A study by Stockholm University and ETH Zurich scientists found that all rainwater on Earth is unsafe to drink due to the levels of PFAS (全氟烷基物质), or poisonous chemicals. These PFAS or poisonous chemicals are becoming a part of a future reality that humans must, unfortunately, learn to live with. PFAS were first found in shampoo, packaging, and even makeup but have begun to spread into our Earth. A professor at Stockholm University and lead author of the study, Ian Cousins noted, “There is nowhere on Earth where-the rain would be safer to drink, according to the measurements that we have taken.”
Using their study’s data, Cousins and his team illustrated that chemical levels in rainwater from remote areas are unsafe and above the US Environmental Protection. Agency’s (EPA) drinking water guidelines. Within this study, they took rainwater samples, from extremely remote areas like Antarctica or the Tibetan plateau. Although these areas are originally known as being remote and untouched, their PFAS levels are around 14 times higher than the US EPA guidelines.
PFAS have been associated with a range of serious health problems including cancer, childhood behavioral and learning problems, immune system disorders, and high cholesterol (胆固醇): Cousins continued by saying, “Based on the latest US guidelines for PFOA (全氟辛酸) in drinking water, rainwater everywhere would be judged unsafe to drink. Although in the industrial world we don’t often drink rainwater, many people around the world expect it to be safe to drink and it supplies many of our drinking water sources.”
Managing Director of the Food Packaging Forum, Dr Jane Muncke, said, “The vast amounts that it will cost to reduce PFAS in drinking water to levels that are safe based on current scientific understanding need to be paid by the industries producing and using these chemicals. The time to act is now.”
1. Which of the following is true about PFAS?| A．They were initially found in rainwater. |
| B．Their levels affect the security of rainwater. |
| C．They are mainly present in makeup products. |
| D．They will be completely removed in the future. |
| A．To reveal rainwater is rare in these areas. |
| B．To cut down the spending on rainwater study. |
| C．To confirm the widespread presence of PFAS. |
| D．To measure the quality of rainwater in these areas. |
| A．It’s time to stop people from drinking rainwater. |
| B．It’s necessary to improve the safety of rainwater. |
| C．It’s promising to expand. Drinking water sources. |
| D．I’s tough to address PFAS-related health issues. |
| A．Scientists should be devoted to reducing PFAS. |
| B．Public efforts are required to obtain safe drinking water. |
| C．Some industries should bear the costs of reducing PFAS. |
| D．The chemical industry is responsible for the unsafety of PFAS. |
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【推荐1】How are you and your family going to celebrate Earth Day? It’s a great day to get outside and ride a bike, but there are other ways you could spend the day. Here are four books. You can learn more about the earth and the animals that make the world a special place to live in.
The Busy Beaver, by Nicholas Oldland
Beaver is very, very busy, and he doesn’t always think carefully. As a result, he makes a mess of the forest and ends up in hospital. Finally, he realizes how careless he’s been and decides to make things right when he returns to the forest.
Lessons from Mother Earth, by Elaine Mcleod
Five-year-old Tess is visiting her grandmother and, for the first time, she visits the garden. Along the way, Tess’s grandmother tells her the rules of the garden, “You must always take good care of our garden. Never throw rubbish around. There is plenty for everyone to share if we don’t destroy the soil.” The story is beautifully told as a caring conversation between a child and her grandmother.
Luz Sees the Light, by Claudia Davila
When Luz’s community (社区) experiences a series of black-outs (停电), she quickly comes to understand the need to save energy and find other ways of doing things. With the help of her friends and neighbors, she creates a community garden and park that everyone can use. The book attracts many young readers.
The Lorax, by Dr Seuss
A young boy learns of the role of the Lorax as protector (保护者) of the trees, and how his home became polluted. The book contains memorable forestry conservation (森林保护).
1. We can learn from the passage that Beaver .| A．always plans things carefully |
| B．never takes care of the forest |
| C．decides to leave the forest forever |
| D．gets hurt because of his carelessness |
| A．The Busy Beaver and The Lorax. |
| B．Luz Sees the Light and The Lorax. |
| C．The Busy Beaver and Lessons from Mother Earth. |
| D．Lessons from Mother Earth and Luz Sees the Light. |
| A．To provide some activities to Earth Day. |
| B．To offer some books to young children. |
| C．To tell readers how to write children’s books. |
| D．To teach readers how to protect our environment. |
【推荐2】Clothes were once used until they fell apart. Not today. In high-income countries in particular, clothing and footwear are increasingly frequently bought, thrown away and replaced with new fashions, which are themselves soon thrown away and replaced.
The so-called ‘Fast fashion’ is having a surprising environmental impact. The first one is water. The fashion industry consumes anywhere from 20 trillion (万亿) to 200 trillion litres every year. Then there are micro-plastics. Plastic fibres are released when we wash polyester (聚酯纤维) textiles, which make up between20% and 35% of the micro-plastics choking the oceans. Added to this are specific chemicals, such as those used to make fabrics stain resistant and the pesticides required to protect crops such as cotton.
