Why do we like drinking water form plastic bottles? Some people think it is healthy and clean. Others drink bottled water because it’s easy — you can carry it around with you. In hot countries, like Greece, they often buy bottles of cold water in summer.
However, making lots of plastic is not a good idea for many reasons. First of all, we need a lot of oil for plastic products. We usually use oil as a source (资源) of energy. If we reduced the number of bottles we made, we wouldn’t need so much oil. Plastic bottles also pollute the environment. If we recycled all our plastic bottles, we wouldn’t need so much space for rubbish dumps. But in Greece, they don't recycle much of the plastic they use. In 2006, Greeks recycled only about 10% of plastic waste. The rest became rubbish on land and in rivers and seas.
So next time you want to throw away a plastic bottle in the litter bin, stop and think. If you recycled it, you would help the environment. But what can you do when there isn’t a recycling bin near you? Well, there are lots of useful ways that you can use your bottles again. For example, an empty bottle makes a great piggy bank for your pocket money, and if you cut a bottle in halves, you will have a plant pot. Go green! You can make a difference.
1. What is not mentioned about bottled water in this passage? It’s ______.| A．expensive | B．healthy | C．clean | D．easy |
| A．energy | B．oil | C．soil | D．plants |
| A．10% | B．50% | C．80% | D．90% |
| A．To drop them into the river. | B．To make a plant pot. |
| C．To make a piggy bank. | D．To recycle them. |
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【推荐1】How much do consumers care about the carbon footprint of the products they buy? Would they care more if the goods were labeled with emissions（排放物） data? Does it matter at which stage in the lifecycle of a product the carbon is emitted? Research published in the International Journal of Environmental Policy and Decision Making offers a way to find out．
Study participants view a carbon footprint label as similar to labels that have appeared on some existing products．The label shows the carbon dioxide emissions connected with their production, transportation, usage and disposal（清理）, thus showing the buyer the likely effect on climate change of buying a particular product．
In the first group of studies, the research team proved that carbon emissions and a carbon emissions label would indeed play a role in consumer product decisions, although not as great a role as price．In a second set of studies, the team found that emissions connected with usage were most important to consumers followed by the transportation and disposal stages．The carbon footprint of the producing process was considered less important to consumers than the other stages in the product's lifecycle because it is outside the consumer's control．That is, the participants felt they were less responsible for carbon emitted during producing process．Consumers value recycling a product, but the researchers found that, overall, the consumers would prefer producers to offset（补偿） carbon emissions rather than having to address the problem directly themselves．
Consumers are increasingly concerned with climate change problems, and already carbon labeling is appearing on some products．"We find that participants not only take the carbon label into account when making product decisions, but they want detailed information on the label," the researchers explain．They suggest that companies should prepare for how carbon emissions labels might affect future consumer choice．
1. Which of the following most affects consumer's choice?| A．Labels． | B．Price． |
| C．Packaging． | D．Carbon footprint． |
| A．Usage stage． | B．Transportation stage． |
| C．Disposal stage． | D．Producing stage． |
| A．Look into． | B．Point out． |
| C．Deal with． | D．Run into． |
| A．Companies should take carbon emissions more seriously． |
| B．All products have been labeled with carbon emissions data． |
| C．Producers will attach less importance to carbon emissions labels． |
| D．Products labeled with carbon emissions data will have poor sales． |
【推荐2】Manchester City are the current champions of the English Premier League, and now they’re championing the cause of landfill waste by offering edible (可食用的) coffee and tea cups at their 55,000 seater Etihad Stadium. They played their first home match of the season, drumming Norwich City 5-0 while producing 0 pounds of disposable (一次性的) hot drinks cups--a disaster in a coffee loving country where a shocking 2.5 billion disposable cups are used every year.
“It is the first time that an ‘edible coffee cup’ has been introduced. This fantastic and innovative solution provides an amazing solution to waste, just eat your cup,“ reads a statement from the Etihad Stadium.
The cup is made by a Scottish startup called BioBite, and is essentially a 100-calorie biscuit in the shape of a cup．Made with wafer (薄脆饼) in much the same way as an ice cream cone，the cup will stay leak-proof for 12 hours, and even more amazingly, crunchy for one-half the duration of a “football” match. According to the company’s website, the cup is fully recyclable, but the taste of coffee-soaked cup is actually delicious.
