Kristen Tapping, a graduate from London South Bank University, has invented a bike wheel that she says can help clean pollution from the air. It’s called Rolloe.
The wheel uses fins to pull in air as it turns, It then uses filters (过滤器) to take in polluted air and give off clean air back into the environment. The wheel can filter more air if it goes faster, although it still works at low speeds.
Tapping said users would need to change the filter every week, or after about 250 kilometers, to make sure the wheel continues to work well. The wheel fits in the front of a standard bike and weighs about one kilogram.
Tapping said she was encouraged to create the wheel when she was biking around London. “In traffic, you always notice the pollution; the heat, the gases and the smell,” she said. She predicts that if 10 percent of cyclists (骑自行车的人) in London had a Rolloe on their bike, they could filter about 266,865 m³ of air a day, although this has yet to be tested.
A recent report shows that London’s health costs because of air pollution are the highest out of the 432 European cities. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also said that outdoor air pollution causes about 4.2 million deaths around the world each year.
Tapping wants to use the wheel on shared bike projects at first, with the aim of making the wheels available for all bikes to use. She says she would also like to create a wheel that would fit in the back of a bike, as well as making them available in different sizes.
1. What is Rolloe?| A．A university. | B．An invention. | C．Air pollution. |
| A．To let the bike run faster. | B．To help people lose weight. | C．To make the wheel work well. |
| A．To clean about 266,865 m³ of air a day. |
| B．To travel around 432 European cities by bike. |
| C．To make the wheels available for all kinds of bikes. |
| A．A bike wheel created to clean the polluted air. |
| B．A project that encourages people to ride bikes. |
| C．A standard bike which weighs about one kilogram. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】You may drink bottled water when you are thirsty. But plastic bottles (塑料瓶) are bad for the environment (环境). Is there a way not to use a plastic bottle?
Try the Ooho bubble (泡状物). It is a small ball of water. The water is in a soft container (容器) . If people use it to hold water, they will not use the plastic bottles. It has no color, no smell and no taste. It is made from seaweed (海藻) and is safe for people to eat.
You can make a hole in the container to drink water from the Ooho bubble. Or you can just put the whole water ball into your mouth.
Three creators from the Imperial College London made the Ooho bubble. It is good for the environment. And people can only spend 0.14 yuan buying one ball. It is much cheaper than a bottle of water, so many people like it.
But there are still many problems to solve. For example, each water ball doesn't hold much water. People may have to drink a lot of them if they are very thirsty. Or some people may feel it's not clean to hold the water bubble in their hands. What do you think?
1. The Ooho bubble is a kind of ________.| A．plastic | B．bottle | C．water |
| A．A plastic bottle. | B．A soft container. | C．The Ooho bubble. |
| A．it has no color or smell | B．it is inexpensive | C．it is made from seaweed |
| A．It difficult to make a hole in the container. |
| B．People cannot just hold the water ball with hands. |
| C．The ball can just hold a little water. |
| A．A Bottle of Water | B．Save the Environment | C．A New Way to Drink Water |
【推荐2】Living robots can reproduce(繁殖) on their own in a dish. This is not a science-fiction movie, but the result of a new research.
Xenobots, a kind of tiny robot, were first created in 2020, using cells(细胞) taken from an African frog. Under the right lab conditions, the cells could get together in their own ways, move in groups and change themselves as a result of their environment. Now, the researchers have found that xenobots can also self-replicate(自行复制).
________ Are they living organisms(有机体) or robots? They are organisms because they are made of stem cells and can reproduce. But they are also robots because they can move on their own and do something physical.
The ability to replicate makes the robots have the possibility to do more things. The Washington Post reported that although now xenobots are not that useful, they have the ability to provide a number of services in the future, from cleaning up microplastics(微塑料) in the ocean to safely sending drugs somewhere in a person’s body.