Change is badly needed, but will require the fashion industry to work harder to embrace more of what is known as the circular economy. That will involve at least two things: refocusing on making things that last, and so encouraging reuse; and more rapidly expanding the technologies for sustainable manufacturing processes, especially recycling. There’s a big role for research-both academic and industrial-in achieving these and other ambitions.
Researchers could begin by helping to provide more accurate estimates of water use. There is also work to be done on improving and expanding textiles recycling. Undoubtedly, used textiles go to landfill in part because there are relatively few systems that collect, recycle and reuse materials. Such recycling requires the manual separation of fibres, as well as buttons and zips. Different fibres are not easy to identify by eye, and overall such manual processes are time-consuming. Machinery that can help is being developed. Technologies also exist to recycle used fibres chemically and to create high-quality fibres that can be reused in clothing. But these are nowhere near the scale needed.
Another challenge for researchers is to workout how to get consumers and manufacturers to change their behaviour. Other research questions include finding ways to encourage people to purchase long lasting goods; exploring how to satisfy desires for something new while reducing environmental impact; and understanding why certain measures can be successfully scaled up whereas others fail.
1. Why does the author mention “water”, “micro-plastics” and “chemicals” in Paragraph 2?| A．To provide an idea. | B．To prove a point. |
| C．To give a definition. | D．To present new concepts. |
| A．Efforts are made to lengthen the lifespan of textiles. |
| B．Worn-out clothes are used as dishcloths and oil rags. |
| C．High-quality fibres are created to be reused in clothing. |
| D．Fashion industry is encouraged to release new lines more often. |
| A．To make sure that all of the used textiles go to landfill. |
| B．To separate fibres, as well as buttons and zips manually. |
| C．To improve and expand textile recycling to a larger extent. |
| D．To encourage consumers to satisfy their desires for fashion. |
| A．Say Yes to the So-called Fast Fashion |
| B．Cut Fast Fashion’s Environmental Impact |
| C．Address the Academic Challenges for Researchers |
| D．Improve the Efficiency of the Separation of Fibres |
【推荐3】Our Conservation & Environment Projects are ideal for people who want to help with environmental conservation efforts, and carry out fieldwork in fascinating habitats. You’ll be actively involved in conservation efforts, which include educating local people about the importance of protecting the environment. We share the same mission: to guard our planet for years to come. So get your backpack because you’re going on an environmental travel adventure!
If you love working on projects to help the environment and animals, you can unleash your passion in different ways like:
Jungle Reforestation
Volunteers can travel to the Amazon rainforest in Peru to assist with reforestation. Volunteers must stay for at least two weeks to get the most out of this program-learn more and sign up!
Sri Lanka Elephant Experience
If you want to go on a tropical getaway where you can also do good voluntary work, check out the Sri Lanka Elephant Experience, where you’ll have the chance to work alongside a mahout to care for elephants. This program starts for two weeks at $600 — learn more here!
Marine Conservation in South Africa
Check out the marine conservation volunteer program in South Africa, where you can get up close to marine wildlife. Program fees are $525 to start for one week, and you can stay up to three months — learn more and sign up here!
South Africa Big 5 Wildlife Experience
You can visit South Africa and volunteer on a world-class wildlife reserve, where you will get up close to elephants, lions, rhinos and other amazing animals. This program starts from $795 for your first two weeks — click here to learn more and to sign up!
You’ll support and learn from professional environmentalists and scientists, as well as people from the local community. We offer safe, ethical, and sustainable wildlife and environmental conservation projects, and you’ll always be aware of the impact of your work. In addition to making a difference in an animal care program, you’ll develop important skills for working in wildlife conservation.
1. What is the common goal of Conservation & Environment Projects?| A．To protect our planet. | B．To educate local people. |
| C．To experience adventures. | D．To improve the local community. |
| A．Jungle Reforestation. | B．Sri Lanka Elephant Experience. |
| C．Marine Conservation in South Africa. | D．South Africa Big 5 Wildlife Experience. |
| A．To present how to care for wildlife. | B．To call on people to protect wildlife. |
| C．To recommend volunteer programs on wildlife. | D．To explain the importance of protecting wildlife. |
【推荐1】The World Cup is an international football competition that takes place every four years.
The first World Cup event was held in 1930 ,and it can take place anywhere in the world. In 2018 the host country was Russia, in 2014 it was Brazil, in 2010 it was South Africa, and this year, in 2022, the host country is the State of Qatar. It is the first time that a country in the Middle East is hosting the World Cup and only the second time that a country in Asia is hosting the competition.
While the World Cup usually takes place in the months of June and July. It is pretty hot in Qatar during the summer months, so the competition will take place in November and December this year.
There are 32 national teams participating (参赛). These teams were determined through qualifying (资格) matches. There will be a total of 64 matches played over the 28-day World Cup. These will take place in eight stadiums across the State of Qatar. The opening match will be played at Al Bayt Stadium on the 20th of November between Qatar and Ecuador after the opening ceremony.
