1 . Clothes were once used until they fell apart. Not today. In high-income countries in particular, clothing and footwear are increasingly frequently bought, thrown away and replaced with new fashions, which are themselves soon thrown away and replaced.
The so-called ‘Fast fashion’ is having a surprising environmental impact. The first one is water. The fashion industry consumes anywhere from 20 trillion (万亿) to 200 trillion litres every year. Then there are micro-plastics. Plastic fibres are released when we wash polyester (聚酯纤维) textiles, which make up between20% and 35% of the micro-plastics choking the oceans. Added to this are specific chemicals, such as those used to make fabrics stain resistant and the pesticides required to protect crops such as cotton.
Change is badly needed, but will require the fashion industry to work harder to embrace more of what is known as the circular economy. That will involve at least two things: refocusing on making things that last, and so encouraging reuse; and more rapidly expanding the technologies for sustainable manufacturing processes, especially recycling. There’s a big role for research-both academic and industrial-in achieving these and other ambitions.
Researchers could begin by helping to provide more accurate estimates of water use. There is also work to be done on improving and expanding textiles recycling. Undoubtedly, used textiles go to landfill in part because there are relatively few systems that collect, recycle and reuse materials. Such recycling requires the manual separation of fibres, as well as buttons and zips. Different fibres are not easy to identify by eye, and overall such manual processes are time-consuming. Machinery that can help is being developed. Technologies also exist to recycle used fibres chemically and to create high-quality fibres that can be reused in clothing. But these are nowhere near the scale needed.
Another challenge for researchers is to workout how to get consumers and manufacturers to change their behaviour. Other research questions include finding ways to encourage people to purchase long lasting goods; exploring how to satisfy desires for something new while reducing environmental impact; and understanding why certain measures can be successfully scaled up whereas others fail.
1. Why does the author mention “water”, “micro-plastics” and “chemicals” in Paragraph 2?| A．To provide an idea. | B．To prove a point. |
| C．To give a definition. | D．To present new concepts. |
| A．Efforts are made to lengthen the lifespan of textiles. |
| B．Worn-out clothes are used as dishcloths and oil rags. |
| C．High-quality fibres are created to be reused in clothing. |
| D．Fashion industry is encouraged to release new lines more often. |
| A．To make sure that all of the used textiles go to landfill. |
| B．To separate fibres, as well as buttons and zips manually. |
| C．To improve and expand textile recycling to a larger extent. |
| D．To encourage consumers to satisfy their desires for fashion. |
| A．Say Yes to the So-called Fast Fashion |
| B．Cut Fast Fashion’s Environmental Impact |
| C．Address the Academic Challenges for Researchers |
| D．Improve the Efficiency of the Separation of Fibres |
2 . Healthy House Plants: A Complete Gulde to Gardening Indoors
BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine has collaborated (合作) with digital educational platform, FutureLearn, to bring you a brand new online gardening course — Healthy House Plants: A Complete Guide to Gardening Indoors. This four-week online course has been designed to provide you with tips and advice on growing indoor plants and take you on a world journey, exploring imported plants.
Your course instructor
The course is led by expert tutor and Associate Editor, David Hurrion, who will share his 50 years of gardening experience and bring his skills to you online, so you can learn from him in the comfort of your own home.
Learning on this course
You can take this self-guided course. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What’s covered in this course?
Week 1: What will you grow?
Week 2: Growing conditions and the indoor environment.
Week 3: Caring for your house plants.
Week 4: Making more plants and problem-solving.
Course registration (注册) and cost
There are three options for registering for this course：
*FREE — Access to the course is limited to six weeks, and no certificate (证书) is given.
*Upgrade for £32, unlimited time access, and a printed and digital certificate.
*Unlimited access to all FutureLearn short courses: £16.68/month.
More online courses with FutureLearn
Gardening for Beginners: The Basics and Beyond: Grow your gardening skills with easy-to-follow techniques aimed at both new and experienced home gardeners in this five-week online course.
