1 . Lisa Gautier receives nearly a dozen parcels of human hair every day. With her San-Francisco-based non-profit organization Matter of Trust, Gautier turns donated hair into mats used to soak up oil spills on land, and booms(long tubes)used for spills at sea.
A standard way to clean up oil from land is to use mats made from polypropylene(聚丙烯). But polypropylene is a non-biodegradable plastic, and producing it ultimately means more drilling for oil. Hair, by contrast, is an environmentally friendly resource that can soak up around five times its weight in oil, according to Matter of Trust, and it is abundant.
Oil spills can pollute drinking water, endanger public health, harm plants and wildlife, and damage the economy. According to Gautier, the spills that hit the headlines only make up 5% of global oil pollution.
Megan Murray, an environmental biologist at the University of Technology Sydney, develops sustainable technologies to tackle oil spills. Her research indicates that as well as being biodegradable, human hair is often just as effective as polypropylene, and in some circumstances even better. “The hair mats are very beneficial to land spills,” says Murray but adds that when raw oil is spilled on beach sand, it is very difficult to absorb it using any of the materials she has tested. Another advantage of hair is that it costs less than conventional materials and is “globally available as a recycled material,” she says.
However, Murray cautions that hair mats are not a perfect solution, because they are single-use, and can only be dealt with by burning or by burying into soil which then isn’t suitable for growing food. She is now researching methods to extract the oil from a used hair mat, meaning both can be reused.
As the hair mat designs aren’t under patent, other groups have begun producing their own mats and booms. Gautier is pleased to see the movement growing. “Anyone can make a hair mat,” she says. “It creates green jobs, it cleans water, it reduces waste in landfill, and it’s promoting renewable resources.”
1. What do we know about polypropylene according to the passage?| A．It is environmentally friendly. |
| B．People need more oil to produce it. |
| C．It can soak up around five times its weight in oil. |
| D．People seldom use mats made from it to clean up oil from land. |
| A．Hair mats do no harm to soil after being burnt. |
| B．People spend more to make hair mats than conventional materials. |
| C．The effect of hair mats on terrestrial(陆地上的)spills is not very good. |
| D．Hair mats are not a perfect solution because they can’t be recycled now. |
| A．Most oil-spill events have received widespread media coverage. |
| B．Lisa Gautier donated her hair to soak up oil spills on land and at sea. |
| C．Megan Murray goes all out to make the hair mats and the oil extracted from them reused. |
| D．There are many other materials used to treat oil spills on beach sand besides hair. |
| A．Human Hair Is Being Used to Clean Up Oil Spills |
| B．A Perfect Recycled Material—Human Hair |
| C．Take Action to Make Hair Mats And Booms |
| D．How to Tackle Oil Spills |
2 . Paper straws, which are being pushed across the U.S. as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic versions, may contain “forever chemicals” that are harmful to both humans and the environment and were observed more often than in a sample of plastic straws, a new European study has found.
Belgian researchers tested 39 straw brands from restaurants and retailers for synthetic (人工合成的) chemicals known as poly and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The study found that the majority of straws contained those chemicals, but they were most common in those made from paper and bamboo. The chemicals are referred to as “forever chemicals” as they can remain for thousands of years in the environment. The chemicals have been associated with health issues like liver damage or kidney cancer and can harm the environment as well.
Of the brands tested, 90% of the paper straws contained PFAS, compared to 80% of bamboo straws, 75% of plastic straws and 40% of glass straws. None of the steel straws contained the chemicals. The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Food Additives and Contaminants. Researchers stressed that PFAS concentration was low and posed a limited risk to health, given that people use such straws only occasionally. But they can remain in the body for years, and concentrations can build up, they said in a release.
“Straws made from plant-based materials, such as paper and bamboo, are often advertised as being more sustainable and eco-friendly than those made from plastic,” researcher Dr. Thimo Groffen, an environmental scientist at the University of Antwerp, said in a statement. “However, the presence of PFAS in these straws means that’s not necessarily true.”
