Leonora Buenviaje has been making women’s clothes out of waste materials, usually dresses. She says wearing clothes made from waste materials can be both economical and look good.
Buenviaje is 51-years-old and from Cainta in the Philippines. To make her dresses, she uses a foot-operated sewing machine (缝纫机) to join together the waste materials. These include recycled newspapers, plastic wrapping and rice sacks. She creates new and beautiful clothes women can wear. They are sometimes completed with a piece called a headdress that goes on top of the head.
“The bubble wraps (气泡包装) from delivery packages are nice looking and make for a good design, especially the black and white wraps,” she said. Bubble wrap is a plastic product that is used to protect goods that are being delivered. She said white bubble wraps were good for making wedding dresses. The dresses sell for between $30 to $50. They are used for everything from coming-of-age parties for a woman’s 18th birthday, called debuts (首秀), to weddings.
In Asia, there is plenty of waste material for Buenviaje to work with: about 80 percent of the world ocean plastic is estimated to come from Asian rivers. A 2021 report by Oxford University’s online publication, Our World in Data, found that the Philippines is responsible for one third of Asia’s ocean plastic pollution.
“It’s important to recycle or utilize waste materials so we can help our earths,” said Lalaine Alcalde, who buys clothes from Buenviaje. Buenviaje said the recycled materials used for each dress depend on what her buyers are looking for.
1. What can we learn about Buenviaje from paragraph 2?| A．She likes wearing beautiful clothes. | B．She is considerate and responsible. |
| C．She made headdress from newspapers. | D．She is creative and positive. |
| A．Modern weddings. | B．Protecting goods. |
| C．Special occasions. | D．Reducing pollution in Asia. |
| A．Make use of. | B．Get rid of. | C．Pick up. | D．Clear up. |
| A．Bubble Wraps: An Inspiration for Good Designs |
| B．Philippine Designer Makes Women’s Clothes Out of Waste |
| C．Ocean Plastic Pollution: A Threat to People’s Life |
| D．Philippine Designer Provides Recycled Clothes for Women |
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【推荐1】Marielle Bacason was 22 when she experienced the storm that would change her life. On November 8, 2013, she held onto whatever she could as the wind of up to 315 kilometers per hour destroyed everything in its path. When the wind finally died down and the storm became less violent, this is what she saw:
“You could not distinguish the roads and dead bodies of people and animals everywhere. We feared for our safety every day, especially during the night. We just wanted to leave Tacloban... I was traumatised,” she says.
In her hometown of Tacloban, in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines, southeast from the capital of Manila, her home and everything she owned was damaged Super Typhoon Haiyan was the strongest storm to hit the country reportedly killing over 6,300 people, though the locals said the toll (伤亡人数) was much higher.
Recovering from an event like this is no easy task. Marielle and others asked: Why me? Why did this happen? Who is responsible? For the past five years, Marielle has been trying to find the answers. That’s why she along with other amazing women, are taking on some of the world’s largest coal, oil and gas companies, including ExxonMobil, bp, Chevron and Shell, for contributing to the human harm resulting from the impacts of climate change.
Caused by a petition (请愿书) filed in 2015 by representatives of communities and organizations across the Philippines, this investigation (调查) by the Commission on Human Rights (人权委员会) of the Philippines is the first of its kind to be launched by an independent constitutional office. The result, which won’t be known until early 2019, could be game changer for the fossil fuel industry.
Marielle, who is now working as research nurse in London, puts it simply:
“All I ask of these big companies is to allow our children, grandchildren, and the future generations to be able to enjoy an undamaged planet I just ask that they consider the long-term effects of their actions.”
1. How did Marielle feel after the storm?| A．Puzzled. | B．Shocked. | C．Embarrassed. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．To push them to help her hometown recover. |
| B．To completely drive them out of her country. |
| C．To get back all her possessions lost in the storm. |
| D．To ask them to be environmentally responsible. |
| A．It might greatly influence the fossil fuel industry. |
| B．It’s being carried out by Marielle and her colleagues. |
| C．It’ll have long-term-effect on Tacloban’s economy. |
| D．It’ll measure the damage caused by Super Typhoon Haiyan. |
| A．She’s an easy-going woman. | B．She cares little about climate change. |
| C．She holds strong social responsibility. | D．She used to be a research nurse in London. |
【推荐2】Ways to Save the Ocean
It’s no doubt that the ocean needs our help.
