1 . Lisa Gautier receives nearly a dozen parcels of human hair every day. With her San-Francisco-based non-profit organization Matter of Trust, Gautier turns donated hair into mats used to soak up oil spills on land, and booms(long tubes)used for spills at sea.
A standard way to clean up oil from land is to use mats made from polypropylene(聚丙烯). But polypropylene is a non-biodegradable plastic, and producing it ultimately means more drilling for oil. Hair, by contrast, is an environmentally friendly resource that can soak up around five times its weight in oil, according to Matter of Trust, and it is abundant.
Oil spills can pollute drinking water, endanger public health, harm plants and wildlife, and damage the economy. According to Gautier, the spills that hit the headlines only make up 5% of global oil pollution.
Megan Murray, an environmental biologist at the University of Technology Sydney, develops sustainable technologies to tackle oil spills. Her research indicates that as well as being biodegradable, human hair is often just as effective as polypropylene, and in some circumstances even better. “The hair mats are very beneficial to land spills,” says Murray but adds that when raw oil is spilled on beach sand, it is very difficult to absorb it using any of the materials she has tested. Another advantage of hair is that it costs less than conventional materials and is “globally available as a recycled material,” she says.
However, Murray cautions that hair mats are not a perfect solution, because they are single-use, and can only be dealt with by burning or by burying into soil which then isn’t suitable for growing food. She is now researching methods to extract the oil from a used hair mat, meaning both can be reused.
As the hair mat designs aren’t under patent, other groups have begun producing their own mats and booms. Gautier is pleased to see the movement growing. “Anyone can make a hair mat,” she says. “It creates green jobs, it cleans water, it reduces waste in landfill, and it’s promoting renewable resources.”
1. What do we know about polypropylene according to the passage?| A．It is environmentally friendly. |
| B．People need more oil to produce it. |
| C．It can soak up around five times its weight in oil. |
| D．People seldom use mats made from it to clean up oil from land. |
| A．Hair mats do no harm to soil after being burnt. |
| B．People spend more to make hair mats than conventional materials. |
| C．The effect of hair mats on terrestrial(陆地上的)spills is not very good. |
| D．Hair mats are not a perfect solution because they can’t be recycled now. |
| A．Most oil-spill events have received widespread media coverage. |
| B．Lisa Gautier donated her hair to soak up oil spills on land and at sea. |
| C．Megan Murray goes all out to make the hair mats and the oil extracted from them reused. |
| D．There are many other materials used to treat oil spills on beach sand besides hair. |
| A．Human Hair Is Being Used to Clean Up Oil Spills |
| B．A Perfect Recycled Material—Human Hair |
| C．Take Action to Make Hair Mats And Booms |
| D．How to Tackle Oil Spills |
2 . People have different ways of dealing with waste paper, specifically used newspapers. Some put them in the recycling area, while others keep them as wrappers (包装纸). While these are both good measures, a Japanese publishing company had a better idea for their end use.
The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd. invented the “Green Newspaper”, which allows people to grow plants with it. This unique newspaper was published on Greenery Day, which is focused on environmental news and made of green paper with seeds placed into it. What makes it even more special is the ink (油墨) used to print words and photos, which is made from plants. The publisher advises readers to tear the used newspaper into small pieces and plant them in a container with soil. They should water them, like they would do for any plant. Within a few weeks, the seeds will grow into plants.
This brilliant concept was invented by Dentsu Inc., one of Japan’s most famous advertising agencies, which works with the publishing company on the initiative (倡议). The publisher’s belief is environmental sustainability (持续性). As its mission statement says, “The Mainichi doesn’t take action only through information, but also by solving global issues.” With joint efforts, this initiative has reached the corners of Japan and sold around millions of copies daily. Other such initiatives producing plantable paper are also seen in India and the US.
About 95 million trees are lost for producing newspapers every year. The Internet, the number of whose users stands for 62.5 percent of the population worldwide, has influenced how people read news and the print readership has dropped greatly. However, the reinvention and reimagination of this newspaper will bring about a change in the publishing industry as well as having an environmental influence.
1. What do we know about the “Green Newspaper”?| A．It uses high-tech materials. |
| B．It provides energy for seeds. |
| C．It’s printed with plant-based ink. |
| D．It’s published to celebrate Greenery Day. |
| A．It’s easier said than done. |
| B．Everything comes to him who waits. |
| C．Many hands make light work. |
| D．Actions speak louder than words. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Supportive. |
| C．Indifferent. | D．Negative. |
| A．About 59 million trees are lost for producing newspapers. |
| B．The Internet has changed the way people read news totally. |
| C．The popularity of the Internet leads to the fall of the print readership. |
| D．The “Green Newspaper” will encourage more people to protect the environment. |
3 . Unlike other natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes are very hard to see coming, even for scientists.
