1 . Families will be rewarded for the first time for putting out less rubbish under new plans to significantly promote recycling, especially of valuable materials like glass.
The new plan for collecting waste in England will scrap fines (罚款) for putting plastic in the wrong recycling bin. Instead, families will be offered rewards for recycling more rubbish measured by a microchip (芯片) in the rubbish bin. Caroline Spelman, an Environment Secretary, said, “It is better to use a plan that offers people rewards, rather than punishing them. We want to help those people who want to do the right thing by reducing waste and recycling at home. This means making sure communities are getting the collection services they want and not punishing hard-working families who make mistakes by putting bins out on the wrong day or leaving the waste in the wrong recycling bin.”
Though the punishment for putting waste in the wrong recycling bin has been given up, plans to try and remove the unpopular twice-a-week bin collections have largely failed despite the efforts of Eric Pickles, a Communities Secretary. Although Mrs. Spelman made it clear that communities will be supported in efforts to increase the times of collections, and the Conservative Party will not force local authorities to return to weekly collections. Most communities expect the introduction of weekly rubbish collections, as this will solve some of the problems about environment.
“We will continue to help local communities develop local solutions to collecting and dealing with family waste and will work with communities to meet families’ reasonable expectations for weekly collections, particularly of smelly waste.” said Mrs. Spelman.
1. What will families be rewarded for in future?| A．Producing less rubbish. | B．Putting bins out on the right day. |
| C．Throwing rubbish into the bin. | D．Leaving rubbish in the wrong recycling bin. |
| A．reduce | B．remove | C．increase | D．pay |
| A．The Conservative Party refuses the weekly collection. |
| B．Both Rewards and punishment should be carried out. |
| C．Local solutions to collecting family waste will be stopped. |
| D．People will not be punished for putting rubbish wrongly. |
| A．Travel. | B．Literature. | C．Environment. | D．Medicine. |
2 . In my life, I make it a rule to avoid using plastic bottles. So when I was invited to visit Sri Lanka for two weeks, I wondered how I could go without using them.
First, I got prepared for the worst. I brought a water bottle that can convert any water from lakes, streams, or hotel taps into clean drinking water through a filter(过滤器). Next, I bought a package of Aquatabs that help purify the water. And I also packed two other water bottles.
When I got to the first hotel, I discovered that there was a large drinking water machine in the main hallway. The guide told us at the initial meeting that we could expect it in many places. However, I became less delighted when he told me later that many of the hotels bring out the cooler just when we arrive because they know we want to see it. Some will hide it the rest of the time because they’ll be able to make money off the sale of small plastic water bottles in the rooms.
This led to my next strategy. If there was no cooler available to the public, I’d ask the hotel staff to refill my bottle whenever I was at a meal. Sure enough, they did, although they usually asked first if I wanted a bottle of water. I could find they weren’t pleased by my requests, but they did it anyway. These requests are what drive the broader behavioral changes that we need very much in order to shake single-use culture. Imagine if every single traveler asked for their water bottles to be filled from cooler; I bet the hotel would have one installed the next day.
I ended up not using the filter bottle until I got stuck at Delhi airport for 24 hours, my flight back to Toronto delayed by heavy fog. In the hotel room, I filtered tap water before drinking and was grateful to have that option. I never needed the Aquatabs, but they’ll keep until my next camping or backpacking trip.
1. What did the author worry about before visiting Sri Lanka?| A．He might suffer from the terrible weather. |
| B．He might carry more water during his travel. |
| C．He might have no access to clean drinking water. |
| D．He might spend more money in buying water bottles. |
| A．Fill. | B．Transform. | C．Acquire. | D．Boil. |
| A．Uncertain. | B．Uncomfortable. | C．Unbelievable. | D．Unwilling. |
| A．He didn’t have a good time. | B．He didn’t use any water bottles. |
| C．He didn’t enjoy drinking tap water. | D．He didn’t feel satisfied with his travel. |
3 . This commercial kitchen in central London prepares one-and-a-half thousand meals a day. It provides catering for a museum and a conference centre. Kitchens like these typically throw away 20% of the ingredients they buy. Some are thrown away even though they are edible. And sometimes food ends up in the bin simply because it's not needed after all.
