1 . EU members' states have agreed to ban a toxic substance widely found in clothing because it poses an ''acceptable risk'' to the environment. Countries voted in favor of extending existing restrictions on nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE) to imports to clothing and other textile products.

The measure is intended to protect species in water. Use of NPE in textile manufacture in Europe was banned over 10 years ago but the substance is still released into the water environment through imported textiles being washed.

NPE degrades in the environment into substances including nonylphenol (NP), which accumulates in the bodies of fish and disturbs their hormones, harming fertility, growth and sexual development.

NPE is used in textile manufacture as a cleaning and dyeing agent. The EU decision notes that several studies have found NPE to be present in textile items.

A 2011 study by Greenpeace found NPE in two-thirds of clothes tested, including items sold by big-name brads such as Adidas, H&M, Lacoste, and Ralph Lauren. The NGO (Non-Governmental Organizations) argued that although concentrations of NPE found in the clothes were low, the chemical’s existence in the environment posed a risk.

The new ban on textiles containing NPE in concentrations equal to or greater than 0.01% will enter into force five years after it is adopted by the European Commission, which is likely to happen in September.

In comments submitted to ECHA (European Chemicals Agency), clothing and textile firms have warned that obeying the restriction will be difficult because NPE ubiquitous in the supply chain and has numerous uses.

The new restriction will not apply to second-hand goods or recycled textiles because it is assumed that these will already have been washed several times so they contain negligible(微不足道的)amounts of NPE.

EU countries must eliminate pollution of water bodies by NP as it is a priority substance under the Water Framework Directive. A 2013 study by the UK environment agency warned that emissions from textiles could prevent progress towards this objective. It found 29% of imported cotton underwear contained NPE, which was released during the first two washes by the consumer.

1. The 2011 study by Greenpeace found _________.

A．29% of imported cotton underwear contained NPE

B．NPE had limited effects on aquatic species

C．NPE was widely present in textile products

D．clothes of good quality had no concentrations of NPE

2. What's the possible meaning of the underlined part ''ubiquitous'' in Paragraph 7?

A．is legally protected	B．is not easy to be found
C．seems to be every where	D．is uncommon

3. What can we learn from the text?

A．The original ban on use of NPE was very effective.

B．Recycled textile contain less NPE.

C．The new ban on imports of textile has come into force.

D．The UK environment agency is optimistic about the new ban.

4. Which section of the website does the text come from?

A．lifestyle	B．technology.
C．Business.	D．Environment.

2 . Directions: Complete the passage with the words given in the table. Each word can be used only once. There is an extra one that you will find no use for.

A. evidence     B. significantly     C. completely       D. effective     E. remove F. applicable   G. beneficial        H. environment     I. assess          J. influence       K. purify

Can Indoor Plants Really Purify the Air?

Plants are very important to human life. Through photosynthesis (光合作用), they transform carbon dioxide into fresh oxygen. They are said to     1     toxins from the air we breathe — but is this true?

One famous NASA experiment, published in 1989, found that indoor plants can clean the air by removing cancer-causing pollutants like formaldehyde and benzene. Later research has found that soil micro-organisms in potted plants also play a part in cleaning indoor air.

Based on this research, some scientists say house plants are     2     air purifiers, and the bigger and leafier the plant, the better. “The amount of leaf surface area can     3     the rate of air purification,” says Bill Wolverton, a former NASA research scientist who conducted that 1989 plant study.

Other experts, however, say the     4     that plants can effectively accomplish this feat is far from conclusive.

“There are no definitive studies to show that having indoor plants can     5     increase the air quality in your home,” says Luz Claudio, a professor of environmental medicine and public health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. There’s no question that plants are capable of removing volatile chemical toxins from the air “under laboratory conditions,” according to Claudio. But in the real world — in your home or in your office space — the notion that putting a few plants together can     6     your air doesn’t have much hard science to back it up.

Most research efforts to date, including the NASA study, placed indoor plants in small, sealed environments in order to     7     how much air-purifying power they have. But those studies aren’t really     8     to what happens in a house, says Stanley Kays, a professor of horticulture at the University of Georgia.

In many cases, the air in your home     9     turns over — that is, exchanges places with outdoor air — once every hour. “In most instances, air exchange with the outside has a far greater effect on indoor air quality than plants,” Kays says.

Many people may be disappointed by what Kays said, but the professor also made it clear that he believes house plants are     10     — they are not only pleasant living companions, but also provide a number of health benefits. Studies have shown plants can knock out stress by calming the sympathetic nervous system, and can also make people feel happier. More research shows spending time around nature has a positive effect on a person’s mood and energy levels.

3 . Questions are based on the following passage.1.

A．Because of their durability.

B．Because they are symbols of status.

C．Because of the trend in fashion.

D．Because they look quite appealing.

2.

A．The man was the creator of jeans.

B．The man applied for a patent for jeans.

C．Levi’s led to the popularity of jeans.

D．Levi’s led to a flood of fake products.

3.

A．They are durable and wash easily.

B．They appear on sex and violence ads.

C．They win the favor of many women liberalists.

D．They are influenced by cowboy style and rebellious spirit.

4.

A．The advantages of jeans.

B．The culture of western America.

C．The history of jeans.

D．The change of jeans.

4 . What are the speaker most probably doing?

A．Picking tomatoes.

B．Cooking a meal.

C．Planting vegetables.

D．Selling cucumbers.

5 .

A．Snowy.

B．Sunny.

C．Windy.

D．Cloudy.