Drop, cover and hold
If you feel the ground start to shake, drop, take cover under as table piece of furniture, and hold on. You can hide under something like a desk or table, with one arm holding on to a leg of the table and your other arm protecting your neck and head.
Make a family plan
Secure your furniture
Those hanging shelves above your bed could be a danger during an earthquake. People often get injured from “flying or falling objects” like furniture or glass during earthquakes. So examine your home and ask yourself, “What could be a potential danger to my safety?”
Make digital copies of important documents
Important documents may get destroyed during earthquakes. Therefore, scan or take photos of your important documents, such as your license, financial records and insurance policy information.
| A．Then send them to your e-mail. |
| B．These are all important personal documents. |
| C．Make sure your household has a plan of action. |
| D．Whatever you do, do not stand in a doorframe. |
| E．If you find the answer, you need to runaway immediately. |
| F．Nowadays early detection systems can only give seconds of warming ahead. |
| G．If possible, remove those heavy and big objects above your bed immediately. |
4 . The monarch butterfly migration(迁徙)is at risk because of climate change and other envuronmental factors.
Do you know that monarch butterflies can travel up to 50- 100 miles a day? If you know they need travel about two months, you’ll have an idea of the distance monarchs travel to get to Mexico.
Monarch butterflies are the only hind of butterflies to make a two-way migration. They travel to Mexico to escape the winter season in the northern climates. Cold, wet weather is considered deadly for monarchs, while hotter, diner summer change their homes in the north.
2020, however, saw a 26% drop from the year earlier in migration patterns reported in a report from the World Wildlife Fund and the Mexican government. With this drop, the butterflies’ population covered only 2.1 hectares in 2020, compared to 2.8 hectares a year earlier. And the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Michoacan. Mexico, lost trees at a higher rate than it did in 2019.
With climate change as the monarch butterflies’ biggest challenge, they are faced with many dangers, such as drought, deforestation(滥伐森林)and struggle to breed. These dangers affect the whole migration and hold back population growth. Female monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed flowers, which have been heavily affected by the wild weather from spring and summer of last year. Because of this, the development of butterfly eggs was also affected.
Since 2013, Mexico has seen a rapid drop in the number of migrants arriving to the area. The effects of climate change and deforestation have become an important sign that action needs to be taken to make sure of a healthy migration for monarchs going forward. If not, it’s their possible dying, out that wall fall unto our hands.
1. Haw far do monarch butterflies fly to escape the cold?| A．50-100 miles. | B．100-200 miles. |
| C．1,500 – 3,000 miles. | D．3,000 -6,000 miles. |
| A．It is becoming cold and wet. | B．It is dangerous for monarchs |
| C．Its environment is being destroyed. | D．Its area is growing smaller. |
| A．The damage to forests. | B．The dangers monarchs face. |
| C．The growth process of monarchs. | D．The development of butterfly eggs |
| A．Point out the signs of climate change. | B．Explain the cause of the monarch migration. |
| C．Call for measures to stop monarchs dying out. | D．Express regret at the monarchs’ disappearance. |
5 . Why Is Sorting Important When Recycling?
We all agree that we should recycle more at home, in the office or when out and about.
Once recyclable materials are collected from your home, they are further sorted in specialized facilities which ensure the quality of the recycling process.
| A．For effective recycling we need effective sorting. |
| B．Packaging at work is the first step towards recycling. |
| C．This is where different sorting techniques come into play. |
| D．So citizens need to be aware of their local collection system. |
| E．Collection systems can be very different from country to country. |
| F．The rest was landfilled or burned even though they could have been recycled or reused. |
| G．But for materials to be recycled, they first need to find their way to the right waste stream. |
6 . Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. 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. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.
There are many environment-friendly sports. 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. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. 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 for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’s free.
1. Which of the following is the author most probably in favor of?| A．Cycling around a lake. |
| B．Motor racing in the desert. |
| C．Playing basketball in a gym. |
| D．Swimming in a sports center. |
| A．It is popular in Portugal and Spain. |
| B．It causes water shortages around the world. |
| C．It pollutes the earth with chemicals and wastes. |
| D．It needs water and electricity to keep its courses green. |
| A．it is an outdoor sport |
| B．it improves our health |
| C．it uses fewer resources |
| D．it is recommended by experts |
| A．show us the function of major sports |
| B．encourage us to go in for green sports |
| C．discuss the major influence of popular sports |
| D．introduce different types of environment-friendly sports |
