To reduce carbon emissions, the European Union has set up strict regulations over the past few years, and most European car companies have begun to move to electric vehicle production under new regulations. However, their efforts are far from enough.
The question remains: Can passenger cars reduce carbon emissions? With this goal in mind, a student team named TU/ecomotive from the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands started to build a very special electric vehicle prototype(样机), ZEM.
The sporty car is like a BMW coupe, but has a unique feature: It captures more carbon than it emits.
“Our end goal is to create a more sustainable future,” Jens Lahaije, finance manager for TU/ecomotive, told Reuters.
Called ZEM, for zero emission mobility (零排放出行), the two-seater houses a lithium-ion battery pack (锂电池组), and most of its parts are 3D printed from recycled plastics, Lahaije said.
“The target is to minimize the CO2 emitted during the car’s full lifespan, from manufacturing to recycling,” he added.
Battery electric vehicles emit almost no CO2 during operation compared with combustion-engine vehicles (燃油车), but battery cell production can create large amounts of pollution.
“Direct air capture is a fairly new method of cleaning the air by capturing CO2 into a filter. The idea is very simple: While driving, air will move through our self-designed filters and the CO2 will be captured and stored,” the student team told the CleanTechnica news website.
ZEM uses two filters that can capture up to 2 kilograms of CO2 over 20,000 miles of driving, the Eindhoven team estimated. They imagine a future when filters can be cleared at charging stations.
The students are showing their vehicle on a US promotional tour to universities and companies from the East Coast to Silicon Valley.
1. What does paragraph 1 talk about?| A．The background of developing ZEM. | B．The main sources of pollution in Europe. |
| C．The EU’s car production structure. | D．Ways to reduce carbon emissions. |
| A．It can carry four people. | B．It looks like a BMW coupe. |
| C．All of its parts are 3D printed. | D．It was created by a team in Norway. |
| A．By capturing air directly. | B．By using recycled plastics. |
| C．By improving battery efficiency. | D．By using a lithium-ion battery pack. |
| A．To promote a cutting-edge electric vehicle. |
| B．To report on the trend of electric vehicles. |
| C．To state the importance of reducing carbon emissions. |
| D．To introduce an environmentally friendly car. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Sweden-born geneticist Svante Pääbo, recognizing him for discoveries related to the genomes (基因组) of extinct human groups that cast light on the genetic characteristics unique to present-day humans. The committee said Dr. Pääbo overcame challenges in recovering and analyzing ancient DNA to sequence (测序) the genome of the Neanderthal, an extinct relative of present-day humans. He also discovered a previously unknown human relative, called the Denisova.
Before Dr. Pääbo’s research, understanding of Neanderthals came from analysis of the features of ancient bone remains and from studies of tools and other archaeological artifacts (史前古器物). Dr. Pääbo’s work made it possible to precisely analyze the genetic characteristics of Neanderthals and helped illustrate how different types of humans mixed on the planet during periods of coexistence. Dr. Pääbo’s discoveries have laid the groundwork for research on how ancient gene sequences from extinct relatives influence the function of present-day humans. One example is a gene common among present-day Tibetans that makes those people better adapted to life at high altitude. It can be traced to the Denisovan genome.
Early in his career, Dr. Pääbo became focused on using advanced modern genetic techniques to study the DNA of Neanderthals. But DNA degrades over time meaning that, for ancient specimens (样本), only small amounts are left. When he worked in the University of Munich, he successfully sequenced DNA from a 40,000-year-old piece of bone. The DNA in question was so-called mitochondrial (线粒体的) DNA, a form of genetic material that is shorter, but more plentiful, than the extensive DNA found in the center of a cell. He went on to help establish the Max Planck Institute in Germany, where his research group continued to improve those methods with the aim of sequencing ever larger parts of an ancient genome. Those efforts ended in 2010.
Around the same time, the Max Planck group discovered that a 40,000-year-old finger bone found in the Denisova cave in the southern part of Siberia was unique when compared with all known sequences from Neanderthals and present-day humans. It marked the first time that a new type of human had been identified using only ancient DNA.
