1 . The online takeaway industry is growing in China along with the rapid development of the Internet economy. But environmental activists complain that the huge volume of plastic utensils (用具), wrapping and containers presents a great challenge to the environment, and that the heavy use of throwaway wooden chopsticks is reducing natural resources.
On September 1, the Beijing No.4 Intermediate People’s Court accepted a lawsuit filed by the Chongqing Green Volunteer League, an environmental non-government organization (NGO), against the country’s three largest food delivery platforms—Baidu Waimai, Ele.me and Meituan. The NGO stated that the companies failed to provide customers with the choice to not receive throwaway plastic utensils along with their food deliveries. Meanwhile, these utensils have created large amounts of rubbish and caused serious ecological damage.
In response, both Meituan and Ele.me, which acquired Baidu Waimai in August, have promised to take measures to reduce plastic waste. Meituan announced that it would appoint a chief environmental officer to oversee environmental issues from plastic waste and upgrade its smartphone app to provide consumers with the option of ordering food without single-use chopsticks, spoons or napkins. Ele.me followed by offering a similar choice and putting forward a plan to introduce suppliers of degradable (可降解的) plastic utensils to restaurants in the long term.
Is there a possible way out? Combined efforts by delivery platforms, consumers, restaurants and government departments are required to address plastic waste pollution.
For platforms, promoting environmental protection and introducing this idea to consumers are a meaningful move. Moreover, in the future, they should also make strict rules on the use of plastic utensils. For example, no more than one plastic bag should be used to wrap soup dishes, and all plastic products should be degradable. It is a long and difficult task for them, and the recent reactions from Ele.me and Meituan are just beginnings.
Considering most takeout food packaging is thrown into garbage bins and then taken away along with other household garbage, sorting of waste also becomes more important. Government departments could play a major role in this, and by recycling some materials, waste pollution could be reduced and resources saved. Furthermore, there have been growing calls that the government should also invest more in developing degradable plastic products or environmentally friendly alternatives.
Though consumers enjoy the convenience yet also suffer exposure to the pollution, many of them have paid little attention to the plastic waste problem. Environmental groups suggest that consumers change their habits a little by using their own utensils and dishes and refusing unnecessary plastic containers.
1. The Chongqing Green Volunteer League accused the three food delivery platforms of ________.| A．causing damage to people’s health |
| B．violating environmental standards |
| C．using many wooden chopsticks |
| D．offering no utensil option |
| A．raise people’s awareness | B．research possible alternatives |
| C．upgrade their application design | D．hire a chief environmental officer |
| A．Government departments. | B．Food delivery platforms. |
| C．Environmental groups. | D．Fast food restaurants. |
| A．why environmental problems arise |
| B．who food delivery platforms affect most |
| C．how plastic utensil pollution can be solved |
| D．what efforts environmental groups have made |
2 . Travelling is a very enjoyable experience as it provides an opportunity to see new things.
Another great benefit is the relaxation you get.
It’s never been this cheap to travel. With increasing oil prices the cheap travel era might be coming to an end.
With the Internet and all the new technology, you can plan your trip exactly the way you want it. You can choose your budget, the duration of the trip and what you want to do.
| A．It’s nice to enjoy a stress-free time. |
| B．As the saying goes, you never know what you have until you lose it. |
| C．When traveling with friends or family it creates memories of a lifetime. |
| D．Discovering different values and ways to get by in life is really interesting. |
| E．Going on a trip means that you are most likely going to spend time outside. |
| F．However, there are still many budget airlines fighting for your dollar right now. |
| G．There are many benefits other than enjoying yourself that can be realized when you travel. |
3 . In the coming months, we are bringing together artists from all over the globe, to enjoy speaking Shakespeare’s plays in their language, in our Globe, within the architecture Shakespeare wrote for. Please come and join us.
National Theatre Of China Beijing｜Chinese
This great occasion(盛会) will be the National Theatre of China’s first visit to the UK. The company’s productions show the new face of 21st century Chinese theatre. This production of Shakespeare’s Richard III will be directed by the National’s Associate Director, Wang Xiaoying.
