1 . When we think about the big carbon problems we have to deal with, paper isn't the first thing that comes to mind. After all, we think it costs less energy and a lot of it is recycled these days. However, it turns out that we are wrong.

The problem is that to make paper, you need virgin (未使用过的) wood or recycled material, and it then takes a lot of energy to dry it out and turn it into paper, thus causing carbon emissions (排放). The non-governmental organization Environmental Paper Network's Luisa Colasimone said that making a ton of paper and a ton of steel used the same amount of energy. Adrian Hiel and Dave Keating, journalists working in Brussels, reported, "Average energy costs are around 16% of production costs and can be as high as 30%."

Colasimone said, "The vast majority of paper products are short-lived. They are thrown away and their carbon ends up in the atmosphere within two to three years."

Also, a recent study from the University College London (UCL) has found that recycled paper may be less environmentally-friendly than virgin paper because it is made with electricity and fossil fuels. "They found that if all wastepaper was recycled, carbon emissions could increase by 10%, as recycling paper tends to rely more on fossil fuels than making new paper," lead author Dr. Stijn van Ewijk said in a press release. "Our study shows that recycling is not a guaranteed way to address climate change. Recycling of paper may not be helpful unless it is powered by renewable (可再生的) energy."

The researchers reported that paper accounted for 1.3% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2012. This rate — 1.3% — is a stunning number, bigger than the emissions from Australia or Brazil. About a third of these emissions came from the disposal of paper in landfills. Researchers said that in coming years, the use of paper would likely rise, with the move away from plastics leading to increased demand for paper packaging.

1. On what does Luisa Colasimone agree with Adrian Hiel and Dave Keating?

A．Recycled material is bad for paper.

B．Recycling of paper is really helpful.

C．Paper making requires much energy.

D．The paper-making process proves simple.

2. What does the UCL study suggest about recycling of paper?

A．It results in the increasing use of plastics.

B．It is powered by renewable energy.

C．It is the key to fighting climate change.

D．It may cause more carbon emissions.

3. What does the underlined word "stunning" in the last paragraph probably mean?

A．Normal.	B．Shocking.
C．Small.	D．Relaxing.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Carbon problems with paper.	B．Emissions from paper making.
C．Increasing paper consumption.	D．Energy waste in paper recycling.

2 . Catch your reusable bag and kiss your plastic bags goodbye. Plastic waste is on its way out, thanks to these governmental bans from around the world.

From Indiana to Maine, governments at all levels in the US are forcing bans and improving recycling. People are shopping smarter and companies are doing better to ensure the protection of our environment. Slowly but surely, the world is entering a brighter future as more and more countries follow. But there’s still a lot of work to be done—or undone.

Since the 1950s, researchers say that about more than 8.3 billion tons of plastic has been produced. And 60% of that waste has ended up in the environment. That number has increased quickly over the years. For example, it was recorded that the world’s plastic production doubled from 1976 (50 million tons) to 1989 (100 million tons). It was highest at 368 million in 2019 before decreasing to 367 million in 2020.

A million tons decrease of plastic production is not enough to deal with the rising pressures plastic puts into the environment. We still do not know how long it takes for plastic to breakdown. It means that about 12 million tons of plastic waste that entered the ocean in 2010 is still breaking into micro plastics and filling up the stomachs of birds and sea animals. The plastic going into our environment is not going away. While recent studies of plastic-eating enzymes and bacteria offer some hope for the future of plastic waste management, the best way to deal with our environmental stress is through decrease.

In 2020, New York City began to ban plastic bags. But this wasn’t the first plastic bag ban in a US state. In fact, the US wasn’t even the first country to introduce this idea. Back in 2002, Bangladesh became the first country to implement a plastic bag ban. Since then, other countries have followed, introducing their own ways to fight with the continuing plastic bags.

1. What do we know about plastic waste?

A．We have completely cleaned it up	B．It is hardly increasing all over the world.
C．We have done nothing to deal with it.	D．There is a long way to solve the problem of it.

2. How much plastic waste has been put into the environment since the 1950s?

A．More than 8.3 billion tons.	B．About 5 billion tons.
C．About 100 million tons.	D．Less than 368 million tons.

3. What can be inferred about dealing with plastic?

A．It doesn’t take long to breakdown it	B．Sea animals can be eating most of it.
C．Some enzymes and bacteria help a lot.	D．Cutting plastic waste down is still the best way.

4. What does the underlined word “implement” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Carry out.

B．Keep up.

C．Look at.

D．Take away.

4 . The LEGO Group, whose plastic building toys are familiar to many people, has been working on making LEGO bricks out of recycled plastic. The bricks aren't ready yet, but the company says it's making progress.

