1 . San Francisco’s public garbage cans have long outlived their lifespan (寿命) and need to be replaced. However, the current design is not enough for the city’s large population and the increasing number of tourists. The garbage cans also get messed up by the homeless. To address the issues, in 2018, San Francisco Public Works officials set out in search of a perfect garbage can. This proved harder than they had thought.
The officials had a few criteria in mind. The ideal garbage can had to be durable (耐用的) and easy to empty. It would also have a built-in sensor (传感器) to send warnings when full, cost between $2,000 to $3,000 a piece, and, most importantly, look good! After an extensive search failed to find a suitable off-the-shelf replacement, the committee asked local firms to design customized garbage cans.
The four-year exploration ended on July 18, 2022, with three selections. They include the “Slim Silhouette” “Salt & Pepper” and “Soft Square”. Since none of them meet all the required criteria, the officials have turned to the city’s residents for help.
The customized cans and three new off-the-shelf options have been placed across San Francisco for a 60-day trial. Residents can scan the QR codes on the cans and provide opinions on their use experience. A location map of each option is included at the end of the survey. The most popular garbage can will be publicized after the trial ends in mid-September.
The time spent on the project and the cost of the three customized garbage cans — which ranged between $11,000 to $20,900 a piece — have drawn criticism from the city’s retired official Matt Haney.
“The idea that San Francisco is so unique that we need a separate garbage can from any one used in any city around the world is laughable,” Haney said. “It’s something that reflects a broader and deeper brokenness of city government and the services it provides.”
However, Beth Rubenstein, director of policy and communications at San Francisco Public Works, believes their research will benefit cities across the US.
1. What is paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．The local tourism industry. | B．The origin of garbage cans. |
| C．The problems faced by the city. | D．The city’s poor environment. |
| A．The function. | B．The appearance. | C．The material. | D．The cost. |
| A．Take good care of the new garbage cans. | B．Make improvements to the new garbage cans. |
| C．Check new criteria for the new garbage cans. | D．Give their opinions on the new garbage cans. |
| A．Rewarding. | B．Meaningless. | C．Misleading.. | D．Efficient. |
2 . The mangrove tree might not look very impressive, but it is an essential part of our ecosystem. However, more than half of the mangrove forests have been destroyed in the past century. Several World Heritage Sites have been listed largely because of their mangrove ecosystems. Among them are the Sundarbans across India and Bangladesh, the Everglades National Park in the US, and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
Being a World Heritage Site requires for the mangroves to be protected. However, one country in Asia has gone further by having a five-year program to protect and conserve all their mangroves. They even have a mangrove museum and observe World Mangrove Day. This country is Sri Lanka. Why are mangrove trees so important to Sri Lanka and to other countries where mangroves grow?
The mangrove tree grows along coastal saltwater shorelines. They have adapted to the harsh coastal weather and have deep roots. This means that they are strong and cannot be easily removed. In countries where natural disasters such as tsunamis and cyclones occur, the forests provide protection. The villages in Sri Lanka with full mangrove forests have suffered less damage when hit by these natural disasters. The reason is that the mangroves break up the force and strength of the waves.
The mangroves also quickly absorb carbon dioxide and send oxygen into the atmosphere. This makes them an important part of the fight against climate change. They absorb far more carbon dioxide than other types of forest, and store it in their structure and even in the soil. This is important as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is believed to be a cause of detrimental changes in the weather, such as global warming.
The strong roots also provide protection for young fish as they grow. With the oceans around the world being overfished, it is important to maintain the ecological balance in the oceans. For Sri Lanka, one of the threats to the mangrove forests is the shrimp farms being set up. To build saltwater ponds for the shrimps, the mangroves are cut down. This has resulted in fewer fish surviving among the mangrove roots and fewer fish being caught by the fishermen. The local fishing communities noticed that they were losing money and it made them aware of how important the mangroves were. They are now helping to conserve the forests.
Sri Lanka is showing that a nation can preserve all of its mangroves. The conservation model they have can be used by other countries. It might take many years of planning, but the benefits of saving mangroves definitely outweigh the costs.
1. What do we know about the mangrove trees from the passage?| A．They are mainly grown in Australia. |
| B．They can prevent young fish from growing. |
| C．They have been damaged by natural disasters. |
| D．They are less impressive but important to the ecosystem. |
| A．A world mangrove festival has been founded. |
| B．Saltwater ponds for the shrimps have been set up. |
| C．A 5-year mangroves protecting program has been started. |
| D．More mangroves along the coastal areas have been grown. |
| A．The mangroves can keep the ecological balance in the oceans. |
| B．The mangroves are essential for fighting against climate change. |
| C．The mangroves have deep roots and hold the soil in place firmly. |
| D．The mangroves can break up the force and strength of the waves. |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. | C．Doubtful. | D．Unclear. |