1. What can the learners of this four-week course do?| A．Learn at their own pace. | B．Receive personalized guidance. |
| C．Attend more online courses for free. | D．Hand in a composition online. |
| A．Week 1. | B．Week 2. | C．Week 3. | D．Week 4. |
| A．£16.68. | B．£32. | C．£33.36. | D．£48.68. |
3 . On September 15, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras celebrate their own independence days. On October 16, Mexico follows suit. Each country above has its own nature, but what combines them is local traditions and Spanish culture. Here are four destinations worthy of planning a trip.
Tazumal, El Salvador
El Salvador is home to some rather impressive Mayan ruins that show off this once great civilization. Tazumal is one such place, which is believed to be more than 7,000 years old and was left abandoned sometime around the 13th century. However, large areas were extensively restored in the 40s’ and 50s’, giving visitors a taste of the past.
Antigua, Guatemala
The 16th-century city of Antigua is surrounded by volcanoes, churches, and Baroque buildings, combining European style with pre-Hispanic traditions, making its way to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It’s possible to visit most of its attractions on foot, including the Arco de Santa Catalina, the Central Park, and the Palacio del Ayuntamiento.
Comayagua, Honduras
Honduras may be well-known for its beaches, and one worthy of your travels is the city that was once the capital: Comayagua. Founded in the early 1500s, a visit here is like traveling back in time. Several museums showcase the cultural richness and the must-see clock in the central square, which is the oldest clock in the continent, dating back to the 12th century.
Veracruz, Mexico
Veracruz is a natural beauty with beaches that stretch for as far as the eye can see, deep blue waves and powerful waterfalls. When visiting Veracruz, stop by the Zocalo in Downtown Veracruz, where locals gather to listen to “son jarocho”, a regional folk music style that started right here. Couples also gather to dance in the square. But not just any dance, rather they take part in Danzόn, a traditional couples dance iconic (标志性的) to this particular state.
1. Which place has the potential to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site?| A．Tazumal. | B．Antigua. | C．Comayagua. | D．Veracruz. |
| A．Learn to sing folk music. | B．Watch unique dances. |
| C．Go in for water sports. | D．Walk on man-made beaches. |
| A．They share the same traditional culture. | B．They have beautiful long beaches. |
| C．They are home to famous ancient ruins. | D．They celebrate independence days the same day. |
4 . The Latest and Greatest Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
At this point, we know that we’re facing a climate crisis. CO₂ levels are at their highest in 650,000 years, which is why we’ve heard a lot about our “carbon footprint.”
Change to smart light bulbs(灯泡)
You’ve probably already made the change from traditional light bulbs to energy-efficient LED bulbs. That’s a great first step, but you can do one better by changing to smart LED bulbs.
Use a notebook computer instead of a desktop computer
Consider getting a notebook instead of a desktop, because it uses less energy. Specifically, notebooks use up to 80 percent less electricity than desktops, using between one-fifth and one-third as much energy.
Rethink your transportation strategy
Not everyone has the option of walking, biking, or taking public transportation to work, but if you do, those are the best ways to reduce your transportation-related carbon footprint.
Taking these very workable steps is a good start. Doing your part to protect the planet can be as easy as making small, strategic changes to your everyday routine.
| A．What makes them smart? |
| B．Besides, an added benefit exists. |
| C．But, what exactly is a carbon footprint? |
| D．However, in a lot of places, this simply isn’t possible. |
| E．Not only are they more convenient, but they are money-saving. |
| F．Making some small changes in your daily life can make a difference. |
| G．Make a list of all the environmentally friendly things you do, and all the unfriendly ones. |
5 . Environmental stressors that push honeybees to begin searching food earlier in life can cause a domino effect on hives (蜂巢), quickening their sudden collapse, a new study suggests.
The study showed that too many young bees leaving the hive can cause a tipping point in the tight society of a hive, leading to colony (群体) collapse within weeks.
“There was a suggestion that there was some type of difference between precocious foragers (觅食者) and normal aged foragers,” said Perry, a molecular biologist Clint Perry of Queen Mary University.