There are several problems with making an edible coffee cup, however; and it’s why there still isn’t one today in the largest drinking chains.
Edible cups truly might be the best solution, provided firms like BioBite can bring the cost-per-unit down. 240 of their biscuit cups cost $111, about 14 cents more than what Starbucks pays for the cup, the plastic lid, and the wood stirrer.
Another limiting factor is that a wafer is not exactly the fuel of a healthy society. If there were a company that could make the wafers out of some kind of vegetable fiber, something many western diets are nutritionally short of, then you’re talking about a real revolution.
1. What is the purpose of writing the first paragraph?| A．To introduce the Manchester City. |
| B．To arouse the awareness of preserving the environment. |
| C．To put forward the subject of using edible cups. |
| D．To cover a football match of Manchester City. |
| A．The popularity of the cup. | B．The advantages of the cup. |
| C．The ways of using the cup. | D．The process of making the cup. |
| A．Western diets are short of nutrition. |
| B．Wafers are made from vegetable fibers. |
| C．The revolution for making cups is carried on. |
| D．Western eating habits need improving. |
| A．Stubborn. | B．Carefree. | C．Supportive. | D．Objective. |
【推荐3】Now, a study proves that gardens are more than just a pretty place. The study, by researchers at Illinois State University, demonstrates that such constructed gardens can have a measurable and positive impact on water quality.
Floating gardens are essentially platforms built and wrapped in coconut husks (椰子壳), and filled in with native plantings. As plants grow, they extend their roots into the water. On the North Branch of the Chicago River, non-profit Urban Rivers and its partners are developing a mile-long floating eco-park called the Wild Mile. The re-development of this former industrial canal is Urban Rivers’ important project. As part of the park, floating gardens, attached to shore, are being fixed.
The primary aim of the floating gardens is beautification. But the Illinois State team, from the University’s Department of Geology, Geography, and the Environment, saw an ideal setup for a controlled experiment. “We joined it because it’s the perfect opportunity to see if there’s an influence on water quality,” explains lead author Abigail Heath.
The study is novel: previous studies have explored floating gardens’ influence on water quality over time, primarily in wastewater treatment ponds, but not over space, in moving water. The project also matches well with Urban Rivers’ broader goals. “The city is interested in bettering water quality,” says Phil Nicodemus, Urban Rivers’ Director of Research. “Happily, Illinois State took part in it later.”
Could this small human-made park improve water quality? An average of data collected over the course of the study shows middle but definitive improvement. For example, nitrogen (氮) dropped from 4.69 milligrams per liter in surface water to 4.43 milligrams per liter, a drop of about 1 percent.
“Despite how small this garden was, there was measurable improvement in water quality from upstream to downstream,” notes Heath. She and her colleagues see this as a model for how large floating gardens should be to help improve water in similar settings. “Even this tiny garden makes a difference,” she says.
1. What can be inferred from the second paragraph?| A．The floating gardens are environmentally friendly. |
| B．The floating gardens are fixed everywhere in the eco-park. |
| C．The floating gardens can help fix the former parks. |
| D．The Urban Rivers were once industrial canals. |
| A．To reduce waste water. | B．To attract more visitors to the park. |
| C．To make the surroundings brilliant. | D．To help researchers do the experiment. |
| A．The floating garden. | B．The project. |
| C．The treatment of ponds. | D．The quality of water. |
| A．Floating Gardens: More than Pretty |
| B．The Best Way to Better Water Quality |
| C．A Practical Method of Improving Parks |
| D．Floating Gardens Beautify the City |
“It is completely environmentally friendly; we have new models with an engine to help the driver up the hills but they use renewable energy.” said a spokesman for VELOTAXI, the leading rickshaw company which has carried a quarter of a million people this year.
While the city still has 7,000 motor-taxis, rickshaw company officials say their taxis’ green ideas, speed and safety make them more than just a tourist attraction. While now increasingly out of fashion in Delhi, Berlin people have eagerly accepted the new fleet since their launch in 1997.
