Going green seems to be fad (时尚) for a lot of people these days. Whether that is good or bad, we can’t really say, but for the two of us, going green is not a fad but a lifestyle.
On April 22,2011,we decided to be green every single day for an entire year. This meant doing 365 different things, and it also meant challenging ourselves to go green beyond the easy things. Rather than recycle and reduce our energy, we had to think of 365 different things to do and this was no easy task.
With the idea of going green every single day a year, Our Green Year started. My wife and I decided to educate people about how they could go green in their lives and hoped we could show people all green things that could be done to help the environment. We wanted to push the message that every little bit helps.
Over the course of Our Green Year, we completely changed our lifestyles. We now shop at organic (有机的) stores. We consume less meat, choosing green food. We have greatly reduced our buying we don’t need. We have given away half of what we owned through websites. Our home is kept clean by vinegar and lemon juice, with no chemical cleaners. We make our own butter, enjoying the smell of home-made fresh bread. In our home office anyone caught doing something ungreen might be punished.
Our minds have been changed by Our Green Year. We are grateful for the chance to have been able to go green and educate others. We believe that we do have the power to change things and help our planets.
1. What might be the best title for the passage?| A．Going Green. | B．Protecting the Planet. |
| C．Keeping Open-Minded | D．Celebrating Our Green Year. |
| A．they were expected to follow the green fad |
| B．they didn’t know how to educate other people |
| C．they were unwilling to reduce their energy |
| D．they needed to perform unusual green tasks |
| A．They tried to get out of their ungreen habits. |
| B．They ignore others’ ungreen behavior. |
| C．They chose better chemical cleaners. |
| D．They sold their home-made food. |
| A．The government will give support to the green people. |
| B．The couple may continue their project in the future. |
| C．Some people disagree with the couple’s green ideas. |
| D．Our Green Year is becoming a national campaign. |
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【推荐1】The idea of turning recycled plastic bottles into clothing is not new. During the past five years, a large number of clothing companies, businesses and environmental organizations have started turning plastics into clothing to deal with plastic pollution. But there’s a problem with this method. Research now shows that microfibers(微纤维)could be the biggest source of plastic in the sea.
Dr. Mark Browne in Santa Barbara, California, has been studying plastic pollution and microfibers for 10 years. He explains that every time synthetic(合成)clothes go into a washing machine, a large number of plastic fibers fall off. Most washing machines can’t collect these microfibers. So every time the water gets out of a washing machine, microfibers enter the sewer and finally end up in the sea.
In 2011, Browne wrote a paper stating that a single piece of synthetic clothing can produce more than 1,900 fibers per wash. Browne collected samples(样本)from seawater and freshwater sites around the world, and used a special way to examine each sample. He discovered that every single water sample contained microfibers.
This is bad news for a number of reasons. Plastic can cause harm to sea life when eaten. Studies have also shown that plastic can take in other pollutants.
Based on this evidence, it may seem surprising that companies and organizations have chosen to turn plastic waste into clothing as an environmental “solution”. Ever though the science has been around for a while, Browne explains that he’s had a difficult time getting companies to listen. When he asked well-known clothing companies to support “Benign by Design”, his research project, which is trying to get clothes that have a bad effect on humans and the environment out of the market, Browne didn’t get a satisfying answer. Only one woman’s clothing company, Eileen Fisher, offered Browne funding.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．New microfibers have been discovered. |
| B．Making clothes from plastic bottles can’t solve the pollution. |
| C．The use of plastic bottle has been reduced in the past five years. |
| D．Turning recycled plastic bottles into clothing hasn’t been put into practice. |
| A．How to wash synthetic clothes. |
| B．How to prevent plastic pollution. |
| C．How microfibers end up in the sea. |
| D．Relationship between synthetic clothes and microfibers. |
| A．It has achieved great success. |
| B．It is facing some difficulties. |
| C．It is supported by many firms. |
| D．It hasn’t got anything done. |
| A．Recycled plastic clothing: solution or pollution? |
| B．The impact of Microfibers on the sea. |
| C．Environmental protection: moving forward or backward? |
| D．Turning plastic into clothing, a new step in environmental protection. |
【推荐2】A Purdue University invention could save millions of taxpayer dollars and significantly reduce traffic delays. The new invention, a sensor that allows concrete to “talk”, decreases construction time and how often concrete pavement (路面) needs repairs while also improving the road’s sustainability and cutting its carbon footprint. Fixed directly into a concrete pour the sensor sends engineers more precise and consistent data about the concrete’s strength and need for repairs than is possible with currently used tools and methods.
