1 . Anyone wanting to help the poor may like this idea—recycling aluminum cans in a different way, which is apparently also good for the environment. So you're actually killing two birds with one stone. It goes without saying that recycling aluminum cans can save resources, energy, time and money. People usually save and place aluminum cans in the dustbins, which are then collected and taken away by cleaners, who will finally recycle them in the recycling center. But if you save the aluminum cans, and skip the cleaners, you can save these same cans for something more important—helping the poor. In other words, by doing less, you are giving the environmental cause some new significance.
Here is how to put this idea into action. Take your aluminum cans and place them in a plastic bag. For the dirty ones, rinse them out first. Store the bag of clean aluminum cans. Once you collect about one hundred cans or more, take the cans to the recycle center yourself. There are about eighteen aluminum cans in a pound. And you can receive three to four dollars for one hundred cans. Donate your three to four dollars to the poor or any charity organization of your choice.
By now, you may wonder if your few dollars have really made a difference to the poor. Consider this: Is there any individual or any specific event that is great enough to change the world or decide the direction that history takes? The answer is probably no. What if there were a lot of people who would do the same thing? History shows nothing but the collective will of the whole community. And that will surely be powerful enough to make a bigger difference.
Go to your community or your school and spread your idea. Share your idea and save your aluminum cans with other people. One hundred people can speak louder than one. And the money you make by saving cans can be multiplied by one hundred times. And if more people join in the cause around the world, an even larger difference can be made , and more people in need will enjoy the benefits.
1. What's special about the new idea?| A．It makes profits. | B．It saves resources. |
| C．It benefits the poor. | D．It involves cleaners. |
| A．Dirty cans do not sell well. | B．You decide who receives the money. |
| C．A hundred cans weigh about 3 pounds. | D．The recycle center is conveniently located. |
| A．A great individual or event. | B．The direction history takes. |
| C．The collective will of people. | D．The neighbourhood you live in. |
| A．Many hands make light work. | B．Kill two birds with one stone. |
| C．Don't put the cart before the horse. | D．No man can do two things at once. |
2 . They' re not the world' s tallest or longest bridges, but a string of river crossings made from tree roots are engineering wonders that contain lessons for modern architects.
The town of Cherrapunji in the Khasi Hills is credited with the world record for annual rainfall of over 75 feet! And in this rainy, wet climate, the rubber fig tree grows with abandon. The tree has a secondary root system that grows up above the ground floor and lets the tree easily grow on top of big stones and even out in the middle of streams. Long ago, the Khasis, a tribe in Meghalaya region, realized they could make use of these roots to their own advantage. By controlling and directing the secondary roots, they have created strong living bridges with which to cross streams and rivers by themselves.
To make a tree grow in a certain direction, the tribespeople use the trunks of a betel nut tree whose middle is got rid of, as a guidance system. The thin, tender roots of the rubber tree are placed so they grow in the direction of the tree trunk rather than fanning out. Eventually, the roots reach the other side of the river and grow into the soil. This process can take well over a decade before the bridge is fully functional and then over time the bridge grows and strengthens. Rocks are placed along the bridge' s sides to improve the footpaths.
Some of these bridges are over 100 feet long and can even support the weight of fifty or-more people at a time. These bridges are used daily by the people of the villages around Cherrapunji and a few are thought to be more than 500 years old. There is even a double decker bridge , known as the “Umshiang Double-Decker Root Bridge", which features two bridges grown right on top of each other. It is thought to be the only bridge of its kind.
1. What do we know about the bridges in Meghalaya?| A．They resemble the fig tree roots. |
| B．They're works of modern architects. |
| C．They take a very short time to build. |
| D．They're constructed by the villagers. |
| A．It plays the role of a guide. |
| B．It bears the weight of the bridge. |
| C．It protects the surface of the bridge. |
| D．It delivers materials across the river. |
| A．A complex system. |
| B．A construction process. |
| C．A scientific theory. |
| D．A natural landscape. |
| A．Its history. |
| B．Its material. |
| C．Its shape. |
| D．Its length. |
3 . Arguster grew up on his family’s farm in a remote village. Planting cash crop — cotton, they were breaking even and had to make ends meet. In his childhood, there were nine kids at home. All the boys were in one room with two beds. Two slept at the head while two slept at the foot. Therefore, there was one thing about their feet — washing them before crowding onto the bed.