Since roughly 1960, LEGO bricks have been made from ABS plastic which makes LEGO bricks very tough and gives them great clutch power so that the things users build don't fall apart easily. Sadly, ABS plastic can't really be recycled and it takes an extremely long time to break down.

However, since 2015, LEGO has been trying to make earth-friendly products. Making bricks from recycled materials could cut pollution from the company's bricks by 70%. But making bricks out of recycled plastic is challenging. The goal is to make bricks out of PET plastic, which is softer than ABS plastic and can be found in things like bottles and clothing. A recycled one-liter plastic bottle could make about ten 2×4 LEGO bricks. Over the past three years, the company has tested over 250 different ways of creating LEGO bricks from recycled plastic. A team of more than 150 people are working on the problem. Tim Brooks,who focuses on environmental responsibility at LEGO, says that experimenting and failing is “an important part of learning”.

Now, the company says they can make a good 2×4 brick from PET. One important step was finding a way of adding things to PET plastic to make it tougher and give it better clutch power like ABS. They will also work on shaping bricks into other forms and adding color to them-right now they are just white. The bricks will go through many different tests, which will take at least a year.

The company aims to make all their main products out of sustainable materials by the year 2030. “We know kids care about the environment and we want to tell them we're working on it.” said Mr. Brooks.

1. Which of the following can best describe LEGO bricks made from ABS plastic?

A．Strong and firm.

B．Recyclable and soft.

C．Cheap and familiar.

D．Popular and new.

2. Why is LEGO working on making PET plastic bricks?

A．Because the company wants to show that it's making progress.

B．Because this has always been LEGO's goal since its foundation.

C．Because using PET plastic bricks can reduce pollution to the earth.

D．Because PET plastic bricks are much softer and cheaper.

3. What can we learn about making PET plastic bricks?

A．LEGO has found a way to make colorful PET plastic bricks.

B．It's not necessary to put things into PET plastic to make it tough.

C．A lot of tests have been carried out and there will be more tests.

D．Children keep asking the company to replace ABS plastic bricks.

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

A．LEGO becomes a leading toy company

B．LEGO works to make bricks from recycled plastic

C．LEGO recycles plastic toy bricks to protect the environment

D．LEGO makes the best of ABS plastic to reduce cost

5 . 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。

Covering 7 million square kilometers of jungle and river over eight countries, the Amazon Rainforest is home to millions of sorts of plants and animals, some of     1     are still being discovered today. It's also the world’s     2    (large) supplier of oxygen and is a treasure chest for medical     3    (researcher) who are experimenting with different plants in hopes of finding cures for certain diseases.    4    , the world is at risk of losing this rich rainforest because of deforestation (滥伐森林)    5     (cause) by the actions of farmers, loggers and settlers.

The Amazon Basin     6    (lose) 20% of its rainforest since 1970. Cattle farmers have     7    (continuous) cleared the land for cows     8    (eat) on and crop farmers have begun “slash and burn” (刀耕火种), a farming method that involves cutting down forests and burning the land to make     9     suitable for agricultural purpose. Loggers have been cutting down the trees for timber(木材), further decreasing its size.

With the destruction of the Amazon Rainforest, global warming becomes more of a threat. It is up to each individual to fight against the     10    (disappear) of the Amazon by making the world know something about this environmental disaster.

6 . The measurable threat to the environment has been worsened by the spread of COVID-19 that increases the need for plastic protective equipment. Most plastic is made from fossil fuels. Millions of tons of greenhouse gas are released from the development of these resources and plastic production and burning.

The end life of plastic is just worrisome. Less than 10% of the plastic produced has been recycled. Even more of it has been burned. But the vast majority of plastic has been buried inland, and it is increasingly polluting the environment. We hear mostly about ocean plastic and the harm done to sea creatures that mistake plastic bags and bits for food. But microplastic is even more worrisome. Plastic doesn't break down biologically but instead breaks down into tiny particles（a very small piece of something）, which have been found in every corner of the planet, on land and in the air, in drinking water and food sources.

Yet the public has not given this global environmental disaster the attention it requires. Instead, they have viewed single-use plastic—which makes up about 40% of plastic used each year—as a litter issue that can be solved through better recycling and waste management. That attitude must change because the recent global breakdown of the market for recycling has made it clear that it has never been, nor ever will be, able to keep up with plastic trash use.

California has been the forerunner of plastic waste reduction—it was the first state to ban single-use plastic bags and may be the first state to transform the way goods are packaged. The state also came close to passing an act which would have required that products sold in plastic packaging in the state have a proven recycling rate of 75% by 2032. California, though influential, can't solve this crisis alone. The US has long been producing a great amount of plastic trash and it should engage in reducing the use of plastic as well.