Still, however much we understand that reducing and recycling is not enough, small actions can help us save the ocean. With this in mind, we’ve rounded up some simple actions we can all take to save the ocean.
Commit to a plastic-free lifestyle. So, in order to help save the ocean, many people are committing to a plastic-free lifestyle. The United Nations (UN) has even encouraged the public to think about how they deal with plastic and the ways they can live without it, or replace it:
Turn your food waste into compost (混合肥料). Composting food waste is an easy way to reduce methane (甲烷). Not only does compost reduce methane production, it can also help you fertilize your personal garden.
| A．Reduce your carbon footprints. |
| B．Use those reusable things in your daily life. |
| C．And try decreasing your food waste by shopping locally |
| D．Just remember: the fight for saving the ocean doesn’t end here. |
| E．Of course, there are many other essential organizations in the world. |
| F．It's likely that a lot of your self-care products contain damaging materials. |
| G．The best thing that you can do for the ocean is to join a movement to save it. |
【推荐3】Nearly every nation is coming up short — most of them far short — in their efforts to fight climate change, and the world is unlikely to hold warning to the internationally agreed-upon limit, according to a new scientific report.
Gambia, a tiny country in Africa, is the only nation that is cutting emissions (排放) and taking up its share of actions to keep the world from exceeding the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting warming to 1.5℃ above preindustrial times, according to the report. Only one industrialized nation — the United Kingdom—is even close to doing what it should to cut emissions of heat-trapping gases and finance clean energy for poorer nations, the Climate Action Tracker(CAT)reported.
Enough nations promised big enough carbon pollution cuts that the CAT said the “emissions gap” — the difference between emissions projections (预测) with the promises and what’s required to meet the 1.5-degree goal — dropped by 11%.
“That momentum (势头) has not been maintained,” said Bill Hare, report co-author and CEO of Climate Analytics. “We’re running short of countries stepping up with additional emission commitments to close the gap.”
Unlike its previous reports, which just looked at promises to cut carbon pollution and policy changes, the new ratings include money issues. Finance is critical to climate negotiations this fall in Scotland, so the report examined commitments by rich nations to help pay for clean energy for poor nations, according to Hare.
That hurt the United States and European Union rankings. The report called efforts by the United States, the European Union, Germany and Japan “insufficient” and more in line with global warming of 3℃ since the late 19th century. The world has already warmed by 1.1℃ since that time, so these countries will make the world 1.9℃ warmer than it is now.
Hare said Brazil and Mexico “went backwards” on their fight to control warming. The report lists Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Thailand at the bottom.
1. What does the underlined word “exceeding” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Limiting. | B．Changing. | C．Working towards. | D．Going beyond. |
| A．The global warming will be soon controlled. |
| B．Global nations are struggling to bridge “emissions gap”. |
| C．More countries are needed to solve the global climate change. |
| D．Many nations keep the promises of carbon pollution reduction. |
| A．Additional emission. | B．Climate negotiations. | C．Smaller population. | D．Insufficient funds. |
| A．Economy. | B．Environment. | C．Technology. | D．Entertainment. |
【推荐1】Revolutionary Glasses Make It Safe to Drive at Night
Did you know that more than 40 percent of all deadly car accidents occur at night? A recent breakthrough eyeglass technology has made it safe to drive at night. It’s almost like having “X-ray” vision (视力) while driving.
Spend money on your safety and peace of mind behind the wheel with a pair of these cutting-edge night driving glasses. The amount of car accidents that occur at night is mostly the result of poor visibility. Even with 60% less traffic on the road at night, accidents still happen due to blinding light and just overall bad driving visibility.
Imagine being able to clearly see what’s in front of you and what’s approaching, even if it’s very dark and foggy. Once you start wearing ClearView night glasses, you’ll feel much more confident and safe driving when it’s getting dark. With ClearView you will notice an instant reduction in strong light from oncoming traffic and bright street lights.
This is because the special yellow lens tint (镜片色彩) can block strong blue light, and increase contrast (对比). ClearView passes the global traffic light standard for safer sharper vision at night with flying colors.
You can start using ClearView immediately even if you wear glasses. Simply place ClearView on top of your glasses and be amazed by the difference this technology makes!
Is it worth it? Absolutely! Keep a pair in each of your cars to make sure you have your glasses at hand when night comes. If you care about your family’s safety then this is a no-brainer.
