your smartphone. Then if you have an accident, the Hövding app will notify your selected contacts. At €349 (about USS380) the device isn’t cheap, but if it saves your life, it’s worth it.
Have you ever heard of electronic skin, also known as e-skin? Just as your skin can feel things, electronic skin can “feel,” too. Made of special materials that are stretchy, e-skin can twist and stretch without breaking. It can also detect changes in temperature, pressure and wetness wherever it is used. E-skin is being combined with wearable health monitors, making them last longer and more comfortable for the wearer.
E-skin can be put on robots that need to “feel” their environment and help them interact with the world around them. This is exactly how humans use their sense of touch to feel and respond to different stimuli (刺激物). For example, e-skin can be used to make prosthetic limbs (义肢) feel pressure and temperature changes. This would allow the person to have a better sense of touch, feel and control of the limb.
Scientists and engineers are still working on improving the technology behind e-skin. They want to make it even more sensitive and responsive.
1. The expression “knows no bounds” in the first paragraph most probably means “________”| A．shows no changes | B．has no limits |
| C．promises no drawbacks | D．gets no bad results |
| A．is very much complicated to use | B．is a life-saving but low-cost device |
| C．can inform the contacts of the injured | D．can injure the wearers with its airbag |
| A．It has been mass-produced recently. |
| B．It lacks flexibility and is easily worn out. |
| C．It loses its sense of temperature in the sea. |
| D．It is highly similar to human skin in function. |
| A．new inventions are changing our lives |
| B．the two technologies are already quite perfect |
| C．the future of modern technologies is uncertain |
| D．robots play a key role in scientific experiments |
【推荐3】Putting a microchip (芯片) into one’s brain brings the world a super hero, which is common in sci-fi movies. However, we may find it possible in reality.
Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX and co-founder of electric car maker Tesla — has been working on this technology. On Aug 28, Musk gave a livestream demonstration of the chip, which was implanted into the head of a pig named Gertrude.
The chip, developed by Musk’s company, is the size of a coin. But don’t let its size fool you. The tiny chip has over 3,000 electrodes (电极) attached to flexible threads, which can monitor about 1,000 neurons (神经元). It collects neural signals from an area of the brain, and then transmits those signals wirelessly to nearby computers. In the livestream, Gertrude could be seen walking around sniffing the ground while a monitor showed her brain activity.
Though the technology is still in its early stage, it is encouraging for humans. This technology “would solve a lot of brain injuries”, which allows the human brain to combine with an artificial intelligence, Musk said.
When the device can be applied to humans, its main goal will be to help those who have mobility issues, such as those suffering from paralysis. Musk hopes this technology could also be used to help those with hearing and eyesight issues and one day lead to a cure for epilepsy (癫痫).
Although such a device could, in principle, repair those problems, putting it into practice is by no means a piece of cake. Currently, the device can transmit signals from about 500 neurons in the pig’s brain. Compared to 80 billion neurons in a human brain, this number is tiny. And to cover the whole human brain also means the electrodes have to be much smaller. Also, implanting the chip into the brain poses a potential danger. There is a possibility of the immune system attacking this foreign body.
Right now, the hope of controlling the brain via controlling a few neurons seems overly optimistic. “There are many technological challenges...to overcome before Neuralink can put its devices to the purposes,” Yuan Lanfeng, an associate professor at the University of Science and Technology of China, told China Daily.
1. What do we know about Elon Musk’s microchip according to the first three paragraphs？| A．It is able to collect wireless signals. | B．It was inspired by sci-fi movie plots. |
| C．It is tiny in size but powerful in function. | D．It has no more than 1, 000 electrodes. |
| A．To develop a cure for epilepsy. |
| B．To monitor animals’ brain activity. |
| C．To contribute to the research in Al technologies. |
| D．To help people with difficult in moving freely. |
| A．Key differences between pigs’ and humans’ brains. |
| B．Hidden challenges and risks in practice. |
| C．Implanting the chip costs a lot. |
| D．The immune system is the major problem to the implant. |
| A．Excited. | B．Cautious. | C．Optimistic. | D．Worried. |
【推荐1】As one of the greatest threats to our existence and to the future of our planet, climate change doesn’t just affect one place, but the whole world.
Thus, at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, which just ended, China has again demonstrated its capability and determination to tackle the global challenge of climate change through putting in place innovative and green technologies to protect the environment.
To achieve this great milestone, China engaged about 300 million Chinese in the planning process, activating the spirit of the Olympic motto of “Faster, Higher, Stronger—Together”. Knowing that preparations for the event, such as the construction of venues, roads and other facilities, could lead to an increase in energy use and carbon emissions, the Beijing 2022 organizing committee was determined to carry out carbon reduction measures such as low-carbon venues, energy use and transportation.
First, regarding low-carbon venues (比赛场馆) and infrastructure (基础设施), a total of 550 kilometers of streets along Beijing’s rivers and lakes were rearranged for use by cyclists and pedestrians. Also, a waterfront pathway running 28. 5 kilometers from the capital’s downtown to its Tongzhou district was opened to the public in 2021.
Second, regarding low-carbon energy use, for the first time in Olympics history, 100 percent of the conventional electricity demand of all venues was supplied by renewable energy. The venues relied on the newly built Zhangbei renewable energy flexible direct current power grid in Zhangjiakou and the cross-regional green power trading mechanism.
