Boyan Slat is a 17-year-old Dutch boy. He has been dreaming of cleaning up the world’s oceans for a long time.
In 2010, he went on a diving vacation in Greece and was surprised. “I saw more plastic bags than fish in the water,” he said.
From then on, he began to pay more attention to ocean pollution. Slat decided to give up higher education and set up the Ocean Cleanup, a Non-Government Organization. Its purpose is to clean up ocean rubbish. He has set up the world’s first ocean cleanup system with his team.
Every year, over 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans, and it can take up to 500 years to break down. In 2018, the World Economic Forum predicted that the weight of ocean plastic would match that of all the fish in our oceans by 2050.
Sea animals easily get trapped in plastic so that they can’t move. They can even die if they eat it. Smaller plastic pieces can also enter the food chain and end up in our bodies.
Slat’s plan was to create an environmentally-friendly, large system to clear out plastic rubbish from the ocean.
After seven years of tests, on Oct. 2, 2019, a device called System 001/B came out. It successfully caught and collected a large amount of plastic rubbish floating in the ocean.
Slat and his team are working to improve System 001/B. Their dream is to clear out 90 percent of all the ocean plastic by 2040.
1. Boyan Slat found ________ while diving in Greece.| A．it was difficult to stop ocean pollution | B．there was too much plastic in the ocean |
| C．sea animals died from plastic pollution | D．ocean pollution was more serious in Greece |
| A．how serious the plastic problem is in the ocean | B．when plastic in the ocean will break down |
| C．what we should do to protect the ocean | D．where plastic in the ocean comes from |
| A．surprised | B．interested | C．excited | D．caught |
| A．It will come out by 2040. | B．It was difficult to create this system. |
| C．It will clean all of the rubbish in the ocean. | D．It only catches small pieces of plastic litter. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】What will the schools of the future look like? Smart campuses（校园）are being built all over the world. Their high-tech features（特性）help students learn more effectively（有效地）and safely, as well as bring convenience（便利）to teachers.
②The University of British Columbia has built Canada’s first 5 G-powered smart campus, according to The Star, a Canadian newspaper. The school worked with a tech company to build a 5 G network across its campus. Its researchers can use the network to test 5 G software（软件）.
③At Staffordshire University in the UK, many students enjoy talking to Beacon and asking it questions. Beacon is an AI chatbot（聊天机器人）that was made by the university. It is like a personal helper for students. They can ask it questions, such as whether or not one of their classes is cancelled.
④Amazon also has smart campus products. Alexa, the company’s voice-activated（声控的）smart assistant, can be used to help teachers run their classes. For example, Alexa can remember the teacher’s classroom preferences（偏好）, such as how bright the lights should be, and then change them.
⑤“Cities are so big, and there are so many players and stakeholders（利益相关者）, it can be difficult. But universities have control over their estates（财产）. They own all the buildings...so they can become like a living lab,” said Gemmy Ginty, a designer who is working on a smart campus development strategy（策略） for the University of Glasgow.
1. Which of the following can’t smart campuses bring to students and teachers?| A．Effectiveness. | B．Safety. |
| C．Convenience. | D．Independence. |
| A．It can test 5 G software. |
| B．It can teach students lessons. |
| C．It can answer students’ questions. |
| D．It can help teachers cancel classes. |
| A．The University of British Columbia. | B．Staffordshire University. |
| C．Amazon. | D．The University of Glasgow. |
| A．Because they have real labs. |
| B．Because they are not like real cities. |
| C．Because they have many stakeholders. |
| D．Because universities own all of their buildings. |
A． .. | B． |
C． | D． |
【推荐2】Doctors are now using electric bicycles designed for emergencies (紧急情况) on the streets of Paris. The Emergency Electric Bike offers medical workers a quick way to travel through the city’s crowded streets and get to people who need help.
Technology and marketing company Wunderman Thompson Paris worked with French bicycle store Ecox and bike maker Urban Arrow to create the electric bike, getting advice from the Paris Emergency Services.