1. According to the text, the main cause of unsafe driving at night is________.| A．heavy traffic | B．low visibility | C．poor eyesight | D．bad driving |
| A．It cures night blindness. |
| B．It passes the national standard. |
| C．It provides “X-ray” vision for drivers. |
| D．It reduces the brightness of strong light. |
| A．To inform. | B．To explain. | C．To promote. | D．To entertain. |
【推荐2】Denmark has one of the lowest rates of bullying (欺凌) in schools. But this is something that didn’t happen overnight. Anti-bullying programs were introduced in Danish schools over 15 years ago, according to Euronews, but it’s something that has to be constantly updated to meet the changing times.
Programs begin in primary grades where children are taught empathy (共情) and how to avoid bullying. At the Sluseholmen Skole school in Copenhagen, meditation and hugs are part of the morning routine. According to Maja Hindsgaul, a teacher at the school, this is the key to well-being.
“I’m the one they can talk to if something is difficult. And I’m actually talking a lot about who I am and what I like and it’s OK if they like to hug. I like that, too,” she told Euronews. “Of course, they have to learn to read and write and things like that, but they can do that if they feel safe. It’s my task to make them feel safe so that they can develop social skills at school.”
Learning how to live with one another is a large part of the anti-bullying programs and this appears to be working well in the younger grades. “We’re always trying to get the kids to work together in different types of groups, across genders and not always with their best friends,” said teacher Louise Ibsen. “They’re also practicing social skills for how to communicate.”
A new program was rolled out in the 2021/22 school year according to a Mary Foundation news release. Our School Strength is a joint effort from the Mary Foundation, Borns Vilkar, a Danish child organization, and Save the Children Denmark. The program is the result of four years of research and cooperation by the nonprofit groups. It’s designed to deal with bullying up to grade 10 and focuses on students’ well-being and to help the youth feel that they are accepted and play an active role in the community. Anti-bullying programs that teach children empathy for others at a young age can make a big difference when these students become teenagers.
1. Which word can best describe the anti-bullying programs?| A．Unsuccessful. | B．Effective. | C．Outdated. | D．Smooth. |
| A．By giving them constant hugs. | B．By practicing meditation. |
| C．By showing sympathy for them. | D．By offering support. |
| A．Developing students’ social skills. | B．Keeping students working out. |
| C．Providing a different atmosphere. | D．Improving students’ learning state. |
| A．Measures Are Being Taken in Denmark to Expand Schools |
| B．Teachers Are Focused on Promoting Well-being in Denmark |
| C．Denmark’s Empathy Measures Work in Reducing Bullying |
| D．Denmark’s Anti-bullying Programs Are Recognized Globally |
【推荐3】Deciduous forests(落叶林) are home to many wild animals. The development and expansion of human presence in the forests has caused many of their native species to become endangered.
Giant Panda
The giant panda, one of the most recognizable endangered species, is a large, docile species of bear native to the deciduous forest of eastern China Myanmar and Vietnam because of its limited diet--the panda’s main source of food is bamboo--the species is limited in its habitat to areas where bamboo is available. Now the species only can be found today in 20small patches of forest at the western edge of its historic range.
Gray and red wolves
The gray wolf, which once ranged from the East Coast of America to the west, and south to Mexico, now has a population of only 5,000 in the lower 48 states, mostly in the Rocky Mountains. The smaller red wolf, native to the southeastern United States, was declared extinct in the wild in 1980, though conservation efforts have reintroduced small captive populations to the wild in California.
Red-Crowned crane
The red -crowned crane is native to Japan, Korea and eastern China. Agricultural expansion and deforestation in these areas have removed a great deal of the marshes and forests that are the crane’s primary habitats. For a time, the crane was thought to have completely disappeared from Japan, but the recent discovery of cranes in Japanese marshlands has restarted conservation efforts. Today, around 2,500 cranes live in the wild, including 1,000 in Japan.
European Mink
Native to Europe, the European mink ranges from France in the west to Finland in the north, Russia in the cast and the Balkans in the south. Destruction of the mink habitat and use of the species for fur have caused dramatic drops in the species’ population, which has been reduced by 85 percent since the mid-19th century.
1. What has caused the wild animals to become endangered?| A．Global warming. | B．International trade. |
| C．Environmental pollution. | D．The invasion of mankind. |
| A．The loss of their natural food. |
| B．The hunting of human beings. |
| C．Drought and forest fire. |
| D．Excessive deforestation. |
| A．To call for more efforts to protect forests. |
| B．To study the living habits of wild animals. |
| C．To introduce some endangered species. |
| D．To find ways to protect wild animals. |
