1 . Margot doesn’t have a garbage can. It doesn’t need one because Margot simply doesn’t cause anything to get thrown away. The restaurant doesn’t allow any type of single use plastic. Margot, which opened last year, is one of the small but growing restaurants around the world aiming to avoid not only food leftovers, but also any garbage.
“Food waste has been increasing as an issue for restaurants over the last 10 years,” says Calvin Brown. He runs the Sustainable Restaurant Association. Based in the United Kingdom, the organization helps food business become more environmentally responsible. He says that food waste contributes to releasing the greenhouse gas, so there is strong motivation to reduce waste and help the environment.
In the USA, food waste and packing account for nearly half of the material sent to landfills. Restaurants from McDonald’s to Starbucks are addressing this issue with “no straw Mondays” and limits on single-serving plastic, but a handful of restaurateurs are trying to get rid of rubbish entirely. There’s also economic case to be made for waste reduction. One study shows that restaurants save seven dollars for every dollar invested in anti- waste methods.
Avoiding food waste is the first and perhaps most obvious challenge for sustainable restaurants. Doug McMaster, chef at Silo in London, only serves a set menu. This removes the worry that one particular item won’t sell well, and will spoil in the refrigerator. Compost (堆肥) is a necessity as well. Nolla (meaning “zero” in Finnish) in Helsinki, Finland is giving compost to its suppliers as well as its diners. Nolla also has food- tracking software more commonly used among corporate food service companies to keep track of what sells and what rots.
Sometimes restaurants call themselves environmentally friendly, but they might just be using the label. Calvin offers some pointers on what to look for to make sure a restaurant is truly committed to sustainability.
1. What does Margot feature?| A．Its large size. | B．Its opening hours. |
| C．Its zero-waste goal. | D．Its plastic garbage cans. |
| A．Ways of packaging food. |
| B．The issue of investing in services. |
| C．The importance of environmental protection. |
| D．Efforts of some restaurants to reduce rubbish, |
| A．Only serve a set menu. |
| B．Hardly use refrigerators. |
| C．Supply compost to its customers. |
| D．Keep track of diners’ preferences. |
| A．Expand food business. |
| B．Use eco-friendly labels. |
| C．Save money on dealing with kitchen garbage. |
| D．Contribute to sustainable development of the food industry. |
2 . The Best Things to Enjoy
Dancing Queens and Kings
Seeing stars outside their comfort zones has always held a certain appeal. A touring version of the TV show “Battle of the Network Stars” stops at the Altria Theater, bringing recent champions “Bachelorette” star Kaitlyn Bristowe and former NBA player Iman Shumpert as well as the professional dancers. Tickets are $59.50 to $369.
Comic Treat
Fortune Feimster brings fun to the Dominion Energy Center’s Carpenter Theatre on Jan. 9. You may have seen her Netflix “Sweet & Salty”, where she humorously talks about her entertainment career. The show arrives at 7 pm. Tickets are $31.50 to $81.50.
Spirit of Giving
Experience holiday traditions through the Latin Ballet of Virginia’s production of “The Legend of Poinsettia”. The story is based on a mexican legend about a good-hearted girl who unearths the true spirit of giving. Celebrate 20 years of the production at the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen at 7:30 pm on Jan. 7. Tickets are $15 to $20.
Bring It Home
Take the first steps toward making your home-rebuilding decision a reality at the Richmond Remodeling Expo, on Friday, Jan. 9, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Walk the show to gather ideas while discovering the latest in kitchens, room additions and more. Pick up professional advice and connect with builders and design professionals who can translate your home-improvement dreams into reality. Tickets are $3.
1. How much would you probably pay to enjoy athletes’ performance?| A．$3. | B．$15. | C．$31.5. | D．$61.5. |
| A．At the Altria Theater. | B．At the Carpenter Theatre. |
| C．At the Cultural Arts Center. | D．At the Greater Richmond Convention Center. |
| A．Some hands-on activities. | B．A Mexican legend |
| C．Skills to improve houses. | D．The pleasure of giving. |
Nowadays, vegetarian(素食主义的)eating is becoming more popular. Although it does have a good reputation for
British researchers
So, can giving up meat lead to hair loss? A recent report found that a severe lack of protein, among other diet shortcomings, can lead to it. That’s
Can vegetarian and vegan diets affect our mood? Research on this is mixed. Some studies have found that going meatless
Our wedding was unconventional and it was exactly what Matt and I wanted. We both had failed marriages in the past, so we planned to do something different this time
Since we held this special ceremony, Matt and I had managed to stay together happily. But years later, I began to have a little
One day, Matt went to the mailbox and took out the mail. There was a letter
5 . Zeng Xi, a member of post-90, pursues dreams of flower art making after graduation. She has succeeded in turning her
“One’s life is just that
Bringing her
Currently, Zeng is trying to
“What I dream to do is to
| A．intention | B．hobby | C．goal | D．experience |
| A．devoted | B．hoped | C．expected | D．admitted |
| A．refuse | B．provide | C．pick | D．choose |
| A．shoulder | B．foot | C．heart | D．hand |
| A．long | B．tough | C．difficult | D．easy |
| A．caring | B．hearing | C．proving | D．receiving |
| A．increase | B．release | C．accept | D．decrease |
| A．unique | B．formal | C．fresh | D．great |
| A．established | B．occupied | C．built | D．decorated |
| A．collecting | B．accumulating | C．piling | D．gathering |
| A．develop | B．shorten | C．acquire | D．conquer |
| A．emotion | B．approach | C．dream | D．treasure |
| A．exhibition | B．flower | C．studio | D．artwork |
| A．lights | B．details | C．photos | D．positions |
| A．paid for | B．paid in | C．paid back | D．paid off |
| A．wild | B．mild | C．fast | D．well |
| A．increase | B．expand | C．decrease | D．extend |
| A．explanation | B．expression | C．limitation | D．translation |
| A．protect | B．create | C．cover | D．beautify |
| A．political | B．medical | C．financial | D．cultural |
6 . The latest video of a group of robots dancing to the song “Do You Love Me” has-been popular on the Internet and received more than 23 million views during its first week.