1. What is Paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．How Dr. Pääbo conducted the research. |
| B．What breakthroughs Dr. Pääbo has made. |
| C．How the committee contacted Dr. Pääbo. |
| D．Why Dr. Pääbo researched ancient genomes. |
| A．Comparing features of genes accurately. |
| B．Illustrating different mixtures of bones. |
| C．Collecting many ancient bone remains. |
| D．Distinguish all living humans at present. |
| A．Considerable specimens. | B．Poor genetic techniques. |
| C．Different research groups. | D．Limited DNA information. |
| A．Analyzing why present-day humans are better adapted to life. |
| B．Identifying a new human kind by using modern DNA specimens. |
| C．Providing the basis for exploring gene sequences unique to humans. |
| D．Innovating the method for discovering more extinct human relatives. |
【推荐2】Three Chinese astronauts recently arrived at the new space station in another step forward for the growing space power. Here is a look at some of the space station's major goals.
The three-member crew will stay for three months in the station's main living space, called Tianhe. The astronauts will carry out science experiments and perform maintenance. They also plan to complete space walks and prepare the station to receive two other modules next year.
While China admits it arrived late to the space station game, it says its new station is modern and includes the latest space technology. Tianhe might even outlast the International Space Station（ISS）, which is nearing the end of its operational lifespan.
The recent launch brought back China's crewed space program after a five-year break. China has now sent 14 astronauts into space since its first launch in 2003. It is the third country after the former Soviet Union and the United States to do so.
As its economy experienced growth in the 1990s, China made a plan for space exploration. Since then, it has attempted to carry out this plan carefully and evenly. China was barred from joining the ISS. It is likely, however, that China would have built its own station any way because of its goal to be ranked the world top level.
The space program is part of an overall drive to help China take on even larger projects. China also wants to expand cooperation with Russia and other, mostly European countries along with the UN.
China's space program has been a large part of its national pride. It represents the country's rise from a poor nation to become the world's second-largest economy in the last 40 years.
1. What is the purpose for this trip?| A．To do some scientific experiments. | B．To carry out some restoration. |
| C．To get used to space walks. | D．To receive two other modules. |
| A．Modern and advanced | B．Well-equipped and changeable. |
| C．Regular and reliable. | D．Accessible and operational. |
| A．To join the ISS. | B．To conduct astronomic research. |
| C．To become a major space power. | D．To cooperate with other countries. |
| A．It will replace the ISS. | B．It will last as long as the ISS. |
| C．It has been visited by 14 Chinese astronauts. | D．It will raise the level of Chinese space technologies. |
【推荐3】Mr. Fang is now the owner of 36 greenhouses producing organic vegetables in the Gobi desert in Northwest China’s Gansu province. He is one of the beneficiaries of the Gobi Farming Program of Gansu province that is building rows of greenhouses in the desert to help transform local farming and alleviate poverty.
Grain production in Gansu is greatly affected by the climate and the output is unstable. Agricultural production there relies heavily on rivers, oases and groundwater irrigation. If traditional extensive agricultural production continued, it could gradually narrow the living space.
In 1995, a local entrepreneur ventured to use Israeli technologies to build greenhouses for vegetables growing in the desert. Such individual pilot projects encouraged the Gansu government to launch a provincial-level Gobi farming program in 2017 with a target to build up a controlled-environment agriculture of about 20,000 hectares by 2022. Some cities in the province, which include Fang’s village, have already been experimenting with Gobi farming for several years.
Despite the harsh environment, farming in the Gobi desert has its advantages: the extended amount of sunlight provides adequate energy for crops, a significant temperature difference between day and night helps crops accumulate nutrients and the Gobi’s hot and dry air means fewer pests and crop diseases. The Gobi greenhouses popping up in Gansu use drip and spray irrigation, which can cut water consumption by almost 50 percent compared to a normal farm. The greenhouses are also eco-friendly, as they use substrates for soilless cultivation recycled from rotten leaves, straw and cow and sheep feces.
With the greenhouses, Fang earns around 70,000 yuan annually. Data from Suzhou. district of Jiuquan showed the greenhouse program has helped bring an average revenue of about $ 72,300 per hectare to local farmers. Large scale greenhouse farming is an investment-intensive project and cannot be sustained only by government financial support. Therefore, the local government has been encouraging villagers such as Fang to take the lead to rent greenhouses or build their own.
