As the carbon countdown clock ticks on, cities must be more imaginative and cooperative, a lively round table hosted in Newham by a non-profit organization Friends of the Earth said.
“Net zero is around the corner,” said Mike Wake, Director of Friends of the Earth. “The UK has cut greenhouse gas emission (排放) by 40% to date mostly through the growth of large renewable generation on the grid (输电网), but further cuts will be needed as London tries to find new ways of using energy.
“While Newham has lower greenhouse gas emission per head than the UK, it has high levels of fuel poverty, poor air quality and leaky homes. Vastly improved energy efficiency, especially on older and leakier homes, along with more efficient forms of heating and an expansion of low carbon heat networks, will help,” said Wake.
“But the future requires a shift to a more communal solution,” the representatives said. District heating, which pipes hot water from a central source to connected homes or businesses, is often a cheaper and lower-carbon method of heating highly populated areas. “It’s the lowest cost and low carbon solution for the future,” Wake added.
“There are new technologies to use wasted heat,” Wake said. “We worked with businesses to decarbonise (使环保) energy supply. Rather than wasting, spare heat generated by manufacturing and other activities can be captured and used to heat nearby properties. Friends of the Earth has already helped save Newham thousands of tonnes of emissions through district heating plans, solar PV and more energy efficient measures in the homes.”
But the challenges are substantial. Newham has London’s second-highest rate of fuel poverty. “Anyway, I’m confident and hopeful about the collective challenge,” said Wake. “But for Newham to be at the forefront of a green economy, to solve fuel poverty and deal with structural equalities, we must spare no effort.”
1. What does Wake think of cutting greenhouse gas emission in the UK?| A．It doesn’t work at all. | B．It ended a short time ago. |
| C．It is very difficult to continue. | D．It still needs to be improved. |
| A．Expensive. | B．Peaceful. | C．Public. | D．Complex. |
| A．By releasing wasted heat. |
| B．By starting up many businesses. |
| C．By making national heating plans. |
| D．By solving the issues about energy. |
| A．Worried. | B．Positive. | C．Uncaring. | D．Critical. |
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【推荐1】UW’s Jason Shogren and Linda Thunstrom, along with Jonas Nordstrom of the Lund University School of Economics and Management, have documented that two-adult households with children emit over 25 percent more carbon dioxide than two-adult households without children.
The study involved an analysis of expenditures on goods and services by households in Sweden. The researchers found that parents with children at home consume goods and services that emit CO2 in the areas of food, such as meat, and transportation, such as gasoline, at higher rates than childless households.
The economists note that time constraints (约束) become more demanding, and convenience may become more important, when people have children.
“Parents may need to be in more places in one day,” resulting in people driving themselves instead of using public transportation or bicycling, the researchers wrote. “They also need to feed more people. Eating more pre-prepared, red meat carbon-intensive meals may add convenience and save time.”
The distinction in the carbon footprints of Swedish households with and without children is particularly striking, as concerns about climate change are more pronounced in Sweden than most other developed counties. Most Swedes believe climate change is real and have accepted sizable CO2 taxes, and households with children are given financial aid, which helps to alleviate some of the time shortage for parents to a certain extent.
“If we’re finding these results in Sweden, it’s pretty safe to assume that the distinction in carbon footprints between parents and nonparents is even bigger in most other Western countries,” Thunstrom says.
“Becoming a parent can transform a person, he or she thinks more about the future and worries about future risks imposed on their children and of spring,” Shogren says. “But, while having children might be transformational, our results suggest that parents’ concerns about climate change do not cause them to be ‘greener’ than non-parent adults.”
