1 . Nanako Hama gets a lot of mail, mostly from strangers who live in her home city of Tokyo. In light envelopes, they send locks of their hair, hoping to recycle it.
People generate a huge amount of hair waste. Nearly all of that waste ends up in landfill, where it can release harmful greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
But hair possesses useful qualities that it’s a shame to simply throw it away. That’s why people all around the world, like Hama, have been collecting hair and finding innovative ways to recycle it, including making mats (垫子)out of it for removing oil leaks.
Hama is part of the nonprofit Matter of Trust (MoT) members working at more than 60 centers dotted across 17 countries, using machines to make hair donated from local salons and individuals into square mats, which are then used to clean up the floating oil.
Hair is particularly well-suited for this, says MoT co-founder Lisa Gautier. “That’s because its rough sort of outer layer lets oil stick to it.” MoT’s mats have been used in major oil leaks. including the 2010 Deepwater Horizon and 2007 Cosco Busan incidents.
In a 2018 study, Murray, an environmental scientist at the University of Technology Sydney, in Australia found that mats made of recycled human hair could absorb 0.84 grams of oil onto its surface for every gram of hair—significantly more than polypropylene (聚丙烯), a type of plastic that’s typically used to clean up floating oil.
Besides, hair is also useful as fertilizer (化肥). Hair contains a relatively high nitrogen (氮), a chemical element crucial for plant growth, and each lock of hair is made of roughly 16 percent of this essential nutrient. Last year, more than 560 gallons of liquid fertilizer made from human hair was sold to farmers in northern Tanzania and the feedback from the farmers has been very encouraging.
“It’s just a great way to use hair in a productive way. Hair is an answer literally hanging in front of our eyes—for oil and soil,” Hama says.
1. How does the author introduce the topic in paragraph 1?| A．By detailing the background. | B．By presenting a scene. |
| C．By describing the feedback. | D．By supporting evidences. |
| A．Fertilize the soil. | B．Prevent oil leaks. |
| C．Clear the sea of oil. | D．Take in harmful gas. |
| A．Its color and strength. |
| B．Its length and amount. |
| C．Its weight and flexibility. |
| D．Its structure and component. |
| A．Debatable. | B．Applicable. |
| C．Irreplaceable. | D．Uncontrollable. |
2 . In the forest of New Mexico, scientists are carrying two ten-day-old Mexican wolf pups (幼崽) riding in a backpack, searching for a Mexican wolf pair that has just given birth to six pups.
Mexican wolves were extinct in the USA by the 1970s, but there was a plan to bring them back. The first step was to trap five wild Mexican wolves and breed them with two caged ones. In 1998, the first caged-born adult Mexican wolves were released into forests.
The idea is that the caged pups will grow up and breed with wild wolves.
| A．The scientists were content with it. |
| B．So the experts came up with a new plan. |
| C．The wolf parents only care for their own pups. |
| D．In this way their healthy genes will be passed down. |
| E．The population slowly grew, but scientists were still worried. |
| F．After that, the wolf parents won’t mind taking care of the new pups. |
| G．The wolf mum and dad don’t know it, but they’re about to adopt two more! |
3 . The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has released the first global blueprint to save the world’s forests. The WWF is a global conservation charity. Its Forest Pathways Report details the state of the world’s forests and what governments can do to better protect them. The report focuses on the commitments that were made at COP26 ——a conference on the climate emergency held in the UK in 2021. At COP26, more than 140 countries, covering around 90% of the world’s forest, promised to end deforestation by 2030. However, the WWF says that this target is in danger of being missed.
In 2022, 66,000 square kilometres of forest around the world was lost. About two-thirds of this was from tropical forests. This is having an effect on wildlife, with the WWF’s blueprint noting a decline in the populations of species that depend on forests, such as gorillas, hornbills, orangutans and black-headed squirrel monkeys.
However, the report also highlights some conservation success stories. For instance, the Khata Conservation Area in Nepal has grown by a size amount to 3,000 football pitches, providing a home for tigers and other species. Meanwhile, in the UK, the Wild Ingleborough project, a partnership between the WWF and the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, is restoring 15square kilometres of land in the Yorkshire Dales back to its natural wild state, complete with woodlands. Mary Gagen, author of the Forest Pathways Report, says, “There are pockets of success where countries are approaching deforestation, and we know what needs to be done to grow those.”
The report includes a list of recommendations for world governments, providing a blueprint to save forests. This includes toughening up rules against deforestation as well as recognizing the rights of indigenous (当地的) peoples who live in the forests. They are the descendants (后代) of those who lived somewhere before another culture arrived and took over.There are also some specific suggestions for the UK Government, such as bringing in environmental standards for food that is bought and sold in the UK, so that none of it contributes to deforestation.