The Emergency Electric Bike comes with a GPS and a 150-liter box for carrying medicine. It also has a blue flashing light, so it’s easy to see on the road. The electric bike has two batteries that let doctors ride up to 160 kilometers when it is fully charged (充电).
Thompson says Emergency Electric Bikes allow medical workers to get anywhere in Paris twice as fast as any other vehicle, and they are much easier to park. However, an ambulance will still be needed to take the patient to a hospital.
The first Emergency Electric Bikes arrived on the streets of Paris at the beginning of September. Thompson hopes other cities and countries will use them in the future as well.
According to a report, Paris is Europe’s second most crowded city after Rome, with drivers losing as many as 165 hours per year in traffic. Bogota, the capital of Colombia, has the worst traffic among nearly 1,000 cities on the report list.
1. Doctors use Emergency Electric Bikes on the streets of Paris because ___________.| A．they are often faster than cars | B．they usually come with a GPS |
| C．they carry medicine in a 150-liter box | D．they can park anywhere |
| A．Wunderman Thompson Paris. | B．French bicycle store Ecox. |
| C．Bike maker Urban Arrow. | D．The Paris Emergency Services. |
| A．People can see it easily on the road. |
| B．It can run 160 kilometers an hour when it’s fully charged. |
| C．Besides Paris, other cities and countries are using it now. |
| D．It is used as an ambulance. |
| A．Paris | B．Rome | C．Bogota | D．London |
| A．French medical workers | B．a technology and marketing company |
| C．Emergency Electric Bikes on the streets of Paris | D．a report about traffic in Europe |
【推荐3】Tim Berners-Lee is not the most famous inventor in the world. However, his invention has changed our lives.
He was born in London, England in 1955. When he was a small boy, Tim was interested in playing with electrical things. He studied science at Oxford University. He made his first computer from an old television at the age of 21.
Tim started working on early computers. At that time, they were much bigger than now. He worked in England then Switzerland. Tim was really interested in two things, computers and how the brain works. How could the brain connect so many facts so quickly? He had to work with people all over the world. They shared information about computers. It was hard to manage all the information. He answered the same questions again and again, and it took a lot of time. It was even difficult for computers in the same office in Switzerland to share information. Tim also forgot things easily. Could a computer work like a brain? Could it “talk” to other computers?
There was an Internet already but it was difficult to use. In 1989, Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web (WWW) all by himself. This had a special language that helped computers talk to each other on the Internet. When people wanted to share information with others, they used the World Wide Web. The Internet grew quickly after that.
Tim Berners-Lee doesn’t think he did anything special. He says that all of the ideas about the Internet were already there. All he did was to put them together. He says that many other people worked together to make the Internet what it is today.
Most inventors want to become rich. But Tim gave away the World Wide Web for nothing. He now works in America. He helps people share technology and wants the Internet to be free for everyone to use. Maybe he is the most important but least famous inventor in the world today!
1. What was Tim Berners-Lee interested in?| A．Looking for jobs in different cities. |
| B．Learning how to improve memory. |
| C．Talking to people around the world. |
| D．Studying how to connect computers. |
| A．working on early computers |
| B．connecting different facts together |
| C．travelling to the office in Switzerland |
| D．repeating the answers to the same questions |
| A．He made the first computer when he was 21 years old. |
| B．He made information sharing on the Internet possible. |
| C．He helped people understand better how the brain works. |
| D．He invented the Internet and made it free for everyone to use. |
a. Tim worked in England.
b. Tim worked in Switzerland.
c. Tim made his first computer.
d. Tim invented the World Wide Web.
e. Tim studied science at Oxford University.
| A．e-c-a-b-d | B．e-b-a-c-d | C．c-d-a-e-b | D．c-e-d-a-b |
【推荐1】When your pen is broken, the battery in your toy runs out, or you have some leftover food, what do you do with these things? You will probably throw them into one bin(垃圾箱). But actually, all of these pieces of trash need to be sorted.