Third, a low-carbon transportation system was used. The transportation system within the overall Beijing Games zone mainly relied on electric and natural-gas-powered vehicles. In the Yanqing district zone and the Zhangjiakou zone, hydrogen (氢)-fueled vehicles were used. According to the organizers, a total of about 1, 807 hybrid vehicles, over 800 hydrogen-fueled vehicles, nearly 500 natural gas-fueled vehicles and 370 pure electric vehicles were used.
China has showed the world its commitment to giving top priority to ecological conservation. Indeed, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics provided sustainable initiatives to ensure ecological protection and carbon-neutral Games.
1. What’s the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To offer background information. |
| B．To lead to the topic of the text. |
| C．To show the severity of climate change. |
| D．To call on people to protect our planet. |
| A．defeat. | B．face. |
| C．handle. | D．worry. |
| A．Low-carbon transportation system. |
| B．Low-carbon venues and infrastructure. |
| C．100% use of renewable energy for all venues. |
| D．Hydrogen-fueled and natural gas-fueled vehicles. |
| A．Climate change is getting worse |
| B．China fulfills promise of green Games |
| C．Beijing successfully held 2022 Winter Olympics |
| D．China is determined to protect the environment |
【推荐2】With the completion of the Beijing Winter Games, the city has become the first in the world to host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
As Beijing normally doesn’t have much snow in winter, artificial snow has been used at venues for the Beijing 2022 Olympic winter Games.
“If you want to wait for nature ensured the smooth running of the Winter Games, provide you with all of the required materials to ski on, you risk not being able organize a competition, ”the former International Ski Federation (FIS) freestyle coordinator Joseph Fitzgerald told Xinhua.
Artificial snow has been commonly seen in the Olympic Winter Games for decades ever since its first use in Lake Placid, New York, in 1980. Artificial snow has many benefits. It’s fairer and safer for athletes, competing during each event Competition snow requires a higher density (密度) than recreational snow in order to meet the requirements of the FIS. Different from natural snow, certain characteristics of the artificial snow can be easily changed to meet the qualities and needs of different competition venues (场地).
Snow machines at the Beijing 2022 Winter Games all ran on renewable energy. “We have designed the latest in snow-making. It’s very efficient in terms of energy consumption and the use of water,”Davide Cerato , an Italian mountain operation expert in charge of snow-making in Zhangjiakou, told China Daily. “Water used for snow-making only comes from rainfall and surface run-off, and it can be recycled, Wei Qinghua, the mountain operation manager at the Zhangjiakou, told Shine, a Shanghai-based news platform. A sewage (污水) treatment station has also been established to process the sanitary (卫生的) sewage from the competition zone into recycling water for plant-watering and toilet use, Sun Xianghui, an engineer from Beijing Beikong Jing’ao Construction Corporation, told Xinhua.
1. Which of the following does Joseph probably agree with?| A．The Winter Games should not only rely on natural snow. |
| B．Organizers are advised to use artificial and natural snow. |
| C．Natural snow can bring risks and challenges to winter sports. |
| D．The required material for the Winter Games is hard to obtain. |
| A．High requirements and qualities of the FIS. |
| B．Artificial snow’s better quality than natural snow. |
| C．The advantages of artificial snow in competitions. |
| D．The wide use of artificial snow in the Winter Games. |
| A．They are very environmentally friendly. |
| B．They can produce certain types of rainfall. |
| C．They process the sewage for watering plants. |
| D．They use sanitary sewage and recycling water. |
【推荐3】Beijing normally doesn’t have much snow in winter, so artificial (人工的) snow was used at venues (场地) for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
“This is by far the best man-made snow I’ve ever skied on,” American freestyle skier Ashley Caldwell said at a press conference.
Although sometimes mixed with natural snow, artificial snow has mostly been used in competitions in the past five to 10 years.
Snow-making machines were first used at the Lake Placid 1980 Winter Olympics in the United States. At Sochi 2014 in Russia, 80 percent of the snow was artificial, and the figure was 90 percent at Pyeongchang 2018 in South Korea.
Cooled water and compressed (压缩的) air are mixed in the machine and shot out into water droplets (水滴). With the help of low temperatures, these droplets will become ice crystals (晶体).
There are totally nine types of snow made by snow machines, with different water content. The smaller type number is closer to powder snow. The larger number means the snow is wetter. Drier snow is used in the daytime, while No. 7 or No. 8 snow is used during the nighttime with over -20 ℃. Different types of snow are chosen for different sports.
“In most cases, No. 5 snow is used,” revealed Wei Qinghua, mountain operation manager of the Zhangjiakou Guyangshu venues for Beijing 2022.
However, there are concerns regarding the environmental problems of using so much water for snow-making.
“Water used for snow-making only comes from rainfall and surface runoff (径流), and it can be recycled,” Wei pointed out.
“For water from melted snow, we have two lakes which can store it so that it can be used for agriculture, irrigation, tourism and landscaping.”
1. Why are Ashley Caldwell’s words mentioned in the text?| A．To explain the advantages of artificial snow. |
| B．To show the quality of the artificial snow used. |
| C．To comment on the management of the venues. |
| D．To call for attention to the research on artificial snow. |
| A．It is still not as good as natural snow. |
| B．It is made of water and ice mixed in machines. |
| C．It falls into eight types depending on water content. |
| D．It has been widely used in the Olympic Winter Games. |
| A．Natural snow. | B．Powder snow. | C．Drier snow. | D．Wetter snow. |
| A．Underground water is pumped up for use. |
| B．Snow-making makes more water wasted. |
| C．Water from melted snow is collected and reused. |
| D．Natural snow is made use of as much as possible. |