However the creation of xenobots comes with worries. Some are afraid that future xenobots, especially the ones that live longer and reproduce, could put other living things into dangerous situations.
The researchers think these risks can be dealt with in some way. “If you change the amount of sodium(钠)in that water to be too high or too low, they’ll die, ” Kriegman told The Washington Post. “If there’s a piece of copper(铜) in the dish, they’ll all die. It’s an extremely controllable and stoppable and safe system.”
1. What do we know about xenobots? ________| A．They are only something imagined in a science fiction. |
| B．They come from the cells of a rabbit. |
| C．They can move in groups under natural conditions. |
| D．They are both organisms and robots. |
| A．Moving in groups. |
| B．Doing something physical. |
| C．Moving on their own. |
| D．Carrying medicine inside human bodies. |
| A．Besides, Xenobots are able to do something more. |
| B．There is a popular doubt about Xenobots. |
| C．Scientists will put Xenobots into market in the near future. |
| D．The creation of Xenobots brings humans convenience. |
（①＝Para. 1 ②＝Para. 2 ③＝Para. 3 ④＝Para. 4 ⑤＝Para. 5 ⑥＝Para. 6）
| A．①/②③/④⑤/⑥ | B．①/②③/④/⑤⑥ |
| C．①②/③/④⑤/⑥ | D．①②③/④/⑤/⑥ |
①Type in “A cat wants to go to space” and ask the robot (机器人) to write a bedtime story. Just one second later, you’ll get the story of a cat called Max. He goes through many difficulties to sing among the stars.
②This robot writer is real. It’s called ChatGPT. US company OpenAI made it. It can talk with people, write songs, poems and even jokes. It’s one of the most powerful (强大的) AI writers.
③ChatGPT can write things really fast. We may spend hours researching, understanding and writing an article on the theory of evolution (进化论). But ChatGPT can write a good one in seconds. But if you ask harmful questions, such as how to make weapons (武器), it will not give you an answer.
④ChatGPT comes along at a time when AI can do many creative (有创意的) tasks. The things they create are difficult to tell from those made by humans. This brings many problems, such as the definition (定义) of art. The robot is trained using words from the Internet, so it can also pick up on the Internet’s biases (偏见) about certain groups. These are all the things that humans need to solve.
⑤AI doesn’t have to be danger to humans (人类). It can work with us to solve big problems. Therefore, it’s a long way for scientists to improve AI to help us in a better and safer way.
1. The writer uses the cat story in Paragraph 1 to ________.| A．show what a robot cat can do | B．tell what bedtime story Max likes |
| C．show why cats can go to space | D．show that robots can write stories |
| A．It will tell a joke. | B．It will spend hours understanding them. |
| C．It will give you no answer. | D．It will write an article about them in seconds. |
| A．①/②③/④/⑤ | B．①②/③/④⑤ | C．①②/③④/⑤ | D．①/②③/④⑤ |
【推荐1】Governments around the world are pushing for an end to plastic straws (吸管) and bags. More and more businesses are switching (转换) to paper products as an alternative (可供选择的事物). Paper is considered by many to be better than plastic. However, it is harmful to the environment, too.
Firstly, paper bags and straws are made from trees. Trees, as you know, can reduce carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere (大气). They can slow down climate change. An increase in the use of paper bags can cause more deforestation (毁林).
Secondly, the production of paper things requires more energy and water. About 10 percent more energy and four times as much water is used to produce a paper bag than a plastic one. You might say that we can use recycled paper to save that energy and water. This seems to be a good idea. However, it takes even more energy and water to go through the recycling process than to make a new paper bag. Products made from recycled paper are also often short-lived.
Furthermore, paper products are heavier than plastic ones. That means they require more fuel to transport. Seven trucks are needed to transport two million paper bags, while only one truck is needed to transport the same number of plastic bags. The increased weight also leads to a larger amount of waste once the bags are thrown away.