Garbage sorting is a big issue worldwise.
Shanghai has worked with Alipay to create “ green account(账户)” service for its residents(居民). Account holders get points by correctly sorting their garbage. Through the Alipay App, they can exchange the points for milk, phone cards and other products. The city is asking all of its residents to sort their garbage into four groups: wet, recyclable, harmful and dry.
Paper, metal(金属),glass and other things that can be reused are recyclable waste.
Harmful waste includes things like medicine, batteries and fluorescent bulbs(荧光灯泡).
Finally, any waste that’s not wet, recyclable or harmful will go in the “dry waste” bin.
Many other Chinese cities are also using this method to sort their garbage.
Chinese is improving its waste-sorting efforts. There is still a long way to go.
If you don’t sort your garbage, all of it will go to landfills(垃圾填埋场) and be buried together.
| A．For example, Shenzhen has been sorting its garbage into the same groups since 2012. |
| B．In recent years, some Chinese cities have been working hard on it. |
| C．These landfills can take up large areas of ground that could have been used for planting trees or crops. |
| D．Wet waste is also known as household waste. |
| E．But it’s never too late to learn how to sort your trash properly and protect the environment. |
It made the perfect place for him to study and get to know the nature. He had seen some red-tail hawks, red foxes, wood turtles and other animals. He also found special native flowers.
Suddenly it was announced that the “empty” land would be improved by a lot of houses on it. The plants would be removed, the animals would run away and most would probably die. Then the wet soil would be covered with extra grounds.
When he heard about the news, he was not happy. He was very worried that the land ans water would be polluted.
Andrew wrote down clearly all the research he had down about the area, and how the houses would affect the local environment. He sent letters to members of local government and television reporters. He also called on his neighbors to oppose the building of the houses.
Although he was only 12 years old, he had the courage and wisdom of a person much older. Andrew’ s teachers described him as gentle, shy and active. His classmates also admired how much he knew about local animals and plants,and the environment.Each day after school, Andrew went door-to-door, to ask the people to sign, who did not want the houses to be built. In only one month, he got the signatures of 250 people.
In the end, the land remained a safe place for birds, animals and plants that belonged there.
Andrew won many prizes for his brave and great work to stop the houses being built,and thus help save the environment.
1. The passage is mainly about_______.
| A．250 people who signed to help Andrew. |
| B．a brave boy who cared for the environment. |
| C．the open land that suited animals and plants |
| D．the research of improving the environment. |
| A．support | B．dislike |
| C．disagree | D．prefer |
| A．the animals would be killed |
| B．new houses would be built on the open land |
| C．not all the neighbors were going to sign |
| D．was praised by his teachers and classmates |
| A．was good at going door-to door |
| B．got in no touch with the reporters |
| C．usually acted like a person much older |
| D．was praised by his teachers and classmates |
| A．the land would remain as it used to be |
| B．the open land would be built into a park |
| C．the neighbors would have to move away |
| D．Andrew would soon work for the government |
【推荐3】Learning about the environment is very important. There are many good books that will help you learn. To get started, ask your teacher or a librarian for some suggestions. You can also look at some good websites with information about the environment and climate change. Climate change may be a big problem, but there are many little things we can do to make a difference.
Driving a car or using electricity is not wrong. We just have to be smart about it. Some people use less energy by carpooling. For example, four people can ride together in one car instead of driving four cars to work. Whenever we use electricity, we put greenhouse gases(气体) into the air. By turning off lights, the television and the computer when they aren’t needed, you can help a lot.
Don’t buy products that use too much energy. Some products, like certain cars, are made specially to save energy. These don’t pollute as much, either. Products like computers, TVs, and VCRs with the ENERGY STAR label(标签) R are made to save energy. Buying products with these labels will help protect the environment.
Buy recyclable products instead of(代替) non-recyclable ones. Recyclable products are usually made out of things that have already been used. It usually takes less energy to make recyclable products than to make new ones. So when you go shopping, look for the recycle mark on the package — three arrows that make a circle. The less energy we use, the better.