When there was a hole in Arguster’s jeans, his mother would put a patch on it. However, the hole kept going. It was the naughty kids, Arguster included, that took the jeans out, hung them on a line and shot them to put holes. Aware of that, however, Ben, the father, didn’t rebuke them, knowing it might be the only way to bring laughter to his kids.
Arguster’s first lesson in economics was taught by Ben. The childish kid had worked and made a little extra money. He couldn’t help admiring himself, “I make six dollars! Six dollars! Man! I’m on the top of the world!” With a great thrill, Arguster decided to go to fair, where he played games, ate cotton candy... When asked by Ben how much he had spent, with his head down, Arguster replied, “Daddy, I spent it all...” Looking at his messy hair, Ben sighed, “Boy, you spent all your money and haircut’s gone up to 75 cents. I’m afraid...” From then on, Arguster always kept enough money to get himself a haircut.
Ben taught his kids how to do the right thing and wanted them to do the right thing, which Ben tried to pass on to his kids, in his own way. Ben started a syrup mill(糖坊). People in the community brought their cane and millet for Ben to grind up (磨碎) for syrup. When people paid with buckets of syrup, Ben refused. Arguster got confused, “Daddy, why don’t you let these people pay you?”
“Because we got enough syrup to last for a long time! Son, these people don’t have money to pay. That’s the only way they can pay.”
1. Why should the kids wash their feet before going to bed?| A．Because they turned dirty after playing on the farm. |
| B．Because they crowded on a small bed with feet close to others’ heads. |
| C．Because the beds were made of cotton which was easy to spot. |
| D．Because they had to make ends meet, making them seldom bathe. |
| A．Question. | B．Oppose. | C．Amuse. | D．Criticize. |
| A．He worked and earned money again for his haircut. |
| B．He had his hair cut with the money Ben gave him. |
| C．He waited for the price of haircut to decrease. |
| D．He borrowed money from his mother for his haircut. |
| A．Strict. | B．Casual. | C．Considerate. | D．Mean. |
4 . At every turn in the Netherlands, the future of sustainable(可持续的) agriculture is taking shape—not in the meeting rooms of big companies but on thousands of modest family farms.
You can see it vividly on the farm run by Ted Duijvestijn and his brothers. At the Duijvestjns' 36-acre greenhouse near the old city of Delf, visitors wander among the deep green tomato plants, 20 feet tall. Rooted not in soil but in materials made from leaves and stalks, the plants are heavy with tomatoes—15 varieties in all—to suit the taste of the most demanding customers.
Since 2004, the Duijvestijns have declared resource independence on every front. The farm produces all of its own energy and fertilizer and even some of the packaging materials necessary for the crop's distribution and sale. The growing environment is kept at perfect temperatures year-round by geothermal heat(地热) that can be found under at least half of the Netherlands. Only rainwater is used for irrigation. Each kilogram of tomatoes from their plants requires less than 15 kilograms of water, compared with 61 kilograms for plants in open fields. Once each year the entire crop is regrown from seeds, and the old plants are processed to make packaging materials. The few pests that manage to enter the greenhouse are greeted by an army of fierce insects that shows no interest in tomatoes. The nutrition in the soil can be improved by growing plants that work with certain bacteria to produce their own fertilizer. In short. it's an entirely self-contained food system.
“Look at the island of Bali in Indonesia!” Ted explains. “For at least a thousand years, its farmers have raised ducks and fish within the same rice field. It's irrigated by the canal systems sculpted by human hands along mountains. They are our model.”
1. What can we learn about the Duijvestijns' tomatoes?| A．Their color is deep green. | B．There are 15 on each plant. |
| C．They are very tasty. | D．They grow in rich natural soil. |
| A．does not have insects | B．is heated by solar energy |
| C．produces its own chemical fertilizer | D．consumes much less water |
| A．Independent. | B．Reliable. |
| C．Satisfying | D．Separated. |
| A．He is attracted to its canal systems. | B．He will also raise ducks in his farm. |
| C．He wants to see the beautiful island. | D．He appreciates its farming methods. |
5 . Doug Falter, an American photographer, returned home, teary-eyed and exhausted. He pouted online that evening, "I lost my baby." That "baby" referred to a surfboard that had been custom-made for him. Hours earlier, a big wave had separated Falter from this prized possession.
