2 . 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.

2. Which of the following goes against the concept of “circular economy”?

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.

3. What is the right thing for the fashion industry researchers to do?

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.

4. Which of the following can be a suitable title for the text?

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

3 . Australia is the only major honey-producing country that has so far managed to contain the spread of a mite which is harmful to bees. The first step is pouring gas into the beehive. Then it’s time to wait. The job is finished when the hive is burned the next day.

Since last week, this cycle has been on repeat near a port in eastern Australia, part of a government effort to protect the country’s multimillion dollar honey industry. Millions of bees have been destroyed to help contain the spread of the deadly mite, which reappeared in the country last week near the Port of Newcastle. If the mite became established in Australia, it could cost the nation’s honey industry more than $70 million a year, in addition to its effect on the crops that rely on bee pollination.

The mites, which are reddish-brown and about the size of a sesame seed, can spread from bee to bee and through beekeeping equipment. If left untreated, the mites could kill an entire colony of honey bees, the government has said.

It’s not easy to contain the mite. One of the biggest challenges in the current containment effort is figuring out the location of infected hives and mapping their spread in a vast region, according to Danny Le Feuvre, the acting head of the Australian Honey Bee Industrial Council. It’s necessary to contain the Port of Newcastle and the hives within a 31-mile radius(半径)of it. The port is a major shipping destination and one of the world’s busiest export centres for coal.

So far at least 600 hives have been destroyed in the area. “The beekeepers are very nervous at the moment,” Mr. Feuvre said. He said he was confident the country would be able to contain the spread, given its history of previous eradication efforts of honey bee mites and strict controls at all airports stopping passengers from bringing live plants, soil, fruits and vegetables into Australia.

1. Why do people pour gas into beehives?

A．To stop the spread of a deadly mite.

B．To prevent bees from producing too much.

C．To ensure the safety of the Port of Newcastle.

D．To protect visitors from being harmed by bees.

2. What’s the biggest difficulty in the present containment effort?

A．Removing tourists’ fears.	B．The cooperation of the beekeepers.
C．Finding the location of infected hives.	D．Ensuring the normal operation of the port.

3. What’s Mr. Feuvre’s attitude to Australia’s containment action?

A．Doubtful.

B．Dissatisfied.

C．Unclear.

D．Positive.

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

A．The Spread and Harm of Mites

B．Australia’s Agriculture Is in Danger

C．The Relationship Between Bees and Agriculture

D．Australia Is Killing Bees to Save Its Honey Industry

4 . Sasha Olsen went on a trip last summer with her family to Vietnam and Japan. She was frightened at the ocean’s pollution levels and dying sea animals.

“We went on this trip and I was so excited,” said Sasha. She is 10 years old and lives in Bal Harbour, Florida. “But when I saw the way the oceans had become, I got anxious. I wanted to know why things were this way but couldn’t find an answer.”

When she returned home to Bal Harbour, she grew even more disturbed. She learned how some of the beaches in South Florida had been closed by The Health Department because the water had too much bacteria in it.

Sasha sought the help of her cousin, Narmina Aliyev. Aliyev is 23 years old and a recent graduate of Nova Southeastern University with a bachelor’s degree in business. Together, they started a nonprofit Iwantmyoceanback in October.

Originally, the group started small, with friends coming together on the weekends to clean the beaches in Bal Harbour. Recently, however, I want my ocean back has hosted events to raise funds for beach cleanups and to donate to conservation groups such as the Sea Turtle Conservancy, Oceana and World Wildlife Fund, Aliyev said.

In January, Sasha organized “Kids Heal the Oceans” at Bal Harbour beach. There, she spoke about the oceans’ problems and guests made art out of microplastics gathered from the beach cleanup. “At first, our guests were a little shy, but now they’ve felt inspired to speak up! Sasha has inspired many other kids to join Iwantmyoceanback and show people that we’re able to make a change if we come together,” Aliyev said.

