1 . Scientists have calculated the total amount of plastic ever made: 8.3 billion tons. Looked at another way, that’s as heavy as 25, 000 Empire State Buildings or one billion elephants. And incredibly, almost all of it has been made in the last 65 years.
______ Much plastic is in the form of packaging which is used just once and then thrown away. According to a major new study from the University of California, 9% of this is recycled, 12% is completely burnt and 79% goes to landfill. And because most plastic is not easily disposed of, once it’s in the ground, it stays there.
It’s a situation that has led the paper’s lead author, ecologist Dr. Roland Geyer, to say that we are “rapidly heading towards ‘Planet Plastic’”. The team behind this report also estimate that eight million tons of plastic waste are escaping into the sea every year. This has caused concern that plastic is entering the food chain, through fish and other sea life which swallow the smaller fragments.
Of course, the reason why there’s so much plastic around is that it’s an amazingly useful material. It’s durable and adaptable, and is used for everything from yoghurt pots to spaceships. But it’s exactly this quality that makes it a problem. The only way to destroy plastic is to heat or burn it — although this has the side effect of harmful emissions.
So what’s the alternative, other than using less plastic? Oceanographer Dr. Erik van Sebille from Utrecht University says we’re facing a “tsunami” of plastic waste, and that the global waste industry needs to “get its act together”.
Professor Richard Thompson, a marine biologist from Plymouth University, says it’s poor design that’s at fault. He says that if products are currently designed “with recyclability in mind”, they could be recycled around 20 times over.
1. Which of the following is the best topic sentence for paragraph two?A.So where does the plastic go? |
B.So why is much plastic thrown away? |
C.So what’s the problem? |
D.So how is the plastic disposed of? |
A.By being eaten and absorbed by sea creatures. | B.By being used as useful materials. |
C.By getting into the food market directly. | D.By getting into the deep sea. |
A.Plastic waste has caused tsunami. |
B.The design of products should be environmentally friendly. |
C.Plastics are currently recycled over 20 times. |
D.Global waste industry is to blame for the plastic waste problem. |
A.Global Waste Industry | B.Recyclability of Plastics |
C.Planet Plastic | D.Plastic Waste into the Sea |
2 . Plastic is everywhere in our environment, especially in the ocean. Actually, a large amount of plastic waste is floating around the world’s oceans today, waiting to be eaten by some fish or oyster, and finally perhaps by one of us.
Because plastic wasn’t invented until the late 19th century, and its production only really took off around 1950, we have a mere 9.2 billion tons of the stuff to deal with. Of that, more than 6.9 billion tons have become waste. And of that waste, a surprising 6.3 billion tons never made it to a recycling bin. No one knows how much unrecycled plastic waste ends up in the ocean. In 2015, Jenna Jambeck, an engineering professor, caught everyone’s attention with a rough estimate: between 5.3 million and 14 million tons of plastic waste each year just come from coastal regions.
Meanwhile, ocean plastic is estimated to kill millions of marine (海洋的) animals every year. Nearly 700 species, including endangered ones, are known to have been affected by it. Some are stuck by abandoned things made of plastic. Many more are probably harmed invisibly. Marine species of all sizes, from zooplankton to whales, now eat microplastics. We are closely related to oceans so the consequences of throwing plastic away may return to affect us some day.
“This isn’t a problem where we don’t know what the solution is,” says Ted Siegler, a Vermont resource economist, “We know how to pick up garbage. Anyone can do it. We know how to deal with it. We know how to recycle.” It’s a matter of building the necessary systems, he says, ideally before the ocean turns into a thin soup of plastic.
