1 . Steven Stein likes to follow garbage trucks. His strange habit makes sense when you consider that he’s an environmental scientist who studies how to reduce litter, including things that fall off garbage trucks as they drive down the road. What is even more interesting is that one of Stein’s jobs is defending an industry behind the plastic shopping bags.

Americans use more than 100 billion thin film plastic bags every year. So many end up in tree branches or along highways that a growing number of cities do not allow them at checkouts(收银台). The bags are prohibited in some 90 cities in California, including Los Angeles. Eyeing these headwinds, plastic-bag makers are hiring scientists like Stein to make the case that their products are not as bad for the planet as most people assume.

Among the bag makers’ argument: many cities with bans still allow shoppers to purchase paper bags, which are easily recycled but require more energy to produce and transport. And while plastic bags may be ugly to look at, they represent a small percentage of all garbage on the ground today.

The industry has also taken aim at the product that has appeared as its replacement: reusable shopping bags. The stronger a reusable bag is, the longer its life and the more plastic-bag use it cancels out. However, longer-lasting reusable bags often require more energy to make. One study found that a cotton bag must be used at least 131 times to be better for the planet than plastic.

Environmentalists don’t dispute(质疑) these points. They hope paper bags will be banned someday too and want shoppers to use the same reusable bags for years.

1. What has Steven Stein been hired to do?

A．Help increase grocery sales.

B．Recycle the waste material.

C．Stop things falling off trucks.

D．Argue for the use of plastic bags.

2. What does the word “headwinds” in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Bans on plastic bags.

B．Effects of city development.

C．Headaches caused by garbage.

D．Plastic bags hung in trees.

3. What is a disadvantage of reusable bags according to plastic-bag makers?

A．They are quite expensive.

B．Replacing them can be difficult.

C．They are less strong than plastic bags.

D．Producing them requires more energy.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Plastic, Paper or Neither

B．Industry, Pollution and Environment

C．Recycle or Throw Away

D．Garbage Collection and Waste Control

2 . 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。

Diets have changed in China — and so too has its top crop. Since 2011, the country     1    （grow）more corn than rice. Corn production has jumped nearly 125 percent over     2     past 25 years, while rice has increased only 7 percent.

A taste for meat is     3     (actual) behind the change: An important part of its corn is used to feed chickens, pigs, and cattle. Another reason for corn's rise: The government encourages farmers to grow corn instead of rice     4     (improve) water quality. Corn uses less water     5     rice and creates less fertilizer(化肥) runoff. This switch has decreased     6     (pollute) in the country's major lakes and reservoirs and made drinking water safer for people.

According to the World Bank, China accounts for about 30 percent of total     7     (globe)fertilizer consumption. The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture finds that between 2005—when the government     8     (start) a soil-testing program     9     gives specific fertilizer recommendations to farmers - and 2011, fertilizer use dropped by 7.7 million tons. That prevented the emission(排放) of 51.8 million tons of carbon dioxide. China's approach to protecting its environment while     10     (feed) its citizens "offers useful lessons for agriculture and food policymakers worldwide." says the bank's Juergen Voegele.

3 . In a world with limited land, water and other natural resources (资源), the harm from the traditional business model is on the rise. Actually, the past decades has seen more and more forests disappearing and globe becoming increasingly warm. People now realize that this unhealthy situation must be changed, and that we must be able to develop in sustainable (可持续的) ways. That means growth with low carbon or development of sustainable products. In other words, we should keep the earth healthy while using its supply of natural resources.

Today, sustainable development is a proper trend in many countries. According to a recent study, the global market for low-carbon energy will become three times bigger over the next decades. China, for example, has set its mind on leading that market, hoping to seize chances in the new round of the global energy revolution. It is now trying hard to make full use of wind and solar energy, and is spending a huge amount of money making electric cars and high-speed trains. In addition, we are also seeing great growth in the global markets for sustainable products such as palm oil (棕榈油), which is produced without cutting down valuable rainforest. In recent years the markets for sustainable products have grown by more than 50%.

The major challenge of this century is to find ways to meet the needs of growing population within the limits of this single planet. That is no small task, but it offers abundant new chances for sustainable product industries.

1. The traditional business model is harmful because of all the following EXCEPT that _____________.

A．it consumes natural resources.

B．it makes the world warmer.

C．it brings severe damage to forests.

D．it makes growth hard to continue.

2. What can we infer from Paragraph 2?

A．China lacks wind and solar energy.

B．China is the leader of the low-carbon market.

C．High-speed trains are a low-carbon development.

D．Palm oil is made at the cost of valuable forests.

3. We can learn from the last paragraph that businesses have many chances to _____________.

A．make full use of natural resources.

B．explore new natural resources.

C．develop sustainable products.

D．deal with the major challenge.

4. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To advocate sustainable development.

B．To compare two business models.

