1 . A student-led push to get solar panels installed at a middle school in Tacoma is receiving national recognition from a clean energy nonprofit organization called Generation 180. The girls involved are advocating and fundraising for the project.

Sammy Firkins, Gwen Newport and Annie Son will talk about their idea to generate solar electricity at Jason Lee Middle School in a panel discussion organized by Generation 180. In 2019, the three of them teamed up with their science teacher, Kathy Hall, to push for solar panels to be installed. Hall, who uses solar power at her own house, said it’s long been a dream of hers. The school would be the first in the Tacoma district to use solar energy.

The girls presented their idea to Gov. Jay Inslee’s STEM Education Innovation Alliance meeting in early 2019 and received enthusiastic support. They then spoke to the Tacoma school board and obtained buy-in from the district, though they were told the district did not have the roughly $ 200,000 for the 277 solar panels and that they would have to fundraise. They’ve since raised more than half that amount through grants and individual donations.

Gwen Newport said she’s always cared a lot about environmental issues and that she’s troubled that climate change does not get the attention it deserves. “At this point, I feel like it’s kind of been given to my generation almost as our responsibility now and so being able to be a part of this project and take action is really important to me,” she said.

The solar panels have not been installed at the school yet. But Hall said she estimates that the project will reduce the school’s power costs by about $ 14,000 a year, and that it also will serve an educational purpose. “We will have live data always streaming available so that people can see how the panels are working and how they relate to the amount of electricity we’re using, and it will be an incredible learning tool,” she said.

1. What is Generation 180?

A．It is the name of the girls’ team.

B．It is a project to use solar power.

C．It is a nonprofit environmental group.

D．It is a student-led push to install solar panels.

2. What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A．The girls raised enough money for the project.

B．The Tacoma school board rejected the project.

C．The girls made great efforts to fulfill the project.

D．The district covered the expenses of solar panels.

3. How does Gwen Newport feel about climate change?

A．Confident.

B．Concerned.

C．Relieved.

D．Content.

4. What is the main purpose of the project?

A．To advocate for donations.

B．To serve as a learning tool.

C．To protect the environment.

D．To cut down the school’s expenses.

2 . Balancing preservation of the land with our desire to travel is a challenge for us travelers. When seeing cities face constant resource and waste problems, I couldn’t help but think about how much travel can affect the environment.

Back in my youth, I was an environmental activist. But over the years, I leave the lights on. I fly a lot. I drink out of plastic bottles. I eat a lot of meat. And I love fish, especially tuna. However, recently, I’ve begun thinking harder about how travel affects the environment and how I affect the environment. In doing so, I’ve tried to be a lot more aware of my actions.

I don’t know if there is an easy solution for this problem. The most environmentally friendly activity is not to travel at all, but that’s unrealistic and too extreme. There’s so much money in travel that I don’t think the government and regulation can do much. Only when their profits are hurt will hotels, operators, and the industry as a whole begin to listen. Instead, it’s all about the consumers. The only good way is to get people to be more environmentally conscious and make better decisions.

Consumers have a lot of power. Why did Wal-Mart start selling only sustainable fish and whole milk? Consumers wanted it. I think if we as travelers begin to demand more environmentally friendly practices and avoid companies with poor environmental records, we can change things.

Now, I recycle more, I use fewer water bottles, I shut off the lights, Most importantly, I use operators and stay at places that are reducing their environmental impact.

Travel can destroy the environment but it doesn’t have to. We have the power to make things better. We can do small things and demand more of the places we stay and visit. We can and should demand more of places, and of ourselves.

1. Which of the following might be the best title for the text?

A．My experiences of protecting the environment.

B．Can we balance travel and the environment?

C．Is there an easy way to solve environmental problems?

D．How can we travel in an environmentally friendly way?

2. Why does the writer list his actions over the years?

A．To show he is wealthy.

B．To tell he is fond of travelling.

C．To indicate he has become less environmentally conscious.

D．To explain his hobby.

3. What’s the realistic way to solve the problem according to paragraph 3?

A．People do not travel at all.

B．The government takes effective measures.

C．Tourism industry follows environmental rules.

D．Consumers become more environmentally conscious.

4. What can be learned from the last paragraph?

A．Travel will surely destroy the environment.

B．Few things travelers can do to protect the environment.

C．We can get a lot from the places we travel.

D．What travelers do can make a difference to the environment.

3 . Just when you thought you were taking care of your health by eating enough fruit and vegetables every day, new research has come out revealing that you might be swallowing microplastic particles(颗粒)along with all those vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A groundbreaking study published in the journal Environmental Research has found that fruits and vegetables absorb microplastic particles from the soil and move them through vegetal tissues, where they remain until eaten by hungry diners, thus getting transferred to human bodies.

