1 . After the season for giving, it is the one for throwing away. Each year in late December and early January a massive amount of plastic packaging is discarded (丢弃) worldwide. In Britain alone households generate 30% more waste, an extra 3m tonnes, in the month over Christmas. Most is destined for landfill. Lithuania will do less damage than many, though. The country now recycles at a record level. Almost three- quarters (74%) of plastic packaging waste was recycled there in 2017, the highest proportion in Europe.
Much of Lithuania' s success is due to a deposit refund scheme (方案). Customers pay €0.10 extra when buying drinks containers. After use, these can be fed into reverse vending machines (反向自动售货机) installed in shops, which spit the deposit back out. The machines’ contents are sent directly to recycling centers. By the end of 2017, 92% of all bottles and cans sold in Lithuania were being returned. The overall plastic packaging recycling rate increased by almost 20%.
The Lithuanian government says the scheme has fueled a potential love for recycling in its citizens. Nearly 90% of Lithuanians have used the machines at least once. However, Lithuanians do not generally describe themselves as eco-fighters. A 2017 survey by the European Commission found they were less likely than most other Europeans to regard environmental issues as “very important”.
The eagerness of Lithuanian recyclers may stem not from a love of the Earth but from a low net worth(资本净值). A tenth of the population live on less than €245 a month. In big cities it is common to see people scooping recyclable items out of bins to take to the machines.
Less litter and money for people who need it seems like a win-win. But it might not in fact be best for the environment in the long run. In Germany ----where a similar, widely used refund deposit scheme has been in place since 2003 --- the earnings from keeping the deposits from unreturned bottles seem to have discouraged producers from switching to more sustainable packaging.
1. What might most Lithuanian customers do under the deposit refund scheme?| A．They send their drinks containers directly to recycling centers. |
| B．They spend more on drinks than other European customers. |
| C．They return their used drinks containers. |
| D．They use vending machines to buy drinks. |
| A．Lithuania beat many countries in plastic recycling. |
| B．Lithuanians were less aware of environmental conservation. |
| C．Lithuanians made much money from recycling. |
| D．Lithuania had an unequal income distribution. |
| A．Positive. | B．Unfavorable. |
| C．Ambiguous. | D．Uninterested. |
| A．How and why Lithuanians recycle their trash. |
| B．How waste turns into treasure in Lithuania |
| C．Who are recycling plastic bottles in Lithuania |
| D．Where Lithuanians throw away their plastic packaging |
1．垃圾的现状和危害；
2．说明处理垃圾的办法：分类放进不同的垃圾桶里；提高环保意识；
3．自己的看法。
注意:1.词数120左右，开头结尾已经为你写好(不计入总词数);
2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇：垃圾 rubbish
分类放进不同的垃圾桶里 put into different dustbins
提高环保意识 raise awareness of environmental protection
Dear editor,
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
1．不要乱扔垃圾，应该保持环境清洁；
2．植树造林，保护环境；
3．保护海洋，禁止过度捕鱼；
4．充分利用自然资源。
注意: 1.词数80左右； 2.开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数；3.可根据内容需要适当增加细节。
Nowadays, pollution is getting worse and worse.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Ping
Global warming is one of the most serious problems facing humans and greenhouse gases are the main cause of it. Greenhouse gases are produced not only by industry but also by individuals (个人). People use energy to drive cars, make homes
Look for ways
Eat locally. A lot of energy
Make your house an eco-friendly one. Put a sweater on to keep warm rather than turning the heating on. Plant a tree to provide shade in summer so you don’t have to use
Reduce and recycle. Be careful with the products you buy. Recycle all paper, plastic, glass and aluminum cans.
Be energy-conscious of transportation. Walk, ride a bike
5 . When athletes at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics collect their medals, they'll not only be wearing something that celebrates their sporting performance, but something that symbolizes lastingness. For both the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, organizers aim to make all of the gold, silver, and bronze medals out of used electronics. This strong message about how to make use of e-waste has gotten a lot of Japan involved.
Starting in April 2017, the Japanese Olympic Committee began collecting old laptops, digital cameras, smartphones, and other abandoned electronics. The initiative(倡议）has achieved great success. Already, the quantity needed for bronze medals has been met, and they're in the homestretch for silver and gold medals, meaning the collection process can pack up at the end of March.
When looking just at the number of cell phones collected, the amount of waste is shocking. In a period of about 18 months, a little over 5 million smartphones were collected thanks to cooperation with NTT DOCOMO. Japan's largest mobile phone operator allowed the public to turn in phones at their shops, which counted a lot in the project’s success.
After being taken apart and sorted, the small electronics underwent a smelting process to extract(提炼）all the gold, silver，and bronze elements. Thanks to this initiative, the worldwide struggle with e-waste will have a global platform. According to a study published by the United Nations University—44.7 million metric tons of e-waste were made in 2016. Only 20% of that was actually recycled. Unfortunately, this figure is set to rise significantly in the coming years, moving to 52.2 million metric tons by 2021. So while the Tokyo Olympics initiative might be just a drop in the bucket, it’s a good start in showing what the public can do if they're made more aware of the issue.