To stop this happening, this kitchen has been using a new piece of technology which can simply be connected to a normal bin on scales (磅秤). This is what’s known as a smart bin. Kitchen staff use it like a supermarket self-checkout. The idea is to keep an accurate digital record of the food being thrown out. This helps the head chef make more informed choices.
Bill Owen, head chef said, ''It was a shocker how many tons are actually saved through using this. '' By keeping an eye on exactly what kind of food is being thrown out, the chef can not only adjust his orders of ingredients, but also make whole new menus based on what was previously being thrown away. ''In an operation where you make a significant amount of your food in advance, you can typically cut food waste in half. '' Mark Zornes Winnow added.
Do people actually have time to sort the food as they are putting it into the bin? They do. To start with, take a little while to get used to the bin system. It is just about familiarizing yourself with where the buttons are.
However effective they may be, there is one important factor that holds these smart bins back. Andrew Stephen, CEO of Sustainable Restaurant Association, explained, ''Traditionally, smart bin technology has been at quite a high price point for particularly small operators. There is only a relatively small part that can afford that upfront implementation (安装启用). '' It seems that smart bins are just one part of the solution to the pressing problem of food waste.
1. What does the underlined word ''edible'' in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．awful | B．unnecessary | C．delicious | D．eatable |
| A．change the menus | B．make much food in advance |
| C．cut the food waste | D．adjust the purchase of ingredients |
| A．People need to sort the waste before putting them into the bin. |
| B．The bin is connected to a supermarket self-checkout. |
| C．The weight of the waste can't be known through the bin. |
| D．Andrew Stephen was optimistic about the future of the bin. |
| A．They can't keep an accurate record. | B．They are too expensive. |
| C．They're too complicated to operate. | D．They are not effective. |
4 . It was quite interesting to watch “Boracay Iceman” broadcasting online during his trip to the Crocodile Park in Davao City, the Philippines, with hundreds of viewers interacting with him in real-time He was asking locals about unique Philippine fruit or buying some souvenirs for his audience, playing the role of an online tour guide.
The COVID-19 has led to a huge recession in the tourism industry but live steaming might be a way for the tourism market to seek for survival. Many well-known museums and historical sites in China have rolled out a series of online exhibitions and live streaming for people trapped at home. Though travelling seems to be hard to realize recently, live streaming provides an outlet for people's free time.
Zang Yue goes by “Boracay Iceman” because he owned a travel agency and a spa at Boracay, one of Philippine top tourist attractions and among the areas that were hit by the COVID-19. He started live streaming on Fliggy, a travel app of China's Taobao, from February 23 since the COVID-19. “One of my business partners introduced me to live streaming and there will be a payment from the app,” Zang recalled “so why not try?”
China has become one of the largest marketplace for live streaming with a large number of users being able to make profitable careers from it. Whether it is a real tour display or trip experience sharing with viewers at home, the interactivity of live streaming is a great way to keep consumers interested.
Zang currently planned one or two live streaming a day during his trip to Davao City. Now he has over 2000 followers. “Hopefully the tourism market will get better around July and August when the summer vacation comes,” he wishes.
1. What is the function of the first paragraph?| A．To explain the definition of broadcasting online. |
| B．To analyze the importance of broadcasting online. |
| C．To lead into the topic of live streaming. |
| D．To promote a brand of an ice-cream. |
| A．decline | B．increase | C．advantage | D．change |
| A．He ran a travel agency and a spa abroad. |
| B．He introduced his business partner to live streaming. |
| C．He started live streaming about COVID-19. |
| D．His live streaming attracted less than 2000 fans. |
| A．Sports. | B．Economy. | C．Health. | D．Politics. |
5 . Getting old might not be something that's yet to cross your mind. But ageing is unavoidably going to get the better of us one day. And that’s why scientists are constantly seeking out evidence that will show us what we need to do to achieve longevity.