1. Why does the author mention the release of greenhouse gas in paragraph 1?

A．To show the harm of plastic

B．To warn of the climate change.

C．To call for the development of fossil fuels.

D．To highlight the importance of plastic equipment.

2. What's the author's attitude towards the public opinion on single-use plastic?

A．Favorable.	B．Tolerant.
C．Curious.	D．Opposed.

3. What's California's role in reducing plastic waste?

A．A pioneer.	B．A failure.
C．An objector.	D．A predictor.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Microplastic Products Are Harmful

B．Waste Recycling Is an Urgent Matter

C．Plastic Waste Pollution Is a Wake-up Call

D．Global Environmental Disasters Are Increasing

7 . My interest in wildlife and rainforests began at an early age, when my parents introduced me to nature books and magazines. I was _______ by the pictures of strange animals living in distant lands. As I got older, my mother and father _______ my learning by taking me on trips to other countries. Therefore, I could see wildlife firsthand. I grew to _______ appreciate places of natural beauty and _______ the environment around me.

Over the years I have seen many beautiful _______ and met many wonderful people. I have swum with sea lions in the Galapagos Islands, _______ lemurs (狐猴) sing and dance in Madagascar, and had many other amazing _______. I have also become increasingly aware of the changes _______ by human activities. Some of the special places I so _______ are no longer around today. My inspiration to protect rainforests comes from a particular ________ in the rainforest of Borneo when an area of ________ was destroyed by loggers (伐木工).

Today I ________ a great deal of time reading, writing, traveling to rainforests, and talking with scientists doing research on them. My ________ is to raise awareness, interest, and appreciation of wild-lands like rainforests. It is not too ________ to save these special places and I hope that my work will someday inspire people to make a ________ in the world around them.

1.

A．frightened

B．comforted

C．fascinated

D．disturbed

2.

A．chose

B．encouraged

C．decided

D．explored

3.

A．possibly

B．only

C．mostly

D．greatly

4.

A．respect

B．destroy

C．balance

D．govern

5.

A．figures

B．gifts

C．places

D．tools

6.

A．made

B．watched

C．heard

D．helped

7.

A．adventures

B．dreams

C．experiments

D．questions

8.

A．prevented

B．needed

C．shown

D．caused

9.

A．disliked

B．forgot

C．enjoyed

D．climbed

10.

A．experience

B．solution

C．challenge

D．field

11.

A．mountain

B．rainforest

C．desert

D．plain

12.

A．waste

B．spend

C．avoid

D．miss

13.

A．method

B．major

C．strength

D．goal

14.

A．fresh

B．old

C．late

D．serious

15.

A．promise

B．decision

C．plan

D．difference

8 . An Ontario teen is making waves by turning old fishing gear into new treasures. Since last year, Natalie, 15, has been taking lost or thrown — away fishing nets and rope and transforming them into bracelets, rope art, mats, baskets and necklaces.

Last year, Natalie was working on an assignment for her science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) class. As part of the assignment, she learned about “ghost nets”, which are fishing nets that have been left or lost in the ocean by people who fish.

“They have huge effects on our environment. They can kill coral reefs and many animals,” said Natalie. “46 percent of the Pacific garbage is ghost gear.” The Great Pacific Garbage is a huge collection of trash floating in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and California.

Natalie told her mom she wanted to do something to help. She got in touch with a handful of charities, including the Sea Protection Society and Coastal Action.

After getting some shipments of ghost nets and rope from those organizations, Natalie, with the help of her family, started turning the discarded gear into new artworks. “We've made bracelets, rope art, mats, baskets, and we've made necklaces, which also use beach glass in them,” she said. Natalie then started selling the artworks online, the crafty buying and selling website.

She donated all her profits-minus a small sum of change to cover supplies — to the charities that donated fishing supplies to her. She's also been donating all the income from her non-profit business, called Nautical Waters, to charity. Natalie said she hoped to continue her passion for ocean life, with plans to study marine biology in university.

1. How did Natalie help with ghost nets?

A．By turning them into artworks.	B．By asking support from her mother.
C．By collecting money from charities.	D．By selling ghost nets at a good price.

2. What made Natalie decide to do something with ghost nets?

A．To collect supplies for the artworks.	B．To prepare for her study in university.
C．To protect coral reefs and marine animals.	D．To complete an assignment for her STEM class.

3. What does the underlined word “discarded" in Paragraph 5 refer to?

A．Polluted.

B．Rare.

C．Waste.

D．Discovered.

