“Reduce, reuse, and recycle”, this familiar environmentalist slogan tells us how to reduce the amount of rubbish that ends up in landfills and waterways. The concept is being used to deal with one possibly dangerous form of waste — electronic junk (电子垃圾), such as old computers, cell phones, and televisions. But this process for managing e-waste may be used in an unscrupulous (肆无忌惮的) way more often than not used, a recent report suggests.
“A lot of these materials are being sent to developing nations under the excuse of reuse — to bridge the digital divide (消除数字鸿沟),” said Richard Gutierrez, a policy researcher.
One of the problems is that no one proves whether these old machines work before they hit the seaways. Because of this, the report says, e-waste is a growing problem in Lagos, Nigeria, and elsewhere in the developing world. Much of the waste ends up being thrown away along rivers and roads. Often it’s picked apart by poor people, who may face dangerous exposure to poisonous chemicals in the equipment.
Businessmen also pay workers a little money to get back materials such as gold and copper. This low-tech recovery process could expose workers and the local environment to many dangerous materials used to build electronics. According to Gutierrez, this shadow economy exists because the excuse of recycling and reusing electronics gives businessmen “a green passport” to ship waste around the globe. “Developing nations must take upon some of the responsibility themselves,” Gutierrez said. But, he added, “A greater portion of this responsibility should fall on the exporting state (出口国).”
China, for example, has become a dumping place for large amounts of e-waste. The nation is beginning to take action to stop the flow of dangerous materials across its borders. The Chinese government, after many years of denial (拒绝) is finally beginning to take the lead.
1. The passage mainly tells us that .| A．developing countries are making full use of e-waste |
| B．e-waste is a growing problem in developed countries |
| C．developing countries are facing serious environmental problems |
| D．e-waste is sent to developing countries under the excuse of reuse |
| A．A lot of e-waste is dumped in developing countries. |
| B．Old computers and TVs still work before sent abroad. |
| C．The problem of e-waste is growing in developing countries. |
| D．Poor people break up e-waste to collect some valuable materials. |
| A．poor countries should be blamed for this problem |
| B．developing countries should be responsible for this problem |
| C．neither rich nor poor countries should be blamed for this problem |
| D．exporting countries should be mainly responsible for this problem |
| A．China has hidden a large amount of e-waste in many secret places |
| B．China has greatly changed her idea about the problem of e-waste |
| C．China is falling behind other countries in dealing with e-waste |
| D．China has prevented poisonous materials entering China for a long time |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Before the year has even come to a close, climate experts are certain that 2023 will be the hottest year in recorded history.
On Dec. 6, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) — part of the European Union's space program — revealed that this year's average global temperatures have been 2.6℉ (1.46°C ) higher than temperatures in preindustrial times and 0.2°F (0.13°C) higher than January to November in 2016. These “extraordinary” temperatures mean that 2023will be “the warmest year in recorded history,” C3S deputy director Samantha Burgess said in a statement.
The researchers note that this year's record heat was partly caused by the latest El Nino event — a phenomenon where warmer water near the equator triggers warmer global air temperatures — that began in June. Some other experts have suggested that the January2022 eruption of Tonga's underwater volcano, which pumped record levels of water vapor into the atmosphere, may also be partly responsible.
Despite these factors, the major cause of climbing temperatures is global warming caused by runaway greenhouse gas emissions, which, noted in a C3S statement, have trapped more than 25 billion atomic bombs' worth of energy in our atmosphere over the last 50 years. And still worse, the global carbon emissions have reached a new high this year, according to scientists at the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28) On Dec 4.
The effects of global warming are becoming more obvious. In 2023, research revealed that climate change is causing major US cities to sink and more than half of the world's largest lakes and reservoirs to shrink. Studies also predicted that the Gulf Stream, which plays a vital role in ocean circulation, could collapse by as early as 2025, and that rising sea levels could swamp the U S coastline by 2050.
However, scientists say that we still have time to prevent further disaster. Leading climate change expert Michael Mann, from the University of Pennsylvania, recently wrote that “we can still stop the worst effects of climate change” if we stop emitting greenhouse gases as soon as possible.