根据短文内容，选择正确答案。
1. The passage is mainly written for .
| A．car producers | B．school students |
| C．parents | D．housewives |
| A．sharing a car | B．pulling a car |
| C．selling a car | D．improving a car |
| A．turning off the electricity when it isn’t needed can save a lot of energy |
| B．electricity will cause great trouble to our environment |
| C．cars using less energy will not put greenhouse gases into the air |
| D．recyclable products are marked with the ENERGY STAR label R |
| A．No pains, no gains. |
| B．Rome was not built in one day. |
| C．Little things can make a big difference. |
| D．Nothing is difficult to the man who will try. |
| A．Driving a car is not wrong. |
| B．Don’t buy products that use too much energy. |
| C．We should buy non-recyclable products. |
| D．The less energy we use, the better. |
The first No Car Day in China was in Chengdu in 2001．Other cities，including Taipei，Shanghai and Wuhan，also support the day．In Beijing，more and more people are joining the campaign．It asks drivers to leave their cars at home for one day each month and walk or ride a bike to work．It also calls on Beijingers not to use cars on June 5(World Environment Day)．The slogan(口号)for the day is，“If we drive for one less day，we can have one more nice day．”
So far．more than 200，000 drivers have shown their support．“We can’t control(控制)the weather，but we can choose not to drive，”said Wu Zonghua，a car club chairman．Beijing is trying to have 238 blue sky days this year．In the first quarter of 2007，Beijing only had 52 blue sky days．This was 11 days less than the number for the same period last year．Much of the dust comes from the desert，but cars cause most of the air pollution．We must do more for No Car Day．
1. No Car Day was started ___________．
| A．to save money |
| B．to control the weather |
| C．to make the air cleaner |
| D．to keep out dust from the desert |
| A．to work hard to get fewer blue sky days |
| B．not to work on World Environment Day |
| C．to ride a bike or walk instead of driving to work |
| D．to leave their cars at home for a week each month |
| A．On July 5th． | B．On June 5th． |
| C．On September 22nd． | D．On February 2nd． |
| A．It was first started in France in September，1998． |
| B．It was first stared in China in 2001． |
| C．It is supported by over 1，000 cities around the world． |
| D．It was first started by a car club chairman in Beijing． |
| A．More and more people in Beijing are joining car clubs． |
| B．People will have one more World Environment Day each month． |
| C．More and snore people won’t drive on No Car Day in Beijing． |
| D．The ear club chairman Wu Zonghua won’t drive any more． |
The wide use of artificial lights is making the nighttime on the earth increasingly brighter. That worries some people. They say that artificial light can influence birds, make plants have long growing periods, and stop people from connecting to stars. What’s more, they say, all that wasted light sent out into space is wasted money.
Here are some findings from a new study in the journal called Science Advances. The study used five years of data from a satellite. This satellite offered a great way to measure nighttime light.
With new lighting science, some areas have started using LEDs. And because this satellite is not able to see all of the light from LEDs, Scientist Kyba says the brightening in real life is probably greater than what has been measured. “For the United States, for example, we don’t see much of a change. But we know that a lot of LEDs are used. And that means that the United States is certainly getting brighter, to the eyes of people on Earth.” Kyba says.
It is said that energy-saving LEDs will reduce the cost of lighting. “But as lighting gets cheaper, we use more of it. In fact, the number of LEDs is growing very fast,” Kyba says. “All across the world, all this wanted light is expensive. It costs a lot of money to produce that light and it’s not doing anybody any good.” He and others say that we should be working to reduce the amount of light going out into space while still offering a safe and comfortable experience for people on the ground at night.