The winning team is presented with a gold trophy (奖杯) which, because of its high value,is kept until the post-match celebrations are over. They then receive a gold-plated copy of the trophy to keep.All members of the top three teams receive medals (奖牌) with an image of the World Cup trophy on them.The winners receive gold medals, the team in second place receive silver medals and the team in third place bronze medals.
1. What’s the theme (主题) of the passage?| A．Interest | B．Sports | C．Festival | D．Healthy |
| A．The first World Cup was held in Brazil. |
| B．Qatar is the first country in Asia to hold the World Cup. |
| C．The World Cup Qatar will take place in June and July. |
| D．These matches will be held in 8 stadiums of Qatar. |
| A．in June and July | B．in Summer | C．in November and December | D．in Autumn |
| A．performed | B．chose | C．started | D．played |
| A．Football Competition | B．A Golden Trophy |
| C．The World Cup Qatar | D．The World Cup |
【推荐2】No matter where you travel in Asia, you’ll find yourself faced with a new culture.You can start your Asian exploration by visiting some of these attractive cities first.
Beijing, China
Beijing is the second largest city in China and serves as the capital. The city is so old, in fact, that almost every building has some sort of cultural or historic features—no matter how small. Getting around the city, you’ll find yourself faced with amazing temples, the largest palace in the world, and many works of art that leave you breathless.
Siem Reap, Cambodia (柬埔寨)
Siem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia. Siem Reap has a lot of French and Chinesestyle architecture. In the city, there are traditional dance performances, silk near the Tonle Sap Lake. Siem Reap today, being a popular tourist attraction, has a large number of hotels and restaurants.
Kathmandu, Nepal (尼泊尔)
Situated in the heart of the Himalayas, Kathmandu, the largest city and capital of Nepal, is considered to be one of the most outstanding cities in the world today. The shopping districts are worldfamous and the hotels in Kathmandu are among the most comfortable hotels in the world.
Kyoto, Japan
The city of Kyoto served as the capital of Japan from 794 to 1868. No longer the capital, it is known for being the seventh largest city in Japan. Kyoto was destroyed throughout history by fires and war. But now the city is home to more than 1.4 million people, and it presents a modern face to the rest of the world.
Every city throughout Asia has a story of its own. It’s up to you to explore them all and find out exactly what each one has to offer. Enjoy!
1. If you want to visit the biggest palace where ancient emperors lived in the world, you can go to ________.| A．Kyoto | B．Siem Reap | C．Kathmandu | D．Beijing |
| A．silk near the Tonle Sap Lake | B．excellent art works |
| C．traditional dance performances | D．Chinesestyle buildings |
| A．the cities are all capital cities now | B．all the cities have their own stories |
| C．one can’t find a good hotel in Kathmandu | D．Beijing is the largest city in China |
【推荐3】One of the hardest things in life is sticking to a healthy diet. Experts recommend you plan your meals in advance, so you aren’t attracted when faced with less-than-healthy choices. It’s said that the average American eats almost 25 percent of their daily calories from snacking (零食) alone, and snacking is the leading cause of childhood obesity.
Therefore, there are two choices: Stop snacking (hard) or snack healthier (simple). But, for many of us, telling apart what’s “healthy” and how much to consume (消耗) are two different things. But, if you don’t keep the amount in check it can seriously ruin your diet. It’s easy to consume double or triple the amount. If you’re struggling to keep you and your family’s snacking under control, you may be interested in the new online store called NatureBox.com, offering a new service delivered right to your front door on a monthly basis.
After you sign up on their website and provide some information about your taste preferences and anything else, the company sends you a box every month containing a delicious selection of healthy snack foods. A box includes 12-15 servings across 4 to 5 different NatureBox snacks — enough to last you and your family for a month.
Each box costs just under $20 and shipping is always free. NatureBox is meant to fit your lifestyle by providing you with snacks you’ll enjoy and look forward to eating. You can easily order what you want to receive based on the snacks you love most. And now, NatureBox is offering an immediate 25% off their first order. Just enter the code “livehealthy” when you join.
1. We can learn from the passage that ________.| A．almost 25 percent of Americans’ daily calories are from snacking |
| B．NatureBox is the name of a new kind of healthy snacking |
| C．it is easy for people to control their amount of snacking in daily life |
| D．snack boxs from NatureBox are given to the customers for free |
| A．In danger. | B．In control. |
| C．In need. | D．In store. |
| A．NatureBox is a snack box given by the government free of charge. |
| B．Each box from NatureBox costs more than $20 . |
| C．NatureBox is an online store which sells healthy snacks. |
| D．A box from NatureBox contains snacks for a family to eat for a year. |
| A．the unhealthy eating habits of Americans |
| B．the development of healthy snacks in America |
| C．a way of keeping a healthy diet |
| D．a company that sells healthy snacks |
