1 . Chaudhary quietly weaves together lengths of ropes, binding them with grass collected from the riverbank. She skillfully shapes the materials into a jewelry box. Meanwhile, she’s instructing a group of women to work out the materials. The ropes used were once the lifeline for climbers tackling Nepal’s mountains and were then discarded (扔掉). They are now finding new life, transformed by skilled hands into items to sell.
Acharya, working with the cleaning campaign, owns a waste processing business in Kathmandu, also an advocate for sustainable waste management. “Aluminum and other metal waste go through the recycling process, but we found no way to recycle ropes and gas cans,” she says. It struck her that the non-recyclable waste could be reused, but it wasn’t until she met Maya Rai that a solution emerged. Rai, leading Nepal Knotcraft Centre, helped connect Acharya with Chaudhary’s team of craftswomen in hopes of turning the mountain waste into economic opportunity. “While this seems insignificant compared to waste in the mountains, it’s a start. We aim to connect local expertise, mountain waste and local economy,” says Acharya, proudly displaying a mat made from ropes left on Mt. Qomolangma by climbers. Her goal is to ensure that no waste collected from mountains ends up in a landfill again.
Finished crafts are sold at outlets and exhibitions. The craftswomen are paid according to how many items they make and sell. With flexible hours, the project gives women an opportunity to earn money even as they maintain household responsibilities.
Eventually, Acharya hopes to expand the program to involve more women and process more waste. But progress has been slow. “We still have not found a sustainable business plan to make crafts in large quantities, ”she says. Now, she is searching for cooperators to make a model that serves not only the mountain but the communities. “After all, we are trying to craft a sustainable future.”
Each rope turned into a decorative item is a way to help local women earn a living and keep mountains clean.
1. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning Chaudhary in paragraph 1?A.To lead in the topic with her example. |
B.To spread her environmental consciousness. |
C.To show her patient instructions to the women. |
D.To speak highly of her outstanding weaving skills. |
A.A business involving waste processing. |
B.A team transforming waste into treasure. |
C.A campaign advocating sustainable management. |
D.A solution connecting expertise, waste and economy. |
A.Selling crafts at outlets can earn more money. |
B.Removing mountain waste generates a sense of pride. |
C.Cooperating with local experts helps promote skills. |
D.Work-life balance can be achieved due to flexible hours. |
A.Hesitant. | B.Positive. | C.Suspicious. | D.Disapproving. |
1. What did the man do just now?
A.He took some photos. | B.He did some reading. | C.He shared an article online. |
A.Seafood will be polluted. |
B.Ships won’t sail properly. |
C.The beauty of the ocean will be damaged. |
A.A reusable bag. | B.A metal straw. | C.A glass bottle. |
A.Stop buying bottled water. |
B.Organize beach cleanup events. |
C.Participate in club activities every month. |
A.Snowy. | B.Sunny. | C.Rainy. |
A.The man’s sister. | B.A pet. | C.An accident. |
A.A trip. | B.An umbrella. | C.The weather. |
6 . We were living in Kentucky. My two sons kept asking me to adopt a dog. Honestly, I
Actually, I was not in the mood for a pet, for I was struggling with
While wandering around the center, I noticed a little dog curled up(蜷缩)in the corner, shaking. Obviously, she was having a(n)
Princess was quiet in the first few days, but
One day, I was ill, missing my previous home more. Princess stayed with me quietly. Her
A few months after Princess came, I
A.failed | B.preferred | C.hesitated | D.prepared |
A.missed | B.promised | C.imagined | D.doubted |
A.poverty | B.childcare | C.competition | D.homesickness |
A.learning | B.adapting | C.planning | D.travelling |
A.enjoyable | B.peaceful | C.difficult | D.independent |
A.upset | B.disappointed | C.confused | D.inspired |
A.journey | B.decision | C.exchange | D.experiment |
A.choose | B.reward | C.ignore | D.check |
A.strangely | B.gradually | C.commonly | D.accidentally |
A.painful | B.memorable | C.adventurous | D.similar |
A.company | B.courage | C.illness | D.character |
A.waited for | B.thought of | C.connected with | D.dreamed of |
A.worked | B.regretted | C.listened | D.changed |
A.mistake | B.past | C.achievement | D.friendship |
A.green | B.quiet | C.cheerful | D.influential |
1. What is the woman going to do after school?
A.Go to her uncle’s house. |
B.Adopt a little cat. |
C.Buy some food for herself. |
A.He doesn’t feel well. |
B.He needs to look after his mother. |
C.He has to go to the pet clinic. |
A.One. | B.Two. | C.Three. |
8 . There are hundreds of great national nature reserves in China. Now feast your eyes on the following amazing ones.
Qinghai Lake National Nature ReserveQinghai Lake, China’s largest saltwater lake in Qinghai Province, is a key body of water for lots of animals and birds. As an important stopover, migratory birds (候鸟) would rest in this area during their movement trip every year. The reserve became a national nature reserve in the year of 1997.
