When Paul was a boy growing up in Utah, he happened to live near a copper smelter (炼铜厂), and the chemicals that poured out had made a wasteland out of what used to be a beautiful forest. One day a young visitor looked at this wasteland and called it an awful area. Paul knocked him down. From then on, something happened inside him.
Years later Paul was back in the area, and he went to the smelter office. He asked if they had any plans or if they would let him try to bring the trees back. The answer from that big industry was “No”.
Paul then went to college to study the science of plants. Unfortunately, his teachers said there weren’t any birds or squirrels to spread the seeds. It would be a waste of his life to try to do it. Everyone knew that, he was told. Even if he was knowledgeable as he had expected, he wouldn’t get his idea accepted.
Paul later got married and had some kids. But his dream would not die. And then one night he did what he could with what he had. As Samuel Johnson wrote, “It is common to overlook what is near by keeping the eye fixed on something remote. Attainable (可得到的) good is often ignored by minds busied in wide ranges.” Under the cover of darkness, he went secretly into the wasteland and started planting.
And every week, he made his secret journey into the wasteland and planted trees and grass. For fifteen years he did this against the plain common sense. Slowly rabbits appeared. Later, as there was legal pressure to clean up the environment, the company actually hired Paul to do what he was already doing.
Now the place is fourteen thousand acres of trees and grass and bushes, and Paul has received almost every environmental award Utah has. It took him until his hair turned white, but he managed to keep that impossible vow he made to himself as a child.
1. According to the passage, which of the following sentences is TRUE?A.He persuaded the factory to make some plans to deal with the pollution voluntarily. |
B.He learned a lot about the science of plants while he was in college. |
C.His teachers offered his some advice on solving the pollution problem. |
D.At first, he managed to get some people to accept his idea. |
A.That it was impossible for trees to grow on the wasteland. |
B.That no one would like to join him in the efforts. |
C.That his normal work and life would be greatly affected. |
D.That he had to keep everything he did secret. |
A.they realized the importance of environmental protection |
B.Paul persuaded them to help him |
C.what Paul was doing moved them |
D.they were forced to do so |
A.action speaks louder than words |
B.God helps those who help themselves |
C.determination works wonders |
D.many hands make light work |
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【推荐1】ECycling refers to the recycling of electronic items, which are becoming a common problem in American home and throughout the world. The EPA, or Environmental Protection Agency, has actually started a program to help and motivate the recycling of electronics.
To get the program to the regional and neighborhood levels, the EPA directed “Plug-In to eCyeling Partners.” These partnerships support electronic reusing programs in individual communities. They provide local governments, retailers and manufacturers with opportunities to reuse and recycle their items. Those who make and offer electronic devices then promote programs and opportunities for consumers to reuse their second-hand electronic products. One of the EPA’s goals is to enlighten customers about why the recycling of electronics is so important. They likewise wish to make eCycling chances easily accessible to specific consumers and their family electronics. According to the EPA, the eCycling program has actually been quite successful. In 2008, the EPA collected 66.5 million pounds of electronic devices through their Plug-In Partners.
Local governments have actually likewise got on board and passed laws intended to handle used electronic devices. Huge corporations have actually introduced eCycling programs at their local retail stores. One seller offers customers small, medium and big boxes for sale, which the customers then load with used electronics and go back to the store. Typically,customers bring their recyclable electronics to a location. When the electronic items are gathered by the EPA(typically this is done byt he Partners), they are reused or recycled.
Reused items are repaired and refurbished, and passed on to others as a contribution. You can repair or recondition your very own electronic devices too, extending the life of the items and conserving the energy of making new materials. Reusing electronic devices includes making use of the products and pats of the items. These materials and parts are then made use of to produce another item. This is more efficient than making items from new materials.
Some items that are commonly eCycled consist of televisions, computer monitors, printers, notebook computer, keyboards and cable televisions. Less usual items include copying machines, CDplayers, voice mail machines, computer hard drives, mobile telephones, remote controls, radios, batteries, telephones, facsimile machines and computer games. Occasionally, electronic items such as microwaves, fans, vacuums, smoke alarms, and toasters are eCycled.