The researchers, who are from the University of Catania in Italy, as well as Sousse and Monastir universities in Tunisia, analyzed a variety of common fruits and vegetables---carrots, lettuce, broccoli, potatoes, apples, and pears. These were chosen for the fact that they are frequently consumed, usually one per day, which allowed the researchers to better assess the dietary intakes of MPs (microplastic particles) and NPs (nano-plastics). The samples were purchased from different sources in the city of Catania, including a small fruit vendor and a supermarket.

The researchers found that apples, followed by pears, were the most polluted fruit samples, and carrots were the most polluted vegetable. In the study’s discussion section, the authors wrote, “We can assume that the fruits contain more MPs not only because of the very high vascularization(血管化)of the fruit pulp (果肉) but also due to the greater size and complexity of the root system and age of the tree (several years) compared to the vegetables (60-75 days for the carrot).”

This study is important because it’s the first to detect microplastics in fruits and vegetables. They have been found in other sources before, such as sea salt, beer, water(bottled, in particular), shellfish, sugar, soil, and even air, but never inside fresh produce. It’s an alarming discovery that raises yet another red flag about microplastic pollution in the natural environment.

It’s an area that will likely see a lot more attention in coming years, with the study authors calling for further research into the question of microplastic and whether it harms the health of both plants and humans.

1. What is the study about?

A．The main cause of soil pollution.

B．The great changes in people’s diets.

C．The benefits of eating fruits and vegetables.

D．The microplastic pollution in fruits and vegetables.

2. Why did researchers choose frequently eaten fruits and vegetables?

A．To lower the cost of the study.	B．To gain widespread acceptance.
C．To improve the accuracy of the study.	D．To reduce the time for preparing the samples.

3. What makes the study quite special?

A．It showed the influences of MPs on plants.

B．It proved the source of microplastic pollution.

C．It presented the danger of MPs to human’s body.

D．It discovered MPs in fresh produce for the first time.

4. What do the study authors think of the research on microplastic?

A．It needs to be further studied.	B．It wasted them quite a lot of time.
C．It has raised people’s awareness of health.	D．It has attracted people’s attention to diets.

4 . This may look like an ordinary plastic straw (吸管), but it is not made of plastic. Cameron Ross started the Celise Bio-products company, to produce single-use plastic alternatives from plant materials like these. They are made of poly lactic acid (聚乳酸) known as PLA from com starches (淀粉).

Cameron Ross said, "We work with food service providers, mainly larger brands, to help them get quality sustainable and cost-effective solutions, made from plants to start getting rid of single-use plastics." Single-use plastics such as bottles or straws are major cause of pollution. When we throw these away, they end up in a landfill or in the water like rivers. According to researchers, it could take up to more than 500 years for them to properly break down.

Ross says he wasn't always so environmentally conscious himself. But ever since the hiking trip in West Virginia, when he spent more time picking up trash than enjoying nature, his priorities changed. That meant making biodegradable products that can break down in only a few years.

While many cafes and restaurants are choosing paper products to be more eco-conscious, it isn’t cheap. Paper straws can cost about eight times more than plastic straws. But bio-plastic straws cost less a penny a straw, not even double the price of plastic ones.

Another problem with paper straws is that they get soft and wet. You don't want to be sipping (啜饮) something that alters your drink, or starts to melt while you're drinking and then you have to get which creates more wastes than needed. Ross hopes his Washington DC-based company will provide an eco-friendly solution for food service providers.

1. Which aspect is NOT the focus of the Celise Bio-products?

A．Material.	B．Appearance.
C．Quality.	D．Cost.

2. What inspired Ross to start the Bio-products company?

A．High profits.	B．Requests from food service providers.
C．Lower cost.	D．His changed environmental awareness.

3. What can we learn about the new straws?

A．They are widely used in cafes and restaurants.

B．They cost less than paper ones.

C．They may soften or even melt while carrying water.

D．They produce more waste.

4. What's the author's purpose of writing the passage?

A．To persuade more food service providers to work with Ross.

B．To explain the development of straws.

C．To introduce a new eco-friendly straw.

D．To compare different straws.

5 . Imagine an area 34 times the size of Manhattan. Now imagine it covered ankle-deep in plastic waste—a total of about 19 billion pounds of garbage.     1    .

“We’re being overwhelmed(淹没) by our waste,”said Jenna Jambeck, an environmental engineer who led the 2015 study that determined this astonishing number.     2    , unless something is done to stop the tide of garbage.

Plastic—a widely-used material—has in many ways been a benefit to humans but it has also caused a growing problem. Today, plastics are the No.1 type of garbage found in the sea. Ocean Conservancy, a nonprofit that organizes an annual coastal cleanup event worldwide, said plastic waste makes up around 85 percent of the garbage collected from beaches and oceans.