1. According to the study, compared with the households without children, the households with children __________.| A．emit more carbon dioxide |
| B．consume more goods and services |
| C．attach more importance to the quality of goods and services |
| D．are less concerned about carbon footprints |
| A．They prefer to eat red meat prepared in advance. |
| B．They aren’t concerned about climate change. |
| C．They drive cars more as a consequence of time pressure. |
| D．They need to purchase more goods and services. |
| A．solve | B．heighten | C．worsen | D．ease |
| A．Being a parent will cause a person to be more concerned about carbon emission. |
| B．Carbon footprints grow with parenthood because of increased time constraints and the need for convenience. |
| C．The increasing expenditures on goods and services by households help raise the awareness of carbon footprints. |
| D．The difference in carbon footprints between parents and nonparents is much severer in other western countries than in Sweden. |
【推荐2】The health and welfare of every person in America will be affected by global warming, especially children, the elderly and the poor, according to a new White House science report.
The report said every region (地区) of the country will suffer worse health from heat waves and drought. All but a handful of states would have worse air quality and flooding. It predicts an increase in diseases spread by tainted (腐烂的) food, bad water and bugs (臭虫).
The report concludes that climate change causes real risk to human health and human system that supports the way of life in the United States.
Man-made global warming is caused by greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels. At current emission (放射) levels, global temperatures are likely to rise by about 2 degrees by midcentury and about 7.5 degrees by the end of the century.
The most vulnerable (脆弱的) Americans — the poor, elderly, sick, very young and immigrants — will suffer more. That’s at least 10 percent of the country’s population, probably more. It will be tougher for these people to get enough health care for climate-related illnesses, to cool down in heat waves, to escape extreme events such as Hurricane Katrina, and even to get enough food.
While every region of America is vulnerable to global warming’s health and welfare effects, more people are moving to coastal regions, which are most vulnerable to climate change because of drought and hurricanes.
1. According to the report, we learn all of the following will risk human’s health EXCEPT ______.| A．increase in the number of bugs |
| B．reduction in carbon dioxide emissions |
| C．global warming and climate change |
| D．heat waves and drought |
| A．All of states would suffer flooding. |
| B．About half of all states would have clear air. |
| C．Flooding would occur in almost all the states. |
| D．Air quality in few states is not high. |
| A．Global temperatures are increasing year by year because of carbon dioxide. |
| B．Global warming is caused by human beings. |
| C．It is wise for the Americans to move into coastal regions. |
| D．At least one tenth of Americans are more likely to suffer climate-related illnesses. |
| A．explain how the phenomenon of global warming forms |
| B．provide evidence that global warming and climate change risk human’s health |
| C．warn every American of the danger of global warming to their health |
| D．protect the vulnerable Americans from suffering from diseases |
【推荐3】The population of a sea creature known as the sunflower sea star, which was once plentiful along the Pacific coastline from Mexico’s Baja California peninsula to Alaska, has been reduced sharply these years. Approximately 90% of them have disappeared since 2013 due to a mysterious sea star wasting syndrome (海星消瘦综合症).
One of the factors likely to have led to the death of sea stars is rising ocean temperatures caused by climate change, according to some scientists. The ocean absorbs most of the excess atmospheric heat caused by greenhouse gas emissions, which has the effect of increasing the temperature of the water. Many sea creatures can only tolerate very small changes to their environment.
Sunflower sea stars feed on sea urchins. Sea urchins feed on seagrass. Without the presence of sunflower sea stars, their key predator in the food chain, sea urchin populations have boomed. That has led to the death of many seagrasses — which in turn contributes to the climate crisis, as seagrass is a valuable tool to store carbon dioxide.
Scientists at the University of Washington have been working on that. They have been raising a new generation of sunflower sea stars that can be used to repopulate coastal waters. Jason Hodin, a research scientist at the University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Labs, said that they’re hoping the program can help recover the sunflower sea star and, ultimately, recover the health of ecosystems like seagrass that is under threat right now.
To test the sea stars’ ability to tolerate warming seas, scientists have these tiny creatures subjected to fluctuations (波动) in water temperatures in the lab. Some of the young adult sea stars are being raised in water that is slightly warmer than normal, and are showing signs of being able to adjust to the added warmth. “These are not typical ocean temperatures around here, but the success indicates that they at least have the ability to endure the warmer water,” said Hodin.