It wasn’t clear whether the chemicals were added by manufacturers or occurred due to contamination (污染) from soil and water during manufacturing. The study did not look into whether the straws could contaminate liquids.
“The presence of PFAS in paper and bamboo straws shows that they are not necessarily biodegradable,” Groffen said. “We did not detect any PFAS in stainless steel straws, so I would advise consumers to use this type of straw — or just avoid using straws at all.”
The study comes as European countries, and some parts of the U.S., have pushed to shift away from plastic straws to alternatives in efforts to be more environmentally friendly. States including California and New York have enforced bans on single-use plastic straws in restaurants.
1. According to the passage, what do we know about PFAS?| A．They are newly found substances in the field of synthetic chemicals. |
| B．Despite low concentration, the accumulation poses potential risks. |
| C．They are added to the straws during the process of manufacturing. |
| D．The effects of them on human bodies can be immediate and severe. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Supportive. | C．Uncertain. | D．Tolerant |
| A．Economic reasons. | B．Reducing chemical consumption. |
| C．Environmental concerns. | D．Health issues related to PFA. |
| A．Paper Straws — an Eco-friendly Alterative |
| B．Paper Straws — a Relatively Greater Threat |
| C．Paper Straws — an Association to Health Issues |
| D．Paper Straws — a Shift from Plastics |
3 . During the 20th century, an estimated 3 million great whales were hunted to provide humans with oil, meat and rose fertiliser. Roger Payne, a biologist and environmentalist, spurred (推动) a worldwide environmental conservation movement with his discovery that whales could sing.
This discovery was made in 1967 during his research trip to Bermuda (百慕大) when a navy engineer provided him with a recording of curious underwater sounds documented. Payne identified the tones as songs whales sing to one another and he was conscious from the start that whale song was to get the public interested in protecting an animal previously considered little more than a resource, curiosity or nuisance.
Payne saw the discovery of whale song as a chance to spur interest in saving the giant animals, who were disappearing from the planet. In 1970, Payne released the album Songs of the Humpback Whale. The record, a surprise hit, fueled a global movement to end the practice of commercial whale hunting and save the whales from extinction. It remains the bestselling environmental album in history.
The impact of the whale song discovery on the early environmental movement was immense. Many antiwar protesters of the day took on saving animals and the environment as a new cause. The humpback whale became the icon of a new environmental awareness. And the whales entered pop culture, no longer the fearsome beasts. In 1977, the whale calls were loaded on to the Voyager probes and sent into outer space.
Payne, graduating from Harvard University and Cornell University with a doctor’s degree, authored or co authored dozens of scientific papers, gave hundreds of lectures, made countless television programmes and films, and led 100 oceanic expeditions. Payne had started an ambitious new project: CETI, a combination of scientists using new technology to interpret what whales might be “saying”.
1. What caused the decline of the whale population in the 20th century?| A．Habitat loss. | B．The climate change. |
| C．Uncontrolled hunting. | D．The ocean pollution. |
| A．To boost interest in protecting whales. | B．To satisfy people’s curiosity about sea. |
| C．To achieve great commercial success. | D．To earn a reputation as a researcher. |
| A．Considerate. | B．Accomplished. |
| C．Courageous. | D．Patient. |
| A．The conservation of ocean environment. |
| B．Efforts to awake public ocean awareness. |
| C．A high-tech way to document whale tones. |
| D．A whale protection campaign by a biologist. |
4 . With an abundance of sun and wind, Spain is positioning itself as Europe’s future leader in green hydrogen production to clean up heavy industries. But some energy experts express caution because this process relies on massive availability of zero-carbon electricity.
Green hydrogen is created when renewable energy sources power an electrical current that runs through water, separating its hydrogen and oxygen molecules (分子). The process doesn’t produce planet-warming carbon dioxide, but less than 0.1% of global hydrogen production is currently created in this way.
The separated hydrogen can be used in the production of steel, ammonia (氨) and chemical products, all of which require industrial processes that are harder to stop fossil fuels. Hydrogen also can be used as a transportation fuel, which could one day transform the highly polluting shipping and aviation sectors.