1. What's the purpose of the text?| A．To report the recorded hottest year. |
| B．To present findings of a research. |
| C．To analyze the causes of climate change. |
| D．To warn of the coming natural disaster. |
| A．Eruption of an underwater volcano. |
| B．Greenhouse gas emissions. |
| C．Collapse of the Gulf Stream. |
| D．The latest El Nino event. |
| A．Scientists' predictions of the future. |
| B．The threat of rising sea levels to the U.S. |
| C．The effects of climate change. |
| D．Different opinions on global warming. |
| A．Confused. | B．Worried. | C．Pessimistic. | D．Hopeful. |
【推荐2】4 Eco-Friendly Bikes to Ride This Summer
Nowadays, many drivers are searching for more environment-friendly ways to get around and are starting to look back to bikes. Bikes don’t require gas. In terms of convenience, bikes can be easier to park and can help riders get their daily exercise in.
Companies everywhere are beginning to take the traditional bike and adapt it to people’s needs. Below are eco-friendly bikes to consider adding to your morning ride.
1. Bamboobikes
Ccycles produces Bamboo Bikes. The company sources bamboo and carbon fiber joints for their bike frames. Bamboo is ideal for bikes because it can absorb significantly more shock than carbon fiber. It is also very lightweight compared to traditional bike materials, like steel. But bamboo is incredibly strong and can take on twice the compression force as steel.
2. Cowboy
Cow offers Cowboy, a bike hides the battery in its frame under the saddle. The removable battery takes about two and half hours to charge and has a range of roughly 31 miles, but the best part is the app features. The Cowboy app gives travelers a real time dashboard (仪器板) to check out their speed and distance. Riders never need to worry about getting lost since it has navigation and can pull up your route history from your ride states. This smart tech also gives riders updates about the bike’s status. The Cowboy has a high tech locking system so the owner is the only one who can start up the bike.
3. The Faraday Bicycle
Faraday ebikes have a 250W motor, and the battery can be fully charged in less than 4 hours. Faraday recently partnered with the organization One Tree Planted to help reforest California after the state underwent serious damage from wildfires that destroyed thousands of acres of land in the area. The company stepped up and donated $100 from every bike sold to plant 100 trees.
4. The Donky Bike
Wilson, who works for Donky, created The Donky Bike, a practical cargo bike. This bike was designed to easily carry a cargo load on the frame. Like any great workhorse, this bike was built with simple low-maintenance components and has a strong, durable frame.
1. Which bike can show you where you are?| A．Cowboy. | B．Bamboobikes. |
| C．The Donky Bike. | D．The Faraday Bicycle. |
| A．Faraday | B．Ccycles |
| C．Donky | D．Cow |
| A．has a 250W motor | B．carries a cargo on the frame |
| C．is lightweight but strong | D．has a battery under the saddle |
【推荐3】Nearly every nation is coming up short — most of them far short — in their efforts to fight climate change, and the world is unlikely to hold warning to the internationally agreed-upon limit, according to a new scientific report.
Gambia, a tiny country in Africa, is the only nation that is cutting emissions (排放) and taking up its share of actions to keep the world from exceeding the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting warming to 1.5℃ above preindustrial times, according to the report. Only one industrialized nation — the United Kingdom—is even close to doing what it should to cut emissions of heat-trapping gases and finance clean energy for poorer nations, the Climate Action Tracker(CAT)reported.
Enough nations promised big enough carbon pollution cuts that the CAT said the “emissions gap” — the difference between emissions projections (预测) with the promises and what’s required to meet the 1.5-degree goal — dropped by 11%.
“That momentum (势头) has not been maintained,” said Bill Hare, report co-author and CEO of Climate Analytics. “We’re running short of countries stepping up with additional emission commitments to close the gap.”
Unlike its previous reports, which just looked at promises to cut carbon pollution and policy changes, the new ratings include money issues. Finance is critical to climate negotiations this fall in Scotland, so the report examined commitments by rich nations to help pay for clean energy for poor nations, according to Hare.
That hurt the United States and European Union rankings. The report called efforts by the United States, the European Union, Germany and Japan “insufficient” and more in line with global warming of 3℃ since the late 19th century. The world has already warmed by 1.1℃ since that time, so these countries will make the world 1.9℃ warmer than it is now.
Hare said Brazil and Mexico “went backwards” on their fight to control warming. The report lists Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Thailand at the bottom.