The performance shows two Boston Dynamics (an American technology company) humanoid robots called Atlas, doing several dance moves—such as the twist, the mashed potato and others.
Speaking to The Associated Press, Boston Dynamics founder and chairman Marc Raibert admits the video is fun to watch. But he said the real success behind the experiment was the valuable lessons the project taught his team.
“It turned out that we needed to improve the robots in the middle of development,” Raibert said. He said that step was necessary for the robots to be strong enough and have enough energy to do the whole performance without stopping. “So that was a real benefit to the design,” he added.
The difficulty of teaching robots to dance also pushed Boston Dynamics engineers to develop better notion- programming tools. These tools helped the robots do several things (balance, bounce and perform dance moves without breaks).
Some social media users who watched the video commented that the robots’ dancing was so similar to a human that they could not believe their eyes. Some praised the robots’ moves and the technology, Dowering them. Others suggested that what they were seeing was probably computer-generated imagery(图像), or CGI.
But Raibert said it was all real, the result of long and hard work, and fueled by a strong desire to Program a robot that could dance to the beat. “We wanted it to do human dancing and. when a human dances, the music has a beat and their whole body moves to it—their hands, their body, and their head.”
Raibert added: “It looked like the robot was having fun and really moved with the music. And I think that had a lot to do with the result of the production.”
1. What has the success of dancing robots brought to Raibert’s team?| A．The large profit. | B．The experts’ attention. |
| C．The precious experience. | D．The larger market. |
| A．By making some comparisons. | B．By listing some figures. |
| C．By describing the performances. | D．By designing some powerful parts. |
| A．The early bird catches the worm. |
| B．Don’t judge a book by its cover. |
| C．Lost years are worse than lost dollars. |
| D．Nothing is impossible if you put your heart into it. |
| A．The team has gained many awards. |
| B．The team has a long way to go. |
| C．The dancing robots are popular with people. |
| D．The dancing robots have replaced the actors. |
7 . There are people living in almost every corner of our crowded planet. From the tops of mountains to deep underground, we’ve always been able to find habitable places to make a home. But with space at apremium (稀少), we’ve started to look even deeper for somewhere to live.
Throughout history, people have been fascinated by the idea of living underwater. More recently, the effects of human activity on the land have led some to look to the oceans for natural resources. Oceanographers and architects have looked at designing vessels, labs and underwater habitats to enable people to live and work in a underwater world. But, while dreams of an underwater city have remained a fantasy, how close are we to making our home on the seabed a reality?
The pioneer of undersea living was Ian Koblick. He claimed technology already existed to create underwater colonies supporting up to a hundred people. He even opened La Chalupa, once the largest and most advanced underwater habitat and research facility in the world.
A more recent and ambitious design for an underwater city is Ocean Spiral. Designed by the Japanese Shimizu Corporation, it’s-a huge transparent globe attached to the seabed. It’s got a tower running through it to the surface, providing space for homes, offices and even an amusement park for five thousand residents.
Of course, there are engineering challenges in constructing an oceanic metropolis. And living underwater would have major effects on the human body, especially as there is an increase in atmospheric pressure, which could lead to the bends. So, maybe it’s too soon to be packing our bags and setting up a new life three thousand metres under the sea!
1. Why are people looking forward to living underwater?| A．Space on land is in short supply. | B．Living underwater is very easy. |
| C．The world underwater is fantastic. | D．They are tired of living on land. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Critical. | C．Negative. | D．Objective. |
| A．Living underwater does harm to the human body. |
| B．Ocean Spiral can contain five thousand residents. |
| C．People can look forward to the future of underwater life. |
| D．We can pack our bags and set up a new life underwater. |
| A．A journal of history. | B．A science website. |
| C．An international newspaper. | D．A travel guidebook. |
8 . Legendary French fashion designer Pierre Cardin, one of the first designers to capitalize on the business-side of fashion, becoming a household name thanks to powerful branding, has died at the age of 98.