So researchers set up experimental hives that would in effect force bees to begin foraging earlier. They also tracked bees in a normal hive, where social roles are regulated, keeping age groups in balance.
Colonies regularly protect against unexpected high loss of foragers by sending bees out earlier, but they rapidly return to stability. But if death rate roughly doubled, the model showed, the colony would be locked in a negative feedback circle of more young bees foraging at younger ages, leading to less stored food and fewer baby bees.
“Since the younger bees are not as good at it, they are going to die sooner, and they’re going to not be bringing back as much food, thereby causing more younger bees to go out, and more younger bees to not do as well, and that will cause continuous feedback that will destroy the colony in a short time,” said Perry.
The researchers are continuing their experiments and hope to come up with ways to identify a colony at risk of collapse. “The priority is finding ways that we can identify colonies at risk of failure as early as possible so you can intervene and do whatever you need to support them and to help heal themselves.” said Perry.
1. What cause a hive to collapse more quickly?| A．Too tight a society of it. | B．Too many bees in it. |
| C．High loss of young foragers. | D．High pressure from other bees. |
| A．uncommonly early | B．abnormal | C．easily damaged | D．dynamic |
| A．The colony would heal itself. | B．The colony would get expanded. |
| C．More young bees would be free of risk. | D．More young bees would be sent to seek food. |
| A．To ask for joint efforts. | B．To introduce a phenomenon. |
| C．To express his emotions. | D．To comment on a study. |
1. Why does the woman invite the man to the beach?
| A．To collect some plastic. | B．To see a whale. | C．To relax. |
| A．The community. | B．The government. | C．A recycling company. |
| A．Responsible. | B．Lazy. | C．Emotional. |
7 . The Albatross (信天翁)
A What is an Albatross?
Albatrosses are the largest seabirds in existence, with wingspans (翼幅) which extend to over three metres in width. They represent a small subset of the larger group known as tube-nosed petrels, which have strong, curved sharp beaks which they use for catching fish and squid on the surface of the ocean. While there is some debate about the exact taxonomy of the species, it is agreed that there are somewhere between 21 and 24 species of albatrosses.
B A Special Breeding Site
Of these species, approximately half breed in New Zealand and about 80 percent breed (繁殖) or fish within New Zealand’s territorial waters. Six species breed only in New Zealand or on its offshore islands. One of only two mainland nesting sites for these birds in the world, for the northern royal albatross, is on the Otago Peninsula in the South Island of New Zealand; it is a popular tourist destination. Visitors can view the albatross colony (种群) from a special building which has been established beside the nesting ground and, while the site is closed during breeding season (繁殖季) , at other times it is often possible to see parents and their chicks living and feeding only metres away from human observers.
C Predators
However, there are risks to albatross chicks (幼鸟) on land. Natural predators (捕食者) such as seagulls can eat eggs and young birds, and in mainland areas there are also threats from dogs, cats and other land animals. On some offshore islands, sea lions have been observed raiding (袭击) nests for eggs. It is thought that this is a new behaviour.
D Threats (危险) for Adult Albatross
The main threats to the adult albatross occur at sea, and most of these are man-made. Albatrosses like to travel close to fishing boats, to eat the leftover scraps of fish that are dropped over the side of the boat. Sometimes, however, they also eat the bait (饵) and accidentally ingest (咽下) fish hooks (钩) , or get dragged (拖，拉) along on fishing lines and drown. The number of albatrosses that any one boat catches is small, but because there are so many fishing boats, this may have a long term impact on population numbers. It is estimated (预估) that at least 100,000 albatrosses die in this way each year. As for all sea bird species, there are other threats, such as drift nets, oil spills and rubbish such as plastic in the ocean. While there are international agreements and fishing conventions to try and protect sea birds, albatrosses are among the million or so sea birds that get caught in drift nets and die each year.
Answer the questions below. Use NO MORE THAN SIX WORDS OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
1. What is the distance from one wing tip (翅尖) to the other of an albatross?
2. How many kinds of albatrosses are there?
3. What can people see from the special building beside the nesting site?
4. How many albatrosses die each year because of fishing boats?
Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the reading passage?
