If you’ve recently taken a flight from a major UK airport, then you may have noticed that more people are protesting air travel expansion and encouraging people to fly less. This is part of a larger environmental movement sweeping across Europe. Known as Flygskam or “flight-shaming”, the movement is encouraging people to stop taking flights as a means of transport and use more environmentally friendly transportation where they can.
The aviation (航空) currently accounts for about 2% of global emissions (排放) and is one of the fastest-growing polluters. Even worse, unlike most other sources of pollution, air travel results in pollutants released high up in the atmosphere.
Earlier this year, the UK government promised to reduce the UK’s emissions to “net zero” by 2050. However, according to projections from some researchers, emissions from the aviation could more than double by then even if planes become substantially more fuel-efficient. So, it’s unclear whether flying will be included in the UK’s target.
It’s hard to say exactly how big the movement is becoming, but Flygskam has become popular in social media. The number of Swedes taking the train for domestic journeys has risen by 8% this year as plane journeys inside the country have fallen. Clearly, Flygskam is having a measurable impact on people’s transport choices. Some people, however, have been critical of the movement because they say that it places blame or feelings of embarrassment onto the passengers when it is really the airlines and industries associated with it who should feel guilty for the impact that they are having on the planet.
1. What is Flygskam?2. How does flying influence the environment?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Flygskam has attracted social attention and some people have already participated in this campaign, so it is widely accepted.
4. Besides what is mentioned in the passage, what do you think of the movement of Flygskam? (In about 40 words)
1. What is the woman?
| A．A bus driver. | B．A college student. | C．A shop assistant. |
| A．50 dollars. | B．30 dollars. | C．20 dollars. |
Patrick and Rachel Hugens have biked around the world. The Hugenses, who live in Boise when not on their bikes, are 25 months into their latest round-the-world adventure, scheduled to end in March. They've visited 36 countries on this tour, touching Europe, Africa, Asia and South America. “Traveling by bike is the greatest freedom," Rachel said via email. “You can see people's daily lives and can communicate with them.”
Rachel warns, “Cycle touring can become addictive.” Bike tourism is on the rise in the United States and around the world, according to the Adventure Cycling Association. The U. S. Bicycle Route System has grown 66 percent in the past two years and now has a presence in 24 states, including Idaho, and the District of Columbia.
Dennis Swift，secretary of the Southwest Idaho Mountain Biking Association, rode across the U.S. last year- from Seattle to Salem, Mass. Six people started the tour and three finished, riding 52 out of 56 days. They averaged about 60 miles per riding day. Swift also rode through the Basque Country with a group of Boise cyclists last year. He's planning to participate in a Virginia bike tour this year. “When you get older, your health is most important,” he said. “My mom had Alzheimer's disease. They say what's good for health is good for the brain, so riding is one thing to be first in my life.”
This is the third time that the couple have quit their jobs to tour. Rachel is a nurse; Patrick is an architect. Both regained their former jobs when they returned home in 2000 and 2007. They're uncertain what will happen this time. They've given themselves a chance to save extra money by going to work by bike and avoiding some bills that are basic for most ( cell phones, cable TV).“Traveling changes your view of money and what it can do for you,” Rachel said. “We've met some cyclists traveling long term. They have many reasons to spend wisely.”
“The fellow cyclists we meet mostly come from Britain, Germany, Spain, Holland, Australia or New Zealand," Rachel said, “It is so nice to see that people all over the world are friendly and welcoming.”
1. How many countries have the Hugenses visited on their latest tour? (不多于2个单词)2. Why does Dennis Swift ride bikes? (不多于2个单词)
3. How do the Hugenses save extra money for their bike tours? (不多于10个单词)
4. What is the passage mainly about? (不多于3个单词)
4 . Electric Cars
Where do cars get their energy from? For most cars, the answer is petrol. But some cars use electricity. These cars have special motors that get their power from large batteries.
Most people tend to think of electric cars as a new invention, but they have been around for a long time. They were popular when the technology for petrol engines was not very advanced. Recently, electric cars have again become popular because people want cars that pollute less.