Months passed with no sign of the surfboard. Falter saved money to buy a new surfboard for $ 1,500. But Falter never completely forgot the surfboard, which - six months later and more than 5,000 miles away from where it disappeared-floated to the southern Philippines.The local fisherman who found it didn't have much use of his unusual catch of the day, so he sold the board for s 40 to Giovanne Branzuela, an elementary school teacher. Branzuela hoped to learn to surf and one day share the skill with his students,who regularly accompany him on beach clean-ups.
The once-blue board had faded to a pale straw color during its journey, but its distinctive markings were still there: two elephants, one at either end. Underneath the elephants were the words "Doug Falter Surfboard".
Branzuela couldn't believe it on realizing how far the surfboard had traveled. He reached Falter online and sent him a photo of the surfboard. Falter was shocked to learn that his "baby"had drifted(漂流) across the world's largest ocean and survived. He was overjoyed.
But the story was far from over. Falter wanted to thank Branzuela with some surfing supplies for his kind act, but the teacher asked for school supplies instead, such as backpacks for his students and materials to help them learn English.
Falter said it made him raise money for the kids. So far, he has collected $ 2,500,which he has used to buy and ship maps, puzzles, classroom posters, textbooks, and workbooks.
1. What happened to Doug Falter that afternoon?| A．His baby was lost on the beach. | B．The sea carried away his surfboard. |
| C．He took excellent photos of the surf. | D．His custom-made camera was damaged. |
| A．He liked the pale straw color of it. |
| B．He found it belonged to Doug Falter. |
| C．He found the fisherman charged low for it. |
| D．He wanted to learn a new skill to teach his students. |
| A．Branzuela kept it as a prized possession. |
| B．Branzuela's students learned surfing with it. |
| C．It was returned to its owner after a long journey. |
| D．Falter sold it to help Philippine children. |
| A．Selfless. | B．Merciful. |
| C．Generous. | D．Knowledgeable. |
6 . Tourism is both a blessing and a curse. While a healthy amount can improve the economy, too much of it can be harmful to the environment and local populations.
Maya Beach, Thailand
As more and more tourists flooded into the sandy shores, Maya Beach became impossible to enjoy; visitors could hardly walk, not to mention lie down. Thailand was forced to close the beach for months in 2018. Though the closure was only supposed to be temporary, it is now shut down indefinitely.
Boracay, Philippines
The beautiful island of Boracay once was respected for its exclusivity (独特性). But in recent years, mass-market tourism and lack of the basic facilities have led to a major downfall. The island underwent a six-month closure to visitors in 2018 to allow authorities to restore it. Under the new rules, a maximum of 19,200 tourists are allowed on the island at any one time.
Machu Picchu, Peru
Machu Picchu is being affected by too many people visiting at the same time. To prevent the masses from damaging the site, tourism authorities are trying to introduce strict visiting time, advance ticket purchases, and visitor limits.
Cozumel, Mexico
The island of Cozumel has become a popular tourist spot. Many visitors arrive by ship, which has harmed one of the island's most prized possessions: coral reefs. Marine（海洋的）biologist German Mendez has started an organization to protect the reefs.
1. What happened to Maya Beach?| A．It was reopened in 2018. | B．It was forced to be closed. |
| C．It was polluted by plastic. | D．It was restored by professionals. |
| A．By repairing the basic facilities. |
| B．By setting some limits on tourists. |
| C．By forbidding people from entering. |
| D．By cooperating with an organization. |
| A．In Thailand. | B．In Philippines. |
| C．In Peru. | D．In Mexico. |
7 . After Scott Kelly spent a year in space, his genetic expression changed, according to a NASA study that compared the bodily changes between the astronaut and his identical twin, who stayed on Earth while Kelly was aboard the International Space Station. About 7 percent of Kelly’s gene activity has yet to “return to normal” — almost two years after his yearlong spaceflight mission came to an end. Kelly has since retired from NASA.