Spain’s large, windswept and thinly populated territory receives more than 2,500 hours of sunshine on average per year, providing ideal conditions for wind and solar energy, and therefore green hydrogen production.
“If you look at where hydrogen is going to be produced in Europe in the next million years, it’s in two countries, Spain and Portugal,” said Thierry Lepercq, the founder and president of HyDeal Ambition, an industry platform bringing together 30 companies. “Hydrogen is the new oil.”
Lepercq is working with companies like Spanish gas pipeline corporation Enagas and global steel giant ArcelorMittal to design an end-to-end model for hydrogen production, distribution and supply at a competitive price. Criticism has centered on green hydrogen’s higher cost compared with highly-polluting “gray hydrogen” drawn from natural gas. Lepercq argues that solar energy produced in Spain is priced low enough to compete.
Globally, Lepercq said, “Electricity is 20% of energy consumption. What about the 80% that is not electrified? ... You need to replace those fossil fuels. Not in 50 years’ time. You need to replace them now.”
1. Why are some experts cautious about green hydrogen production in Spain?| A．It needs large amounts of sun and wind. | B．It has an effect on heavy industries. |
| C．It causes conflicts among countries. | D．It uses lots of zero-carbon electricity. |
| A．Ideal geographical conditions. | B．The support from government. |
| C．Hydrogen production technology. | D．Well-developed public transports. |
| A．It is highly priced. | B．It is easy to store. |
| C．It is competitive. | D．It is highly-polluting. |
| A．Spain manages to use zero-carbon electricity. | B．Spain struggles to lead EU in heavy industry. |
| C．Spain takes the lead in preventing air pollution. | D．Spain replaces fossil fuel with green hydrogen. |
5 . Many cities around the world today are heavily polluted. Careless methods of production and
A recent study showed that two
Only a few years ago, it was impossible to find green products in supermarkets, but now there are hundreds. Some supermarket products
The
| A．part | B．lack | C．lots | D．varieties |
| A．applied to | B．contributed to | C．exposed to | D．devoted to |
| A．possibility | B．chance | C．result | D．effect |
| A．Therefore | B．Furthermore | C．Similarly | D．However |
| A．After | B．Though | C．Before | D．Unless |
| A．reused | B．safe | C．friendly | D．returned |
| A．of | B．on | C．from | D．out of |
| A．rhyme | B．way | C．section | D．branch |
| A．carry | B．take | C．include | D．make |
| A．advantage | B．technique | C．point | D．attraction |
| A．concern | B．hope | C．care | D．plan |
| A．what | B．how | C．whether | D．when |
| A．saying | B．trust | C．attitude | D．fashion |
| A．pressure | B．pleasure | C．discussion | D．interest |
| A．enlarging | B．sharing | C．cleaning | D．improving |
6 . Steel plays a significant role in the automobiles we drive and the transportation infrastructure that connects us. However, it also contributes to 7% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. In recognition of this, 45 nations made a pledge in 2021 to strive towards nearly zero-emission steel production within the next ten years.
However, how is it possible to produce the steel required for society with zero emissions?
A new study shows that if we are truly committed to reaching zero emissions, we must be prepared for a scenario where the amount of steel we can produce is lower. Japan has set a target for a 46% reduction in emissions from steel by 2030, and zero emissions by 2050. So far, the roadmap for achieving this relies heavily on future innovations in technology.
In the study, Dr. Takuma Watari, a Japanese researcher argues that there is no silver bullet. He says that current plans to cut carbon emissions underestimate how difficult it will be to develop CCS and hydrogen technologies and deploy them widely: “These technologies still face serious technical, economic, and social challenges, and have yet to be implemented at scale.
According to Dr. Watari, “zero-emission steel production is possible by 2050, but in limited quantity and quality compared to current total production. This is due to the limited availability of zero-emission compatible resources and downcycling practices of scrap steel.”
The implication is clear. It is not enough to rely on a technological silver bullet materializing to transform the supply of steel. We also need to look seriously at strategies to reduce demand by shifting our culture of steel use and improving our material efficiency.