“Traffic jams caused by repairs have wasted 4 billion hours and 3 billion gallons of gas, on a yearly basis. This is mainly due to insufficient knowledge and understanding of concrete’s strength levels,” said Luna Lu, who has been leading development of the sensor since 2017. “For instance, we don’t know when concrete will reach the right strength needed to accommodate traffic loads just after construction. The concrete may be put into use too early,leading to frequent repairing,” she added.
With the technology Lu and her team invented, engineers can directly monitor the fresh concrete and accurately measure many of its properties at once. The sensor notifies engineers via a smartphone app exactly when the pavement is strong enough to handle heavy traffic. The stronger the pavement is before being used by vehicles, the less often it will need to be repaired. By decreasing road repairs and construction timelines, this technology could reduce carbon dioxide that vehicles would have given off while waiting in traffic to get around a construction site.
Methods that the industry has used for more than a century call for testing large samples of concrete at a lab or onsite facility. Even though these tests are well understood by the industry, differences between lab and outdoor conditions can lead to inaccurate estimates of the concrete’s strength due to the different concrete compositions and temperatures of the surrounding area.
1. What can be learned about the new invention?| A．It decreases accidents. |
| B．It is costly to produce. |
| C．It reduces road repairs. |
| D．It is difficult to operate. |
| A．Waste caused by road repairs. |
| B．Characteristics of the concrete. |
| C．Situations of road constructions. |
| D．Necessity of inventing the sensor. |
| A．Signals. | B．Awakes. | C．Monitor. | D．Examines. |
| A．Samples must be tested on the spot. |
| B．The results turn out to be unreliable. |
| C．Fewer properties have been measured. |
| D．Concrete is tested in certain temperature. |
【推荐3】Begun 30 years ago, the Kubuqi desert greening project has succeeded in not only controlling the fast growth of the seventh-largest desert in China, about the size of Kuwait, but also turning about 6,000 square kilometers of the desert — one-third of it — green.
The desert lies about 800 kilometers to the west of Beijing in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region (自治区) and the greening efforts have also controlled desertification (沙漠化) in the rest of the area.
The project, which began about 30 years ago, can be looked to as an example of efforts to advance green development, in order to create harmony between humans and nature, and leave a better environment for future generations.
The success of the project, which has been praised by the UN Environment Programme as an “eco-pioneer”, sets an example for successful desertification control and ecosystem improvement based on effective government policies, supported by investment (投资) in the eco-industry and combined with the efforts of local farmers. These three aspects are key to the success of the “Kubuqi model”.
Elion, a private ecology (生态) and investment company, has invested about 38billion yuan ($5.82 billion) in the Kubuqi desert-greening project since 1988 helping to lift about 102,000 local farmers out of poverty. For example, the locals grow a drought-tolerant (耐旱) plant, Chinese licorice, which is the most used herb in traditional Chinese medicine. The plant helps enrich the desert soil, with the bacteria around the roots of the plants producing nitrogen(氮气). Besides, Cistanche, another type of drought-tolerant herb, was introduced after the successful planting of licorice. Under the company’s guidance and with the local government’s support, the local people benefit from the “environmental wealth”.