Ocean Conservancy says plastics are believed to threaten(威胁)at least 600 different wildlife species(物种).     3    ; a growing body of evidence suggests humans are consuming plastics through the seafood we eat. A research suggests some plastics could be poisonous to humans, and could potentially increase the risk of health problems.

    4    . At the Economist World Ocean Summit this week, ten nations announced to reduce plastic sea liter as part of UN Environment's CleanSeas campaign.     5    Corporations also have a role, as do individuals. We can start by thinking twice before using single-use plastic products—and when we do use them, we should take care to properly throw them off or recycle.

A．The following is what we should do

B．And it’s not just wildlife that’s threatened

C．And this figure is likely to double by 2025

D．But it’s not just countries that need to do their part

E．By 2050,that figure is expected to rise to 1000 pieces

F．That’s how much plastic waste ends up in our oceans every year

G．All of us have an important role to play in dealing with the problems

6 . A severe drought(干旱) that has caused water levels in Southeast Asia's Mekong River to drop to their lowest in more than 100 years could have devastating(毁灭性的) consequences for fish, as well as the tens of millions of people living and working along the river, experts warn.

This year, the dry conditions in the Mekong region persisted(持续) due to warm Pacific Ocean currents(洋流)known as the EI Nino effect. But climate change is also a driving factor, experts say, causing the rainy season to shorten considerably. The situation was made worse by hydropower (水利发电)dam operators upstream, in China and Laos , with holding water for their own purposes.

Many rice farmers in the region have been unable to plant their main crop, raising fears 'of a heavily diminished harvest this fall. Less water flow could also have a devastating impact on fish reproduction in the Mekong River basin. Perhaps even more alarming, experts expect that droughts and disruptions(中断)to the water flow of the Mekong will become more common, and they warn that it could eventually lead to the ruin of the entire ecosystem.

Originating in the Tibetan highlands, the Mekong River flows through six Asian counties before emptying into the South China Sea. The river basin is home to the largest inland fishery in the world and more than 60 million people depend on it for their livelihoods.

Few rivers in the world rise and fall with the seasons as much as the Mekong, which can drop Few rivers in the world rise and fall with the seasons as much as the Mekong, which can drop up to40 feet in some places at the end of the dry season. When the rainy season arrives, they normally produce a flood pulse that brings with it sediment(沉淀) important to agriculture as well as huge amounts of tiny fish, including many critically endangered species such as the Mekong giant catfish, that are swept into the Tonle Sap Lake and other floodplains where they can mature.

1. What is true about the Mekong River?

A．The Mekong River basin is home to the largest fishery in the world.

B．The average depth of the Mekong River in the dry season is 40 feet.

C．The water of the Mekong River has fallen to the lowest level in history.

D．The Mekong River originates in China and flows into the South China Sea.

2. What is the paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．The benefits of the Mekong River this year,

B．The climate change of the Mekong River this year.

C．The natural disasters of the Mekong River this year.

D．The reasons for the drought of Mekong River this year.

3. What does the underlined word “diminished” mean in paragraph 3?

A．Plentiful.

B．Decreasing.

C．Large.

D．Disappointing.

4. What's the attitude of experts to water flow of Mekong River in future?

A．Optimistic.

B．Neutral.

C．Worried.

D．Puzzled.

7 . The idea of turning recycled plastic bottles into clothing is not new. During the past five years, a large number of clothing companies, businesses and environmental organizations have started turning plastics into fabric to deal with plastic pollution. But there’s a problem with this method. Research now shows that microfibers (微纤维) could be the biggest source of plastic in the sea.

Dr. Mark Browne in Santa Barbara, California, has been studying plastic pollution and microfibers for 10 years. He explains that every time synthetic (合成的) clothes go into a washing machine, a large number of plastic fibers fall off. Most washing machines can’t collect these microfibers. So every time the water gets out of a washing machine, microfibers enter the sewer and finally end up in the sea.

In 2011, Browne wrote a paper stating that a single piece of synthetic clothing can produce more than 1,900 fibers per wash. Browne collected samples (样本) from seawater and freshwater sites around the world, and used a special way to examine each sample. He discovered that every single water sample contained microfibers.

This is bad news for a number of reasons. Plastic can cause harm to sea life when eaten. Studies have also shown that plastic can absorb (吸收) other pollutants.

Based on this evidence, it may seem surprising that companies and organizations have chosen to turn plastic waste into clothing as an environmental “solution”. Even though the science has been around for a while, Browne explains that he’s had a difficult time getting companies to listen. When he asked well-known clothing companies to support Benign by Design, his research project that seeks to get clothes that have a bad effect on humans and the environment out of the market, Browne didn’t get a satisfying answer. Only one women’s clothing company, Eileen Fisher, offered Browne funding.