As the eCycling program continues, you or your organization may want to get involved. Check the EPA’s internet site (www.epa.gov) for regional eCycling programs, or for details on how your company can participate. Their website has links to organizations that are taking part in the eCycling program.
1. The EPA brought about “Plug-In to eCycling Partners” to__________.A.make and offer electronic devices to consumers |
B.make customers understand the importance of eCycling |
C.make the program accessible to local regions and communities |
D.make it possible for consumers to reuse their used e-products |
A.repairing electronic device | B.gathering recyclable electronics |
C.reusing second-hand e-products | D.offering customers different boxes for sale. |
A.People can sell their reused items on the Internet. |
B.Individuals can’t take part in eCycling programs. |
C.Devices of computers are well eCycled. |
D.Not every electronic item can be eCycled. |
A.To introduce a new way to save costs. |
B.To teach customers how to recycle electronics. |
C.To attract people to join in the eCycling programs. |
D.To call on local governments to support Plug-In Partners. |
【推荐2】We see a woman swimming at night in a dark sea. Suddenly, she is pulled underwater. She surfaces, cries in fear, then disappears forever. This is the opening scene from the 1975 film Jaws, showing a shark attack. It tells the story of a great white shark that attacks and kills swimmers. Jaws was a great success, attracting huge audiences and winning many awards. It strengthened people's long - held idea of the great white shark as a dangerous animal.
People have always been scared of sharks, bur Jaws made things worse. It made people frightened of sharks, especially of the great white shark. Many people who saw the film started to believe that sharks were bad animals that ate humans. Some people stopped swimming in the sea, afraid of the horrible creature from the film. Other people started fishing for sharks, killing as many as they could. At that time, nobody cared if sharks were killed, or how many were killed. People just wanted them killed.
After 1975, the number of large sharks around America fell quickly, and soon fell around the world. This was not only due to fear of sharks, but also finning. Finning is a type of fishing where sharks are caught and their fins cut off. The sharks are thrown back into the sea where they die slowly and painfully. The fins are used in shark fin soup. Finning kills millions of sharks a year.
Finning would have an unexpected effect upon Peter Benchley, the man who wrote the book the film Jaws was based on. In 1980, Benchley was diving when he came across an awful sight. It was an area where fishermen were finning, and the sea floor was covered with dead sharks. Benchley saw sharks being killed and this caused a deep change in him. He came to see people as a danger to sharks, rather than the other way round. From that day on, he fought to protect sharks. He admitted that his book was wrong about sharks' behavior. “Sharks don't target humans,” he said. Experts have proved that sharks do not see people as food, and they attack us by mistake. Only around six people are killed by sharks every year.
Fortunately, not everyone who watched the film Jaws became afraid of sharks — some became interested in understanding them. Today, as we learn more about sharks, more people than ever want to protect them from extinction.
1. Which of the following is true of the 1975 film Jaws?A.A woman swam gracefully along with a shark in the opening scene. |
B.The film challenged people's long-held belief of the great white shark. |
C.Many awards were given to the film due to the frightening killing scenes. |
D.The shark was described as a cruel and dangerous animal to swimmers. |
A.Some became more fascinated in swimming in the sea. |
B.Some were eager to fish sharks for their delicious meat. |
C.Some killed as many sharks as possible for no reason. |
D.Some called on others to protect the endangered sharks. |
A.It will be served onto the table as soups. |
B.It will suffer a lot and die slowly in the sea. |
C.Its fins will grow again after some time. |
D.Its fins will be thrown away into the ocean. |
A.Seeing the finning scene and many dead sharks. |
B.Joining the fishermen who were killing and finning. |
C.Writing the book the film Jaws was based on. |
D.Knowing that sharks do not target and eat humans. |
A.To inform people about sharks and recommend the film and the book to them. |
B.To describe the cruel finning scene and prove that sharks are dangerous animals. |
C.To explain people's misunderstanding of sharks and raise awareness of shark protection. |
D.To criticize Peter Benchley's misleading description of sharks in his book and advocate the protection of sharks. |
【推荐3】Every Sunday at 2 p.m., Marisela Godinez, the owner of El Mesón Tequilería, a Mexican restaurant in Austin, Texas, used to fill a 12-gallon bucket, plus another half-bucket, with leftover food from the restaurant’s all-you-can-eat brunch buffet. “We threw out a lot of food,” she said.