Electric cars are better than petrol cars in several ways. The biggest benefit is reduced pollution. In areas where there is a high percentage of electric cars, there is less pollution. But it is important to understand that electric cars still cause pollution. Remember that the electricity to power electric cars has to come from somewhere, which is most likely a power station. Unless these power stations run on solar or wind energy, they are most likely burning coal and oil to make electricity. The second benefit of electric cars is a reduction in the dependence on foreign oil.
There are several countries, including the United States, which don't want to rely on oil coming from other countries to power their transportation systems. They want the power to come from within their country, and since electric cars can run on electricity from coal or nuclear power stations, there is less of a need to import oil.
Despite the benefits of electric cars, there are some problems with them as well. One disadvantage is that electric cars are more expensive than petrol cars. This is mostly due to the high cost of the batteries these cars need. Electric cars run on batteries, just like a mobile phone does. But unlike a mobile phone, you cannot charge your electric car's battery by plugging it into a wall. They need to be charged in special places. Now, there is a lack of places where people can charge the batteries. Another problem is that electric cars cannot travel as far as petrol cars. Some people are afraid that the battery will run out of electricity (and the car will stop) before they reach their destination.
Despite these problems, many people, including automobile industry experts, believe that the percentage of electric cars will increase in the future.
1. What's the main idea of Paragraph 3?| A．Electric cars make some countries independent. |
| B．Electric cars cause no pollution to the environment. |
| C．Electric cars have some advantages over petrol cars. |
| D．Electric cars need electricity from solar or wind energy. |
| A．Electric cars need special motors to get power. |
| B．Petrol cars are cheaper than electric cars. |
| C．Petrol cars can travel farther than electric cars. |
| D．Electric cars need special places to get charged. |
| A．electric cars will take the place of petrol cars |
| B．no one holds hope for electric cars at present |
| C．electric cars waste more energy than before |
| D．more and more people will use electric cars |
| A．argue and prove | B．inform and explain |
| C．attract and discuss | D．advertise and conclude |
Beijing was once a city of bikes, the capital of a country
Fortunately, now Beijing may be returning to its roots with a modern twist. Thanks to about 20 technology companies, brightly coloured shared bikes
Analysis in China say there are three factors
Developed for the government by the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), the intelligent bicycle, runs on electricity．A commercial-available bicycle is expected to be on the market in the next two years and should sell for between 1, 700 to 3, 200 euros per bicycle．
The devices on the bike are linked through an onboard computer with a vibrating (震动的) warning system fitted in the bicycle's saddle and handlebars to warn cyclists of the coming danger.
The saddle vibrates when other cyclists approach from behind, while, the handlebars do the same when barriers appear ahead．
“Accidents often happen when cyclists look behind them or get a fright when they are passed at high speed,” said Maurice Kwakkernaat, one of TNO's research scientists involved in the project. “The onboard system technology has already been at work in the car industry,” he said.
“More and more elderly people are using a bicycle, not only for short distances, but also for longer distances, ”Dutch Environment and Infrastructure Minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen told AFP. “This type of bicycle is truly needed in the Netherlands because it will help us bring down the number of elderly people who are injured every year and allow them to continue to enjoy cycling, ”she said．
In the Netherlands, bicycles outnumber the population of 17 million by at least one million and there are some 25,000 km of bicycle path in the country. Those statistics are set to grow as more and more people take to two-wheeled transport, leading to an increased risk of injury.
Last year, 184 cyclists died in the country, of which 124, or 67%, were older than 65, according to the Central Statistics Office. The year before, 200 cyclists died, the majority of victims also being elderly.
The current model weighs 25 kilograms but researchers are working on making the onboard systems smaller.
1. The intelligent bicycle is aimed to ________．
| A．protect the environment |
| B．help reduce traffic pressure |
| C．popularize the use of bicycles |
| D．improve safety for elderly cyclists |
| A．The handlebars. |
| B．The wheels. |
| C．The saddle. |
| D．The onboard computer. |
| A．the elderly ride bicycles wherever they go |
| B．the accident rate among elderly cyclists is high |
| C．the number of elderly cyclists is decreasing |
| D．the elderly are planning to give up cycling |
| A．A Test Bicycle |
| B．Elderly Cyclists |
| C．A Smart Bicycle |
| D．A Bicycle-mad Country |