1. Which of the following will artificial lights NOT influence?| A．The night sky. | B．Some animals. | C．Some plants. | D．Some stars. |
| A．inventing LEDs | B．measuring light |
| C．reading science books | D．connecting to stars |
| A．night lighting doesn’t influence satellites |
| B．people are not able to measure all lightning at night |
| C．the USA is trying its best to reduce night lighting |
| D．the USA is the brightest place on the earth at night |
| A．LEDs need to be more energy-saving |
| B．we should use more LEDs than we have now |
| C．energy-saving LEDs make people use them more |
| D．LEDs make people’s eyes feel uncomfortable at night |
| A．teach people how to reduce light pollution | B．tell people not to use energy-saving LEDs |
| C．show a new way to measure nighttime light | D．warn people of the danger of light pollution |
【推荐3】Environmental impact（影响）of online shopping
In the past few years, the way we shop has changed greatly. We used to buy things in traditional shops or in department stores. Now, customers are increasingly buying online, where they can order whatever they want directly to their door with the touch of a smartphone or the click of a mouse.
But what is the impact of all this online shopping on the environment? You might think that online shopping is greener than in-store shopping. After all, an online store doesn’t use the electricity that a traditional store might use. Products are often delivered（递送）to several homes at once, so you would think this way of shopping must cut down on the carbon（碳）footprint.
However, the reality is not as simple as imagined. Many home deliveries fail the first time and the driver has to make a second or third attempt to deliver the products. Customers who choose speedy delivery or those who buy single products from different places also help increase the carbon footprint.
The carbon footprint also goes up if the customer chooses to return the product. A study in Germany showed that one in three products bought online are returned.
Clothing is one product that has high return rates（率）. Unlike in a walk-in store, the online shopper can’t try things on before buying. So, companies offer free returns to make it easier for shoppers to buy the same clothing in different sizes and colors. Customers try them at home, keep one and return the rest of them. However, when clothes are returned, they are not always put back for sale, because many companies have found it cheaper to simply throw away the returned clothes. Then the returned clothes, which might be in perfect condition, end up in landfills.
So, online shopping isn’t as green as people might think. That last kilometer to your door is costly, for companies and for the environment. There is some positive news, electric delivery vehicles （车辆） will probably help lower the carbon footprint. However, the question of how to deal with returns nicely and without waste is still a challenge that many companies have not wanted to face. As more and more online shoppers begin to realize what companies are doing, there is increasing pressure（压力） for companies to take responsibility for the environmental impact of their activities.
1. The word “ attempt” in Paragraph 3 probably means “________” .| A．try | B．choice | C．decision | D．progress |
| A．stress the importance of online shopping |
| B．compare walk-in shopping with online shopping |
| C．show online shopping can harm the environment |
| D．offer some ways to return products while shopping online |
| A．An online store usually uses a lot of electricity. |
| B．Speedy delivery might make the carbon footprint go up. |
| C．Clothing online is one product that has low return rates. |
| D．Two in three products bought online are returned in Germany. |
| A．it’s environmental-friendly to buy goods online |
| B．it’s necessary for companies to cut down on carbon footprint |
| C．it’s a good idea for companies to throw away the returned products |
| D．it’s helpful to deal with the returns nicely by electric delivery vehicles |
But there was a while when she came to me, and usually said nothing meaningful. I started to feel tired and then tried not to meet her. After that she never came to me. Though guilty, I started to feel free about my life and never thought of anything about her feeling.
After a month or two, I heard from other friends that Ting’s father had passed away six months before. I was so shocked! Then I suddenly realized why Ting had often come to me but said nothing special. She needed my company (陪伴). I felt so bad about myself that I went to find her the next day. But I only found that she had moved away to another place.
At that time, I found myself so selfish that I only thought of myself but didn’t even try to ask a friend what happened in her life.