More companies should be encouraged to apply the “Kubuqi model” in other desert control projects in Inner Mongolia and neighboring Gansu province, where the climate conditions are similar but not quite the same, so as to further gain experience and enrich the model in practice. Showing it can be successfully applied in other areas will help promote the model worldwide.
1. What do we know about the Kubuqi greening project?| A．It increases the areas of desert. |
| B．It has turned all of the desert green. |
| C．It has achieved satisfying results. |
| D．It is applied all over the world. |
| A．Efforts of local farmers. |
| B．Government policies’ support. |
| C．Investment in the eco-industry. |
| D．Help from the UN Environment Programme. |
| A．By following the time order. |
| B．By giving examples. |
| C．By giving a definition (定义). |
| D．By making comparisons. |
| A．Negative. | B．Doubtful. |
| C．Supportive. | D．Indifferent. |
【推荐1】At the beginning of every school year, I feared coming home with the heavy homework of the first day after a summer of fun. And I feared getting another teacher who had a long list of rules and a stare that could kill a cat.
But there was always one part of beginning a new school year that I enjoyed. I always liked going to the store to arm myself with new school supplies—even if I didn’t need them.
Sure, my pencils, erasers and notebooks from the previous school year may have had some life left in them. But this didn’t matter. Every year, Dad would pile us into the car, take us to Wal-Mart and let us buy the newest and coolest pencils, rainbow-coloured erasers and spiral notebooks.
Besides school supplies, many parents also take their kids on annual shopping spree for new clothes and book bags just in time for school. During the whole process, children are in high spirits, buying a lot of stuff and are back home exhausted.
Every year, most of my classmates and I show up to school on the first day with something smelling like a new car. We’d put our new stationery on top of the desks, just to make sure others see them.
Leftover supplies from past years were always stuffed into the living room desk. Used clothes that had lost their appeal were sent to second-hand shops, where they would be sold for 50 cents a piece.
However, all of the new stuff could only make us excited about going to school for one week, after which the usual boredom and fear come back.
1. What is NOT TRUE about the author at the beginning of a new school year in the passage?| A．He often has to face a new teacher. |
| B．He doesn’t enjoy the load of work from school. |
| C．He doesn’t appreciate strict teachers. |
| D．He obtains new school supplies from the school. |
| A．Because the old ones are used up. |
| B．Because new pencils help them to study better. |
| C．Because they want to show their new stuff off. |
| D．Because it’s required by the school. |
| A．competition | B．considerable embarrassment |
| C．wild celebration | D．emotional pain |
| A．They are put aside and forgotten. | B．They are given to poorer children. |
| C．They are sold online . | D．They are treasured by the students. |
【推荐2】In 2021, Henan TV has gone viral by promoting traditional culture through Chinese dance. It produced seven dance pieces highlighting traditional culture, such as Rhapsody on the Luo River Goddess(《洛神水赋》), a two-minute underwater dance, and Dragon Boat Festival and Guardian Warriors of Longmen (《龙门金刚》), a dance piece supported by AR technology against the backdrop of the Longmen Grottoes.
“The seven dance pieces have gained nearly 30 billion hits on social media platforms,” said Yao Wei, director of the TV station’s Innovation Center, at a three-day forum centering on the research of Chinese dance.
The pieces made an emotional impact on audiences, especially the young generations. “It’s been over forty years since the country’s reform and opening-up and the younger generations have grown up with a more open mindset. With plenty of resources and opportunities, they embrace Chinese culture and be proud of it,” said Yao. “What we need is to present Chinese culture and tradition in interesting ways for those young people.”
Yao added that Henan TV has been producing shows highlighting traditional culture, such as traditional operas and kung fu, for nearly 30 years.
“To appeal to younger audiences, we are also changing our shows. One of the keys is to produce content with strong visual creativity,” Yao said. “For example, the latest technology and unconventional (新奇的) stage settings, like underwater scenes, have become our new ways of telling stories about traditional Chinese culture, rather than simply narrating history with traditional video content.”