1. What do we know about WWF?| A．It may fail to meet its goal. | B．It focuses on protecting our earth. |
| C．It offers proposals to governments. | D．It approves of COP26’s commitments. |
| A．By listing some statistics. | B．By clarifying a concept. |
| C．By citing some examples. | D．By pointing out similarities. |
| A．The blueprint lays down food criteria for countries. |
| B．Concrete tips will help the UK government save forests. |
| C．The blueprint doesn’t acknowledge the rights of natives. |
| D．The native people are succeeding generations of another culture. |
| A．The Keynote of Forest Pathways Report. | B．A Conference on the Climate Emergency. |
| C．The Worldwide Effort for Deforestation. | D．Successful Stories of Tackling Deforestation. |
4 . For outdoor enthusiasts, it is crucial to be prepared for any sort of natural disaster in the open air.
While you’re planning, the essential thing to consider is the things you should pack for your trip. Any disaster that may separate you from civilization for a period of time will require you to provide your own food, water, and shelter for at least a few days.
Once you complete your survival plan, it’s better to review it periodically. When a natural disaster strikes, you probably won’t have time to go over a document or go online to seek advice.
If a natural disaster strikes while you are in the wilderness, you should put your survival plan into effect immediately.
| A．But this is not always the case. |
| B．It’s also a good idea to bring light sources. |
| C．That means having a disaster response plan. |
| D．It’s also great to consult with the specialists in person. |
| E．Consequently, revising it frequently is strongly recommended. |
| F．Different kinds of disasters are likely to occur in different areas. |
| G．Stay calm, act decisively, and begin working to keep yourself alive. |
1. What is the conversation mainly about?
| A．Fighting fires. | B．Detecting fires. | C．Using fires. |
| A．Around 50. | B．About 400. | C．Over 8600. |
| A．Size of a car. | B．Size of a plane. | C．Size of a sports field. |
| A．Saving animals. | B．Saving the trees. | C．Saving humans. |
6 . Manchester City are the current champions of the English Premier League, and now they’re championing the cause of landfill waste by offering edible (可食用的) coffee and tea cups at their 55,000 seater Etihad Stadium. They played their first home match of the season, drumming Norwich City 5-0 while producing 0 pounds of disposable (一次性的) hot drinks cups--a disaster in a coffee loving country where a shocking 2.5 billion disposable cups are used every year.
“It is the first time that an ‘edible coffee cup’ has been introduced. This fantastic and innovative solution provides an amazing solution to waste, just eat your cup,“ reads a statement from the Etihad Stadium.
The cup is made by a Scottish startup called BioBite, and is essentially a 100-calorie biscuit in the shape of a cup．Made with wafer (薄脆饼) in much the same way as an ice cream cone，the cup will stay leak-proof for 12 hours, and even more amazingly, crunchy for one-half the duration of a “football” match. According to the company’s website, the cup is fully recyclable, but the taste of coffee-soaked cup is actually delicious.
There are several problems with making an edible coffee cup, however; and it’s why there still isn’t one today in the largest drinking chains.
Edible cups truly might be the best solution, provided firms like BioBite can bring the cost-per-unit down. 240 of their biscuit cups cost $111, about 14 cents more than what Starbucks pays for the cup, the plastic lid, and the wood stirrer.
Another limiting factor is that a wafer is not exactly the fuel of a healthy society. If there were a company that could make the wafers out of some kind of vegetable fiber, something many western diets are nutritionally short of, then you’re talking about a real revolution.
1. What is the purpose of writing the first paragraph?| A．To introduce the Manchester City. |
| B．To arouse the awareness of preserving the environment. |
| C．To put forward the subject of using edible cups. |
| D．To cover a football match of Manchester City. |
| A．The popularity of the cup. | B．The advantages of the cup. |
| C．The ways of using the cup. | D．The process of making the cup. |
| A．Western diets are short of nutrition. |
| B．Wafers are made from vegetable fibers. |
| C．The revolution for making cups is carried on. |
| D．Western eating habits need improving. |
| A．Stubborn. | B．Carefree. | C．Supportive. | D．Objective. |
7 . When it comes to going green, intention can be easier than action. Case in point: you decide to buy a T shirt made from 100% organic cotton. But that green label doesn’t tell the whole story — like the fact that even organic cotton requires more than 2,640 gal. (10,000 L) of water to grow enough fiber for one T shirt. Or the possibility that the T shirt may have been dyed (染色) using harmful industrial chemicals. If you knew all that, would you still consider the T shirt green? Would you still buy it?
It’s a question that most of us are ill-equipped to answer. That’s because the global economy development has outpaced our ability to comprehend the consequences — for ourselves and the planet. We are not prepared to understand the increasing impact of industrial chemicals on our children’s health or the climate. And we lack the data to understand the full impact of what we choose.
