【推荐1】What defines an eco-house? There are two features to take into consideration. Firstly, the energy efficiency and carbon emissions associated with running the house, and then the type of construction materials used, their associated emissions and the raw materials required.

At Baufritz, we have won awards relating to the sustainability of our houses. This is because as a company we had decided to put environmental stewardship at the core of our values way back in the 1960s. So how do we do it?

Heating is the biggest emissions factor for any house. It is really rather simple to solve this problem — make a house extremely energy efficient and this will no longer be a factor. Ultra low energy houses have become known as Passive houses, where a certain set of design characteristics help to improve efficiencies. You need a very high level of insulation in the walls and roof. Glass should be suitably positioned to optimize solar gaintucmrr (heat from the sun). The house needs to be very well engineered so no heat is lost through cracks or poorly fitted windows and doors. At Baufritz we manufacture Kit houses, and use Modern Manufacturing Methods in our factory to engineer our houses in such a way that leaks are minimized.

We have also developed “HOIZ” insulation. Manufactured from natural wood waste products, HOIZ is placed between the inside and outside layers of our timber framed houses to create the highest level of insulation. Our windows and doors use triple glazing to minimize heat loss. Overheating is one of the biggest challenges Passive houses face and our architects use some very clever ventilation systems   to manage   internal   environmental   conditions.   All   houses   still   have   energy-consuming appliances, but with the addition of solar for both electricity generation and water heating, the carbon footprint of the homes we produce are further reduced.

Embedded carbon in building manufacturing materials such as concrete, as well as a historic tendency to send materials to landfills, results in a high carbon footprint and natural resource exploitation. Baufritz addresses this problem in a number of ways. Our primary manufacturing material is wood. We source from sustainable certified forests where felled trees are replanted. In fact, we believe all building materials should be as natural as possible. We say no to PU construction foams, chemical insulation materials, toxic adhesives and laminate flooring. A house constructed using only natural materials creates a healthy living environment for its residents. As all our houses are manufactured in our state-of-the-art factory, waste is kept to an absolute minimum. At the end of their life-cycle, our houses can also be recycled. Today, demolition（拆除）firms clearing the site for the new build are able to recycle nearly all of the building materials, therefore closing the manufacturing loop.

My house is old, so why is this relevant? There are still lots of things which can be done. Improve your insulation. When your appliances expire, replace based on efficiency. Consider heat pumps instead of gas boilers and explore solar to deliver electricity and water heating. By designing and building houses to ultra low energy standards, and by using natural sustainably sourced materials and recycling the waste products from our manufacturing processes, we are able to deliver Carbon Neutral Houses. This means that the total carbon footprint throughout the life-cycle of each house is zero, which is why we call ourselves eco-house pioneers. All houses are prefabricated at our state-of-the-art factory in Erkheim, Germany, and then assembled on site.

1. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT associated with the sustainability of eco-houses?

A．The raw materials used.

B．Energy efficiency of the house.

C．Carbon emissions released by house designers.

D．Construction materials used and their emissions.

2. From the passage it can be inferred that Passive houses _____________.

A．fail to optimize solar gain

B．need to be carefully engineered to trap heat

C．use more energy-consuming appliances than Kit houses

D．could have less comfortable environmental conditions inside them

3. Which of the following statements is true about the way Baufritz builds houses?

A．House recycling is an additional service provided free by Baufritz.

B．Building materials are obtained from factories to ensure their quality.

C．Man-made materials are applied to reduce their impact on the environment.

D．The houses are all manufactured in their factory so as to reduce costs and waste.

4. The purpose of the passage is to ________.

A．argue for the necessity of eco-houses

B．advertise Baufritz, an eco-house builder

C．explain the underlying values of eco-houses

D．expand people’s knowledge of what eco-houses are

【推荐2】Today tropical rainforests are disappearing from the face of the globe. Despite growing international concern, rainforests continue to be destroyed at a pace over 80,000 acres per day. World rainforest cover now stands at around 2.5million square miles. Human activities have had an effect on much of this remaining area.

Deforestation(森林滥伐) of tropical rainforests has a global effect through species extinction, the loss of important ecosystem services and renewable resources, and the reduction of carbon sinks. However, this destruction can be slowed, stopped, and in some cases even reversed(逆转). Most people agree that the problem must be solved, but the means are not as simple as building fences around the remaining rainforests or banning the wood trade. Economic, political, and social pressures will not allow rainforests to continue to exist if they are completely closed off from use and development.

So, what should be done? The solution must be based on what is practical, not completely idealistic and depends on developing a conservation approach built on the principle of sustainable(可持续的) use and development of rainforests. Beyond the responsible development of rainforests, efforts to restore damaged forest lands along with the establishment of protected areas are key to securing rainforests for the long-term benefits they can provide for mankind.

Historic approaches to rainforest conservation have failed, as shown by the increased rate of deforestation. In many regions, closing off forests as untouchable parks and reserves has neither improved the quality of living or economic opportunities for the rural poor, nor stopped forest clearing by illegal woodcutters and developers.

The problem with this traditional approach to preserving wildlands in developing countries is that it fails to develop proper economic motives for preserving the forest. Local people and the government itself must see financial returns to prove the costs of maintaining parks from economic activities.

1. What has caused some species extinction in the tropical rainforests?

A．Humans' destroying the trees.

B．Carbon sinks being reduced.

C．Lacking renewable resources.

D．Fences not being built around the rainforests.

2. What can be inferred from the passage?

A．Tropical rainforests can be easily preserved.

B．Rainforests must be closed off to be better protected.

C．Human activities have had an effect on tropical rainforests.

D．Economic returns can make some difference in protecting tropical rainforests.

3. What is the author's attitude to tropical rainforest protection?

A．Indifferent.

B．Concerned.

C．Doubtful.

D．Puzzled.

4. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To show the bad effects of deforestation.

B．To stress the importance of the rainforests.

C．To appeal for right ways to save the rainforests.

D．To introduce the fact of forests disappearing.