1. What’s the function of the first paragraph?A.To prove plastic was difficult to invent. | B.To tell us what marine animals like eating. |
C.To call on us to protect marine animals. | D.To introduce the topic of the passage. |
A.By listing figures. | B.By giving examples. |
C.By analyzing reasons. | D.By making comparisons. |
A.results | B.functions | C.causes | D.aims |
A.Some people don’t know the solution of plastics waste. |
B.It’s time to take measures to deal with plastic waste. |
C.Plastics will turn the ocean into a soup of plastic. |
D.People should avoid using plastics to protect the ocean. |
3 . For Cruz, who grew up in Peru’s mountainous region of Cuzco, fog represents a massive opportunity. As a boy, he had to hike for more than an hour every day across hills to collect water from the nearest source. But over time, he realized that during the rainy season, droplets of water would gather in the large leaves of banana trees. So one day he and his father tried to build a canal system with the leaves to collect water and it turned out a success. But afterwards, he moved to Lima at the age of 25.
There, shocked by the water shortages and expensive water supply that some of the city’s poorest residents were faced with, Cruz set up El Movimiento Peruanos sin Agua in 2005. The idea was to deploy the method he learned in his hometown on a larger scale, which would provide free, independently sourced and easily accessible water to those who needed it most. He began installing (安装) a traditional fog catcher model developed in the 1980s.
At the highest point of Los Tres Miradores, there is a curious set of large structures that resemble a fleet of ships in the sky. They are so-called “fog catchers”. Netted devices, made of high density Raschel polyethylene and spanning several meters wide, are lined up at the top of a misty mound and linked by a network of tubes that lead to storage containers. The 40 fog catchers there provide enough water for 180 families, whether to bathe, clean, drink or to irrigate crops on small garden patches.
Supporters believe that fog catchers have the potential to improve water supply for communities around the world among the ever-challenging circumstances. German researcher Lummerich says, “They are cheap, easy to construct.” In a world searching for water supply systems, it is one important puzzle piece that can make an essential difference locally.
However, there are some issues. For one, fog catchers require space, which is not always easy to come by in cities, let alone urban slums. At the same time, fog catchers must be properly cleaned and maintained to stay effective. Most crucially, appropriate climate conditions are required. Fog isn’t everywhere.
1. What does the underlined word “deploy” probably mean in paragraph 2?A.Employ. | B.Adjust. | C.Design. | D.Study. |
A.The reason why Cruz installed fog catchers. |
B.The difficulties of constructing a canal system. |
C.The installation and benefits of fog catchers. |
D.The inspiration Cruz gained to build a canal system. |
A.High costs. | B.Public opposition. |
C.Space limitation. | D.Climate conditions. |
A.Urban Areas: A Struggle for Sufficient Water |
B.Innovative Water Collection Techniques in Peru |
C.The Global Water Crisis and Possible Solutions |
D.Fog Catchers: A Local Solution with Global Potential |
4 . The government of Singapore has created a highly developed system that turns wastewater into drinking water. The system involves a network of tunnels and high technology treatment centers.
The system helps reduce ocean pollution, as only a small amount of the treated water is sent into the sea. The United Nations estimates that 80 percent of the world’s wastewater flows back into the oceans without being treated or reused.
Singapore has few natural water sources. The island nation has long had to depend mostly on supplies from neighboring Malaysia.
Low Pei Chin, an expert, told reporters, “Singapore lacks natural resources, and it is limited in space, which is why we are always looking for ways to explore water sources and stretch our water supply. One major plan is to collect every drop and reuse endlessly.”
Parts of the water treatment center are underground. Wastewater enters the center through a 48- kilometer tunnel that is linked to sewers. The center contains a large system of steel pipes, tubes, tanks, cleaning systems and other machinery. It can treat up to 900 million liters of wastewater a day.
In one building, a network of air flow systems has been put in place to keep the air smelling as fresh as possible. Waste that arrives at the plant goes through a cleaning process before powerful pumps send it flowing to areas above ground for more treatment. There, the treated water receives additional cleaning. Bacteria and viruses are removed through highly developed cleaning processes and then disinfected with ultraviolet radiation (紫外线).
Singapore is also in the process of expanding its recycling system. The country will add another underground tunnel and a major water treatment center to serve the western half of the island. Officials expect work on the center to be completed by 2025. By the time the expansion is finished, Singapore will have spent about $7.4 billion on its water treatment systems.