But a few months ago Ms. Godinez signed up to use an app called Too Good To Go. Now, 10 customers pick up “surprise bags” of her leftovers for $5.99 each, and she sends far fewer leftovers to the landfill.
Too Good To Go has tried to gamify (游戏化) buying leftover food. In the United States, customers in 12 cities can browse restaurants and stores, then reserve “surprise bags” that typically cost about $4 to $6 and contain food that would have been originally priced at roughly three times that amount. The bags can be picked up at a certain time window.
Around the country, apps that connect customers to businesses with leftover food have begun to spread. The concept is simple: Restaurants and grocery stores throw away huge amounts of food every day. Rather than trash it, apps like Too Good To Go and Flashfood help businesses sell it at a reduced price. They claim that the businesses and buyers are helping the environment because the food would otherwise become food waste, a big contributor to climate change.
Food production itself is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for between a quarter and a third of global emissions. Each step of the process — growing, harvesting, moving, processing, packaging, storing and preparing food — releases carbon dioxide, methane(甲烷) and other planet-warming gases. When the food is wasted, so are all those emissions. In addition, once unused food reaches landfills, it breaks down and releases more methane.
According to interviews with several companies selling on Too Good To Go, at least a few items for sale there aren’t necessarily what buyers might think of as “food waste.” A beverage (饮料) company owner George White said he not only used the app to sell discontinued products, but also sold new flavors there in hopes of attracting new customers.
1. Why did Ms. Godinez use Too Good To Go?A.To advertise her delicate dishes. | B.To reduce customers’ complaints. |
C.To provide a range of recipes. | D.To avoid wasting leftover buffet. |
A.They can watch the live stream. | B.They can order whatever they want. |
C.They can pick a “surprise” food bargain. | D.They can deliver less trash to landfill. |
A.The steps of processing food contribute much to the planet. |
B.Food production is closely related to green gas emission. |
C.Global warming will be worsened by using the app. |
D.Unused food will take years to break down. |
A.He is taking advantage of the app to make more profits. |
B.He doesn’t think selling food waste on the app is necessary. |
C.He thinks the app is an environmentally-friendly game. |
D.He can’t help picking a lot of “surprise bags” himself. |
【推荐1】In August 2005, at the age of 14, Kristin Beale, together with her friend, was riding on Jet Ski on Lake Gaston, along the Virginia-North Carolina border, when another ran over them, killing her friend and making Beale suffer a brain injury and a spinal cord (脊髓) injury.
Previously, being a Henrico’s Deep Run High School student, Beale took part in the competitions of cheerleading and hockey. Afterwards, she had to relearn how to perform daily tasks. “When I was in the hospital, doctors told my parents I’d be a vegetable, not being able to breathe or swallow. I wanted to disprove everything they had on their list,” she said. “I told my parents, ‘I’m going to work and do more’.”
Her parents discovered a hospital in California for people struggling with spinal cord injuries and flew Beale there to spend four hours a day for more than a month relearning tasks and strengthening her muscles. She traveled to California nine times for this.
To process her thoughts, Beale began writing about her experiences. By the time she finished, she’d written32 stories. She then gathered them into her first nonfiction book, Greater Things, which was about how people react to her and how she has overcome her injuries. “I never thought it’d become a book, but that’s how it all started,” Beale said.
Now in 2023 working for her publisher, Morgan James Publishing in Hampton, Beale continues to write. Another nonfiction book, A Million Suns, details her journey “from the darkness of disability into the sunlight of circumstance” and how she has found happiness. In her new fiction offering, Wide Awake, she assigns names and personalities to 12 objects belonging to a young girl, Madison.
Additionally, Beale has created the first episode (集) of a YouTube show based on her book Date Me, medaled as a wheelchair fencer and finished 16 marathons with a wheelchair since 2011.“I’ve worked hard to get to where I am,” she said.