1. Which could be a possible reason for the death of sunflower sea stars?| A．Habitat loss. | B．Climate change. |
| C．Food shortage. | D．Ocean pollution. |
| A．The living habits of sunflower sea stars. |
| B．The importance of seagrass to the environment. |
| C．The key role of sunflower sea stars in the food chain. |
| D．The consequences of the increasing sea urchin populations. |
| A．By developing devices to cool sea water. |
| B．By improving the environment of coastal waters. |
| C．By growing plentiful seagrass to absorb carbon dioxide. |
| D．By experimenting on raising a new generation of the creature. |
| A．It is meaningful. | B．It is complicated. |
| C．It is bizarre. | D．It is disappointing |
【推荐1】Think of London and you will probably remember the bright red double－decker buses. Think of Thailand’s capital city, Bangkok, and the noisy tuk－tuks may come to mind. Think of San Francisco and you might see the city’s cable cars.
Imagining what these cities would look like without those is difficult. They are symbols of these cities that make them different. However, these city symbols are not always so well loved by their city leaders. City leaders want what is best for their city, which often means the most modern transport.
In Bangkok, city leaders have banned (禁止) tuk－tuks because they consider them noisy and polluting. However, the ban has largely been unsuccessful as it has not changed Thai people’s love for the cheap tuk－tuks over taxis.
In London the city’s first ever mayor (市长) removed the red double－decker buses, which he thought were old fashioned.His plan worked, but Londoners were unhappy to lose the nice old buses they believed represented the best of their city. They made their unhappiness felt when the mayor came up for re－election. Most Londoners voted for his competitor, who promised to bring the bus back.
As for San Francisco, several cable cars are still in use but mainly as tourist attractions. They are too slow to be used for anything other than scenic trips.
City transport symbols may have a place in their city people’s hearts, but it seems they are increasingly out of step with the modern world. As Londoners have proved, their continued life depends on people’s willingness to fight for their survival.
1. Which proves the old city transport symbols are not loved by city leaders?| A．Only a few cable cars are still in use in San Francisco. |
| B．Bangkok city leaders tried to remove the cheap tuk－tuks. |
| C．The mayor who sold double－decker buses lost the re－election. |
| D．The new mayor will bring back improved double－decker buses. |
| A．Modern cities should remove old city transport symbols. |
| B．The writer thinks highly of the old city transport symbols. |
| C．Old city transport symbols face the problem of survival. |
| D．Tourist cities will lose their attraction without the symbols. |
| A．To introduce some city transport symbols. |
| B．To explain why some cities are popular. |
| C．To talk about modern transport in some cities. |
| D．To attract more tourists to visit some cities. |
| A．the new mayor loves it |
| B．Londoners fought for it |
| C．it is an improved transport |
| D．it is popular with tourists |
【推荐2】“Beauty is only skin deep” it is said. This means that a person’s appearance is not as important as their character. Yet it is strange why people and especially women are willing to spend a fortune on making themselves more attractive physically.
Attractive people are more popular generally. Beauty draws a positive response from the people around. This is obvious with children. For example, based on observation, there is a tendency for adults to treat good-looking children better. This favorable treatment continues into adulthood, as attractive people are more likely to be chosen for leadership positions and given more opportunities.
Another important benefit that good-looking people enjoy is that they find a husband or wife more easily.
On the other hand, beauty has a number of disadvantages as well. Firstly, a good-looking person tends to attract unwanted attention from all kinds of people. The admirer may have bad intentions and cause problems for the target.
While every individual should take care of their outward appearance and look their best, they should not neglect (忽视) their inner beauty or character.
| A．Life is not always easy for beautiful people. |
| B．The skincare industry is a multi-billion dollar business. |
| C．It turns out being conventionally beautiful has its benefits. |
| D．It is a fact that people are first attracted to outward appearance. |
| E．They should not place such importance on beauty that they become proud. |
| F．Being well-treated gives attractive people more confidence and they perform better. |
| G．Another problem faced by good-looking people is that they may not be taken seriously. |
【推荐3】The question of how trucking capacity is growing or declining is common in industry, but the reality is that demand fluctuations are far more important to monitor as they swing much more violently.