1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?

A．The use of plastic bottle has been reduced in the past five years.

B．Turning recycled plastic bottles into clothing hasn’t been put into practice.

C．New microfibers have been discovered.

D．Making clothes from plastic bottles can’t reduce the pollution.

2. What’s the main idea of the second paragraph?

A．The relationship between plastic pollution and microfibers.

B．How microfibers end up in the sea.

C．How to wash synthetic clothes.

D．How to prevent plastic pollution.

3. How does Browne’s Benign by Design research project run?

A．It has achieved great success.	B．It is facing some difficulties.
C．It is known to very few people.	D．It hasn’t got anything done.

4. What’s the best title for the text?

A．Microfibers, the biggest source of plastic in the sea

B．Recycled plastic clothing: solution or pollution?

C．Environmental protection : moving forward or backward?

D．Turning recycled plastic bottles into clothing, a new step in environmental protection

8 .     1       However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.

Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses（球场）in good condition.     2     For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.

    3     Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don't have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit.     4     Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.

Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements（代替物）for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces.     5     And best of all, it’s free.

A．It will cost you a lot.

B．This causes major environmental effects.

C．There are many environment-friendly sports.

D．Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature.

E．If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones.

F．There is no special requirement for you to start your membership.

G．More and more people are concerned about environmental protection.

9 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入 1 个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. A half-century ago, activists       1    (walk) to the street to speak out for the protection of the planet in       2    (respond) to one of the worst oil spills (原油泄漏) in history. These activists inspired important changes in how our society views the environment,     3    (lead) to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. But protecting the earth is also a social justice issue. People of color and poor people are often the first       4     (suffer) from the climate change, because they live near highways, factories, or garbage dumps,       5     there are more pollutants, for example, and they may not be able to afford fresh green foods.

But you don’t have to be an activist to make       6    difference—in fact there are many tiny everyday       7    (effort) you can make to help the planet. The environmental movement didn’t start with Earth Day and indigenous people (原住民) protecting the earth as     8    (they) way of life were the pioneers. I wish that everyone would see the   climate crisis this way and take it       9     (serious) as well. It isn’t just polar bears and plastic bags     10    an issue that will determine the future of life. So, actually, every day is Earth Day.

10 . If the three Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle) is a guideline to save the planet, garbage-sorting is where the   efforts start. Since May 1, Beijing has started to carry out mandatory garbage-sorting in new efforts to better protect the environment. Under the new regulation, residents are required to classify household waste into four categories: kitchen, recyclable, hazardous and other waste. People who fail to sort their garbage properly can be fined from 50 to 200 yuan, reported Xinhua.

Some residential communities in Beijing have introduced rewards to encourage residents to sort their garbage. According to Xinhua, residents can earn points by classifying their domestic waste correctly and then exchange the points they accumulate for daily necessities such as soap.

Garbage sorting practices have reached over 70 percent of housing estates in 18 cities, including Shanghai,     Xiamen and Hangzhou, according to the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. Shanghai first enacted a mandatory garbage-sorting regulation in July 2019 and has had a 90 percent compliance (服从) rate among its housing estates.

According to a report by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, over 90 percent of the public believe that garbage-sorting is important for the protection of the environment. However, garbage-sorting is still a big problem in China. Only 30 percent of participants said they think they are completely sorting their waste, the report noted. According to Xinhua, it’s partly because many people lack the willingness to sort their own waste. Also, some previous garbage regulations didn’t include fines for people who failed to obey them.

“It’s a must to have a legal guarantee to promote garbage sorting,” Liu Jianguo, a professor from Tsinghua University, told China Daily, “Aside from China, many countries like Germany, Spain and Britain, also ask people to sort waste into specific categories. In Japan, there is a fixed time for the sorting of each kind of garbage and littering.”

1. What can we learn about the new regulation in Beijing?

A．It hasn’t been put into use yet.

B．Residents can sort the garbage as they like.

C．People can get money if they classify their domestic waste correctly.

D．Those who can’t sort the garbage as the new rule requires shall be fined.

2. What’s the problem in garbage sorting in China?

A．Most people are unaware of its importance in protecting environment.

B．Some people don’t want to take the trouble to sort the garbage.

C．Only residents in big cities can sort the trash correctly.

D．The government doesn’t have enough money to support garbage sorting.

3. What can we infer from Liu Jianguo’s words?

A．It’s difficult to carry out garbage sorting in China.

B．Some laws in garbage-sorting are needed.

C．People in developed countries can better sort the garbage.

D．We should learn from Japan.

4. What’s the best title of the passage?

A．Garbage sorting, a new start in China	B．New regulations in Beijing
C．Argument on garbage sorting	D．How to sort domestic garbage