Bayanbulak National Nature ReserveThe only Bayanbulak Wetland, in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is at the foot of Tianshan Mountains, which makes itself suitable for migratory birds. Bayanbulak means “rich spring water” in Mongolian, meaning that the area is rich in water. Every year, swans (天鹅) from different places fly here for nesting, which became a national swan reserve in 1986.
Rongcheng Swan National Nature ReserveAs one of the largest wintering places for swans in China, this reserve in Shandong Province mainly protects whooper swans (大天鹅), which make it different from other nature reserves. In 2007, it was changed into a national nature reserve. Now every year, thousands of whooper swans arrive here to spend the winter, making it an important resting and wintering place for themselves.
Sanya Coral Reef (珊瑚礁) National Marine Nature ReserveThis reserve focuses on protecting coral reefs and their living environment in Sanya City, Hainan Province. In 1990, it became a national nature reserve. This reserve is on the coast, so the area of the reserve has good water quality and many kinds of creatures,
1. What do the first reserve and the second reserve have in common?A.The area of wetland. | B.The geography of them. |
C.The year of becoming the national reserve. | D.The friendly environment for migratory birds. |
A.Its saltwater lake. | B.The whooper swans. |
C.Its rich spring water. | D.The warm climate. |
A.Bayanbulak National Nature Reserve. | B.Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve. |
C.Rongcheng Swan National Nature Reserve. | D.Sanya Coral Reef National Marine Nature Reserve, |
9 . Two years ago Lucy was saved from a rural area in New South Wales, Australia. Today, she is one of the lucky animals living in rows of trees that have been created to protect koalas and other animals by saving their smaller and smaller habitat (栖息地) , or natural environment.
The trees, planted by the local protection group Bangalow Koalas, are made up of large systems of plants. They are a lifeline for koalas and other animals. All of them are in danger of dying out, or at risk of extinction. The trees provide a safe way across the koala’s increasingly broken habitat. This protects koalas from human threats (威胁). “Our trees are actually trying to get them away from humans, cars and dogs. ”said Linda Sparrow. President of Bangalow Koalas.
The koala is expected to die out in the wild in New South Wales by 2050. Some of the biggest threats include wildfires and habitat loss through land clearing for development.
Bangalow Koalas has planted over 336, 000 trees on 119 areas, helping koala protection and improving the local ecosystem (生态系统). The group, which depends on community volunteers, aims to plant 500, 000 trees by 2025. “The neighbor would want to join and then another neighbor would want to join. ”Sparrow said. Volunteer Lindy Stacker, who has been planting trees for over five years.
A recent report by the Australian Koala Foundation said the animal was worth about S3. 2 billion per year to the tourism industry. However. the World Wildlife Fund-Australia reported a drop in koala populations in Australian states. “I can’t imagine a world where there’s no koalas in the wild. ” Sparrow said. “We’re going to do our best to make sure that doesn’t happen. ”
1. Why is Lucy mentioned in Paragraph 1?A.To show it is important to plant trees. |
B.To suggest a way to protect nature. |
C.To introduce a special kind of living thing. |
D.To compare koalas with other animals. |
A.Growing. | B.Disappearing. | C.Reducing. | D.Failing. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Unclear. | C.Positive. | D.Disappointed. |
A.A Protection Group | B.The Polluted Environment |
C.Human Threats | D.More Trees, More Hope |
10 . Family dynamics in the animal kingdom are as different as the animals themselves. In the animal world, there are advantages to be gained from being part of an extended family.
Chimpanzees
Chimpanzees are the world’s largest living primates. These creatures are peace-loving and may live together for a lifetime. The dominant male has many wives who may stay with him for most of their lives, which can cause everyday conflicts. It is the male who settles the conflicts by a warning stare or hitting the back of the offenders’ heads.
Elephants
Females stick together in the elephant world, living in herds under a stateswoman. The experience and knowledge of this elder one, who may be 60-years-old, are of great benefit. She will remember, for example,the location of water holes and seasonal food supplies. In times of danger, the group bunches around the young and it is the stateswoman who decides whether to flee or confront the threat.
Lions
Lions are the only cats to live in a large family group, guarded by a pair of powerful males. Family life is relatively harmonious and baby lions may be fed by any mother with milk, so orphaned babies do not starve. Males live in the wilderness for some years before seeking their own pride by challenging resident males in a bloody battle. The male lion protects his pride from other males and enemies.
Ostriches (鸵鸟)
Ostriches travel in bands of 10-50 individuals, the most remarkable birds being the eight-foot-tall males. The largest birds in the world, ostriches cannot fly, but run fast. The wives of the male ostrich all put their eggs in the same nest. A primary female will then join the male to hatch (孵化) the eggs and she will push away other eggs on the outside to ensure her own are in the middle.
1. How is an elephant herd different from other three animal groups?A.The leader should be the oldest and experienced. |
B.The number of the animals in a herd must be large. |
C.An experienced female elephant dominates the herd. |
D.They will protect their young when they are in danger. |
A.Baby lions often go hungry as they can’t hunt. |
B.A female and a male ostriches hatch eggs jointly. |
C.Elephants remember every place they have been to. |
D.The female chimpanzee leader settles daily conflicts. |
A.A text book. | B.A science fiction. |
C.A course plan. | D.A wildlife journal. |