It is not an easy task, and many villagers still want to wait and see. However, more and more are starting to join in, either to rum their own greenhouses or work as hired workers for greenhouse owners. Starting from managing four greenhouses in 2009, Fang now is also a partner of a greenhouse farming cooperative running 120 greenhouses.
The relatively low cost of large-scale land use in the Gobi desert have also encouraged large firms to start their Gobi farming pilot projects in Gansu. If the Gobi farming proves successful, it could provide experiences for countries in Central Asia linked with Gansu both by the ancient Silk Road as well as its modern version of the Belt and Road Initiative.
1. What affects grain production in Gansu most?| A．Money. | B．Sunlight. | C．Air | D．Water. |
| A．1n 1995. | B．In 2009. | C．In 2017. | D．In 2022. |
| A．The harsh environment is good for crops . |
| B．At first, Fang only ran four greenhouses. |
| C．With the greenhouses, Fang earns around $ 70,000 annually. |
| D．Mr. Fang now owns 120 greenhouses producing organic vegetables. |
| A．The Belt and Road Initiative |
| B．A Great Adventurer — Mr. Fang |
| C．The Gobi Farming Program of Gansu |
| D．The Advantages of Farming in the Gobi Desert |
【推荐1】Travelling allows us to see landscapes we wouldn’t be able to explore otherwise. Sometimes, the beauty is so attractive that we’d like to extend our stay to immerse (沉浸) ourselves in it, or simply have a version of it we could carry with us back home. Inspired by questions about personal land preservation and wondering how the hurried pace of travel can be slowed, Kathleen Vance launched her Travelling Landscapes series. With it, she creates miniature (微小的) landscapes inside antique suitcases and trunks.
“In first creating the Travelling Landscapes series, I was thinking about accessibility to nature and exploring the concept of ‘untouched natural sites’,” Vance says. “The perfect landscapes I sculpt are visual connections from my personal memories of travels and focus on waterways as a primary element. I consider these a reminder of how precious our natural resources are, and how necessary it is to protect these vital elements for life.”
The initial pieces of Travelling Landscapes were created in 2005 and each contained soil, water, and grasses native to the area it described. “It was created as a ‘site displacement’ sculpture, in which I removed the soil and plants from a designated stream and transplanted them into a container,” the artist says.
The well-travelled beauty wouldn’t come alive if it weren’t for the use of antique luggage in her work. These additions further the message she’s trying to put out into the world. “I use primarily antique luggage for this series as it denotes not only this concept of containment, but travel, preciousness, and possession,” Vance points out. “I consider each case carefully, investigating its prior history, its owner, and for which type of travel it was designed to be used. All these indicators help to inform the landscape that I create.”
Throughout her expressive body of work, Vance tries to connect people to local aspects of nature that are overlooked or underappreciated, opening new channels to bring nature into our daily lives.
1. What are the main elements in the landscapes sculpted by Kathleen Vance?| A．Waterways. | B．Trees and forests. |
| C．Mountains and valleys. | D．Grasses native to the area. |
| A．The need to get close to nature. | B．The concept of travel and transport. |
| C．The importance of protecting nature. | D．The historical value of antique luggage. |
| A．Identifies. | B．Confirms. | C．Requires. | D．Indicates. |
| A．Noble-minded and brave. | B．Eco-conscious and talented. |
| C．Hard-working and optimistic. | D．Far-sighted and knowledgeable. |
【推荐2】To many people, honey bees symbolize prosperity (兴旺), sustainability and environmentalism. But as a honey bee researcher, I have to tell you that only the first item on that list is defensible. Although they are important for agriculture, honey bees also destabilize naturar ecosystems by competing with native bees - some of which are species at risk.
The rise in hobby beekeeping, now a trendy activity for hundreds of thousands of Americans, followed strong awareness campaigns to “save the bees.” But as a species, honey bees are least in need of saving Sheila Colla, a conservation biologist, says, “People mistakenly think helping honey bees is somehow helping native bees. They have a surprisingly poor understanding of the diversity of pollinators (传粉者) and their roles in pollination.”