1. What does the underlined word “exceeding” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Limiting. | B．Changing. | C．Working towards. | D．Going beyond. |
| A．The global warming will be soon controlled. |
| B．Global nations are struggling to bridge “emissions gap”. |
| C．More countries are needed to solve the global climate change. |
| D．Many nations keep the promises of carbon pollution reduction. |
| A．Additional emission. | B．Climate negotiations. | C．Smaller population. | D．Insufficient funds. |
| A．Economy. | B．Environment. | C．Technology. | D．Entertainment. |
【推荐1】According to the majority of Americans, women are every bit as capable of being good political leaders as men. The same can be said of their ability to dominate the corporate boardroom. And according to a new Pew Research Center survey on women and leadership, most Americans find women indistinguishable from men on key leadership traits such as intelligence and capacity for innovation, with many saying they're stronger than men in terms of being passionate and organized leaders.
So why, then, are women in short supply at the top of government and business in the United States? According to the public, at least, it's not that they lack toughness, management talent or proper skill sets. It’s also not all about work-life balance. Although economic research and previous survey findings have shown that career interruptions related to motherhood may make it harder for women to advance in their careers and compete for top executive jobs, relatively few adults in the recent survey point to this as a key barrier for women seeking leadership roles. Only about one-in-five say women's family responsibilities are a major reason why there aren't more females in top leadership positions in business and politics.
Instead, topping the list of reasons, about four-in-ten Americans point to a double standard for women seeking to climb to the highest levels of either politics or business, where they have to do more than their male counterparts to prove themselves. Similar shares say the electorate and corporate America are just not ready to put more women in top leadership positions.
As a result, the public is divided about whether the imbalance in corporate America will change in the foreseeable future, even though women have made major advances in the workplace. While 53% believe men will continue to hold more top executive positions in business in the future, 44% say it's only a matter of time before as many women are in top executive positions as men. Americans are less doubtful when it comes to politics: 73% expect to see a female president in their lifetime.
1. What do most Americans think of women leaders according to a new Pew Research Center survey?| A．They have to do more to distinguish themselves. |
| B．They have to strive harder to win their positions. |
| C．They are stronger than men in terms of willpower. |
| D．They are just as intelligent and innovative as men. |
| A．They have unconquerable difficulties on their way to success. |
| B．They are lacking in confidence when competing with men. |
| C．Their failures may have something to do with family duties. |
| D．Relatively few are affected in their career advancement. |
| A．Personality traits. | B．Gender bias. |
| C．Family responsibilities. | D．Lack of vacancies. |
| A．More and more women will sit in the boardroom. |
| B．Gender imbalance in leadership is likely to change. |
| C．The public is undecided about whether women will make good leaders. |
| D．People have opposing opinions as to whether it will have more women leaders. |
【推荐2】A higher proportion of Americans are living alone and spending time alone than in past decades. According to the U.S. Census Bureau，a third of U.S. adults over 45 reports being lonely. Less than half of U.S. adults participate in an organized religious group and less than a quarter participate in a social club or a local sports league. And the problem has been getting worse.
It sounds bad, but, after all, some people like being alone, and we all have to do it sometimes, so what’s the problem? According to a widely reported 2019 analysis of studies, being socially isolated, feeling lonely and living alone corresponded with an increased risk of mortality (死亡) by 29 percent, 26 percent, and 32 percent respectively. Lacking social connection carries a risk that is comparable, and in many cases, exceeds that of other well-accepted risk factors, including smoking up to 15 cigarettes per day, obesity, physical inactivity. and air pollution.
“Loneliness is the subjective feeling of being alone,” Dr. Holt-Lunstad, the lead author of that study tells The Healthy. “It’s defined as the discrepancy between one’s actual level of social connection and one’s desired level of social connection.” “Social isolation means having few relationships and infrequent social contacts,” Dr. Holt-Lunstad adds, “someone who is isolated is at greater risk of becoming lonely, but you can be lonely and not isolated and isolated and not lonely.”
The epidemic of loneliness is compounded today by the coronavirus pandemic which makes the government ask people to stay by themselves. What can we do to mitigate the negative healthy effects? Dr. Holt-Lunstad recommends. “You could view your situation as being tapped or forced to stay home, or you could change your concept to thinking about this as ‘this is something I am doing to protect the ones I love’. And helping care for someone, an animal or even a plant can help reduce the feeling of loneliness and improve survival rate. Another step you can take is to connect with people in your life who you haven’t reached out to in a while.” Dr. Holt-Lunstad also says, “The greatest gift we can give people is our full attention. That means not just sharing but listening and listening deeply.”