Date & Time: Saturday 28 April, 2.30 pm & Sunday 29 April, 1.30 pm & 6.30 pm
Marjanishvili Theatre Tbilisi｜Georgian
One of the most famous theatres in Georgia, the Marjanishvili, founded in 1928, appears regularly at theatre festivals all over the world. This new production of As You Like It is helmed(指导) by the company’s Artistic Director Levan Tsuladze.
Date & Time: Friday 18 May, 2.30 pm & Saturday 19 May, 7.30 pm
Deafinitely Theatre London｜British Sign Language(BSL)
By translating the rich and humourous text of Love’s Labour’s Lost into the physical language of BSL, Deafinitely Theatre creates a new interpretation of Shakespeare’s comedy and aims to build a bridge between deaf and hearing worlds by performing to both groups as one audience.
Date & Time: Tuesday 22 May, 2.30 pm & Wednesday 23 May, 7.30 pm
Habima National Theatre Tel Aviv｜Hebrew
The Habima is the centre of Hebrew-language theatre worldwide. Founded in Moscow after the 1905 revolution, the company eventually settled in Tel Aviv in the late 1920s. Since 1958, they have been recognized as the national theatre of Israel. This production of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice marks their first visit to the UK.
Date & Time: Monday 28 May, 7.30 & Tuesday 29 May, 7.30 pm
1. Which play will be performed by the National Theatre of China?| A．RichardⅢ. | B．Lover’s Labour’s Lost. |
| C．As You Like It. | D．The Merchant of Venice. |
| A．It has two groups of actors. | B．It is the leading theatre in London. |
| C．It performs plays in BSL. | D．It is good at producing comedies. |
| A．On Saturday 28 April. | B．On Sunday 29 April. |
| C．On Tuesday 22 May. | D．On Tuesday 29 May. |
4 . If you want to keep fit, please refer to the following.
Move More
Make it a daily thing to find ways to move your body.
Quit Smoking
Ever since 1960 when it was announced that smoking was harmful to health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products. Just recently, we’ve seen more and more teens smoking. Could it be the Hollywood influence?
While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day can help protect against heart disease, more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney(肝肾)disease and cancer.
Reduce Stress
Easier said than done, stress comes in many ways.
Protect Yourself from Pollution
If you can’t live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms.
| A．Avoid Excessive（过度的） Drinking |
| B．Keep a Positive Mental Outlook |
| C．Think carefully about what you will do. |
| D．Exercise outside when the smog rating is low. |
| E．It seems that the stars in every movie smoke cigarettes. |
| F．There are many things you can do to move your arms and legs. |
| G．Some techniques given by experts are to think positive thoughts. |
1、该人物是谁；
2、该人物的主要贡献；
3、该人物对你的影响。
注意： 1. 词数不少于100；
2. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Jim,____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Yours
Lihua
6 . Even as Google plans to test its fleet(车队) of self-driving cars on public roads this summer, its business model remains a bit of a mystery. By 2025, as many as 250,000 self-driving vehicles could be sold each year globally, according to a study by an industry research firm.
"Vehicles that can take anyone from A to B at the push of a button could transform mobility for millions of people," said Chris Urmson, director of Google's self-driving car project. For now, Google has no plans to sell any of its self-driving cars. They are strictly for research. But they will hit public roads this summer near Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California. Previous testing has taken place only on closed courses.
The cars are built to operate without a steering wheel, accelerator(油门) or brake pedal. "Our software and sensors do all the work," Urmson said. "The vehicles will be very basic—we want to learn from them and adapt them as quickly as possible—but they will take you where you want to go at the push of a button." The prototypes(雏形) are the first of a 100-car fleet the tech giant is building.
In the long run, Urmson sees a future of safer roads — the majority of auto accidents are caused by human error — and fewer traffic jams. Robotic cars could also shuttle people who can't drive because of age or illness.
Google has said that self-driving cars could launch new business models in which people buy the use of vehicles they don't own. The company has already tested other types of self-driving cars on public streets, including modified Lexus sport-utility vehicles, under a special permit program by the California Department of Motor Vehicles that requires a human driver at the controls.
The state has issued six other companies permits to operate such cars, including Delphi, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Tesla, Bosch and Nissan. The vehicles that will be tested on open roads this summer will have removable steering wheels, accelerator and brake pedals to allow "safety drivers" to take control if needed.