“It’s better than a taxi, better than a bus, better than the train,” said ULF Lehman, 36, as he leapt out of a rickshaw near the world famous Brandenburg gate. “ It feels so free.”“This is something out of the ordinary, you feel you are on holiday in Bangkok instead of Berlin” said another traveler.
In Amsterdam, driver Peter Jancso said people like to be driven around in his bright yellow rickshaw and pretend to be a queen in a golden carriage. "I like my passengers to feel important," he said as he dropped off another passenger. Another visitor noted how cheap it was compared with a normal taxi.
Although increasingly popular in Europe, it is the opposite in India, where hand-pulled rickshaws are considered inhuman and a symbol of India’s backward past.
Nearly 500 bike-rickshaws are running in London and are not required to pay the city’s road tax but things may change as other taxi drivers complain of unfair treatment.
1. Where are rickshaws becoming more popular?
| A．Delhi, Berlin, Paris. | B．Amsterdam, Bangkok, Delhi. |
| C．Athens, London, Berlin. | D．Berlin, Amsterdam, London. |
| A．They are a reminder of a bad period in India’s history. |
| B．They have been banned because they are inefficient. |
| C．The streets of India are too crowded for them to move through easily. |
| D．Indians now prefer to travel by car because they are richer. |
| A．The passenger didn’t like taking a rickshaw as it reminded him of Bangkok. |
| B．The passenger enjoyed being on holiday in Berlin more than in Bangkok. |
| C．The passenger was impressed when taking a rickshaw and considered it unusual. |
| D．The passenger disapproved of rickshaws because they were not original to Berlin. |
| A．He gives no personal opinion. |
| B．He believes they will be of no use. |
| C．He thinks they will reduce pollution. |
| D．He thinks they are old-fashioned. |
【推荐2】One of the most famous buildings in the United States is Carnegie Hall, the home of classical and popular music concerts in New York. Carnegie Hall is known not just for its beauty and history, but also for its amazing sound. Carnegie Hall is named after Andrew Carnegie, who paid for its construction. Construction of Carnegie Hall began in 1890 and the official opening night was on May 5th, 1891.
The hall was owned by the Carnegie family until 1924 when it was sold to Robert E Simon. The building became very old and in 1960, the new owner made plans to destroy it and build an office block. Isaac Stem led a group of people who fought to save Carnegie Hall and finally, the city of New York bought it for $5 million. It was then fixed up between 1983 and 1995.
Advertisements and stories in newspapers about how Carnegie Hall needed help to recover its history led people to send in old concert programmes and information from all over the world. Over 12,000 concert programmes were received and with these it was possible to make a proper record of Carnegie Hall’s concert history.
Carnegie Hall is actually made up of several different halls, but the Main Hall, now called the Isaac Stem Auditorium, is the most famous. The hall itself can hold an audience of 2,804 in five levels of seating.
Because the best and most famous musicians of all time have played at Carnegie Hall, it is the dream of most musicians who want to be great to play there. This has led to a very old joke which is now part of Carnegie Hall’s history. Question: “How do I get to Carnegie Hall?” Answer: “Practice, practice, practice.”
1. It can be inferred that people wanted to save Carnegie Hall mainly because________.| A．it made a lot of money |
| B．it was worth visiting |
| C．many important concerts were held in it |
| D．it made some players become famous |
| A．Through newspaper reports. |
| B．Through old concert programmes. |
| C．Through old photographs. |
| D．Through old jokes. |
| A．Because you expect the answer to be directions but not advice. |
| B．Because Carnegie Hall is a place where musicians practice a lot. |
| C．Because it is difficult to find your way to Carnegie Hall. |
| D．Because you don’t expect the answer to repeat the same word three times. |
| A．The history of Carnegie Hall |
| B．The best musician having played in Carnegie Hall |
| C．A joke about Carnegie Hall |
| D．The dream of most musicians |
【推荐3】In the ancient walled city of Sana’a, mud skyscrapers rise high into the sky. The towering structures are built entirely out of earth and decorated with striking geometric (几何图形的) patterns. The local mud architecture is so unique that the city has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
“As an outstanding example of architecture, the city has an extraordinary artistic quality,” UNESCO writes in its description of Sana’a. “The buildings also show amazing crafts in the use of local materials and techniques.”