Another key to successfully reaching younger audiences is using social media platforms to promote their shows. “Social media is being shaped and driven by young people. It’s a powerful form of communication. When they take a quick scroll (滚屏) through their phones, they easily become interested in an eye-catching video.” Yao said.
1. What does the article tell us about the seven dance pieces produced by Henan TV?| A．They were presented in creative ways. |
| B．They were performed by famous stars. |
| C．They were all produced with the help of AR technology. |
| D．They reflected the culture of seven different ethnic minority groups. |
| A．Realize. | B．Welcome. | C．Reject. | D．Introduce. |
| A．To design the stage setting in an innovative way. |
| B．To employ social media to advertise their shows. |
| C．To represent historic events just in a conventional way. |
| D．To take advantage of the latest technology in producing. |
| A．To report on the comeback of traditional Chinese dance. |
| B．To tell the behind-the-scenes stories of the seven dance pieces. |
| C．To introduce the success of the dance series produced by Henan TV. |
| D．To explain how technology helps promote traditional Chinese culture. |
【推荐3】Poet William Stafford once said that we are defined more by the detours in life than by the narrow road toward goals. I like this image. But it was quite by accident that I discovered the deep meaning of his words.
For years we made the long drive from our home in Seattle to my parents’ home in Boise in nine hours. We traveled the way most people do: the fastest, shortest easiest road, especially when I was alone with four noisy, restless kids who hate confinement and have strong opinions about everything.
Road trips felt risky, so I would drive fast, stopping only when I had to. We would stick to the freeways and arrive tired.
But then Banner, our lamb was born. He was rejected by his mama days before our planned trip to Boise. I had two choices: leave Banner with my husband, or take him with me. My husband made the decision for me.
That is how I found myself on the road with four kids, a baby lamb and nothing but my everlasting optimism to see me through. We took the country roads out of necessity. We had to stop every hour, let Banner shake out his legs and feed him. The kids chased him and one another. They’d get back in the car breathless and energized, smelling fresh from the cold air.
We explored side roads, catching grasshoppers in waist-high grass. Even if we simply looked out of the car windows at baby pigs following their mother, or fish leaping out of the water, it was better than the best ride down the freeway. Here was life. And new horizons.
We eventually arrived at my parents’ doorstep astonishingly fresh and full of stories.
Some road trips are by necessity fast and straight. But that trip with Banner opened our eyes to a world available to anyone adventurous enough to wander around and made me realize that a detour may uncover the best part of a journey—and the best part of yourself.
1. Why did the author use to take freeways to her parents’ home?| A．It was less tiring. | B．It would be faster and safer. |
| C．Her kids would feel less confined. | D．She felt better with other drivers nearby. |
| A．relax in the fresh air | B．take a deep breath |
| C．take care of the lamb | D．let the kids play with Banner |
| A．Freeways are where beauty hides. |
| B．Getting close to nature adds to the joy of life. |
| C．Enjoying the beauty of nature benefits one’s health. |
| D．One should follow side roads to watch wild animals. |
| A．Charm of the Detour | B．The Road to Bravery |
| C．Creativity out of Necessity | D．Road Trip and Country Life |
【推荐1】Dr.Nancy Roman, born in 1925, who was celebrated as a pioneer for female scientists and had advanced the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, died on Dec 25, 2018.
When Nancy Roman asked for permission to take a second algebra (代数)course in high school,a teacher demanded to know “what lady would take mathematics instead of Latin”.In college, a professor admitted that he often tried to prevent women from majoring in physics but Nancy stuck to it.And after receiving Doctor’ s degree in astronomy., she found a professional home at NASA(美国宇航局)In 1959, Dr.Roman became the first chief of astronomy at NASA.headquarters, a role that made her one of the agency’s first female leaders.