1. “I was fine with this because ….” What does “this” mean here?
| A．Ting’s coming to the writer. | B．The things Ting said. |
| C．The writer’s own feeling. | D．Ting is easy to be with. |
| A．The writer didn’t like Ting. |
| B．The writer felt bored with Ting. |
| C．Ting was considered the best friend. |
| D．The writer had no special feelings about Ting. |
| A．About happiness. | B．About friends. |
| C．About the meaning of life. | D．About how to be with friends. |
| A．Ting is not the writer’s best friend. |
| B．Ting told the writer that her father died. |
| C．The writer didn’t care enough about her friend. |
| D．The writer is sorry for what she has done to her friend. |
【推荐2】When I was in high school, I entered an English speech competition. My listening and writing were excellent, but I couldn’t express my ideas clearly and fluently. So I always stayed up late practicing it. One day, I was so tired that I wanted to give up. My English teacher Mr. Smith noticed that and came to me. He said, “The point isn’t to win the competition. The point is to learn to work hard at something. That’s what you’re getting out of it.”After listening to his words, I cleared my mind and focused on practice. Although I only won the third place, I had no regrets because I learned more in the process of preparation.
When I entered college, I majored in(主修) math while my favorite was history. I had a hard time working out different math problems. I forced myself to learn as much as I could from such a challenging subject, which made me upset every day. At that time, Mr. Smith’s words came into my mind and encouraged me to keep going. Even if I had no interest in the subject, it could still teach me something valuable.
What I understand now is that I can either be miserable(痛苦的), or I can be miserable but learn something. Thankfully, I chose the second. I have learned how to see the value in everything and try to smile at everything.
1. The writer was poor at ________.| A．writing | B．speaking | C．reading | D．listening |
| A．he always failed in exams | B．he had too much homework to do |
| C．he majored in a subject he didn’t like | D．he was far away from home |
| A．I believed interest was the best teacher in learning. |
| B．I regretted entering the competition because I failed. |
| C．Mr. Smith thought the learning process was more important. |
| D．Mr. Smith helped me to choose the subject I learned in college. |
| A．comparing facts | B．sharing experiences | C．giving reasons | D．listing numbers |
【推荐3】The village of Hengly was going to have the Bean Olympics.It was a competition to see which kind of bean would grow the fastest and tallest.Everybody was excited.They couldn’t waited to show their best plants.
Cassie knew clearly which bean she would choose for the competition,for her family had planted a special “family bean.”It was a flat bean that her greatgrandparents had brought from Sicily.Her grandmother planted the beans every year and served them at many meals.Cassie was sure they would be unbeatable beans.
However,the plan did not work out that way.Although Cassie’s bean plants looked healthy with beautiful purple flowers,they did not grow as fast or climb as high as any of her neighbors’.These people chose beans from seed(种子)stores.Their beans had wonderful names like “Rocket” or “Top Crop.”One type was even named “King’s Bean.”That was the bean Ivan planted,and his plants climbed almost to the top of the fence.Cassie’s plants were just near the middle of the fence.
On the day of the competition,Cassie was disappointed that her beans were in last place.Ivan laughed at hr beans and said she could win a prize for the slowest,shortest beans.
The organizer,Mr.Williams,handed out medals for the fastest-growing and the tallest beans plants.“Now there remains only one final test,and it is just as important:the taste test.”
Mr.Williams cooked the beans from each competitor and chose five experienced villagers as judges(裁判).
Cassie was nervous.Would her family beans lose another time?
After the judges tasted the beans,Mr.Williams counted the results.“We have a winner,” Mr.Williams announced.“The judges all agree that Cassie’s beans are the winner.”
Cassie grinned at this unexpected result.Many of her neighbors,even Ivan asked for her seeds.They were all in favor of the good-tasting beans even though they didn’t grow fast or very tall.
1. Cassie’s beans were from _____________.
| A．the organizer | B．seed stores |
| C．her neighbors | D．her family |
| A．the tallest beans | B．the most delicious beans |
| C．the most beautiful beans | D．the fastest-growing beans |
| A．smiled widely | B．left silently |
| C．nodded quickly | D．sang sadly |
| A．The experience of growing beans. |
| B．The tallest bean in the competition. |
| C．The history of a special family bean. |
| D．The bean competition in Hengly Village. |