Since December of 2018, the total tractor count from for-hire fleets (non-private) has grown 18%, according to the FMCSA, but has never shown a monthly change of over 2%. By contrast, the Outbound Tender Volume Index (OTVI), a measure of total truckload demand, has grown 12% over the same period, but monthly fluctuations topped 20% at times.
Even before the pandemic, the OTVI had 5-7% monthly swings in demand. Given the OTVI measures total tenders and is not a pure proxy (指标) for shipments, it is reflective of how fast demand-side conditions change in trucking.
The point is that capacity shifts are slow and stable, while demand changes much more rapidly and is very unpredictable over time. This is the consummate struggle of supply chains and transportation companies across the globe — how much infrastructure (capacity) is needed to be able to flex up but not have too much overhead when demand softens?
The process of ordering and seating a truck takes close to a year. That truck can haul roughly seven 500-mile loads per week, or 360 loads per year. This only occurs if shipping patterns are consistent and drivers are readily available, and neither are true. So it isn’t a pure question of how much capacity is available in aggregate, but are those trucks available in the right places at the right times in general? This metric is extremely difficult to attain.
Since demand is uneven and spread unevenly throughout the country, trucks and drivers need to exceed the number of shipments available. So even if capacity grows by 1%, it just increases the chances that loads will be covered marginally.
Probably more important than any of the previous points is that there are already measures of the relationship between supply and demand in trucking. Tender rejection rates (OTRI) and spot rates (NTI) measure when capacity is meeting demand in the contract and spot markets, respectively.
There is little use for knowing how much capacity is available in the for-hire freight market other than being interesting. But there is exceptional value in knowing how well capacity and demand are lining up and in what direction they are trending. Since December 2021 tender rejection rates have fallen from over 20% to under 4%, while spot rates are down 27%.
Demand-side indicators are probably the most crucial to getting the earliest signs of market shifts, while rejection rates and spot rates answer the two most important questions that companies want answered: Can I get a truck and how much will it cost me?
1. The Outbound Tender Volume Index ________.| A．is a proxy for shipments only |
| B．is a measure to track truckload demand |
| C．can tell the current trucking capacity in the US |
| D．can tell the relationship between supply and demand in trucking |
| A．How capacity can meet the changing demand. |
| B．How capacity and demand can be predicted. |
| C．What facilities are needed to ship the goods. |
| D．What trucks can function the best. |
| A．They are both measures in the contract and spot markets. |
| B．They are of little use to know the capacity and demand. |
| C．They can change the uneven demand situation in the US. |
| D．They can help to tell the companies how market might change. |
| A．In a school newspaper. | B．In a book. | C．In a biography. | D．In a magazine. |
【推荐1】The Superme Court is the highest court in the United States. Let’s meet some of the great women who have left their mark one in the country’s highest court. Margaret Brent
In the early years women were prevented from practicing law. However, Margaret Brent, a wealthy landlord living in Maryland, was an exception. She appeared before courts several times to file lawsuits（诉讼）against people who owed her money.
Lucy Prince
Lucy was well-known for her skills as a public speaker, and in 1976 she became the first black woman in America to argue before a Supreme Court justice. The case arose from a land conflict, and Lucy argued against two leading lawyers. Chief Justice Samuel Chase, said that Lucy “ made a better argument than he had ever heard from a lawyer in Vermont.”
Ruth Ginsburg
Born in Brooklyn, Ginsburg graduated from Cornell University and Columbia Law School. Between 1972 and 1978, Ginsburg argued six cases before the Supreme Court concerning laws that kept women out of certain occupations. She won five of them. Later she was appointed to hold an important post in the Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton.