Dr Roman spent much of her career helping develop, fund and promote technology that would help scientists see more clearly beyond Earths atmosphere.But her most well-known work was perhaps leading to design the Hubble Space Telescope the first major telescope to be sent into space for the purpose of gathering photographs and data from the universe.She was, therefore, named as "the mother of Hubble”.
“She made it possible to get the early telescope up into space to learn what needed to be learned,”said science historian Bob Zimmerman: and her hard-nosed nature helped get the telescope built.
The telescope did not launch until 1990, a little more than a decade after Dr Roman retired, but when it did, its photographs of the universe thrilled the world.I am glad, "she once told Science,"I ignored the people who told me that I could not be an astronomer.”
1. What can we conclude from the teacher’s reaction to Nancy Roman’s application for taking a second algebra course?| A．The teacher doubted it. | B．The teacher didn’t care about it. |
| C．The teacher accepted it at once. | D．The teacher was strongly against it. |
| A．She was one of the founders of NASA. |
| B．She proved the black hole really existed. |
| C．She was the first female astronomer in the world. |
| D．She led to design the Hubble Space Telescope. |
| A．In1969. | B．In1979. |
| C．In1990. | D．In2000. |
| A．She was very proud of what she had done for the country. |
| B．She thought highly of the people who hadn't believed her. |
| C．She was delighted to have become an astronomer in spite of the prejudice on her. |
| D．She had hard-nosed nature and never cared about other people’s opinions. |
【推荐2】In most an museums, the paintings on the wall just look flat, but sometimes visitors come across an image that appears to be three-dimensional(三维的).The artist has cleverly used colors, lines, and shading to give the painting some depth, making it more realistic The artistic technique of creating three-dimensional images of something on a flat surface is called trompe I’oeil.Some artists are adapting the idea of trompe I’oeil to make things become invisible(隐形的), which is called camouflage.
In nature, using camouflage not only allows insects and animals to hide from their natural enemies but also allows them to get close enough to surprise other insects or smaller animals that they want to catch and eat.Artists are not hiding or preparing to attack.Instead, they are using the idea of camouflage to make city space look nicer or to make statements with their art.
It is not difficult to find things that we would like to make disappear such as the dull wall of a large industrial building or the poles carrying electricity wires.Artists can make these things more interesting and in some cases less visible.In many city areas, large buildings have been painted with amazing pictures that trick our eyes.Thus, ordinary brick walls are turned into interesting works of art.
Some artists include camouflage in their work to say something about the modern world we live in.For example, American artist Trina Merry camouflages people so that they disappear in the landscapes(风景) she photographs.Her latest series, New York City blends (融合) women and their environment to create images that closely examine the relationship between people and where they live.“My series shows respect for Big Apple women who feel the need to blend in with everyone else in New York,” Merry says.“I think many women move here hoping to live a city life when the reality is that most women have to change their fancy designer heels(高跟鞋) on the subway for more practical sneakers.”
1. Which of the following words best describes camouflage?| A．Flat. | B．Invisible | C．Dull. | D．Disappointing. |
| A．To make animals look nicer. |
| B．To express people’s artistic ideas. |
| C．To protect animals from natural enemies. |
| D．To give smaller animals or insects a surprise. |
| A．Merry feels the need to fit in with others in the city. |
| B．most women wear fancy dresses in their daily life in the city. |
| C．women in New York have succeeded in being a part of the city. |
| D．Merry’s New York City partly reflects people’s life in modern society. |
| A．a form of art | B．paintings in art museums |
| C．a famous artist | D．women in New York City |
【推荐3】Grand Opening
Bentwood Truck Museum Saturday, November 8, at 10:00 A.M.
After eighteen months of hard work by more than 100 volunteers, the Bentwood Truck Museum is ready to open. The old factory on the corner of Palmer Street and Norman Drive had been scheduled to be destroyed. When Roger Haygood heard about the plans to tear down the building, he bought it so that he could store his collection of old trucks there. Then he had the idea of turning the building into a truck museum.