We all know that regular exercise is good for us. In recent years, although we've been told to aim to walk 10,000 steps a day to remain healthy, other advice to do three quick and energetic 10-minute walks a day is thought to be even more effective. And the latest piece of research might put a spring in your step if you’re someone who walks at a fast pace. That’s because, according to scientists, the speed at which people walk in their 40s is a sign of how much their brains, as well as their bodies, are ageing.
Tests on 1,000 people from New Zealand born in the 1970s found that slower walkers tended to show signs of "accelerated ageing". Their lungs, teeth and immune systems were in worse shape than those who walked fester. And what’s worse, the study found not only did slower walkers' bodies age more quickly, their faces looked older and they had smaller brains.
This might be seen as a wake-up call for people with a slower pace who might feel it's time to work out get fitter. But it might be too late; researchers say they were able to predict the walking speed of 45-year-olds using the results of intelligence, language and motor skills tests from when they were aged three. They also suggest that even in early life, there are signs showing which people will go on to have a healthier life.
So, what's the point of knowing that a slower walking pace might mean a smaller brain? Well, researchers say measuring walking speed at a younger age, and understanding what this might mean, could be a way of testing treatments to slow human ageing. This might help us make lifestyle changes while we're still young and healthy. Any steps we can take to prolong a good mental and physical state is a no brainer!
1. Which of the following is considered to be a better choice?| A．Walking 10,000 steps a day. | B．Doing three quick and energetic walks a day. |
| C．Doing irregular exercise every day. | D．Frequently doing sports in spring. |
| A．Faster walkers will get fitter, be younger and have bigger brains. |
| B．People's health condition can be predicted from their walking speed at 45. |
| C．This study found that slower walkers age more slowly. |
| D．People who walk faster are more brilliant than slower walkers. |
| A．give something up | B．transfer something at random |
| C．make something last longer | D．put something off |
| A．Walking to Stay Young | B．Getting Old and Doing Exercise |
| C．Having a Happy Life | D．Slow Walking and Ageing |
6 . The driver cuts you off in traffic. The neighbors don’t pick up after their dog. The insurance company keeps you waiting endlessly. Situations such as these get our hearts racing. Anger isn’t a pleasant feeling. Some of us control the emotion, while others explode in a wild rage. Both habits affect our bodies, our minds, and our relationships.
Anger may feel uncomfortable, but it’s also normal and healthy. “A lot of people think they have to get rid of their anger,” says Patrick, a psychologist in Calgary. “But anger is an emotion built into us to signal that something needs to be solved.” When we take notice of that signal and actually realize the problem instead of ignoring it, we’re usually much better for it.
Unfortunately, many of us have been conditioned to hide our emotions. Research suggests that this can have long-term effects on our health. Investigators show that people who suppress their emotions tend to have shorter life spans. They’re more likely to die earlier from cancer, for example. When we are angry, stress hormones (荷尔蒙) are released, which can make us develop a wide range of diseases, including diabetes and depression. Is it better, then, to scream whenever something makes you mad? That’s the theory behind the “rage rooms” that have appeared in many American cities, where folks are invited to express their anger by violently hitting stuff in a “safe” environment. “But the research indicates that when we display our anger aggressively, it can actually increase the intensity of the anger—and increase the likelihood of aggressive actions in the future.” says Keelan. It doesn’t take much imagination to predict how anger can affect your relationships with your wives or husbands, your kids, or your coworkers. It also hurts your health.
1. What situation may make people angry?| A．Neighbors pick up their dogs’ waste. |
| B．The insurance company timely offers service. |
| C．A driver doesn’t wait for his turn. |
| D．A stranger helps when people get lost. |
| A．People should try their best to control their emotion. |
| B．Anger does good to our health sometimes. |
| C．Angry people never release stress hormones. |
| D．Anger is an emotion signaling something has been solved. |
| A．affect | B．develop |
| C．control | D．display |
| A．Subjectively. | B．Pessimistically. |
| C．Indifferently. | D．Objectively. |