The Twins Study，as it’s been called，looked at what happened to Kelly — both physiologically and psychologically :— before，during and after his trip in space，and then compared that data to Kelly’s twin brother，Mark Kelly，also a retired NASA astronaut.
Unlike his brother who spent months at a time in space，Mark’s missions were on the shorter side. His last — and longest — mission，which took place in 2011，lasted 15 days.
“By measuring large numbers of the brother’s metabolites，cytokines (代谢物、细胞活素）and proteins，researchers learned that spaceflight is associated with oxygen deprivation (匮乏）stress， increased inflammation (炎症），and nutrient changes that affect gene expression，” NASA said.
Although most of the biological changes Kelly experienced in space disappeared in the hours and days (and in some cases? weeks) after his return to Earthy, NASA said some changes appear to have continued. While 93 percent of his genetic expression has returned to normal, several hundred “space genes” still have changed activity levels，the data suggests， which, NASA said, could indicate “longer-term changes” in genetic expression caused by the stresses of spaceflight.
NASA said the research could provide important knowledge of the effects of long-term spaceflight on the human body, and that it will influence its planning for a mission to Mars, which would see astronauts spending some three years in space.
Reacting to the news of the study results, Kelly expressed amazement at his body’s changes， and also used the opportunity to make fun of his brother. “This could be good news,” he joked on Twitter. “I no longer have to call Mark my identical twin brother anymore.”
1. What can be learnt about Mark Kelly?| A．He’s still working for NASA. |
| B．He has only been to space once. |
| C．He hasn’t gone on a spaceflight mission yet. |
| D．He never stayed in space for a whole month. |
| A．They’re dangerous to astronauts. |
| B．Most of them won’t last very long. |
| C．They’re mainly caused by psychological stress. |
| D．Some can occur during short-term spaceflight. |
| A．It involved many twin participants. |
| B．It ended soon after Scott Kelly’s last spaceflight. |
| C．It only studied Scott Kelly’s physical changes. |
| D．It will be valuable to NASA’s Mars mission. |
| A．Mark Kelly will lose his twin brother soon. |
| B．Scott Kelly always looks on the bright side. |
| C．Scott Kelly doesn’t like his twin brother. |
| D．Scott Kelly seems to have a sense of humor. |
8 . The Bureau of Labor Statistics recommends some high-paying jobs.
Construction and Building Inspector
Construction and building inspectors inspect construction sites and buildings to make sure that the structures meet all requirements. Many construction and building inspectors have a certificate from a local or community college, although others have a two-year associate's degree instead.
Salary: about $ 70,710 per year
Web Developer
Web developers design and develop websites. They create the look of the site and handle the website's performance, speed, and capacity. Web developers might work for computer system design companies, or for marketing firms or departments, or be self-employed. While some web developers have an associate's degree in web design, others have a certificate in web development instead.
Salary: about $ 63,760 per year
Architectural and Civil Drafter
An architectural and civil drafter creates drawings of the structural features of buildings, or creates maps of civil engineering projects. Most drafters have training in computer-aided design and drafting (CADD), engineering, mechanical drawing, and other design and engineering skills. This training can be from a certificate program, a two-year program, or even a four-year program.
Salary: about $ 56,830 per year
Sheet Metal Worker
A sheet metal worker constructs and/or installs products made of thin sheet metal. This work might involve measuring and marking dimensions on sheets, drilling holes in sheets, carrying large sheets, and so on. Sheet metal workers learn their work through a certificate program from a technical school.
Salary: about $ 50,400 per year
1. Which job provides the highest income according to the text?| A．Construction and Building Inspector. | B．Web Developer. |
| C．Architectural and Civil Drafter. | D．Sheet Metal Worker. |
| A．They inspect websites. | B．They are good at marketing. |
| C．They can be self-employed. | D．They need CADD training. |
| A．Engineering skills. |
| B．Computer knowledge. |
| C．A certificate or a degree. |
| D．Technical school experience. |
9 . Researchers at CU Boulder have developed a wearable device that changes the human body into a biological battery. The device is stretchy(弹性的) enough that you can wear it like a ring, sport band or any other thing that touches your skin. It also taps into a person's natural heat-employing thermoelectric generators to change the body's internal temperature into electricity. "In the future, we want to be able to power your wearable electronics without having to include a battery," said Jianliang Xiao, an associate professor at CU Boulder.