Google says the cars are safe. The vehicles have sensors that "can detect objects out to a distance of more than two football fields in all directions, which is especially helpful on busy streets with lots of intersections," Urmson said. "We're looking forward to learning how the community understands and interacts with the vehicles, and to uncovering challenges that are unique to a fully self-driving vehicle," Urmson said.
1. The passage informs us that self-driving cars ________.| A．will probably decrease traffic jams |
| B．have already passed necessary tests |
| C．have been purchased by some companies |
| D．will be able to communicate with drivers |
| A．software and sensors are vital for self-driving cars |
| B．self-driving cars can give driving orders to humans |
| C．self-driving cars are specially designed for the elderly |
| D．ordinary vehicles will be replaced by self-driving cars |
| A．accidents | B．buildings |
| C．crossings | D．vehicles |
| A．Self-driving Car Avoids Human Errors |
| B．Self-driving Car Meets New Challenges |
| C．Google's Self-driving Car Enjoys Global Popularity |
| D．Google's Self-driving Car Graduates to City Streets |
7 . Suppose you become a leader in an organization. It’s very likely that you’ll want to have volunteers to help with the organization’s activities. To do so, it should help to understand why people undertake volunteer work and what keeps their interest in the work.
Let’s begin with the question of why people volunteer. Researchers have identified several factors that motivate people to get involved. For example, people volunteer to express personal values related to unselfishness, to expand their range of experiences, and to strengthen social relationships. If volunteer positions do not meet these needs, people may not wish to participate. To select volunteers, you may need to understand the motivations of the people you wish to attract.
People also volunteer because they are required to do so. To increase levels of community service, some schools have launched compulsory volunteer programs. Unfortunately, these programs can shift people’s wish of participation from an internal factor (e.g. “I volunteer because it’s important to me”) to an external factor (e.g. “I volunteer because I’m required to do so”). When that happens, people become less likely to volunteer in the future. People must be sensitive to this possibility when they make volunteer activities a must.
Once people begin to volunteer, what leads them to remain in their positions over time? To answer this question, researchers have conducted follow-up studies in which they track volunteers over time. For instance, one study followed 238 volunteers in Florida over a year. One of the most important factors that influenced their satisfaction as volunteers was the amount of suffering they experienced in their volunteer positions. Although this result may not surprise you, it leads to important practical advice. The researchers note that attention should be given to “training methods that would prepare volunteers for troublesome situations or provide them with strategies for coping with the problem they do experience”.
Another study of 302 volunteers at hospitals in Chicago focused on individual differences in the degree to which people view “volunteer” as an important social role. It was assumed that those people for whom the role of volunteer was most part of their personal identity would also be most likely to continue volunteer work. Participants indicated the degree to which the social role mattered by responding to statements such as “Volunteering in Hospital is an important part of who I am.” Consistent with the researchers’ expectations, they found a positive correlation(正相关) between the strength of role identity and the length of time people continued to volunteer. These results, once again, lead to concrete advice: “Once an individual begins volunteering, continued efforts might focus on developing a volunteer role identity....Items like T-shirts that allow volunteers to be recognized publicly for their contributions can help strengthen role identity”.
1. People volunteer mainly out of __________.A．ac ademic requirements | B．social expectations |
| C．financial rewards | D．internal needs |
| A．Follow-up studies should last for one year. | B．Volunteers should get mentally prepared. |
| C．Strategy training is a must in research. | D．Volunteers are provided with concrete advice. |
| A．Individual differences in role identity. | B．Publicly identifiable volunteer T-shirts. |
| C．Role identity as a volunteer. | D．Practical advice from researchers. |
| A．How to Get People to Volunteer | B．How to Study Volunteer Behaviors |
| C．How to Keep Volunteers’ Interest | D．How to Organize Volunteer Activities |
8 . More students than ever before are taking a gap year (间隔年) before going to university. It used to be called the “year off” between school and university. The gap-year phenomenon originated (起源) with the months left over to Oxbridge applicants between entrance exams in November and the start of the next academic year.