Write:
YES 正确
NO 错误
NOT GIVEN 没有提到
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
8 . Made out of thin air
The world has experienced a lot of extreme weather this year due to climate change, which carbon emissions are believed to be most responsible for.
Meat made from air
It is hard to imagine that food consisting of protein could be produced from CO2, but that is exactly what Solar Foods is working on. To create the protein, the company uses renewable energy to split water cells into hydrogen and oxygen.
What about wearing a pair of shoes made of carbon emissions? On Running, a Swiss sports shoe brand, is trying to make foam(泡沫) for its shoed from captured carbon. In November, it announced it was teaming up with US-based company LanzaTech to make ethanol(乙醇) out of waste CO2, which would otherwise be burned, releasing CO2. On Running hopes to produce its first pair of shoes made wholly from carbon sometime next yeat.
Turning CO2 into perfume
What is the smell of a perfume made from CO2? New York-based startup Air Company is selling perfume made from CO2. Perfume has an alcohol base. When mixed with a bit of water and fragrance(芳香) oil, it becomes perfume. Ethanol is widely used in perfume production because it has a neutral smell. This means you only smell the oil.
| A．Running on foam |
| B．Stepping on carbon |
| C．This kind of fragrance oil is made from CO2 by Air Company. |
| D．Then it mixes the hydrogen with CO2 and adds other nutrients. |
| E．They are expected to not cost much more than a regular pair of shoes. |
| F．To solve the problem, capturing and reusing CO2 is an option for tech companies. |
| G．What Air Company is able to do is transform CO2 into a very pure form of ethanol. |
| A．The park is clean. |
| B．The crowds are small. |
| C．The weather is nice all day. |
10 . A lot of people are afraid of spiders — even the small ones. But a big tarantula (狼蛛) is much more terrible for many. Now, scientists in Sri Lanka have discovered a huge species (物种) of tarantula that’s about the size of a person’s face.
Although it is very big, is there a real reason to be afraid of one? Maybe. This tarantula has enough poisonous fluid (液体) to kill mice and small birds and snakes — but its bite wouldn’t cause the death of most humans.
Tarantula was first seen in 2009, when a villager in Sri Lanka found the body of a male Tarantula and brought it to a Sri Lanka research organization.
An examination of the body proved that it was a type of tarantula scientists hadn’t seen before. So the scientists carefully looked through the Sri Lankan forests to try to find more of the spiders.
It’s still too early to know whether this species is in danger. But researchers fear that the Tarantulas’ natural habitat (栖息地) is slowly being destroyed.
“They prefer old trees, but due to the widespread removal of trees, the number has dropped,” the scientists said in an interview.
Tarantulas have eight legs and two body parts. They are different from insects, which have only six legs but three body parts. Tarantulas have hairy bodies and are usually larger than other types of spiders. Some species of tarantulas can live up to 25 years.
While Tarantula is very big, the largest one is the Goliath bird-eater. Found in the rainforests of South America, its legs can be up to 10 inches long. But don’t worry if you ever see one. Its poisonous fluid isn’t really dangerous to humans.
1. Which of the following is most likely to survive a bite from tarantula?| A．A small bird. | B．A little child. | C．A small snake. | D．A small frog. |
| A．They have too many natural enemies. | B．Some people are killing them illegally. |
| C．More and more forests are disappearing. | D．The global climate has changed. |
| A．Tarantula was first seen by a scientist in Sri Lanka. |
| B．None of the insects are bigger than tarantulas. |
| C．Scientists have discovered that all of the tarantulas live in the Sri Lanka forest. |
| D．People knew little about tarantulas until the body of a male tarantula was discovered. |
| A．Life. | B．Sports. | C．Nature. | D．Business. |
| A．To inform the readers of a huge species of Tarantula. |
| B．To entertain the readers with a discovery. |
| C．To educate people to protect the environment. |
| D．To remind people to keep away from spiders. |