Pierre Cardin was born in a small town in northeast Italy in 1922. In order to escape fascism, his family-was forced to move to France two years later.
When he was young, he began to step into fashion in Paris, where he worked on the costumes of Jack Cocteau’s film version of “Beauty and the Beast”. Four years later, at the age of 28, Cardin founded his own fashion brand, first designing theater costumes, then moving into haute couture(高级女式时装业) in 1953.
In the1960s, Cardin combined his interest in space exploration with a fascination for technical fabrics by creating the groundbreaking space age unisex(男女皆宜的) collections.
Displaying an early business talent, Cardin was among the first foreign designers to open shops in Japan, China and Russia. He pioneered modern branding by lending his name to a variety of products. including perfumes, watches, cigarettes and even frying pans—raising eyebrows in the traditional fashion world and earning serious money that he invested in real estate(房地产).
One of his outstanding garments, a pink dress comprised of molded 3D shapes and made from a father of his own creation, was famously worn by actress Lauren Bacall in 1968.
Both of Cardin’s home countries offered him recognition: In 1987, Italy named him a Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, while in 1991, France made him an Officer of the Legion q Honour. The same year, UNESCO made the designer a goodwill ambassador.
1. What does the underlined part “capitalize on” mean in Paragraph 1?| A．Write in capital letters. | B．Draw advantages from. |
| C．Supply with capital. | D．Estimate the value of. |
| A．He founded his own fashion brand in 1968. |
| B．He gave his name to a variety of products in 1953. |
| C．He created the groundbreaking space age unisex collections. |
| D．He designed a green dress comprised of molded 3D shapes. |
| A．His contribution. | B．His characters. | C．His design. | D．His achievements. |
| A．Pierre Cardin, a goodwill ambassador |
| B．Pierre Cardin, a legendary French fashion designer |
| C．Pierre Cardin, an Officer of the Legion of Honour |
| D．Pierre Cardin, a Grand Officer of the Order of Merit |
9 . Here are three of the best language leaning apps for mastering a new language, so take out your phone and download one of them!
Drops
Drops is a really good language-learning app for users who have a tight (紧的) study time. By spending just 5 minutes a day on this app, you will start to master a new language. It might sound unrealistic, but the app ensures that you don’t get bored. One of the biggest benefits of using Drops is that it gives you a beautiful explanation of all the words you are learning. Drops also brings fun games to make you interested in learning. However, you need to pay $15 every month if you want to use its functions or take its fast-learning courses.
Duolingo
Duolingo brings a series of fun courses that are easy to understand. One of the best things about Duolingo is that it learns and adapts to users’ learning style and provides lessons and exercises that bring the best results. Learners love Duolingo’s reward system which encourages them to study hard. The best part is that all the courses are free. However you have to pay if you want to get rid of ads and have offline access to the lectures.
Memrise
The special feature of this app is that it uses real native speakers to teach you their language. They create local videos that you can watch on the app. This is useful as you not only get the context (语境) of the words but also hear the clear pronunciation. Memrise teaches you a new language by showing you fun videos and offering fun games. The app is available for a free trial of three classes but you need to pay for your membership if you want to learn offline or unlock all the courses.
1. Drops is the most suitable app for learners ______.| A．who can not concentrate on learning | B．who can not spare much time to learn |
| C．who are used to learning from videos | D．who are slow in learning a language |
| A．Its fast-learning courses. | B．Its local videos. |
| C．Its fun games. | D．Its reward system. |
| A．It offers all the courses for free. | B．It helps users remove advertisements |
| C．Its teachers can be native speakers. | D．It is more suitable for offline learning. |
10 . The thought of a natural disaster can be frightening, but you can prepare yourself and your family with an emergency kit. Though you may not know what kind of disaster will strike or when,
●Pack a 3-day supply of food and water. Choose food items with a long shelf life, which don’t require refrigeration or little cooking, such as canned goods and packaged items, in case you don’t have power due to a disaster. Besides, Store 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water per person (and per pet) per day.
●
●Pack electronics and batteries. In the event of a big disaster, be sure to have several flashlights, an AM/FM radio, and extra batteries,
●Include medicine and a first aid kit. Prescription and over-the-counter medicines should be included in your kit.
| A．here are some tips for you |
| B．Add shelter and safety supplies |
| C．It’s best to store enough water for 2 weeks |
| D．Tap water may be unsafe to drink in the event of a disaster |
| E．you’ll be ready for an emergency if you take the time to get well prepared |
| F．Add a basic first aid kit containing instant ice packs, bandages, scissors and so on |
| G．because your landline, cell phone will probably not work during a natural disaster |