1. What can be learnt about Tokyo Olympics initiative from the passage?| A．E-waste in the world is increasing significantly. |
| B．It is easy to get elements needed from the used electronics. |
| C．Only producers of electronics participated in the project. |
| D．NTT DOCOMO contributed to the success of the project. |
| A．starting period | B．collection effort |
| C．final stage | D．hard search |
| A．It offers an effective method to solve the problem of e-waste. |
| B．It shows the power of advanced technology in daily life. |
| C．It saves the expense spent in making all the medals. |
| D．It encourages the public’s involvement in dealing with e-waste. |
| A．Positive | B．Negative |
| C．Ambiguous | D．Indifferent |
6 . Whether you’re a citizen, consumer or investor, it is fast becoming a key life skill to make out greenwashing, a word meaning a company claims that its products are environmentally friendly but actually not green at all. Misleading, or not proved claims about benefits to climate can make it harder for people to make informed decisions. They can also weaken real efforts by companies to clean up their act and deal with the climate crisis.
The basic problem is a lack of clarity. Indeed, when it comes to spottıng greenwashing, it can actually be more helpful to focus on the color grey—because it is the many grey areas that have helped make greenwashing appear in particular places. These grey areas might be around measurements, definitions, best practice, standards or regulations. Even the language we use is very imprecıse, leaving lots of room for vagueness, confusion or complete cheating. For instance, what do words such as “green”, “sustainable” and “eco” even mean? You have no standards, measurements or definitions to judge by.
These problems are increasingly important when it comes to the greenwashing of investment products, such as pensions and investment funds. In recent years, there has been a sharp rise in consumer demand for funds that invest according to environmental, social and governance (管理) criteria, often referred to as ESG funds. According to the financial data provider Morningstar, the value of assets (资产) held in UK funds grew from £29bn at the beginning of 2017 to £71bn by the end of 2020.
With that much money at risk for high profits, misleading claims can effectively hamper the flow of money and resources into really green new plans and businesses, preventing global efforts from dealing with the climate emergency. “I describe it as the ‘teenage years’ of responsible investing, with a lot of experimentation, and a lot of people trying out new things.” says Ashley Hamilton Claxton.
1. Which of the following can be called greenwashing?| A．A product that is claimed to benefit the climate. |
| B．A product that is claimed to be green while not the case. |
| C．A product that can be washed in a green way. |
| D．A product that is absolutely environmentally friendly. |
| A．There are no such words as “sustainable”. | B．The language isn’t grammatically right. |
| C．The product’s description is not clear. | D．The company doesn’t say it’s “green” and “eco”. |
| A．Stop. | B．Clarify. | C．Put. | D．Divide. |
| A．Much money enables high profits. |
| B．Responsible investing is still at its early stage. |
| C．More money is invested in real green businesses. |
| D．A lot of people are unwilling to try out new things. |
REDUCING WATER POLLUTION IN THE LI RIVER
The beautiful Li River and its amazing surrounding scenery is one of the most wellknown tourist destinations in China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It attracts millions of domestic and foreign visitors each year. However, its reputation as a top destination has had negative effects on the river’s water quality. This report looks at the problem of water pollution and some actions that have been taken to deal with it．Previously, water quality in the Li River had suffered greatly from an increasing volume of tourists, many of whom frequently threw garbage into the river. Many tour boats contributed to the problem too.
Kitchens on board were using lots of oil, which was often thrown into the water. The growth in tourism also meant the local population rose rapidly,as well as the number of commercial and industrial enterprises. Water pollution levels increased, with more household and commercial waste ending up in the river. In order to feed more people,more chemicals were used to increase crop production. These chemicals led to severe water quality issues,causing a decrease in the number of fish species. Local officials were concerned that the pollution was damaging the natural environment and felt that urgent steps should be taken to restore the river's original beauty.
A comprehensive initiative was started, with a number of measures that addressed the issues. The construction of waste water treatment facilities improved the water quality and water conservation.The collection and transport of household waste was also improved.Dozens of polluting enterprises were closed or moved. The local government set up strict regulations regarding further industrial development. New rules were also introduced regarding tour boat routes and garbage disposal methods. Furthermore, the local authorities began to use the media to spread environmental awareness and encourage greater use of clean energy. At the same time, they started to carry out inspections regularly and fine tourist organisations for abuse. With these measures,it is believed that the beauty of the Li River will be preserved for generations to come．
In addition,the ambitious “Water Ten Plan” is also now tackling water pollution across the country. Other initiatives,such as the “River Chief System”, hold senior officials responsible for reducing water pollution. With such campaigns in effect, China’s waterways are heading towards a clean and sustainable future.1. What’s the passage mainly about?