4. What is the best title for the text.

A．Ghost Nets Ready for Sale	B．Charities Make a Big Difference
C．Natalie's Passion for Ocean Treasures	D．Teen Turns Old Fishing Nets into Artworks

9 . The good news is that more people bought electric vehicles （EVs） in 2020. The bad news is that sport utility （多用途的）vehicles （SUVs） continued to grow in popularity, too. “The fall in oil consumption due to the first trend was completely canceled out by the second," said Laura Cozzi, an officer at the International Energy Agency （JEA）,

Between 2010 and 2020, global carbon dioxide emissions （排放）from conventional cars fell by nearly 35 billion Lons, due to reasons such as fuel efficiency improvements as well as the switch to electric cars. Emissions from SUVs rose by more than 50 billion tons. "While the growth in EVs is encouraging, the boom in SUVs is heart-breaking," says Peters at the Cicero Climate Research Centre in Norway.

There are many reasons for the growing popularity of SUVs. For example, rising economic boom in many countries means more people are able to afford them. Some people see them as status symbols. Also, SUVs are heavily advertised by car-makers, whose profit is higher on these vehicles. Some countries, including France, have introduced plans under which more taxes are paid on heavier cars. But Peters thinks that people who are rich enough to afford SUVs won't be deterred by slightly higher taxes. "There are now some electric SUVs available, but 1 hope one day you will see more electric vehicles brought to the SUV market," says Peters.

Even if it happens, switching to electric SUVs isn't a good solution. Due to their size and bigger batteries, it takes more resources to build electric SUVs, and they consume around 15 percent more electricity. That means higher emissions unless the electricity comes entirely from renewable sources, and higher electricity demand makes it harder to green the electricity supply.

1. What can we infer from Paragraph 2?

A．Scientists should devote themselves to improving fuel efficiency.

B．The emission of carbon dioxide of motor vehicles has hit a new low.

C．Electric vehicles will certainly take the place of sport utility vehicles.

D．The popularity of SUVs destroys some efforts at environmental protection.

2. What does the underlined word "deterred” probably mean?

A．Blocked.

B．Encouraged.

C．Removed.

D．Involved.

3. What is one of the reasons that SUVs are popular with consumers?

A．SUVs are discounted heavily.

B．SUVs are often advertised by car producers.

C．SUVs are taxed at a lower rate in some countries.

D．SUVs consume fewer resources than other vehicles.

4. What point does the author try to make in the last paragraph?

A．The electric SUVs should be made smaller and lighter.

B．The electric SUVs are a good guarantee for less pollution.

C．More electric SUVs don’t necessarily mean "environment-friendly".

D．Future electric SUVs will be powered with completely green energy.

10 . There you are in your favorite clothing store. You don’t really need to buy anything, but everything is so cheap and stylish! Before you know it, you leave the store with bags and bags of new clothes.

On the surface, this doesn’t seem so bad. However, there are a lot of hidden costs behind the cheap price tags (标牌). To put it plainly, the fashion industry is terrible for the planet. Not only does it use up a lot of resources, but it also heavily pollutes the environment with chemicals, microplastics and unwanted waste.

Fashion is one of the least sustainable industries on the planet, commented Michael Stanley-Jones. “We’ve all become our own waste managers, hoarding fashion waste in our houses,” he noted.

It doesn’t just take up space in our cupboards, though. It also ends up in landfills (垃圾场), too. But, thankfully, the fashion trend tides are changing. People are increasingly examining their own consumption and what changes they can make to become sustainable, Jane Fellner, founder and CEO of sustainable fashion seller Loopster, told the Guardian.

In particular, with its typically lower prices and rare fashion finds, shopping secondhand   has become an increasingly popular and eco-friendly option. According to online reseller ThredUp, the secondhand market is predicted to reach $80 billion by 2029. And, although fast fashion will continue to grow 20 percent over the next 10 years, secondhand fashion is expected to grow an unbelievable 185 percent in that same amount of time. Fellner continued: “Secondhand has become more socially acceptable. Thrifting (节约) is now massive on TikTok.”

The only true sustainable way to shop is to not shop at all, unless you’re buying clothes that already exist.

1. What does the fashion industry bring about?

A．People’s love for fast fashion.	B．Damage to the earth.
C．Cheap price tags.	D．Sufficient resources.

2. What does the underlined word “hoarding” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Sorting.	B．Avoiding.
C．Storing.	D．Recycling.

3. What does Jane Fellner think of secondhand fashion?

A．It is gaining popularity.

B．It has defeated fast fashion.

C．It makes people attractive.

D．It is huge among young people.

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

A．Young Consumers’ Habits

B．A Stylish Fashion Manager

C．The Fashion Industry

D．Sustainable Fashion Trend