Myra Bradwell
In 1872, the Illinois Supreme Court denied Myra Bradwell’s admission to the Illinois Bar despite the fact that she had passed the state bar exam. Bradwell then asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the Illinois court’s decision. Unfortunately for Bradwell, the tables weren’t turned.The Supreme Court claimed that there was nothing illegal about denying a woman the chance to practice as a lawyer.
1. What was Samuel Chase’s attitude to Lucy’s argument?| A．Uncaring. | B．Approving |
| C．Doubtful. | D．Grateful. |
| A．Margaret Brent | B．Lucy Prince |
| C．Ruth Ginsburg | D．Myra Bradwell |
| A．Bradwell’s request was illegal. |
| B．Bradwell failed the state bar exam. |
| C．The Supreme Court broke the law. |
| D．The Supreme Court ruled against Bradwell. |
【推荐2】Nowadays, more and more students are suffering from myopia (近视), or near-sightedness. It is always advise to seek a doctor to fix your condition. Here are a few tips on how to prevent it.
1. Eat green leafy vegetables.
Maybe you’re not a fan of greens.
2.
Your eyes and facial muscles also deserve a good rest. For every 20 minutes of staring at a screen or reading something, you need to look 20 feet away from you for a period of 20 seconds. Exercise should also be practiced on those of your eyes.
3. Drink water.
What water can’t do? It keeps your mind and body working well.
4. Get outside.
| A．Create a daily routine for yourself. |
| B．Rest your eyes and facial muscles regularly. |
| C．Drinking a lot of water keeps your eyes from drying out. |
| D．It helps your eyes in adjusting to daylight and far distances. |
| E．However, research shows that playing video games helps improve a good eyesight. |
| F．But start to be one if you want to protect your beautiful eyes and make it last a lifetime. |
| G．Moving your eyes from top to bottom, side to side or even circling it around is enough to improve your eyesight. |
【推荐3】Manta rays (魔鬼鱼) are some of the creatures in the ocean who allow divers to swim right up to and interact (与……互动) with them. Unfortunately, these gentle animals are in big trouble. Since 2011, manta rays have been listed as a threatened species worldwide.
Peru, a country in South America, recently took a big step to protect giant manta rays: It banned fishing for them. Although 12 other countries have passed laws to protect rays, Peru’s may be the most important one yet. That’s because there are more manta rays in the Pacific Ocean near Peru than in any other place in the world.
Giant manta rays are unusual-looking creatures. The giant, flat rays are typically about 4. 5 meters wide and can grow up to 8 meters wide! “They’re sort of like giant flying carpets underwater, ” says Joshua Stewart of the Manta Trust, an organization that researches manta rays.
People catch rays for their meat. Overfishing is bad for any sea creature, but it’s even worse for manta rays. Female manta rays usually have only one baby, every two to five years. So every ray that’s caught hurts the population in a big way. People who break Peru’s new law can be fined or have their fishing licenses taken away. Even rays caught accidentally in fishing nets must be set free.
Earlier this year, the Manta Trust attached video cameras, called Crittercams, to manta rays off the west coast of Mexico. The footage (连续镜头) the cameras collect could help researchers predict where rays swim and when. The scientists could use the information to warn fishing boats to avoid these areas, helping reduce the number of accidentally caught rays.
Stewart says it’s important to protect these unique creatures. “There’s really no other animal that compares in size that you can have interactions with in the wild.”
1. What’s a characteristic of manta rays?| A．They are very friendly to people. | B．They are usually of small size. |
| C．They can fly like a bird. | D．They like swimming up and down. |
| A．Their habitats are badly damaged. | B．They only live in the Pacific Ocean. |
| C．Fewer and fewer female rays give birth. | D．Their number has dropped greatly. |
| A．Look for more rays. | B．Protect them. |
| C．Make films about them. | D．Reduce their population. |
| A．It makes no sense. | B．It is hard to follow. |
| C．It is really essential. | D．It needs improvement. |