1. What can be inferred from the first two paragraphs?| A．Americans gradually dislike participating in social activities. |
| B．Feeling lonely accounts for about one third of deaths in America. |
| C．Living alone can result in smoking more and physical inactivity. |
| D．The problem of loneliness in America is very serious. |
| A．Someone who is alone must be lonely. |
| B．Someone who is isolated must be lonely. |
| C．Someone who is isolated may not be lonely. |
| D．Someone who has frequent social contact can’t be lonely. |
| A．Shifting our concept. | B．Self-supporting. |
| C．Reaching out to strangers. | D．Light listening. |
| A．Are you feeling isolated? | B．Loneliness is worsening in America. |
| C．The risks of being lonely. | D．How can we deal with loneliness? |
More than the help that one nation can give to another during a disaster; it would be more effective to give other forms of help during normal times. A common proverb says, “Give me a fish and I eat for day, teach me to fish and I eat for a lifetime.” If we follow this wise saying, it would be right to teach people from less developed nations to take care of themselves. For example, a country could share its technology with another. This could be in simple areas like agriculture or in more complex areas like medical and health care or even in building satellites. Even small country is able to help less developed nations. Sometimes what is take for granted, like the setting up of a water purification plant or the administration of a school, could be useful for countries which are looking about to solve common problems. It does not cost much to share such simple things. Exchange students could be attached for a number of months or years and learn the required craft while on the site. They can then take their knowledge back to their homelands and if necessary come back form time to time to clear doubts or to update themselves. Such aid will be truly helpful and there is no chance of it being temporary or of it falling into the wrong hands.
Many countries run extensive courses in all sorts of skills. It will not cost much to include deserving foreigners in these courses. Besides giving effective help to the countries concerned, there is also the build-up of friendships to consider. Giving direct help by giving materials may be effective in the short run and must continue to be given in the event of emergencies. However, in the long run what is really effective would be the sharing of knowledge.
1. According to the author, how could international aid reach the victims in time?
| A．By solving the cost problems |
| B．By solving the transportation problems |
| C．By setting up a body of devoted people in every country. |
| D．By relying on the direct distribution of the UNO. |
| A．Providing food is vital |
| B．Learning to fish is helpful |
| C．Teaching skills is essential |
| D．Looking after others is important. |
| A．A medical team. | B．An exchange program. |
| C．A water plant. | D．Financial support. |
| A．It is facing difficulties |
| B．It is unnecessary during normal times |
| C．It should be given in the form of materials |
| D．It has gained support developed countries |
【推荐1】For years, the U.S. has experienced a shortage of registered nurses. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that while the number of nurses will increase by 19 percent by 2022, demand will grow faster than supply, and that there will be over one million unfilled nursing jobs by then.
So what's the solution? Robots.
Japan is ahead of the curve when it comes to this trend. Toyohashi University of Technology has developed Terapio, a robotic medical cart that can make hospital rounds, deliver medications and other items. It follows a specific individual, such as a doctor or nurse, who can use it to record and access patient data. This type of robot will likely be one of the first to be implemented in hospitals because it has fairly minimal patient contact.
A robot's appearance affects its ability to successfully interact with humans, which is why the RIKEN-TRI Collaboration Center for Human-Interactive Robot Research decided to develop a robotic nurse called Actroid F. It is so human-like that some patients may not know the difference. This conversational robot companion has cameras in its eyes, which allow it to track patients and use appropriate facial expressions and body language in its interactions. During a month-long hospital trial, researchers asked 70 patients how they felt being around the robot and "only three or four said they didn't like having it around."
It's important to note that robotic nurses don't decide courses of treatment or make diagnoses, though robot doctors and surgeons may not be far off. Instead, they perform routine and laborious tasks, freeing nurses up to attend to patients with immediate needs. This is one industry where it seems the interaction of robots will lead to collaboration, not replacement.
1. What does the author say about Japan?| A．It ranks top in future robotics technology. |
| B．It takes the lead in offering robotic nursing. |
| C．It is in desperate need of registered nurses. |
| D．It provides the best medication for the elderly. |
| A．Cancelled. | B．Constructed. | C．Improved. | D．Applied. |
| A．It has no difference from a human nurse. |
| B．It gets favorable remarks from all the patients. |
| C．It interacts with patients like a human companion. |
| D．It uses body language even more effectively than words. |
| A．Cooperation will not be replaced. |
| B．Nurses will still play their roles. |
| C．The robotics industry will be promising. |
| D．Robots can meet patients' immediate needs. |
【推荐2】Phonics, which involves sounding out words syllable (音节) by syllable, is the best way to teach children to read. But in many classrooms, this can be a dirty word. So much so that some teachers have had to take phonics teaching materials secretly into the classroom. Most American children are taught to read in a way that study after study has found to be wrong.