There are millions of honey bee colonies (群) in NorthAmerica. Around 30,000 bees per colony, that’s roughly a billion honey bees in Canada and the U.s. alone. Huge numbers of honey bee colonies increase competition between native pollinators, putting even more pressure on the wild species that are already in decline. Honey bees are extreme generalist foragers (觅食者), leading to exploitative competition — that is , where one species uses up a resource, not leaving enough to go around.
Alfredo Valido and Pedro Jordano, researchers from the spanish National Research Council, used the Canary Islands to study how honey bees affect the native pollinating community. In the highlands of the islands’ Teide National Park, thousands of honey bee colonies are introduced seasonally for honey production and removed again at the end of the flower season, creating an excellent condition for experimentation. Their results do not make honey bees look like the sustainability celebrities they have become. Bringing in honey bees reduced the conneetedness of the plant-pollinator networks. Besides, the resilience (恢复力) of the ecosystem has also declined.
I used to believe that honey bees were a gateway species, and that concern over their health and prosperity would spread to native bees, benefitting them, too. However, evidence shows that misguided enthusiasm for honey bees has likely been the native bees’ disaster.
1. How does the auther feel about the rise in hobby beekeeping?| A．Confused. | B．Concerned. | C．Surprised. | D．Pleased. |
| A．They have trouble finding food. | B．They become generalist foragers. |
| C．They get protected as honey bees. | D．They fail to form their own colonies. |
| A．They fitted into the native pollinating community. |
| B．They improved the sustainability of the islands. |
| C．They slowed the recovery of the ecosystem. |
| D．They shortened the flower season. |
| A．The threat to honey bees | B．The problem with honey bees |
| C．Save the bees, save the planet | D．Focus on honey bees, not native bees |
【推荐3】“When I was 16 years old, I was scuba diving (水肺潜水) in Greece, but I was disappointed because I saw more plastic bags than fish.” These are the words of Boyan Slat, 25, an engineer who designed the world’s first ocean plastic cleanup system.
Every year, over 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans. These can take up to 500 years to break down. If left alone, sea animals become entangled (缠绕的) in them and can even die if the plastics are taken in. Worse, humans can be affected when these plastics break down. “Smaller pieces enter the food chain, and that’s a food chain that includes us humans,” Slat said.
In 2018, the World Economic Forum predicted that the weight of ocean plastics will match the weight of all the fish in our oceans by 2050. To prevent this depressing reality, Slat created The Ocean Cleanup in 2013 and put his plan for an ocean plastic cleanup device into action.
After years of research and development in the Netherlands, a device called System 001/B successfully started gathering plastic on Oct 2, 2019.
The device uses a 600-meter-long “C” shaped tube to gather all the floating rubbish. Unlike other cleanup methods, the system floats freely according to the direction of the waves, which allows waste to flow into and stay within the device.
A sea anchor is attached to either end. This slows down the system as it floats through the water and allows the faster-moving rubbish, carried by the waves, to flow into its mouth. System 001/B can also collect waste below the surface using a 3-meter-deep skirt (挡板) attached to the end. After being gathered, the rubbish will be dragged back to shore by boat and recycled.
Currently, the system operates in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an area that is three times the size of France. Once operational, the Ocean Cleanup expects a full fleet to be able to clear 50 percent of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in five years.
It remains to be seen if this dream will become a reality, but it is undeniable that humanity must work together to reduce our plastic use and repair the damage our waste has caused.
“We are starting to see a young generation that gets that and is excited about a sustainable future, but the question still comes down to: Are we going fast enough, and how much damage will have been done before we get there?” Slat said.
1. Which of the following statements is true according to the first two paragraphs?| A．Slat took up scuba diving at the age of 16. |
| B．Slat showed a great interest in ocean environments. |
| C．Plastics pose a great threat to sea animals and humans. |
| D．It doesn’t take long to break down the plastics in the ocean. |
| A．Many sea creatures take in plastics. |
| B．Humans are influenced by the plastics. |
| C．Ocean plastics are difficult to get rid of. |
| D．The weight of ocean plastics will reach a new peak. |
| A．It floats in a fixed direction. |
| B．It started collecting plastic about two years ago. |
| C．It collects and recycles the rubbish at the same time. |
| D．It aims to clear the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in a decade. |
| A．Concerned. | B．Indifferent. | C．Positive. | D．Tolerant. |