1. What can we infer from the second paragraph?A.The world’s oceans are polluted by wastewater. |
B.Only a small amount of the treated water is suitable to drink. |
C.Wastewater is usually treated before being sent into the oceans. |
D.80 percent of the water in the oceans can be used as drinking water. |
A.Singapore plans to get help from Malaysia. |
B.The wastewater is cleaned underground in the whole process. |
C.900 million liters of wastewater can be cleaned in the center a day. |
D.The recycled water enters the sea through a highly developed system. |
A.Purifying water by itself. |
B.Through a special kind of chemical. |
C.With ultraviolet radiation. |
D.Through cleaning processes and disinfection. |
A.Singapore turns wastewater into drinking water. |
B.Collect and rescue: the future of Singapore. |
C.The importance of sea water in Singapore. |
D.Water source protection matters. |
5 . Popularly known as the environmentalist and founder of the international tree-plant, Felix Finkbeiner is only 25 years old but he has been urgently at work for over a decade.
In 2006, Finkbeiner was asked to give a presentation on climate change in his class. Inspired by Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai, who led an effort to plant 30 million trees, Felix spoke about deforestation and its effect on the planet. At the end of his talk, he followed with his own fearless idea that a million trees should be planted in each country to fight climate change. He challenged his classmates to help him. One year later, the project named “Plant-for-the-Planet” was born. It wasn’t long before his fearless dream was realized.
When he was just 13, He was invited to speak at a United Nations conference and made the call for others to join him. “We cannot trust that adults alone will save our future, “he said in the speech. “We have to take our future in our own hands.”
Finkbeiner is now in his twenties, and Plant-for-the-Planet is an organization with around 70, 000 members. It works to teach people about climate change and to encourage the planting of more trees. Finkbeiner has taken over the United Nations’ Billion Tree Programme, planning to plant another trillion trees instead.
Finkbeiner continues to give talks on climate change to world leaders. “I don’t think we can give up on this generation of adults,” he says, “and wait 20 or 30 years for our generations to come to power. We don’t have that time. All we can do is to push present world leaders in the right direction.
1. Which of the following words can best describe Finkbeiner?A.Active and friendly. | B.Active and outgoing. |
C.Successful and funny. | D.Ambitious and strong-willed. |
A.It was set up in 2007. |
B.It has many thousands of members. |
C.Its aim is to plant one million trees. |
D.It teaches people about deforestation. |
A.Removal of forests. | B.Planting of forests. |
C.Advantages of forests. | D.Disadvantages of forests. |
A.If today’ young people have more power, they will make changes easily. |
B.Young people need to push those in power to make changes. |
C.Today’s world leaders set up a good example for young people to follow. |
D.Young people can stop getting the support from this generation of adults. |
6 . On November 7, Lewis Pugh completed a one-kilometer swim in the freezing waters of King Edward Cove, off South Georgia in Antarctica. He was wearing only his swimming glasses, cap and Speedos (速度计).
Pugh is an advocate (提倡者) for our oceans and seas, working to protect these ecosystems (生态系统) with their large diversity of sea life. When asked why he doesn’t wear a wetsuit, Lewis says, “I ask world leaders to do everything they can to protect our oceans. Sometimes the steps they need to take are difficult and unpopular. If I’m asking them to be courageous, I must also be. Swimming in a wetsuit would not send the right message.”
It took Pugh about 19 minutes to complete the one-kilometer swim in Antarctica where the water averaged about 1.6 degrees Celsius. He says that his body can only tolerate about 20 minutes in the freezing waters before it starts shutting down. As he swims, his body temperature steadily drops, which in turn causes his muscle control to drop, slowing him down. When he is done with his swim, his support team rushes him to a hot shower and it takes almost an hour for his body temperature to return to normal.
Doctors and Pugh warn that one must receive months of training to swim in such cold waters. Even expert swimmers who are unused to freezing water can drown within minutes because of the physical shock experienced by the body. Pugh says he trained for six months before this swim.