The consequences of this are striking. Less than half of all American adults were efficient readers in 2017. American fourth graders rank 15th on the Progress in International Literacy Study, an international exam.
America is stuck in a debate about teaching children to read that has been going on for decades. Some advocate teaching symbol sound relationships (the sound k can be spelled as c, k, ck, or ch) known as phonics Others support an immersive approach (using pictures of cat to learn the word cat), known as “whole language”. Most teachers today, almost three out of four according to a survey by EdWeek Research Centre in 2019, use a mix of the two methods called “balanced literacy”.
“A little phonics is far from enough.” says Tenette Smith, executive director of elementary education and reding at Mississippi’s education department. “It has to be systematic and explicitly taught.”
Mississippi, often behind in social policy, has set an example here. In a state once blamed for its low reading scores, the Mississippi state legislature passed new literacy standards in 2013.Since then Mississippi has seen remarkable gains., Its fourth graders have moved from 49th (out of 50 states) to 20th on the National assessment of Educational Progress, a nationwide exam.
Mississippi’s success is attributed to application of reading methods supported by a body of research known as the science of reading. In 1997 experts from the Department of Education ended the “reading war” and summed up the evidence. They found that phonics, along with explicit instruction in phonemic (音位的) awareness, fluency and comprehension, worked best.
Yet over two decades on, “balanced literacy” is still being taught in classrooms. But advances in statistics and brain imaging have disproved the whole-language method. To the teacher who is an efficient reader, literacy seem like a natural process that requires educated guessing, rather than the deliberate process emphasized by phonics. Teachers can imagine that they learned to read through osmosis(潜移默化) when they were children. Without proper training, they bring this to classrooms.
1. What do we learn about phonics in many American classrooms?| A．It is ill reputed. | B．It is mostly misapplied. |
| C．It is totally ignored. | D．It is seemingly contradictory. |
| A．A burning passion for improving teaching methods. |
| B．A lasting debate over how to teach children to read. |
| C．An increasing concern with children’s inadequacy in literacy. |
| D．A forceful advocacy of a combined method for teaching reading. |
| A．Tolerant. | B．Enthusiastic. | C．Unclear. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．Focusing on the natural process rather than deliberate training. |
| B．Obtaining support from other states to upgrade teaching methods. |
| C．Adopting scientifically grounded approaches to teaching reading. |
| D．Placing sufficient emphasis upon both fluency and comprehension. |
【推荐3】About 1.4 billion people around the world do not get enough physical exercise. The world's adult population is about 5.6 billion, so that is tantamount to about one-fourth of the world's adult population.
Researchers looked at 358 population-based studies between 2001 and 2016. Those studies referred to nearly 2 million people in 168 countries.
Regina Guthold was the lead author of the report. She said the study also found a wide range (范围) of physical activity levels for countries around the world. “Inactivity ranges from as low as 6 percent in Uganda and Mozambique to 67 percent in Kuwait. Four countries have a prevalence (普通) of inactivity of over 50 percent. That's Kuwait, America Samoa, Saudi Arabia and Iraq,” she said.
The report shows the levels of physical inactivity are more than two times as high in wealthy countries as they are in countries where people have low incomes. In wealthier countries, people are more likely to spend time sitting in offices. They are also more likely to use computers and electronic devices (设备) for entertainment.
There are actually many things people can do for themselves. If you work in a high-rise office building, take the stairs instead of an elevator. Go for a walk during your lunch break. Take more breaks during the workday and move around. If your workplace offers a gym or exercise classes, make sure to use them. At home, take walks with your family or friends after dinner.
1. What does the underlined part “tantamount to” in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．Familiar to. | B．Harmful to. |
| C．Used to. | D．Equal to. |
| A．Uganda. | B．Kuwait. |
| C．Saudi Arabia. | D．Iraq. |
| A．They are less active. |
| B．They often exercise indoors. |
| C．They don't have time to exercise. |
| D．They don't think exercise important. |
| A．To draw people's attention to the problem. |
| B．To give some advice to non-exercisers. |
| C．To introduce a new topic for discussion. |
| D．To add some background information. |