During the past year and a half, the old building has been transformed into a treasure chest of memories. Instead of a dark and dull house, the building has become a cheery, bright home for all kinds of trucks from the past.
The museum now houses 68 trucks, and we hope to have even more soon. There is a 1959 school bus, a 1942 bakery truck, and a 1937 fire engine. Our oldest vehicle is a 1919 milk truck. Our newest vehicle is a 1966 tow truck.
You can take a ride on a fire truck, a mail truck, or an ice-cream truck. Rides are $2.00, but you can get a ticket for a free ride at any grocery store in Bentwood.
Help us celebrate our grand opening by bringing your family and friends! There is something to interest everyone who attends. The Bentwood Truck Museum is a special piece of our history.
* To get to Bentwood Truck Museum, take Route 29 (Kingston Highway) to Palmer Street.
* Go south on Palmer Street for one block and take a left onto Norman Drive.
* You will see the museum building and the amusement park on your left.
* Parking is available across the street, on your right.
1. In which of the following can visitors take a ride?
| A．A school bus. | B．A bakery truck. |
| C．A milk truck. | D．A mail truck. |
| A．On Kingston Highway. | B．On Robert Street. |
| C．On Norman Drive. | D．On Elliott Street. |
| A．It exhibits trucks dating back to 200 years ago. |
| B．It is not possible for you to drive to the museum. |
| C．It is transformed from an old factory by volunteers. |
| D．It is built because an old factory has been destroyed. |
【推荐1】Natural selection is the process by which one type of animal within a species thrives because of certain characteristics that make it more likely to live than others in its group. The history of the peppered moth（灰蛾）is an example of the natural selection process.
In 19th century England, certain types of peppered moths were able to better blend（融合）into their surroundings. During that time period, great changes were happening in Great Britain. The Industrial Revolution was part of this change, and with it came air pollution. Natural selection often takes hundred or even thousands of years to occur. For the peppered moth, this process occurred comparatively quickly.
At the beginning of the Industrial Age, most peppered moths in England were light-colored and covered with black markings, although a few moths had dark-colored wings. Because the light-colored moths blended into the light-colored bark on the trees, they could not be easily seen by birds that would eat them. As the air grew more polluted, however, tree trunks became covered with soot（烟煤）and became darker. The light-colored moths became easy for birds to see against the dark tree trunks. Since the dark-colored moths now had the advantage, their numbers grew. Within 50 years, the peppered moth went from being mostly light-colored to being mostly dark-colored.
In the 20th century, the air cleared up, and the peppered moth population changed again. As tree trunks lighted due to less soot in the air, light-colored moths once again had an advantage. Their numbers increased as soot levels declined. Depending on their environment, the coloration of the moths helped them to be “naturally selected” to survive.
1. In 19th century, what was one of the causes of great changes in Great Britain?| A．The surroundings. | B．The Industrial Revolution. |
| C．The natural selection. | D．The peppered moth. |
| A．The length of time was unusual. |
| B．The soot levels in England did not affect it. |
| C．The color of peppered moths changed at random. |
| D．It was a good example of environmental protection. |
| A．Dark-colored moths were originally easy to see on trees. |
| B．Both kinds of moths preferred the dark-colored trees. |
| C．Birds failed to see light-colored moths. |
| D．The color of moths was unimportant. |
| A．Birds would eat fewer moths. |
| B．Moths would not be able to stay alive. |
| C．Light-colored moths would disturb people’s life. |
| D．The population of dark-colored moths would increase. |
【推荐2】As the most wonderful tools for learning and teaching English, iPads appeal to more and more students who use them to access online resources in their classrooms. With the help of the thousands of education and language apps available in Apple's app store, students make effective use of the iPad to learn in an interactive environment. Given below is a list of some of the best iPad apps for learning and teaching English.
Grammar Up
Grammar is the heart of any language and, thus, the Grammar Up app is one of the most highly recommended apps for English Learners. This app is specifically designed for people who want to improve their grammar, vocabulary and word selection. It consists of more than 1800 multiple-choice questions grouped under twenty different grammar categories.