This is not the first time that Lewis has swum in dangerous conditions. In 2007, he swam one kilometer in the North Pole to draw attention to the melting Arctic ice due to the climate change. In 2015, he swam in the Bay of Whales in Antarctica’s Ross Sea as part of his successful campaign to help set up a sea life reserve (保护中心) there.
1. Why did Lewis Pugh swim without a wetsuit?A.To swim faster. | B.To show his bravery. |
C.To win public attention. | D.To protect the ecosystems. |
A.His body. | B.His muscle. |
C.His body temperature. | D.The water temperature. |
A.should be expert at swimming | B.should be ready to take on challenges |
C.must be trained professionally | D.must be used to long-distance swimming |
A.Tips for protecting oceans and seas | B.Lewis Pugh: achieving the impossible |
C.Tips for extreme swimming | D.Lewis Pugh: swimming for a cause |
7 . China has made remarkable achievements in promoting the green and low-carbon energy transition and will continue to pursue green, high-quality environmental development to achieve its carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals. Here are some facts and figures about China’s green energy development.
This philosophy for green and sustainable development has well pictured one of the defining features of China in the new era. Under such a guideline, China’s green transition is rapidly gaining momentum, from developing non-fossil energy to updating the industrial structure, from investing in low-carbon technologies to transforming the transport sector.
1. Which energy has risen the most in terms of Accumulative installed capacity in Jan-Nov, 2022?A.Hydro energy. | B.Nuclear energy. | C.Wind energy. | D.Solar energy. |
A.UK | B.Thailand | C.China | D.Belgium |
A.Wind power is the most productive energy source in our country |
B.The purpose of exporting new energy vehicles is to make money |
C.Exporting new energy vehicles helps promote green development around the world. |
D.The sales of new energy vehicles are much higher than the production. |
8 . Latin America’s first renewable fuel-powered, garbage-trapping wheel is cleaning one of Panama’s dirtiest rivers. It is powered by water and solar energy. It pulls waste out of the Juan Diaz River. Most of the waste comes from the capital area of Panama City where about 2 million people live. Thousands of kilograms of garbage flow down the river into the ocean each year.
As the leader of the project, Robert Getman said, “Cleaning beaches is good, but it is more effective and cheaper to trap garbage in rivers because when it reaches the ocean, the environmental and economic cost becomes too high.”
The Juan Diaz River is one of the most polluted in Panama. Waste systems in the area are poor, and land development is not well supervised (监督). The river also passes through Panama City, one of Central America’s largest cities. Still, the waterway and its mangrove trees are home to wildlife like turtles and birds. According to this situation, the environmental group Marea Verde launched the wheel in late September, which is named Wanda Diaz. By the middle of October, it had gathered 28. 6 cubic meters of plastic bottles from the water. Over five years, Marea Verde projects have slowed the spread of waste along the Juan Diaz River and other Panama’s rivers. Several years ago, the group launched its “Barrier or Trash” technology, a floating device. It captured more than 100 metric tons of waste in the Matias Hernandez River within two years.
The Baltimore Bay “Trashwheel” in the United States is the model for Marea Verde’s machine, Wanda Diaz. However, Wanda Diaz is more advanced and superior in terms of technology, and it even has cameras with artificial intelligence (AI) that can recognize and sort different plastics.
“We want each of us to raise awareness that we can prevent the death of the Juan Diaz River, ”said Marea Verde’s leader Sandy Watemberg. She expressed her hope that the wheel would also help many more other rivers. But she also pointed out that those who accustomed themselves to single-use plastics needed to rethink their behavior.
1. Which words best describe the garbage-trapping wheel?A.Green and practical. |
B.Effective but costly. |
C.Powerful but energy-wasting. |
D.Renewable and simple. |
A.Great damage to Panama City. |
B.The importance of the Juan Diaz River. |
C.Measures taken to battle wildlife killing. |
D.The background information of Marea Verde projects. |
A.It has Al to break down plastics. |
B.It is the model for “Trashwheel”. |
C.It has AI cameras to remove plastics. |
D.It is an updated version of “Trashwheel”. |
A.People should not use plastics anymore. |
B.The death of the river is unpreventable. |
C.Humans’ living habits matter in river protection. |
D.River protection has received the attention of all. |
9 . It used to be that a “green classroom” referred to the colour of paint on the wall. But today’s green classrooms are greener than that! New “green” classrooms help schools save money and provide clean environments where students learn better.