This year, 25,310 students who have accepted places in higher education institutions have put off their entry until next year, according to statistics on university entrance provided by the University and College Admissions Service (UCAS).
That is a record 14.7% increase in the number of students taking a gap year. Tony Higgins from UCAS said that the statistics are good news for everyone in higher education. “Students who take a well-planned year out are more likely to be satisfied with, and complete, their chosen course. Students who take a gap year are often more mature and responsible.” he said.
But not everyone is happy. Owain James, the president of the National Union of Students (NUS), argued that the increase is evidence of student hardship—young people are being forced into earning money before finishing their education. “New students are now aware that they are likely to leave university up to £ 15,000 in debt. It is not surprising that more and more students are taking a gap year to earn money to support their study for the degree. NUS statistics show that over 40% of students are forced to work during term time and the figure increases to 90% during vacation periods,” he said.
1. What do we learn about the gap year from the text?| A．It is flexible in length. | B．It is a time for relaxation. |
| C．It is increasingly popular. | D．It is required by universities. |
| A．are better prepared for college studies |
| B．know a lot more about their future jobs |
| C．are more likely to leave university in debt |
| D．have a better chance to enter top universities |
| A．He’s puzzled. | B．He’s worried. |
| C．He’s surprised. | D．He’s annoyed. |
| A．Attend additional courses. | B．Make plans for the new term. |
| C．Earn money for their education. | D．Prepare for their graduate studies. |
9 . This Way to Dreamland Daydreaming means people think about something pleasant, especially when this makes them forget what they should be doing. Daydreamers have a bad reputation for being unaware of what’s happening around them. They can seem forgetful and clumsy.
But daydreamers are also responsible for some of the greatest ideas and achievements in human history.
Feeling safe and relaxed will help you to slip into daydreams.
It’s also important to know how to avoid daydreams for those times when you really need to concentrate. “Mindfulness”, being focused, is a tool that some people use to avoid falling asleep.
| A．Having interesting things to think about also helps. |
| B．They stare off into space and wander by themselves. |
| C．Without wandering minds, we wouldn’t have relativity , Coke or Post-it notes. |
| D．At one time, daydreaming was thought to be a cause of some mental illnesses. |
| E．It involves slow, steady breathing for self-control that helps people stay calm and attentive. |
| F．Daydreams are often very simple and direct, quite unlike sleep dreams, which may be hard to understand. |
| G．Therefore, it’s a good idea to keep a notebook or voice recorder nearby when you’re in the daydream zone. |
However, it wasn’t all sweetness and light. There was a reported coldness between the cat and dog in 25% of the homes, while aggression and fighting were observed in 10% of the homes. One reason for this is probably that some of their body signals were just opposite. For example, when a cat turns its head away it signals aggression, while a dog doing the same signals submission.
In homes with cats and dogs living peacefully, researchers observed a surprising behaviour. They are learning how to talk each other’s language. It is a surprise that cats can learn how to talk ‘Dog’, and dogs can learn how to talk ‘Cat’.
What’s interesting is that both cats and dogs have appeared to develop their intelligence. They can learn how to read each other’s body signals, suggesting that the two may have more in common than we previously suspected. Once familiar with each other’s presence and body language, cats and dogs can play together, greet each other nose to nose, and enjoy sleeping together on the sofa. They can easily share the same water bowl and in some cases groom (梳理) each other.
The significance of the research on cats and dogs may go beyond pets ─ to people who don’t get along, including neighbors, colleagues at work, and even world superpowers. If cats and dogs can learn to get along, surely people have a good chance.
1. The underlined word “swimmingly” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ________.
| A．early | B．sweetly | C．quickly | D．smoothly |
| A．they are cold to each other | B．they look away from each other |
| C．they misunderstood each other’s signals | D．they are introduced at an early age |
| A．They eat and sleep each other. |
| B．They observe each other’s behaviors. |
| C．They learn to speak each other’s language. |
| D．They know something from each other’s voices. |
| A．have common interests | B．are less different than was thought |
| C．have a common body language | D．are less intelligent than was expected |
| A．We should learn to live in harmony. |
| B．We should know more about animals. |
| C．We should live in peace with animals. |
| D．We should learn more body languages. |