Even though the buildings in Sana’a are thousands of years old, they remain “terribly modern-day”, says Salma Samar Damliyi, co-founder of the Mud Brick Architecture Foundation. Damliyi says it is easy to see why these mud buildings have not lost their attraction — they are extremely adaptable for modern use. “It is the architecture of the future,” says Damliyi.
Architects around the world are reviving raw-earth construction (生土建筑) as they seek to construct buildings that can fight against extreme weather events such as floods and intense heat. Could this ancient form of architecture influence the design of our future homes?
Concrete, a common modern construction material, has a huge carbon footprint. Replacing concrete with less polluting materials is important to achieving our climate goals, scientists warn.
The ancient material, mud, could be the perfect replaceable choice to concrete, according to Damliyi. Constructing with mud has a very low impact on the environment and the material itself is fully recyclable, she says. “If you want to pull down a wall or change the design, you can recycle all the materials.” Mud structures are also strong enough to prevent extreme weather, such as heatwaves, floods and droughts, which scientists say will become more frequent as temperatures continue to rise.
Therefore, people who wish to live in a modern, comfortable home should consider one made of mud.
Overall, it makes for highly advanced as well as sustainable design.
1. According to the first two paragraphs, buildings in Sana’a are “unique” because .| A．they are tall and tower over the entire city |
| B．their geometric patterns create artistic feelings |
| C．they are beautifully created with local resources |
| D．their fascinating history has attracted many tourists |
| A．They can reduce the chance of extreme weather events. |
| B．They can be ideal for future construction. |
| C．They might produce lots of greenhouse gas emissions. |
| D．They might cause large temperature changes. |
| A．mud might be an important solution to the climate crisis |
| B．the mud buildings in Sana’a are no longer suitable to live |
| C．rebuilding mud construction would take great efforts |
| D．mud becomes the favourite material of architects |
| A．The Historic Cities that Mark Human Civilization |
| B．The Construction Industry that Threatens Climate Goals |
| C．The Modern Architecture that Survives Extreme Weather |
| D．The Ancient Material that Makes for Future House Designs |
【推荐1】It is reported that a record-breaking high-speed rail will connect Inner Mongolia in the north to Hainan in the south. According to the Shaanxi Development and Reform Commission，the proposed line will operate at a speed of 350 kilometers per hour（217 mph）．
Beginning in Inner Mongolia's Baotou city and running through southern Shaanxi， Hubei， Hunan， Guangxi and Guangdong， its final stop would be in Haikou city on Hainan Island，China's southernmost province．
Though the exact length of the proposed route has not been released，it will likely become the world's longest high-speed rail line as the journey by road between Baotou and Haikou is approximately 3，000 kilometers（1，864 miles） long． Currently， the world's longest high-speed rail line is almost 2，300 kilometers long （1，429 miles）， running from Beijing to Guangzhou．
The proposed rail is part of China's aim to create another "Silk Road of the 21st Century" and improve the country's transportation network while driving land development and urbanization（城市化） in some provincial areas．
Many of the provinces through which the high-speed trains will travel are near major bodies of water，such as the Yellow River in Inner Mongolia and Shaanxi province，the Yangtzi River in Hubei and the South China Sea， where the line would end． It will also take passengers to popular tourist attractions including Zhangjiajie，Xi'an，Guilin and minority areas in western Hunan and Hubei．
"The country is now shifting its focus and investing in the western regions and economically underdeveloped areas，making up for China's long debt to these areas，" Tan yuzhi，professor of the School of Economics and Management at Hubei University for Nationalities， told local media． " The project will significantly narrow regional disparities（差异） and solve minority issues．"
However，Deng Hongbing，director of China University of Geosciences' Center for Regional Economic and Investment Center，said that if the north-to-south railway is to go ahead，there needs to be a sound ecological program in place to ensure the protection of these underdeveloped and ecologically sensitive areas．
1. What is the passage mainly talking about？ ______| A．China has decided to invest in the western areas． |
| B．Another high-speed train line is being planned． |
| C．The train will speed up to 350 kilometers per hour． |
| D．China has produced the best high-speed train line． |
| A．9 | B．8 |
| C．7 | D．6 |
| A．It will be the most convenient high-speed rail line in China |
| B．It will benefit the underdeveloped areas a lot in the west |
| C．It will transport goods faster from north to south |
| D．It will do good to the environment alongside the line |
| A．Ironical | B．Doubtful |
| C．Puzzled | D．Supportive |
【推荐2】In 2010, I left the United States for the first time to fly over 9,000 miles to Uganda, a country in recovery from civil war. I was going there to help the local kids learn soccer.
