1 . More than half the world’s population live in cities, and by 2050 the UN expects that proportion to reach 68%. This means more homes, roads and other infrastructure. Such a construction ________ does harm to tackling climate change, though, because making steel and concrete generates around 8% of the world’s carbon-dioxide emissions. If cities are to ________ and become greener at the same time, they will have to be made from something else.

As it happens, Chicago might become part of the ________. In recent years, as architects have become increasingly interested in modern timber (木材) — construction methods, wooden buildings have been getting steadily ________. The current record is held by the 85-metre-tall Mjostarnet building in Norway, completed in 2019. But this would be ________ by the River Beech Tower, a 228-metre building proposed for a site beside the Chicago river.

As the AAAs meeting heard this week, wood is one of the most ________ sustainable alternatives to steel and concrete. It is not, however, everyday wood but a material called engineered timber, composed of different layers for specific purposes. Besides engineering the shape of a component, designers can arrange the grains (纹理) in the layers to provide levels of ________ that equal steel, in a product that is up to 80% lighter. Engineered timber is, ________, usually assembled into large sections of a building in a factory. That cuts down on the number of ________ that have to be made to a construction site.

All this ________ to carbon-dioxide emissions. Michael Ramage of the University of Cambridge told the meeting of a 300-square-metre four-storey wooden building that generated 126 tonnes of CO₂. Had it been made with ________, emissions would have risen to 310 tonnes. If steel had been used, they would have topped 498 tonnes. Indeed, from one point of view, this building might actually be viewed as “carbon ________”. When trees grow, they lock carbon up in their wood — in this case the equivalent of 540 tonnes of CO₂, representing a long-term reduction of CO₂ from the atmosphere.

If building with wood takes off, it does raise concern about there being enough trees to ________. But with sustainably managed forests that should not be a problem, says Dr Ramage. A family-sized apartment requires about 30 cubic metres of timber, and he estimates Europe’s sustainable ________ alone grow that amount every seven seconds. Nor is fire a risk, for engineered timber does not burn easily, because the inner cores of large ________ timbers are protected by a charring (炭化) layer if burnt.

3 . There has, in recent years, been an outpouring of information about the impact of buildings on the natural environment. Information which explains and promotes green construction design strives to _________ others of its effectiveness and warns of the dangers of ignoring the issue. Seldom do these documents offer any advice to practitioners, such as those designing mechanical and electrical systems for a building, on how to use this knowledge on a _________ level.

Although there are a good many advocates of “green” construction in the architectural industry, able to list enough reasons why buildings should be designed in a (n) _________ way, that doesn’t translate into a booming green construction industry. Likewise, the fact that plenty of architectural firms have experience in green design is not enough to make green construction _________. The driving force behind whether a building is constructed with minimal environmental impact _________ the owner of the building; that is, the person financing the project. If the owner considers green design unimportant, or of secondary importance, then more than likely, it will not be _________ into the design.

The commissioning (委任) process plays a key role in _________ the owner gets the building he wants, in terms of design, costs and risk. Owners who _________ the commissioning process, or fail to take “green” issues into account when doing so, often run into trouble once their building is up and running. Materials and equipment are installed as planned, and, at first glance, appear to fulfil their purpose adequately. _________, in time, the owner realizes that operational and maintenance costs are higher than necessary, and that the occupants are dissatisfied with the results. These factors in turn lead to higher ownership costs as well as increased environmental impact.

In some cases, an owner may be __________ of the latest trends in green building design, which, however, does not necessarily lead to an interpretation that the client already has an idea of how green he intends the structure to be. Indeed, this initial interaction between owner and firm is the ideal time for a designer to outline and __________ the ways that green design can meet the client’s objectives. In this way, he may turn a project originally not   __________green design into a potential candidate.

Typically, when condiering whether or not to adopt a green __________, an owner will ask about additional costs or return for investment. In a typical project, landscape architects, mechanical and electrical engineers are not involved until a much later stage. However, in green design, they have a role to play from they outset, since green design demands__________between these disciplines, which requires additional cost. However, there are examples of green design which have demonstrated__________costs for long-term operation, ownership and even construnction.

4 . A 23-year-old woman has achieved an unbelievable feat that many of us dream of -visiting every country on Earth.