Dr. Watari concludes that we do need to invest in technological innovations, but we cannot simply wait for them to appear. Instead, steel users need to prepare for a world where there is less steel available: “We do not deny the need to invest in innovative production technologies. Rather, what we want to highlight is that we should look for far more strategic options, instead of simply relying on silver bullet production technologies.”
1. Which is the key factor that affects zero-emission steel production?| A．Market requirement. | B．Scrap steel recycling. |
| C．Government support. | D．Technical improvement. |
| A．A good solution. | B．Precious treasure. | C．A deadly weapon. | D．Critical strike. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Ambiguous. | C．Unconcerned. | D．Critical. |
| A．Learning to live with less steel. |
| B．Producing steel without emissions. |
| C．Upcycling steel to remove impurities. |
| D．Stopping investing in technological innovations. |
7 . The invasive (入侵的) species, also called introduced species or foreign species, is any nonnative species that significantly changes or damages the ecosystem it invades. Such species may arrive in new areas through natural migration, but they are often introduced by the activities of other species. Human activities, such as those involved in global commerce and the pet trade, are considered to be the most common ways in which invasive plants, animals, microbes, and other organisms are transported to new habitats.
Most introduced species do not survive extended periods in new habitats, because they do not possess the necessary adaptations to adjust to the challenges posed by their new surroundings. Some introduced species may become invasive when they possess a built-in competitive advantage over native species in invaded areas. They change native food chains and in some cases even get to the top of the food chains, which means the ecosystem lacks natural enemy capable of keeping them in check. Under these circumstances, new arrivals can get the chance to reproduce in large numbers.
The ecological damage that tends to follow such invasions often reduces the ecosystem’s biodiversity and causes economic harm to people who depend on the ecosystem’s biological resources. Invasive species may be so good at catching preys that victim populations decline over time, and many victim species die out in the affected ecosystem. Other invasive species, in contrast, may prevent native species from obtaining food, living space, or other resources. Over time, invasive species can effectively replace native ones, often forcing the localized extinction of many native species. Invasive plants and animals may also serve as disease carriers that spread parasites (寄生虫) and viruses that may further do harm to the invaded area.
1. How do introduced species mainly travel to a new place?| A．Through natural reproduction. | B．Through natural migration. |
| C．Through human activities. | D．Though social interactions. |
| A．They become extinct worldwide. | B．They survive from any challenges. |
| C．They dominate the new world. | D．They die off in a short period. |
| A．Creatures that are hunted and eaten. |
| B．Species that die out in a new place. |
| C．Species at the top of food chains. |
| D．Creatures at the bottom of food chains. |
| A．Invasive Species Around the World |
| B．Invasive Species and Their Impact |
| C．The Ways Invasive Species Spread |
| D．The Classification of Introduced Species |
8 . Every Sunday at 2 p.m., Marisela Godinez, the owner of El Mesón Tequilería, a Mexican restaurant in Austin, Texas, used to fill a 12-gallon bucket, plus another half-bucket, with leftover food from the restaurant’s all-you-can-eat brunch buffet. “We threw out a lot of food,” she said.
But a few months ago Ms. Godinez signed up to use an app called Too Good To Go. Now, 10 customers pick up “surprise bags” of her leftovers for $5.99 each, and she sends far fewer leftovers to the landfill.
Too Good To Go has tried to gamify (游戏化) buying leftover food. In the United States, customers in 12 cities can browse restaurants and stores, then reserve “surprise bags” that typically cost about $4 to $6 and contain food that would have been originally priced at roughly three times that amount. The bags can be picked up at a certain time window.
Around the country, apps that connect customers to businesses with leftover food have begun to spread. The concept is simple: Restaurants and grocery stores throw away huge amounts of food every day. Rather than trash it, apps like Too Good To Go and Flashfood help businesses sell it at a reduced price. They claim that the businesses and buyers are helping the environment because the food would otherwise become food waste, a big contributor to climate change.