Learn English The Fun Way
"Learn English the fun way" is an amazing app for grammar and matching lessons in which English learners get to do simple exercises such as matching an animal or a short description of something to its picture.
SpeakingPal
Recommended as one of the best apps for English educators and learners, SpeakingPal allows users to record and compare their speech with a native English speaker. This amazing app combines video with automatic speech recognition software that tests your English speaking skills. You just have to speak with a video character and get immediate response on how well you said and pronounced all your English words. In short, this app basically understands and rates your speech.
Wordflex Touch Dictionar
Turn your word-meanings search into a fun experience with the Wordflex Touch Dictionary app! Developed exclusively for iPad in association with the Oxford University Press, the Wordflex Touch Dictionary app converts your word entries into attractive trees which you can move, drag, share and reorganize using touch gestures. This app is among the best as it also contains audio pronunciations both in UK and US English, which is a great benefit for English learners.
iBooks
iBooks is a complete book library for the iPad users. It includes the iBookstore and allows users to download and read books for free. It also allows users to save their favorite classics for free. The app features a beautiful bookshelf on which you can browse various books; tap a book to open and read it, and add notes to your favorite paragraphs in the book. You can also create your own texts and upload them into the app.
1. Which app might be the best choice for a kid who is beginning to learn grammar?| A．Grammar Up | B．Wordflex Touch Dictionary |
| C．Learn English The Fun Way | D．SpeakingPal |
| A．The Grammar Up app is the best recommended app for English learners. |
| B．Wordflex Touch Dictionary provides pronunciation in British and American English. |
| C．SpeakingPal allows users to compete with a native English speaker. |
| D．iBooks is a free book library for English learners and teachers. |
| A．To advertise Apple's app store. |
| B．To attract users to iPad. |
| C．To distinguish some apps for English learning. |
| D．To introduce some apps for English learners and educators. |
【推荐3】Scientists blame greenhouse gases for being a major cause of climate change around the world. This is because greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere and make the planet warmer.
Now, a team of researchers has announced a successful experiment that turned carbon dioxide into useful liquid fuel. The researchers created a device, called a reactor, which changes bon dioxide into a pure form of formic acid(甲酸). Formic acid is a substance (物质) found in ants and some other insects, as well as in many plants. It is used as an antibacterial material and in the processing of some kinds of clothing.
Haotian Wang led the research team. He said in a statement that the results of the experiment were important because formic acid is a major carrier of energy. So, the substance can provide a way to reuse carbon dioxide and prevent it from being released into the atmosphere. “It’s a fuel-cell fuel that can generate electricity and send out carbon dioxide which you can grab and recycle again,” Wang said.
“Other methods for turning carbon dioxide into formic acid require intense purification processes,” Wang said. Such methods are very costly and require a lot of energy. The Rice University team said it was able to reduce the number of steps in the traditional process to create a low-cost, energy-saving method.
The researchers reported the reactor device performed with a conversion rate (转化率) of 42 percent. This means that nearly half of the electrical energy can be stored in formic acid as liquid fuel. The team said the reactor was able to create formic acid continuously for 100 hours with little degradation (退化) of the device’s parts.
Wang said the reactor could easily be used to produce other high-value products, including alcohol-based fuels. The researchers noted that the technology could also be a big help in solving another major energy problem—how to store large amounts of power in small places.
1. What factor is the main cause of climate change?| A．Greenhouse gases. | B．Chemistry waste. |
| C．Formic acid. | D．Liquid fuel. |
| A．It is a large amount of power. | B．It can be found in ants. |
| C．It is high- value equipment. | D．It is a substance in clothing. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Aggressive. |
| C．Optimistic. | D．Uncaring. |
| A．A travel magazine. | B．A sports magazine. |
| C．A music magazine. | D．A science magazine. |