C．To predict a change of the global market.

D．To introduce a new business model.

4 . Last month, the president of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, held an underwater meeting. The purpose of the ocean floor conference is to highlight the effects of global warming on his island nation.

The Maldives, located in the Indian Ocean, is the lowest-lying country on Earth. Melting glaciers and polar ice are causing sea levels to rise, putting the Maldives and other low-lying areas at risk of being swallowed by the sea within the next 100 years.

What can be done? Scientists and leaders from 190 nations will try to figure that out at the United Nations climate change conference next month. The main goal of the meeting is to come up with a new climate agreement for 2012 and beyond. That is when the existing plan, the Kyoto Protocol will expire. The agreement was created in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997. Since then, it has been ratified(正式批准) by 190 nations. The countries promised to limit the amount of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, which they produced each year.

The debate over who should cut greenhouse emissions has been going on for years. The US has been hesitant to reduce emissions unless fast-growing nations such as China and India also reduce their use of fossil fuels. In recent months, China has taken steps to be greener. But India has been unwilling to change. It argues that it is unfair for rich nations to ask poorer countries to cut down on emissions.

While world leaders work on a plan in Copenhagen, there are many things you can do to help the planet. You can save fuel by walking or biking instead of riding in a car. You can start a recycling program in your community. You can plant trees. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and give off oxygen.

1. The underlined word “expire” in Paragraph 3 probably means_____________.

A．cause trouble	B．come to an end
C．go into effect	D．gain support

2. According to the passage, limiting greenhouse emissions_____________.

A．will make poor countries poorer.

B．is well performed in the Maldives.

C．has been a controversial question.

D．means banning carbon dioxide emissions.

3. What does the author suggest?

A．Like the Maldives, other island countries should take action.

B．Both the US and India should cut greenhouse emissions.

C．Everyone should get involved in cutting greenhouse emissions.

D．World leaders should focus more on climate change.

5 . Climbers at Qomolangma are being asked to clean up after themselves.

Qomolangma has earned the nickname (绰号) the World’s Highest Garbage Dump (垃圾场).

Climbing Qomolangma, the world's highest mountain, just becomes more challenging. The government of Nepal is telling climbers they cannot leave trash on the trails. Each climber will have to come down the mountain with at the least 18 pounds of garbage. That’s the average amount of trash a climber leaves behind on Qomolangma.

Officials say climbers are responsible for their own trash. “We are not asking climbers to pick up trash left by someone else,” said the Nepal Tourism Ministry. “We just want them to bring back what they took up.”

More than 4,000 people have reached the 29,035-foot summit (顶峰) in more than 60 years. Leaving trash along the way helps climbers keep their bags light so they have energy to reach the summit. “The trash problem in Qomolangma is not new.” Burlakoti says. “When the people started to climb the mountain, they started to leave their garbage there.” They have left behind bottles, food boxes and equipment.

The new rule came into effect in April, 2014. To make sure it is followed, climbers will have to deposit money (交保证金) before they climb. Once they climb back down the mountain, officials will check climbers at a return camp to make sure they have the required 18 pounds of trash. If they do, their money will be returned to them. If they do not, climbers will not receive their deposit and they will not be given a permit the next time they want to climb Qomolangma.

The goal is to make sure no more litter will be left on Qomolangma. “As we offer Qomolangma to all the people of the world they should take responsibility to clean it.” Burlakoti says, “After seeing the results from this, we will also apply this rule to other mountains.”

1. Why does Qomolangma get the nickname the World’s Highest Garbage Dump?

A．The white snow on it looks like white trash.

B．The government of Nepal transported trash onto it.

C．There is too much trash left on it by climbers.

D．The government of Nepal has used up the resources on it.

2. Climbers left trash along the way in order to______.

A．provide guidance for other climbers

B．help climbers themselves find their way

C．get timely medical rescue when in danger

D．reach the summit without too much load

3. If climbers want to climb Qomolangma again, they must______.

A．get the climbing license

B．have a large bag

C．get the permission from the local people

D．bring back the required trash in the last climbing

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Protect our beautiful mountains

B．Bring back your litter when climbing

C．A new rule of protecting the earth

D．Qomolangma belonging to the world people

6 . 假定你是李华，近期你看到了共享单车（shared bikes）“绿色出行”的宣传后决定改变出行方式，并发现骑单车的许多好处。请你就此为校刊“英语园地”写一篇短文。
注意：

1.词数100左右；

2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

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7 . 假定你是李华，近期你看到了共享单车(shared bikes)“绿色出行”的宣传后决定改变出行方式，并发现骑单车的许多好处。请你就此为校刊“英语园地”写一篇短文。
注意：1.词数100左右；

