1 . While waste within the convenience economy should certainly be solved, it is neither realistic nor sustainable to work towards the complete abandonment of plastics for packaging and other convenience items. Plastics play a crucial role in preserving products both physically and from the effects of water, oxygen and other things. Further, we cannot over-rely on recycling when we consider weak market interest in low-grade materials.
What we need is a strong focus on improving the sustainability of the plastics that we will continue to need. For these plastics, the clear goal should be to stop the use of oil. We must turn to materials based on natural, renewable resources and produce plastics that have minimal impact on the environment after multiple use. Several of these products are already available on the market, but the key to challenging the dominance of oil-based plastics is extending and developing the capacity and range of such products with new material science.
Industrial biotechnology is becoming a cornerstone of the bio-economy. It involves working with natural processes to extend biochemical pathways that can be used in manufacturing (制造业). It has the potential to improve how we manufacture materials and allow us to produce entirely new materials, at the same time protecting the environment and reducing costs.
At Biome Bio-plastics, for example, our industrial biotechnology development programme has already successfully produced bio-based chemicals at sufficient scale (规模) for industrial testing from lignin, the woody material in plants and other renewable carbon sources. Availability of these chemicals could-completely transform the bio-plastics market, creating natural polymers (聚合物) that can compete with oil-based polymers on both cost and functionality. We believe that our product can deliver important changes across the materials industry and provide a critical tool in the fight against plastic pollution.
1. What does paragraph 1 mainly focus on concerning plastics?| A．Their source materials. | B．Their vital importance. |
| C．The problems they cause. | D．The methods to abandon them |
| A．They should be eco-friendly. | B．They could be a bit expensive. |
| C．They could be replaced by plant products | D．They should be made from used things. |
| A．The high cost of carbon sources. |
| B．The wide variety of their products. |
| C．The low availability of oil-based polymers. |
| D．The application of industrial biotechnology |
| A．A newspaper journalist. | B．A government officer. |
| C．A company manager. | D．A university researcher |
2 . Years ago, I bought a blouse. That same day, I considered putting it on, but for no particular reason decided not to. That weekend, I again considered wearing the blouse, but the occasion didn’t seem special enough, so again, I passed. Fast forward to today. I have never worn that blouse.
What happened here? Why do people own so many unused possessions, treating them as though they are too special to use? To find out, I ran an experiment in which participants imagined buying a bottle of wine. We had half of the participants imagine considering opening it one night, but deciding not to. Then when we measured how special the wine seemed, and participants intentions to open it later we found that those who had imagined holding off on opening it were in fact less likely to intend to open it later. When asked the reason, most assumed they were waiting for a future occasion to open it a more special occasion.
Why do people fall into this mental trap? Prior research points to a recipe for what psychologists term “specialness spirals”. When you give up using something, if you believe that you are waiting to use it, the possession will start to feel more special. And as you search for the right occasion day after day it becomes more tempting (吸引人的) to hold out for a future occasion. The less you use it, though, the more special it feels, and the cycle continues. Ultimately, the likelihood (可能性) of using the possession becomes rarer and rarer. The more this happens, the more stuff you have lying around.
How can you fight specialness spirals? Try committing in advance to using an item on a specific occasion. When buying a dress, tell yourself you’ll wear it this weekend. Or when purchasing a candle, plan to light it that day. This strategy encourages you to actually enjoy your possessions.
1. Why has the author’s blouse sat unworn for many years?| A．She forgot where it was put. | B．She soon grew to dislike it. |
| C．She had no other clothes to match it | D．She failed to find a right occasion to wear it. |
| A．Discuss how to deal with the wine. | B．List reasons for drinking the wine. |
| C．Decide whether to drink the wine. | D．Evaluate the quality of the wine. |
| A．They result from an optimistic attitude to the future. |
| B．They help explain the psychology of delayed rewards. |
| C．They can attract people into shopping traps. |
| D．They can lead to a collection of unused stuff. |
| A．To describe a purchase experience. | B．To explain a psychological phenomenon. |
| C．To criticize a wrong consumption concept. | D．To encourage people to prepare for a rainy day. |
1. Why did Murphy go to a doctor?
| A．He failed to see anything. | B．He needed some help. | C．He became deaf. |
| A．Cooking a meal. | B．Having dinner. | C．Laying the table. |
| A．She’s generous. | B．She’s nervous. | C．She’s impatient. |
| A．Introducing a treatment. | B．Giving a speech. | C．Telling a story. |
1. What will the speakers do first?
| A．Buy drinks. | B．Return home. | C．Visit a university. |
| A．Water. | B．Coffee. | C．Hot chocolate. |
| A．By bus. | B．On foot. | C．By bike. |
| A．In the street. | B．In a bank. | C．In a coffee shop. |
5 . If you will take a vacation with your family or friends, renting a yacht (游艇) in Cabo is one of the choices you need to consider. A yacht is comfortable and gives you the freedom while on vacation.
It allows you to explore different destinations.
It allows you to enjoy your privacy and personal service. Renting a yacht for a vacation guarantees (保证) privacy and provides an opportunity to spend time with your loved ones.
These above are the reasons why you may consider renting a yacht when going for a vacation.
| A．Of course, there are many choices |
| B．Since you will visit many places in Cabo |
| C．It allows you to experience total relaxation |
| D．Because exploring and privacy are the most important |
| E．Besides, you have the chance to request personal service |
| F．Here are some other benefits of renting a yacht for your trip |
| G．Renting a yacht will, thus, make you get away from the busy world |
6 . One winter evening, Kelly was walking home from her favorite bookstore. She had bought two cookery books and three art books, and couldn’t wait to get home to read them in front of a warm fire.
“I read a lot, and love the pleasure of reading something that I want,” she said. But when she reached into her pocket, she realized that her wallet was gone. She looked around and started to retrace (折回) her steps.
“I’m down on my hands and knees, looking in the gutters (排水沟) around the streets. I go back and forth. My wallet is nowhere,” she said.
She went back to the bookstore, but nobody had turned it in. Kelly walked home hopelessly and was about to cancel her credit cards when an email appeared. It was from a man named Adam, who said he had found her wallet.
Through a name card, Adam found a way to contact Kelly and gave her his phone number and home address. Kelly had a taxi sent to Adam’s house and 20 minutes later, a small brown paper bag arrived on her front steps.
“The loveliest detail is that when I’m digging the wallet out of the bag, I suddenly find Adam has dropped a bar of chocolate at the bottom, which he can not have possibly known is my favorite,” Kelly said.
The kindness of Adam’s gesture has stayed with Kelly. She decides to look for chances to pass it on.
1. How many art books did Kelly buy?| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
| A．To call Adam. | B．To find her wallet. |
| C．To pay the money. | D．To return her books. |
| A．By a piece of news. | B．From one of his friends. |
| C．Through a name card. | D．With the help of the police. |
| A．Surprised. | B．Proud. | C．Frightened. | D．Sorry. |
His brother was rushed to the operation room; he stood outside,
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