As I played soccer with some kids, the sun burned my skin. I took many breaks to drink from my water bottle before realizing I was the only one who did that. All the energetic children running around never stopped to get water. After looking around, I realized there was NOWHERE for them to get water, and there was no well or water pump in sight.
I asked a man who was traveling with us why the kids didn’t ever stop to drink water. He told me that they would have to walk all the way to the pump in the next village and they didn’t want to miss out on playing soccer with a real ball. The kids seemed happy but it was not fair that to get a drink of water meant they would miss out on such a rare occurrence of playing with an actual soccer ball.
When I got home, I spoke with other people about kids in Uganda. They told me to do something to help them. That sounded like a great idea, but how? I spoke with my friends about helping kids in Uganda. We decided that we could try to solve their most urgent problem—water. And we decided to organize soccer camps to collect money.
It has been three years since our first camp and we have successfully run two more and funded two water filtration (净化) systems as well as 60 water pumps for farmers. We have been able to improve the health of thousands of Ugandans.
1. Why didn’t the kids drink water while playing soccer?| A．They didn’t feel thirsty at all. |
| B．They couldn’t get any water nearby. |
| C．They were forbidden to drink water. |
| D．They were too poor to afford water. |
| A．She felt very upset for the kids. |
| B．She decided to buy water for the kids. |
| C．She felt satisfied with her own life. |
| D．She decided to leave right away. |
| A．She funded them to dig wells. |
| B．She organized several soccer games. |
| C．She collected money to buy water equipment. |
| D．She ran soccer camps to improve their health. |
| A．We can make a difference to others’ life. |
| B．We should fully enjoy what we have. |
| C．We should be grateful for what we receive. |
| D．We can change our lives through hard work. |
【推荐3】Trucker Gerlock traveled hundreds of thousands of miles with his dog, Holly, who came with him on every route—including his last one. While driving near Dallas, Texas, on the job, the 59-year-old Marylander crashed into a concrete column. Gerlock was killed instantly. Looking in the back of the truck, though, rescue drivers found one survivor.
Rescue workers cut the Chesapeake Bay retriever(切萨皮克海湾寻回犬)—practically untouched—out of the back of the truck, where she’d been sleeping. “It’s amazing that anything survived, ”Sandy Nordhoff, friend of Gerlock, told The Kent County News.
Unsure what happened to Holly, Gerlock’s friends from his town of Rock Hall, Maryland, made numerous calls and emails to agencies in order to find out where the dog was. Eventually, they found out she had been staying in Dallas Animal Services shelter and a foster family had taken her in for Thanksgiving. The Rock Hall locals hatched a plan to get her home.
Joe Creighton and Sandy’s husband, Russell Nordhoff, both lifelong friends of Gerlock, volunteered to make the 2, 800-mile trip from Rock Hall to Dallas and back, which took two days each way. The friends borrowed Gerlock’s pickup truck for the road, so Holly would feel more comfortable on the journey home, according to The Kent County News.
Back in Rock Hall, some of Gerlock’s friends adopted Holly. Ever since, the dog has been a town icon(偶像), making an appearance in almost every town parade.
“The outpouring of love shown towards Gerlock and Holly was heartwarming, ”Rock Hall resident Jamie Elburn tells Reader's Digest. “It shows how the companionship of‘man’s best friend’and simple kindness can overcome even the most difficult situation!”
1. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 2 indicate?| A．The trip was extremely tiring. | B．The result was quite satisfying. |
| C．The survivor was very smart. | D．The accident was too serious. |
| A．She was nowhere to be found. | B．She was put in an animal shelter. |
| C．She was sent back home immediately. | D．She was adopted by a foster family. |
| A．It was painstaking. | B．It was full of danger. |
| C．It tumed out to be interesting. | D．It required much experience. |
| A．Sympathetic. | B．Grateful. | C．Shocked. | D．Touched. |