The concept may sound like something out of The Matrix film series, in which a race of robots have enslaved humans to harvest their precious organic energy. Xiao and his colleagues aren't that ambitious: Their devices can generate about 1 volt (伏特) of energy for every square centimeter of skin space-less volt per area than what most existing batteries provide but still enough to power electronics like watches or fitness trackers.
Scientists have previously experimented with similar wearable devices, but Xiao's is stretchy, can heal itself when damaged and is fully recyclable-making it a cleaner alternative to traditional electronics. "Whenever you use a battery, you're depleting(消耗) that battery and will, eventually, need to replace it," Xiao said. "The nice thing about our device is that you can wear it, and it provides you with constant power."
Just pretend that you're out for a jog. As you exercise, your body heats up, and that heat will radiate out to the cool air around you. Xiao's device captures that flow of energy rather than let it go to waste. "The thermoelectric generators are in close contact with the human body, and they can use the heat that would normally be sent into the environment," Xiao said.
1. What does Xiao expect of his device at present?| A．It will be used for medical purposes. |
| B．It will be made smaller and wearable. |
| C．It will change natural power into electricity. |
| D．It will supply constant power to wearable devices. |
| A．To give an explanation. | B．To make a comparison. |
| C．To introduce a topic. | D．To analyze the cause. |
| A．The strengths of Xiao's device. |
| B．The convenience of using a battery. |
| C．The replacement of wearable devices. |
| D．The development of traditional electronics. |
| A．It operates with plenty of power. |
| B．It is designed for practical use. |
| C．It benefits people's health in a way. |
| D．It's based on traditional electronics. |
10 . Bangkok's future hangs in the balance. Rising sea levels, unchecked development and rapid urban population growth have left millions helpless to natural disasters — scientists warn the city Bangkok may not survive the century.
But it does have a secret weapon in its battle to resist the impact of a hotter planet — LANDPROCESS, a Bangkok-based landscape architecture and urban design company founded in 2011 by the landscape architect Kotchakom Vbrkaakhom. She wants to shift the orientation from growth to the actions on environment and land and promotes mindful development instead of mindless construction.
She made her name by creating the internationally acknowledged Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park, an 11-acre space in central Bangkok, which tilts（倾斜）downward at a 3-degree angle, allowing rainwater to flow through the grass and wetlands. Water that’ s not absorbed by the plants runs down to a pond at the base of the park, where it can be stored for use during dry spells. In case of severe flooding, the park can hold up to a million gallons of water.
In 2018, she created Asia’s largest rooftop farm, which imitates the region’s famed rice terraces（梯田）, preserving both water and soil. Uniquely, winding around the 22,400m2rooftop is a jogging path and a lawn.
Green space design of ecological cities emerged one after another, which not only expanded the design ideas of landscape industry, but also provided new strategies for people to deal with climate problems.
Later this year she will carry out plans to transform a vast, unused bridge crossing the Chao Phraya River into a park with bicycle lanes, bringing more green space. Kotchakom has even greater ambitions for her hometown — she wants to reuse the more than 1,000 canals that snake through Bangkok that are currently used for waste water. "Canals have so much life, so much potential to be public green space and a skeleton（框架）of the whole city," she explains.
LANDPROCESS has always listened to the needs of the society, and established a harmonious relationship between nature and human beings through design, so as to create a public landscape that can really give back to the society.
1. Why is Bankok’s future mentioned in paragraph 1?| A．To make a prediction of the city. |
| B．To provide some scientific knowledge. |
| C．To stress the urgency of solving problems. |
| D．To draw readers’ attention to climate change. |
| A．Its space. | B．Its green coverage. |
| C．Its landscape. | D．Its tilt design. |
| A．She collects rainwater for industrial use. |
| B．Her rooftop farm has made the best of urban spaces. |
| C．She will reconstruct the canals to recycle waste water. |
| D．She always designs sports facilities in her green parks. |
| A．A Productive Architecture Company |
| B．An Architect with Green Growth Mindset |
| C．Bangkok's Future Hangs in the Balance |
| D．Mindful and Mindless Construction in Bangkok |