Food production itself is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for between a quarter and a third of global emissions. Each step of the process — growing, harvesting, moving, processing, packaging, storing and preparing food — releases carbon dioxide, methane(甲烷) and other planet-warming gases. When the food is wasted, so are all those emissions. In addition, once unused food reaches landfills, it breaks down and releases more methane.
According to interviews with several companies selling on Too Good To Go, at least a few items for sale there aren’t necessarily what buyers might think of as “food waste.” A beverage (饮料) company owner George White said he not only used the app to sell discontinued products, but also sold new flavors there in hopes of attracting new customers.
1. Why did Ms. Godinez use Too Good To Go?| A．To advertise her delicate dishes. | B．To reduce customers’ complaints. |
| C．To provide a range of recipes. | D．To avoid wasting leftover buffet. |
| A．They can watch the live stream. | B．They can order whatever they want. |
| C．They can pick a “surprise” food bargain. | D．They can deliver less trash to landfill. |
| A．The steps of processing food contribute much to the planet. |
| B．Food production is closely related to green gas emission. |
| C．Global warming will be worsened by using the app. |
| D．Unused food will take years to break down. |
| A．He is taking advantage of the app to make more profits. |
| B．He doesn’t think selling food waste on the app is necessary. |
| C．He thinks the app is an environmentally-friendly game. |
| D．He can’t help picking a lot of “surprise bags” himself. |
9 . Extreme heat often brings extreme wildfires, and this year is no exception, with unprecedented heat waves fueling enormous outbreaks of fires in the western United States and Canada, as well as across the Mediterranean and in Siberia. But paradoxically, the most intense wildfires can have the opposite effect on temperatures, cooling Earth’s surface both regionally and globally.
Thick wildfire smoke can temporarily block sunlight near the ground, causing regional temperatures to drop by several degrees. Wildfire smoke can also have global cooling effects by making clouds in the lower atmosphere more reflective or blocking sunlight in the upper atmosphere, similar to what a volcanic eruption does.
The effect is far too small to counteract human-caused global warming; researchers say it’s too early to predict what it means for the broader climate system. But with fire seasons growing more intense around the world and triggering a range of extreme fire weather in North America and elsewhere, the search for answers is growing increasingly urgent.
Smoke particles act as seeds for water vapor to form clouds that are smaller and reflect more sunlight. While smoke tends to rain out of clouds fairly quickly, the Australian bushfires raged for months, pumping more and more cloud-brightening smoke into the atmosphere. “It’s not a big effect, but when you integrate over the entire Southern Ocean, it adds up,” one of the researchers says.
While this research highlights the cooling effects of smoke in the lower atmosphere, on occasion, wildfire smoke can reach even higher altitudes into the stratosphere, the layer that starts about 10 miles up. There, it can have additional effects on the climate. Smoke reaches the stratosphere when heat from a powerful wildfire creates an updraft that combines with moisture in the atmosphere to generate towering thunderclouds.
However, scientists have only recently begun studying these effects. “We might still be in the infancy of understanding how large and how important the effects of these wildfires are,” scientists say.
1. What probably causes extreme wildfires to cool the earth globally?| A．Extreme wildfires can result in volcanic eruption. |
| B．Wildfire smoke covers sunlight above the ground forever. |
| C．The smoke blocks less sunlight in the higher atmosphere. |
| D．The clouds in the lower atmosphere reflect more sunlight. |
| A．Spread. | B．Stopped. | C．Released. | D．Strengthened. |
| A．Scientists need further studies of the effects of wildfires. |
| B．Extreme wildfires are the consequence of global warming. |
| C．Wildfire smoke means a lot to the climate system of the earth. |
| D．Smoke at higher altitudes has the most impact on cooling earth. |
| A．A science fiction. | B．A research report. |
| C．A geography textbook. | D．A science magazine. |
HEFEI- Three Dalmatian pelicans (卷羽鹈鹕), or Pelecanus crispus, were spotted at Chaohu Lake for the first time, the fifth
The rare birds
“This wading bird, which feeds on fish, has a high level of alertness and requires a good
More than 80 birds, such as little swans and cormorants, were also spotted on Wednesday at the lake. Hefei City,