Many classrooms are going green by adding solar panels to their roofs. The solar panels collect energy from the sun and use it to power lights and computers. The panels help make green classrooms grid-neutral, which means the panels create at least as much electricity as the classrooms use. In addition, new lighting and air systems can be programmed to lower energy costs and water use.
Many new “green” classrooms are built by using recycled materials. Some even use pieces of material from blue jeans to insulate walls and roofs. The old-jean insulation cuts heat and air conditioning bills.
Green schools feature many other new ideas. Some classrooms are painted using special odor-free paints that help improve indoor air. Some use no glues that add chemical smells to the air. Others use triple-pane windows and skylights to help keep classrooms warm in cold weather and let in lots of natural daylight.
Experts say the benefits of building greener classrooms go beyond cost savings. Studies show that a healthful environment with good air quality can cut colds and flu by more than 50 percent. That means fewer sick days for students and teachers. Studies have shown that natural light and other green features improve student learning and test scores too.
1. What’s the typical feature of the present green classroom?A.Its paint is green. | B.It is environmentally friendly |
C.Its furniture is green. | D.It has many plants |
A.Material from jeans. | B.Solar panels. |
C.Triple-pane windows. | D.Lighting and air systems. |
A.save money | B.cost nothing | C.have no smell | D.have no colour |
A.Bettering air quality. | B.Getting natural light |
C.Curing flu and colds. | D.Improving test scores. |
10 . All sorts of items become litter but two of the most common and most dangerous are cigarette butts and plastic bags. Litter is a big problem for our environment but it is a problem that individuals can easily do something about. Not littering at all or cleaning up litter, such as cigarette butts and plastic bags, greatly improves the quality of our environment.
Although cigarette butts are small, they are bad for the environment. Over 1,600 billion cigarettes are smoked each year in China and large quantities of the butts are thrown away. Worldwide, about 4.5 trillion butts are littered every year. Apart from the fact that butts spoil the beauty of the environment, they contain some very toxic chemicals. These find their way into the water supply where they decrease the quality of the water and endanger plants and animals that live there. Because there are so many butts and because they can take up to 5 years to break down, the toxic chemicals add up to a large amount. So, if people have to smoke, they should not throw away the butts but put them in the rubbish bin instead.
Plastic bags are another common form of litter that is a danger to the environment. There are several reasons for this. They are made from oil and gas, which are non-renewable resources. If they are not recycled, these resources are lost to us. In China, 2 billion plastic bags are used every day. An enormous number of these become litter. This is a huge problem because they last from 20 to 1,000 years in the environment. They float easily in air and water and travel long distances. They find their way to rivers, parks, beaches and oceans. Plastic bags kill up to one million seabirds, 100,000 sea mammals and countless fish each year worldwide. When the animal dies and breaks down, the plastic bag can become free again to kill another animal. It is up to people not to let plastic bags become litter. It would be better if they used fewer and recycled them.
Cleaning up your cigarette butts and plastic bags would improve the environment. The earth would be a better place because it would be less polluted. And we would know that we were doing something to look after our planet. However, I believe the best solution would be not to smoke or use plastic bags at all.
1. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us?A.Dozens of plastic bags become litter. | B.Butts spoil the beauty of the environment. |
C.Cigarette butts are bad for the environment. | D.It takes up to 5 years for butts to break down. |
A.By making explanations. | B.By listing numbers. |
C.By making comparisons. | D.By making definitions. |
A.Classify the litter. | B.Use fewer plastic bags. |
C.Put the butts in the rubbish bin. | D.Not to smoke or use plastic bags at all. |
A.No smoking, no littering | B.Recycle the plastic bags |
C.Clean up your butts and bags | D.Stop spoiling the environment |