Paper products are actually a lose-lose for both the environment and businesses. They are more expensive than plastic products. A paper straw costs about 5 to 12 cents, while a plastic one usually costs only about 2 cents.
The most environment-friendly solution is to avoid single-use things altogether. Products like glass water bottles and steel straws can be used over and over again. They are much better than either paper products or plastic products. Through increasing the use of these items, you can greatly reduce your throwaway waste and truly make our earth a greener place!
1. What can trees do to the environment?| A．They can make carbon dioxide levels lower in the air. |
| B．They can improve climate quickly. |
| C．They can cause more deforestation in the end. |
| D．They can provide materials for paper products. |
| A．plastic products are much better than paper ones |
| B．paper products are easy to transport |
| C．one truck is needed to transport two million plastic bags |
| D．plastic products often lead to a larger amount of a waste |
| A．Recycled paper bags. | B．Steel knives and forks. |
| C．Strong plastic chairs. | D．Single-use cups. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
Dear humans,
It’s the first time I write to you, my children. I used to send you many messages. But you always overlook them. So I decide to write you a letter.
First, let me tell you more about our family. Dear humans, besides you, I have many other children.
You bring them home to be your pets, friends, and helpers. You put them in zoos. You kill them for their meat and fur.
I hope you can remember that wild animals are not your food, clothes or furniture. They are not killers, either.
Humans, you are smart and hardworking. You created colorful cultures and advanced technologies. You can decide where you go, as well as where I go.
But you don’t respect me. You change my climate, may lands, my forests, my rivers... You ask so much of me. More than what I can give you.
So, grow up, humans. Grow up to be more responsible. I hope you can all the wildlife can live happily in my arms.
Yours,
Mother Earth
| A．In fact, they are your brothers and sisters. |
| B．Some of them fly in the sky. |
| C．I’m worried that one day you will be lonely. |
| D．and you even kill them for fun. |
| E．So we must live and help with each other. |
| F．They might be very close to you. |
【推荐3】The English mum Liz Pinfield-Wells has a DIY recycling (回收) centre in her garden. She has recycled 1,200 kg of rubbish and raised money for her local community along the way.
Liz built the centre after the birth of her third child, when she found the baby food bags and some other special things like toothbrushes weren’t included in the town’s weekly rubbish collection. So she set up her own recycling centre in her garden.
At first, Liz had only a couple of boxes. But now, her garden has more bins to help the locals deal with their waste. Lots of neighbours use Liz’s recycling centre and over 30 different household things can be recycled there. “The recycling centre has hopefully helped the community recycle more waste,” Liz said. “It has helped my children feel the need to do recycling, too.”
Every month, Liz sends most of her rubbish to Terra Cycle, a company that processes the rubbish and turns it into useful things like watering cans (洒水壶). The weight of Liz’s recyclable materials is changed into points for money. And the money will be paid out twice a year to charities (慈善团体) chosen by her.
In the last three years, Liz’s recycling centre has raised over £1,000, which has been given to her daughter Zoe’s sports group to buy new things. She hopes that her centre can help more people recognise the need to recycle things and do something helpful.
请根据以上短文内容，选择最佳答案。
1. Why did Liz start the DIY recycling centre in her garden?
| A．To make money. | B．To recycle special things. | C．To have more visitors. |
① Helping the neighbours recycle more things.
② Creating more jobs for the locals.