But what if we could calculate the full lifetime effect of our actions on the earth and on our bodies? Not just carbon footprints but social and biological footprints as well? What if we could think ecologically? That’s what psychologist Daniel Goleman describes in his forthcoming book, Ecological Intelligence. He compiles (汇编) the environmental and biological impact of our every decision and delivers that information to consumers in a user-friendly way. That’s thinking ecologically — understanding the global environmental consequences of our local choices.
Ecological intelligence is ultimately about more than what we buy. It’s also about our ability to accept that we live in an closely connected world with limited resources. Goleman highlights the Tibetan community of Sher, where for thousands of years, villagers have survived severe conditions by carefully conserving every resource available to them. The Tibetans think ecologically because they have no other choice. Neither do we. “We once had the luxury to ignore our impacts,” says Goleman. “Not any more.”
1. Why is it hard for us to decide whether a T shirt is green or not?| A．The green label tells lies. | B．We lack enough knowledge. |
| C．The economy grows too slowly. | D．We are misled by false data. |
| A．Increase carbon footprint. | B．Give up regular consumption. |
| C．Develop ecological thinking. | D．Deliver information to customers. |
| A．By searching for new resources. | B．By living on plentiful resources. |
| C．By treasuring their resources. | D．By distributing resources reasonably. |
| A．To praise Tibetan villagers. | B．To solve an environmental problem. |
| C．To instruct how to go green. | D．To advocate ecological intelligence. |
8 . Antarctica is the highest, driest, and coldest place on Earth. It is also the remotest, a fact which demystifies its unspoiled environment. It is difficult for people to get there, and not a comfortable place for people to stay once they arrive.
Once completely inaccessible,
For centuries, Europeans wondered about the existence of a South-pole continent, but no one actually knew for certain Antarctica was there until 1820 when European explorers “discover” it. Since then, men have gone to Antarctica in search of adventure, testing their abilities.
| A．The cold climate is responsible for maintaining the continent’s year-round ice fields. |
| B．It is widely described as the last true wilderness on our planet. |
| C．Measures are being taken to protect Antarctica. |
| D．Yet, Antarctica’s fragile and complicated ecosystem is threatened by its human visitors. |
| E．In the icy covering are buried few precious resources, |
| F．Antarctica has more recently been playing host to adventurers seeking excitement and companies looking to exploit this wild zone for profit, |
| G．Several teams of explorers set out in 1911 to be the first men to stand at the South Pole. |
9 . When a heavy storm hit, residents of the floating community of Schoonschip in Amsterdam had little doubt about whether they could ride it out. They tied up their bikes and outdoor benches, and checked in with neighbors to ensure everyone had enough food and water as their neighborhood slid up and down its steel foundational pillars (支柱), rising along with the water and going back to its original position after the rain stopped.
“We feel safer in storm because we are floating,” says Siti Boelen, a Dutch television producer who moved into Schoonschip two years ago. As sea levels rise and supercharged storms cause waters to rise, floating neighborhoods offer an experiment in flood defense that could allow coastal communities to better fight against climate change.
A floating house can be constructed on any shoreline and is able to deal with rising seas by remaining on the top of the water’s surface. Unlike houseboats, which can easily be moved and relocated, floating homes are fixed to the shore and are usually connected to the local sewer (污水管道) system and power grid. They are structurally similar to houses built on land, but instead of a basement, they have a concrete hull (船体) that acts as a counterbalance, allowing them to remain stable in the water.
Severe wind and rain, or even the passing of large cruise ships, can make the buildings rock. Siti Boelen, the Schoonschip resident, says that when she first moved in, stormy weather made her think twice. “You feel it in your stomach,” she says, adding that she has gotten used to the feeling. Floating homes also require extra infrastructure and work to connect to the electricity grid and sewer system.
But the benefits may outweigh the costs. “If there are floods, it’s expected that many people will move to higher ground. But the alternative is to stay close to coastal cities and explore expansion onto the water,” says Rutger de Graaf. “If you consider that in the second half of the century, hundreds of millions of people will be displaced by sea level rise, we need to start now to increase the scale of floating developments.”
1. What did local residents think when a heavy storm hit?| A．They could get through it. |
| B．They could control the flood. |
| C．They could get some bikes after it. |
| D．They could gain enough food in it. |
| A．She has a sense of security in a storm. |
| B．She gets along well with her neighbors. |
| C．She has produced TV sets used in the storm. |
| D．She makes contributions to defending against flood. |
| A．By listing figures. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By analyzing reasons. | D．By making comparisons. |
| A．The impacts of stormy weather. |
| B．The significance of thinking twice. |
| C．The higher costs of building houses. |
| D．The challenges faced by floating houses. |
Olympic and Paralympic medals for the 32nd Tokyo Olympic Games were made
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