| A．The beauty of the Li River. |
| B．What some tourists did led to the water pollution. |
| C．Some measures to reduce water pollution in the Li River. |
| D．The ways to increase crop production. |
| A．Some tourists didn’t care about the Li River. |
| B．What have caused water pollution in the Li River? |
| C．Some tourists threw garbage into the Li River. |
| D．The local population rose rapidly. |
| A．The chemicals have caused a decrease in the number of fish species. |
| B．The reputation of the Li River has a negative effect on the river’s water quality. |
| C．The media has a good effect on encouraging greater use of clean energy. |
| D．The local government did nothing to protect the water quality in Li River. |
| A．people can do nothing to reduce water pollution in Li River |
| B．tourists are not allowed to visit the Li River |
| C．the local authorities never inspect the Li River |
| D．some measures have been taken to reduce water pollution in the Li River |
8 . China’s war on garbage is as digital as the country itself. Think QR codes attached to trash bags that allow the government to trace exactly where its trash comes from.
On July 1, Shanghai began a compulsory garbage sorting program. Households and companies must classify their wastes into four categories and dump them in appointed places at certain times. The strict program became a headache for some residents. Not even the most environmentally conscious person can get all the answers right. Like, which bin does the newspaper you just used to pick up dog poop (粪便)belong to?
Gratefully, China’s tech startups are here to help. For instance, China’s biggest internet companies responded with new search features that help people identify what wastes are “wet”, “dry”, “toxic”, or “recyclable”. Simply pull up a mini app on WeChat, Baidu or Alipay and enter the keyword. The tech firms will give you the answer and why.
Alipay, Alibaba’s electronics payment company, claims its garbage sorting mini app added one million users under just three days. The mini app has so far indexed (编索引) more than 4,000 types of rubbish. Its database is still growing, and soon it will save people from typing by using image recognition to classify trash when they snap a photo of it. If people are too busy or lazy to hit the collection schedule, well, startups are offering trash service at the doorstep. A third-party developer helped Alipay build a recycling mini app and is now collecting garbage from 8,000 apartment complexes across 11 cities. To date, two million people have sold recyclable materials through its platform.
Besides helping households out, companies are also building software to make property managers, life easier. Some residential complexes in Shanghai began using QR codes to trace the origin of garbage. This way, regulators in the region know exactly which family has produced the trash and fine violators.
1. What are some residents confused about?| A．Environmental knowledge. | B．Bin for dog poop. |
| C．Some waste classification. | D．Time for dumping. |
| A．It provides time flexibility. | B．It reduces household waste. |
| C．It saves people from typing. | D．It classifies rubbish properly. |
| A．Third-party developers. | B．Company managers. |
| C．Community administrators. | D．Rubbish collectors. |
| A．People need recycling apps badly. |
| B．People should classify their rubbish. |
| C．How regulators benefit from the tech. |
| D．How China uses tech to sort waste. |
9 . The rapid increase of the oil price has brought the world to its senses. Scientists are seeking suitable alternative (替换) but so far in vain. They are considering how they can make better use of the two other major fuels, coal and natural gas, but they have found that neither can replace oil in their economics. In recent years, there has been a growing concern for the environment and coal is not a popular fuel with environmentalists. Natural gas, the purest of the three fuels, is also the most limited in supply.
The answer would seem to lie in nuclear power stations. They need very little fuel to produce enormous amounts of power and they do not pollute the atmosphere. Their dangers, however, are so great and the costs of building them are also high. Not only could one accident in a nuclear power station spread as much radioactivity (放射物) as a thousand Hiroshima atom bombs, but the radioactive waste from these stations is extremely dangerous.
Scientists have recently turned their attention to natural sources of energy: the sun, the sea, the wind and hot spring, of which the sun seems the most promising source for the future. Houses have already been built which are heated entirely by solar energy. However, solar energy can only be collected during daylight hours, and in countries where the weather is unreliable, an alternative heating system has to be included.
However, many scientists are optimistic that new ways of generating large amounts of energy will be successfully developed, but at the same time they fear the consequences. If the world population goes on increasing at its present rate, we may, in fifty years’ time, be burning up so much energy that we would damage the earth’s atmosphere. By raising the temperature of the atmosphere,we could melt the Arctic and Antarctic ice-caps and change the pattern of vegetable and animal life throughout the world——a frightening possibility.
1. What does the underlined phrase “in vain” in Paragraph1 mean?| A．without doubt | B．without results | C．in progress | D．under attack |
| A．it is too pure | B．the source of it is limited |
| C．its price is increasing | D．it may cause more pollution |
| A．coal | B．natural gas | C．wind energy | D．solar energy |
| A．it may pollute the atmosphere |
| B．it cannot generate large amounts of power |
| C．it may use up enormous amounts of fuel |
| D．it may cause great danger to us if not properly handled |
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