Lexie Alford was born into a family of travel agents, which gave her the opportunity to ________ places such as Cambodia,Dubai and Egypt during her childhood, according to Forbes magazine. She began saving up at age 12 to ________ her goal of visiting all countries. By her 18th birthday, she had travelled to 72 nations. In October,2016 she realized she could see the ________ nations on her list in time to set an official record. Many people ________her travel on social media platform Instagram, so she decided to chase the world record partly to ________ others. “Honestly，in the beginning, I ________ wanted to push the ________ of what I thought I could do with my life and see as much of the world as possible in the ________,” she told Forbes. “It wasn’t until things started getting really________ that I realized I was inspiring people around me, especially the ________．”

I also loved visiting Northern Pakistan, for the natural beauty of the mountains and kindness of the locals were astonishing,” Lexie Alford said. “The most pleasant surprise about travelling to all these misunderstood areas of the world was that the countries that I had the________ expectation for ________ being the most incredible.”

“My ________ for young people is to believe that you can do anything you set your mind to do. If you want to travel, you have to ________ sacrifices to travel around the world. And it’s only a matter of ________ until you can make it a reality.”

5 . Years ago,when we first went to Canada, we were driving through Montana to Colorado with our two children. We thought we’d find a hotel on the way without _________ ahead of time. As it was getting late, we started looking for a hotel, only to find that all the hotels were full.

_________, around 9 p.m., we stopped at a gas station. My husband told the woman behind the counter that we were _________ to find a hotel. She told us it would be _________ at such late time in a busy season. Noticing that we were worried, she said we could spend the night at her home near.

Though surprised at her _________, we gladly accepted it. She then called her son to come and lead the way, since she had to work until midnight. Soon a pick-up vehicle arrived and we _________ it. When we reached her home, her husband _________ us. He invited us to have coffee and we chatted when _________ his wife. She came past 12. We asked if we could leave _________ in the morning so as not to disturb them. They said we were now guests and we’d have to have breakfast with them.

The next morning, around the table were a mass of people, and we were ____________ that they were total ____________ from different countries. After breakfast, when we were ____________, my husband asked if he could offer some ____________. But they said no. Then we left. We kept in ____________ for many years. Later we lost contact, but over the years we have never forgotten their ____________.

7 . In search of a little quiet, I have spent some time wandering through the Australian town, Walhalla. If I had arrived about 150 years earlier, I would have found a(n) _________ goldfield town. “Around 1890, the main mine was the _________ gold producer in Victoria,” explains the Walhalla Star Hotel’s owner, Michael Leaney. As we walk along the main road, green high hills rise on either side. We feel _________.

When the gold ran out,most people _________, and today only about twenty _________ residents are left in Walhalla. As the residents left, many buildings were _________. When the 70s came, the town began to be transformed into a tourist _________ and some historic buildings have been rebuilt.

That night we have a great dinner at Walhalla’s pub. We walk back in the dark. There are no street lights in the town so the stars _________ brightly against the night sky. Walhalla was the last town in Australia to get electricity. Leaney says _________ more development is to come: the Internet and mobile __________ will improve.

After a quick breakfast at the hotel the next morning, I walk down what was once a high street lined with __________ to the edge of the little town. Holiday homes and historic signs are __________ in the town. The walk takes me onto the tram (矿车) line. Alongside the mountain, it’s the __________ where wood from the valley was once transported up to the mine. These days it’s ideal for views into the valley below. The mountain’s trees were __________ and now they are green again.

Leaney has invited me to ride an old-fashioned train that runs on the rebuilt train line from Walhalla to a nearby town. The views are __________. Back in town, I leave Leaney for my next stop.

9 . In March 2020, when I stood alone in the middle of the main road to the Lake District，it felt like the end of the world. As a local _______ , I’ve grown used to the heavy traffic. But suddenly, everything _______. The lockdown(因疫情封锁)brought quietness to the area, and I did feel a sense of relief(放松)to be done with the _______ for a while.

Just off the main road is Matterdale, where I _______ with my family. We own a farm and our work _______ tending farm animals. Like many who live in tourist attractions, we have been _______ by some visitors. My farming would have been significantly _______ without people parking in gateways, walking through the fields of lambs(羊羔)with running pet dogs _______ them, or giving up their tents along the river.

_______ my complaints(抱怨), however, I would never refuse visitors’ presence. I do understand their need for ________ after months of busy city life. In fact, I think I ________ them too. Of course, communities like ours rely on the income that ________ creates. But to me, there is something more personal. I once took my kids to the lake. Near the shore, we saw boys and girls playing together. A young dad was ________ his kid’s hand as she tiptoed through the shallows(浅水处). An elderly couple were sitting in the shade, ________ the view. I found myself content knowing that I was ________ this landscape(景色)with others.

As lockdown restrictions(限制)have ________ and visitors started to come back, I wonder how we can coexist ________ . For those who are reading this, I hope that my words can encourage you to ________ the communities you visit, and understand the responsibilities that come with ________ those places. Our love can coexist, even if it sometimes makes life a little ________.