1. What can we learn about Beale from paragraph 2?A.She refused the treatment. | B.She used to be an active girl. |
C.She lost confidence in life. | D.She had trouble in breathing. |
A.To experience life. | B.To look for a job. |
C.To work on recovery. | D.To meet her parents. |
A.Her thoughts about writing. | B.People’s account. |
C.Stories about the disabled. | D.Her own experiences. |
A.Optimistic and determined. | B.Creative and humorous. |
C.Ambitious and considerate. | D.Helpful and courageous. |
【推荐2】As Alice and Mike watched their son Allan graduate from Cambridge University last month, they thought back to the moment he was born.
“I’m so sorry your baby is blind,” a neighbor had said. Even though Allan’s family were middle class and they lived a comfortable life, as a blind child, Allan Hennessy’s future was poor.
The local hospitals could not offer Allan hope of giving him sight because there weren’t enough eye specialists. But when Allan was 6 months old, an opportunity came and Allan’s father seized it. “My dad sold his car, belongings and some of his land to pay for my treatment. We left our home country with very little.”
The opportunity was an operation in London which restored the sight in Allan’s left eye. “My mom remembers the first time I looked at her: the first time we made eye contact. She burst into tears. Since then, I’ve just been rocking on with the little sight I have,” he explained.
For Allan, life as an immigrant was challenging. When he was accepted into Cambridge University, Allan realized there were so many peers at Cambridge.
“I felt visibly different,” he said. When you’re a half-blind guy climbing the greasy pole, everyone can see that and they judge you, even though they are climbing it too.”
But after spending three years at Fitzwilliam College, Allan said it was transformative(改造作用的). “I met the most amazing people from all over the world.” What would his life be like if he had stayed in his home country? “I wouldn’t have a Cambridge law degree; I wouldn’t even be sighted. My family there have faced terrible events. Perhaps I wouldn’t be alive.”
After graduating this summer, Allan is taking up a scholarship at law school.
“If you’ve got a first-class law degree from Cambridge University, that should set you up for life,” he said. “But when you’re a half-blind immigrant living in Britain today, there is so much more I have to do. The journey has only just begun.”
1. When Allan was born, __________.A.a local doctor offered to help with his eye problems |
B.he lived in a poor area |
C.his family was ready to move to London |
D.he couldn’t see anything |
A.the selling of Mike’s belongings |
B.an operation to cure Allan’s eyes |
C.the comfortable life in London |
D.the bright future of the family |
A.He was helped by many of his peers. |
B.He worked hard to keep up with his peers. |
C.He was bullied by others for many years. |
D.He found it challenging but life-changing. |
A.won’t stop challenging himself in the future |
B.is proud of his achievements in college |
C.is determined to help other half-blind students |
D.is unsatisfied with his life as an immigrant |
【推荐3】Wearing high heels, lipstick and trendy dresses, a group of “chic grandmas” with an average age of 68, can still walk the walk as models. But they are not trained models. They are, in fact, ordinary retirees. They all share a love for fashion, and they come together to add a bit of enjoyment to their lives. These “chic grandmas” share a common goal now but their backgrounds could barely be more different.
Sang Xiuzhu, 77, is one of them. She used to be an automatic control engineer. She initially planned to journey across continents with her husband after retirement, but during a literary event, Sang, 1.7 meters tall, was spotted by a modeling coach. In the beginning, she joined the senior model team and attended events organized by her local community and enterprises. Later, she was invited to participate in Beijing International Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week and her new career just grew.
Sang is learning to compose music, form lines and write scripts. She is so occupied that she really has no time to think about the aging issue. As for the future, Sang doesn’t know how to define it, as she really enjoys the present. She suggests that after retirement, people must cope with the transition period, and they should enjoy life.
As long as the heart is not old, life is always sweet. All “chic grandmas” are full of enthusiasm for new things and they live to learn. This kind of enthusiasm that is rooted deeply in their heart fills them with energy.
1. What does the underlined word “chic” in paragraph I mean?A.Retired. | B.Urban. | C.Stylish. | D.Rigid. |
A.Become a senior model. | B.Attend literary events. |
C.Learn to compose music. | D.Tour around the world. |
A.They have a born talent for modeling. |
B.They willingly experience new things. |
C.They come from similar backgrounds. |
D.They concern much about the aging issue. |
A.Changes in Fashion Week | B.Never Too Late to Learn |
C.Beauty Has No Age Limit | D.Interest Is the Best Teacher |