As it is said above, cutting down on water usage is one of the most important things you can do for your local environment and the planet as a whole. That is why more green households are going blue: cutting down their water footprint by conserving and harvesting (收获) water.
It may seem like a big concept, but going blue starts with small changes that everyone can make. Something as simple as turning off the tap while you brush your teeth can save a lot of water. Wash your fruits and vegetables in a bowl rather than under a tap to save even more. Make sure that the taps are fully turned off every time you step away from the sink or the shower — all those little drips can add up to a lot of water waste.
Another way of reducing your water footprint is reducing your dependence on the main water supply. Rainwater harvesting can meet a lot of your home’s water needs. Many of us already practice rainwater harvesting in a small way. Collecting water from your gutters (檐沟) is a great way to keep your garden green without running the sprinkler (洒水器).
1. The underlined word “green” means ______ in this passage.
| A．未成熟的 | B．环保 | C．嫉妒 | D．健康的 |
| A．Treating wastewater needs much energy. |
| B．The water on the earth is becoming less and less. |
| C．The water on the earth is becoming polluted more. |
| D．Rainwater harvesting can meet a lot of your home’s water needs. |
| A．washing fruit and vegetables under a tap |
| B．using a bowl to wash your fruit and vegetables |
| C．making sure taps are fully turned off all the time |
| D．turning off the tap every time after brushing your teeth |
| A．Save Water by Turning off the Tap |
| B．How to Treat and Clean Wastewater |
| C．Keep Your Garden Green with Rainwater |
| D．Save Water Starting with Small Changes |
| A．we can get enough water by harvesting |
| B．most people pay no attention to saving water |
| C．we can practice rainwater harvesting in a small way |
| D．harvesting water is more necessary than conserving it |
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【推荐1】Swimming for clean water
Martin Strel knows one thing or two about rivers. The 62-year-old swimmer has been swimming in them since he was a young boy. Although he holds five world records in marathon swimming, he is best known for using his sport to warn people of water pollution. After years of swimming in dirty water, he decided he had to do something. Strel says he began to swim to develop peace, friendship and clean water. He hopes to see environmental laws strengthened and put into practice.
To achieve his goals, he has swum in many of the world’s most famous rivers. In 2000, he swam in Europe’s second longest river, the Danube. He swam 1, 866 miles in 58 days and set a world record for long distance swimming. The Danube is heavily polluted by industrial waste.
In 2002, Strel swam in the Mississippi River and covered a distance of 2, 360 miles in 68 days. The Mississippi is one of the most polluted rivers in the United States. Its mouth leads into the Gulf of Mexico and is so polluted that it is called the dead zone (地带). Strel became so sick by the end of his Mississippi swim that he had to stay in hospital for three days.
In 2007, he swam 3, 274 miles of the Amazon River in 66 days. Most of the pollution in the Amazon comes from poisonous (有毒的) materials. He lost 42 pounds and was so weak that he couldn’t feed himself.
Strel plans to keep on swimming for peace, friendship and clean water, but he would prefer to do it in the ocean. Sadly, the world’s rivers are simply too dirty. “Everyone would like to go swimming in clean water,” says Strel. He dreams of a day when that will be possible for people around the world.
1. How many world records in marathon swimming does Strel hold?| A．One. | B．Three. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
| A．He spent 68 days swimming in the Mississippi River. |
| B．He set a world record for long distance swimming. |
| C．He swam 3, 274 miles of the Amazon River. |
| D．He swam across The Danube in 66 days. |
| A．For more world records in swimming. | B．For peace, friendship and clean water. |
| C．To help more people enjoy swimming. | D．To learn more about oceans in the world. |
The problem is so serious that it has caused different ways to deal with the smog. The most usual way is wearing face mask（口罩）that almost no city people leaves home without them. There are also different kinds of air purifiers（净化器）. Scientists are trying to clean the air using artificial(人工的) rain.
The best way to control smog would be cutting emissions（排放）. The government of China decided to do something to fight against the pollution that is becoming a serious health problem for its people. They have shut down some factories. They stop cars from going into cities like Beijing, on days when there is much smog. They have also planned to spend as much as 3 trillion yuan fighting against smog.
But the fact is that is not effective enough to stop the smog and allow people to experience a bright sun. The right thing officials should do is: clean up China’s cities the old way — By cutting down emissions.
1. On days, people couldn’t across the streets in Harbin because .
| A．it’s too snowy | B．it’s too cloudy | C．the air is too dirty |
| A．two | B．three | C．four |
| A．The government is trying to cut down emissions |
| B．The government has shut down some factories. |
| C．The government stops cars going into the big cities |
| A．expensive | B．difficult | C．useful |
| A．Cutting down Emissions. |
| B．The Dirty Air in Beijing |
| C．Heavy Smog in Harbin |
They hang from trees. They float in rivers and oceans. They are piled up in landfills. As many as 3 billion plastic bags are used every day in China. Our daily use of plastic products bas, for many years, been a leading cause of serious environmental problems around the world. China has drawn up new guidelines, trying to bring plastic pollution under control across the country in five years.
According to the new guidelines, non-biodegradable plastic bags will disappear in big cities including Beijing and Shanghai by the end of this year. Then the ban on some biodegradable plastic garbage will appear in these cities two years later. And that rule will have been in all parts of our country by late 2025.
Luckily, China will not start from zero. Late last year, the country introduced a national standard for biodegradable plastic shopping bags. Some places have gained valuable experience that others can learn from. For example, Jilin Province is leading the way by providing shopping bags that are eco-friendly in some local supermarkets.
Thinking of China’s consumer market, people know the biggest problems come from restaurants and online-shopping platforms, such as Taobao and Jingdong. They are using a large number of plastic products. It’s reported that nearly 25 billion plastic bags were used for deliveries in 2018. Most of them were hardly reused.
However, most Chinese people welcomed the government’s effort to cut the use of plastics. “Beijing is thinking about the problem seriously,” said Tang Damin, a member of Greenpeace East Asia in Beijing. He added thar the policy could be far more effective by using incentives such as a deposit return programme on plastic products.
1. The ban on some biodegradable plastic garbage will appear in big cities in _________.| A．2020 | B．2022 | C．2024 | D．2025 |
| A．how difficult it is to cut the use of plastic bags |
| B．when plastic products will disappear in our life |
| C．what has been done to cut the use of plastic bags |
| D．how plastic products cause environmental problems |
| A．Taobao and Jingdong | B．supermarkets in the country |
| C．shops in Beijing and Shanghai | D．restaurants and online shopping |
| A．a sports report | B．a science novel |
| C．a social magazine | D．an adventure story |