2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

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8 . Every year more people recognize that it is wrong to kill wildlife for “sport.” Progress in this direction is slow because shooting is not a sport for watching, and only those few who take part realize the cruelty and destruction.
The number of gunners, however, grows rapidly. Children too young to develop proper judgments through independent thought are led a long way away by their gunning parents. They are subjected to advertisements of gun producers who describe shooting as good for their health and guncarrying as a way of putting redder blood in the veins (血管). They are persuaded by gunner magazines with stories honoring the chase and the kill. In school they view motion pictures which are supposedly meant to teach them how to deal with arms safely but which are actually designed to stimulate (刺激) a desire to own a gun. Wildlife is disappearing because of shooting and because of the loss of wildland habitat (栖息地). Habitat loss will continue with our increasing population, but can we slow the loss of wildlife caused by shooting? There doesn’t seem to be any chance if the serious condition of our birds is not improved.
Wildlife belongs to everyone and not to the gunners alone. Although most people do not shoot, they seem to forgive shooting for sport because they know little or nothing about it. The only answer, then, is to bring the truth about sport shooting to the great majority of people.
Now, it is time to realize that animals have the same right to life as we do and that there is nothing fair or right about a person with a gun shooting the harmless and beautiful creatures. The gunners like to describe what they do as character-building, but we know that to wound an animal and watch it go through the agony of dying can make nobody happy. If, as they would have you believe, gun-carrying and killing improve human-character, then perhaps we should encourage war.
1. According to the text, most people do not seem to be against hunting because ________.

A．they have little knowledge of it

B．it helps to build human character

C．it is too costly to stop killing wildlife

D．they want to keep wildlife under control

2. The underlined word “agony” in the last paragraph probably means ________.

A．form

B．condition

C．pain

D．sadness

3. According to the text, the films children watch at school actually ________.

A．teach them how to deal with guns safely

B．praise hunting as character-building

C．describe hunting as an exercise

D．encourage them to have guns of their own

4. It can be inferred from the text that the author seems to ________.

A．blame the majority of people

B．worry about the existence of wildlife

C．be in favour of war

D．be in support of character-building

9 . Like all big cities, Paris has a traffic problem: lots of cars, lots of traffic jams and lots of pollution from exhaust fumes (废气). So the city began a project to improve the situation.

Under the Velib project (‘Velib’ comes from velo liberty, or ‘bicycle freedom’) people can take a bicycle, use it for as long as they want, and then leave it at the same or another bicycle station. The first half-hour on the bike is free, but if you don’t return it after 30 minutes, you have to pay. But it’s only €1 a day or €29 a year! The bicycles are heavy (25 kg), and they are all gray and have baskets. There are about 20,000 of them in the city, and around 1,450 bicycle stations. So there are a lot more Velib stations than the 298 subway stations!

Paris is not the first city to have a project like this. But not everybody thinks it’s a great idea. One Parisian said, “These bicycles are only for short journeys. If people want to travel across the city, they won’t use a bicycle - they’ll still use their cars.”

A city spokesman said, “The bicycle project won’t solve all our traffic problems, of course. But it might help reduce air pollution. Traffic, together with factory fumes, is a big problem. There aren’t any simple answers to traffic problems and pollution in cities. But unless we do something now, there will be more traffic jams and temperatures will continue to rise, so the problems in our environment will get worse. The bikes might help people to lead a healthier life, too.”

1. What can we learn about the Velib project?

A．Its bikes have no baskets.	B．Its bikes are light and colorful.
C．It aims to make traveling easier.	D．It owns more stations than the subway.

2. If you use a Velib for 1 hour, you should pay       .

A．Free.	B．€1.
C．€29.	D．€30.

3. Why do some people disagree with the Velib project?

A．The cost is rather high.

B．It’s hard to find a Velib station.

C．It’s not suitable for a long journey.

D．The distance between two Velib stations is long.

4. What’s the city spokesman’s attitude towards the bicycle project?

A．Worried.	B．Positive.
C．Uncaring.	D．Doubtful.

10 . Are you facing a situation that looks impossible to fix?

In 1969,the pollution was terrible along the Cuyahoga River Cleveland, Ohio. It    1    (be) unimaginable that it could ever be cleaned up. The river was so polluted that it    2    (actual) caught fire and burned. Now, years later, this river is one of    3    most outstanding（杰出的）examples of environmental cleanup.

But the river wasn’t changed in a few days    4    even a few months. It took years of work     5    (reduce) the industrial pollution and clean the water. Finally, that hard work paid off and now the water in the river is    6    (clean) than ever.

Maybe you are facing an impossible situation. Maybe you have a habit    7    is driving your family crazy. Possibly you drink too much or don’t know how to control your credit card use. When you face such an impossible situation, don’t you want a quick fix and something to change immediately?

While there are    8    (amaze) stories of instant transformation, for most of us the    9    (change) are gradual and require a lot of effort and work, like cleaning up a polluted river. Just be     10    (patience).