On February 16, the group threw a Plastic-Free Party. The party involved a beach cleanup and guests creating art from the plastic trash they collect. “It’s important to bring awareness not just through doing cleanups and meetings, but to show people they can come together through their hobbies and working together to a common goal,” said Sasha.

1. What does the underlined word “disturbed” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Disappointed.

B．Excited.

C．Nervous.

D．Anxious.

2. Why were some of the beaches in South Florida closed?

A．The water was not safe.	B．There was sea research recently.
C．There were many dying sea animals.	D．There were many plastics on the beach.

3. What does Narmina Aliyev major in?

A．Art.

B．Environmental protection.

C．Business.

D．Fishing.

4. Who joined Sasha in cleaning up the beach at first?

A．Sasha’s friends.	B．Kids loving oceans.
C．Members of some conservation groups.	D．Graduates from Nova Southeastern University.

7 . Farms are a crucial part of our world. However, the number of farmers are decreasing day by day. One of the best ways to help solve the problem is to visit a farm.     1    .

You can learn how your food is raised.

When you visit a farm, you get firsthand experience on how your food is raised.     2    , which will change the way you connect with your food and give you a deeper appreciation for all the hard work. Seeing this will make you waste fewer resources and be a more sensible consumer.

You can reconnect with nature.

Nowadays, all we have are big buildings, highways, and countless cars. We spend too much time in front of screens. However, when you visit a farm, you will be away from all of that and will actually be able to breathe in some fresh air.     3     This will likely improve your mental health, and decrease feelings of stress and anxiety.

    4    

We all read success stories about farmers in magazines and even TV shows, but the people in these stories are real people with real families. And quite often, people with a real love for what they’re doing. People that appreciate the people who purchase things from their farm. People with a real commitment to making their visitors feel like home.    5    , and we should support these families around the globe. Visiting a farm is one of the best ways to do this.

A．You can connect with farmers and their families

B．We should be grateful to these people

C．You can pick the products yourself

D．You will be able to get away from the “concrete jungle” and purify your body and your mind.

E．This is a unique experience for people from all age groups

F．And here are some great reasons why you should visit a farm

G．Visiting farms can help stimulating your appetite for learning more about nature

8 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

Every year, more than 13 billion plastic bottles are sold in Britain. All of them     1     (use) only once, and only half of them are recycled.

Some think plastic bottles should be banned(明令禁止).     2     think they should be recycled. Others think a returning plan should be brought in to avoid the     3     (pollute) of rivers and seas. That is to say, people will get up to 20 pence back every time they return     4     bottle. A returning plan for bottles is already     5     (success) in Germany, where 98.5% of plastic bottles are returned.

    6     (lucky), there are already signs that things are changing for the better. Last year, Selfridges stopped     7     (sell) single-use water bottles. London Zoo announced that it would also ban them. It sold 155,000 plastic bottles of water last year. Now it will sell only reusable plastic bottles,     8     can be filled by visitors from taps. Families visiting beaches this summer are being asked to take part in a plan called “Return To Offender”. The idea is     9     (post) plastic bottles and other litter they find back to the     10     (company) that made them, using their freepost addresses.

9 . When a disaster happens, you might find yourself without water, gas or electricity. You might also need to leave your home right away. So you are supposed to plan for such bad situations. Here are some suggestions.

    1    Plan a way to get your family members together after the disaster.

Choose two places for everyone to go to if it isn’t safe to return home. The first meeting place should be near your house. You can go there in an emergency like a fire. The second should be outside your neighborhood.

    2    It is easier to communicate over a long-distance call than a local one. The person can help your family members get in touch with each other.

Get a family disaster kit (应急包) ready. It should include the things your family needs. It can help you survive at least for three days with bread, water, medicine and things like that. Put them in a bag so that you can carry it if you leave in a hurry. Do remember that different people have different needs.

    3    Update it as often as possible. You may not be able to stop any disasters, but with a little planning you can help yourself and your family survive.

A．Practise your emergency plan.

B．Choose good places to avoid disasters.

C．Have a family meeting.

D．Choose a person outside your area to help.