③ Teaching Liz’s kids the need to do recycling.
| A．①② | B．②③ | C．①③ |
| A．The way Liz does recycling and raises money. |
| B．The weight of the rubbish Liz has collected. |
| C．The big plan for the recycling centre’s future. |
| A．Accept | B．Doubt | C．Realise |
| A．A mum raises money for her sick children |
| B．A mum does recycling through her green project |
| C．A mum becomes famous for doing voluntary work |
Are you tired of the puzzles you usually do? Sudoku is a new choice. Sudoku consists of (由…组成)the Japanese characters Su ( meaning“number”）and Doku ( meaning“single”）, but it was not invented in Japan. It was created by Howard Games in 1979. The puzzle was first introduced into Japan by Nikoli Puzzle Company in 1984. In 1986, Kaji Maki, the president of Nikoli made the rules strict and clear. Soon in the same year Sudoku became popular in Japan. In November 2004，The Times' a British newspaper, first printed it in the newspaper. It became an international hit in 2005. Now Sudoku becomes very popular all over the world. The rule of the puzzle is to fill in the grids (格子）so that every row, every 3×3 box has the numbers 1 to 9. Here is a Sudoku. Please relax and enjoy. It’s fun.
1. Who created Sudoku?
| A．Howard Games. | B．Sudoku. |
| C．Kaji Maki. | D．Nikoli. |
| A．He was the boss of Nissan Company. |
| B．He helped to make Sudoku popular in Japan. |
| C．He was the president of The Times. |
| D．He is an American. |
| A．8. | B．5. | C．2. | D．4 |
【推荐2】Our parents are important people in our life. They are our first teachers in our life. They love us and help us all the time. But do you want to get on well with them? Here are some ways to help you to be happy with your parents.
Have fun together
How much time do you spend just enjoying being with each other? Ask your parents to play with you. Go outside together, try some sports, or go to the movies.
Be Kind
Little things may bring a lot to your parents. Make a meal for them by yourself and that can make your parents happy.
Ask for help
When you are in trouble or meet some sad things, you can ask your parents for help and advice. They will be happy to listen to you and help you.
Have a try
You don’t have to be the best but you need to have a try. They will be happy to see you have the courage to achieve your dream. It lets them know they’re doing a good job in helping you grow up.
1. Why are our parents imortant persons for us?| A．They teach us first in class. | B．They love us sometimes. |
| C．They always give us a hand. | D．They are happy all the time. |
| A．Listen to your teachers. | B．Ask your parents for help. |
| C．Turn to you friends around. | D．Try to be the best of yourself. |
| A．How to Love and Teach Kids | B．How to Talk with Your Parents |
| C．How to Keep Happy with Your Parents | D．How to Try to Be the Best of Yourself |
In the morning, you’re on the school bus. But as soon as you turn a corner, you’ll find yourself at the end of a very long queue (队). It’s another traffic jam! Meanwhile, in Antarctica (南极洲), snow covers the land. A group of emperor penguins (帝企鹅) crowd together to keep warm, using stop-and-go movements to protect themselves from the winds. Can you see the connection?
Emperor penguins move like cars in traffic jams to keep warm, according to a new research. A penguin only needs to move 2cm in any direction for its neighbor to do the same thing. These movements then flow (涌动) through the whole group of penguins like a ‘‘traveling wave (波浪).”
These waves also help the smaller crowds join bigger groups, keeping more and more of their friends warm. A single Antarctic traffic jam has thousands of penguins. Interestingly, the technology once used for studying road traffic jams was used to study the penguins. It included studying time-lapse (延时) videos. Scientists also discovered that unlike on the road, these waves can be made by any penguin and in any direction.
With temperatures usually dropping 50 degrees below zero and winds reaching speeds of up to 200km/h, these traveling waves are very important for penguins to keep warm.
These penguins can also teach us a lesson. In a big group, they learn to be orderly and patient, and never to crash into each other. These are skills that we should all learn from them when we are on the road!
1. According to the passage, emperor penguins get together to ________.| A．cross the road | B．keep warm | C．learn from each other |
| A．cars cannot move fast | B．drivers can drive carelessly | C．drivers can drive fast |
| A．formed by the movement of penguins |
| B．caused by the strong winds in Antarctica |
| C．caused by a traffic jam on the road |
| A．penguins won’t move together if they are not very cold |
| B．traffic jams happen probably because people are patient |
| C．we human beings should learn from penguins |
