| A. expanding B. alternative C. bridge D. recycled E. contributed F. concerns G. encouraging H. landscape I. marine J. dispose K. widening |
Food delivery apps are changing the way we eat
It’s raining, it’s dinnertime, and the fridge is nearly empty. Years ago, we made do; today, we order food through our phones. Within twenty minutes, we get whatever it was we were craving, we’re warm and dry, and there’s not a single dish to wash afterward.
Food delivery apps have altered the
Of course, these apps bring all types of cuisines around the city to our fingertips, but it comes at a cost. And one of the real environmental
In the US alone, packaging accounts for 30 percent of municipal solid waste. In 2017, that meant 80.1 million tons. Food delivery systems are likely
Restaurant delivery is a global phenomenon – as is the impact on the environment. Meituan, one of the leading Chinese delivery platforms, delivered 6.4 billion food orders in 2018. It is estimated that China
In the EU, University of Manchester researchers estimate, over two billion single-use takeaway containers are used every year. Most of those are not
Plastic bans,
| A．Clean the park. | B．Make snowmen. | C．Plant trees. |
3 . A rare wild flower is being re-established in Devon fields thanks to some four-legged helpers. A conservation charity called Planflife has employed donkeys as “ecosystem engineers”to encourage the return of the endangered small-flowered catchfly.
The catchfly was once found all across Britain but now it only grows in small areas of Wales and the south and west of England. Experts blame its decline on modern farming practices. The flower flourished around the edges of sandy fields where farmers grew their crops, but because of weedkillers that were used to remove “unwanted” plants, and fertilisers to boost crop yields, its habitat has largely disappeared.
Plantlife teamed up with the Donkey Sanctuary, a charity that looks after donkeys in the UK and around the world. It owns several farms across Devon and the UK, where it takes care of hundreds of rescued donkeys, as well as maintaining habitats for other wildlife. More than 20, 000 seeds have been scattered on fields at the sanctuary’s main Devon farm, and it is hoped that many will grow into plants this summer. They will provide food for threatened bird species such as linnets, yellowhammers and skylarks. Plantlife then aims to get the donkeys themselves involved, testing whether catchfly seeds benefit from being trampled into the ground as the donkeys take their exercise. Many plants have seeds that must be pressed into the soil in order to germinate.
“We’re incredibly grateful to partners like the Donkey Sanctuary who are helping these fantastically rare wild flowers come back from the edge of extinction,” Cath Shellswell of Plantlife told The Guardian newspaper. “We look forward to seeing small-flowered catchfly return and we are working with the sanctuary to ensure that this tiny plant has a thriving future. ”
1. Why are donkeys employed in Devon fields?| A．To work in the fields. | B．To restore the catchfly. |
| C．To avoid extinction. | D．To raise crop yields. |
| A．Soil loss. | B．Water pollution. |
| C．Climate change. | D．Modern agriculture. |
| A．By pressing its seeds into the soil. | B．By working the land. |
| C．By providing nutrition for it. | D．By spreading its seeds. |
| A．Donkeys help fields flower again. | B．Farmland becomes a natural habitat. |
| C．The biodiversity forms on Devon farms. | D．The catchfly has a thriving future. |
4 . In winter, intense cold in China’s Jilin Province can turn tripping water into ice within seconds. Yet, 63-year-old Ren Jianguo gets up early every day to spread corn on the riverbank to make sure thousands of migratory birds(候鸟) have food to go through the cold days.
Ren lives in Jilin City which is built on the banks of the Songhuajiang River. Over the past 26 years, he has been one of the many volunteers protecting migratory birds on the river’s Changbai Island. Local residents label him as “Uncle Bird”. Winter is the busiest time for Uncle Bird as it is the season when large amounts of migratory birds fly here to avoid the biting cold days in Siberia, Russia.
On the upper reaches of the Songhuajiang River is Northeast China’s largest artificial lake. The temperature of the water stays at around 4-10℃ all year round. This allows Changhai Island to welcome countless migratory birds.
“As long as they choose to stay in this city, there should be people to take care of them. When it becomes difficult to find food in winter, I call for donations or sometimes pay for the food myself to secure their survival during the winter,” Ren said.
Jilin City, which is part of the migratory passage of birds in East Asia, is one of the few warm wetlands in northern China suitable for migratory birds to rest. To improve the environment here, the Chinese government has invested about 26.6 billion yuan for water pollution control and prevention along the Songhuajiang River since 2006.
For Ren, a small house near the riverbank has almost become his “second home”, a place from which he can patrol(巡逻) along the banks, observe birds, educate the public about bird conservation and, after a long day of work, light a fire and enjoy a warm meal.
“I simply want this to be a warm and welcoming place for birds when they choose to stay here for a temporary rest,” he said.
1. What is the best title of this passage?| A．The Tale of “Uncle Bird” |
| B．The Environment of Changbai Island. |
| C．The Survival of Birds. |
| D．The Protection of Wetlands. |
| A．To keep himself from being bored. |
| B．To keep the birds from flying away. |
| C．To keep the birds from going hungry. |
| D．To keep the environment from being polluted. |
| A．To eat high-quality corns. |
| B．To see kind-hearted volunteers. |
| C．For a cleaner environment. |
| D．For a better temperature. |
| A．Boring. | B．Professional. |
| C．Dangerous. | D．Meaningful. |
5 . When Simon Cane was in the second grade, he began learning about all the ways humans have an impact on the environment and really took those classroom lessons to heart in a way that set him apart from his schoolmates at his elementary school, P. S. 81, in the Bronx. “He told me we drove too much and made too much pollution,” his dad, Jonathan Cane, told Runner’s World. So Simon convinced his parents to start hanging their clothes to dry, taking the stairs instead of elevators, and other “green” measures.
“For much of kindergarten and first grade I rode my bike to Simon’s school with him on the back,” Jonathan said. “We had a lot of fun being outdoors. We’d stop to give our dog treats and generally enjoyed it.” As Simon got bigger, though, it wasn’t practical for him to ride on his father’s back, but it also didn’t make sense to ride together — both because of safety concerns and because there was no place to put away Simon’s bike. So, most of the time they drove the 1. 5 miles to school.
But in 2019, when Simon was going into third grade, the 8-year-old came up with a new way to help the planet: running the 1. 5 miles to P. S. 81. And Jonathan promised his son he’d join him for as long as he wanted.
“We did a test run one day in August, and decided to give it a go. To be honest, I thought he’d blink (眨眼)after it got really cold or rainy, but he never did,” Jonathan said. He recalled one day when the weather was particularly bad. “It’s really raining out there today,” he told Simon. “And Simon said, ‘Well then we’re going to get wet!’ He took pride in toughing it out, and it became a really fun family routine.”
Since the start, Simon has run with his dad and their black dog, Lola, and has even inspired his mom, Nicole Sin Quee, to join in. They soon became known as “the family that runs to school”.
1. What makes Simon different from his classmates?| A．Washing his clothes by himself. | B．Taking many classes after school. |
| C．Raising strange questions in class. | D．Taking green measures to protect the environment. |
| A．By car. | B．By cycling. | C．By running. | D．By school bus. |
| A．Simon has trouble with his eyesight. | B．Simon is really stubborn and inflexible. |
| C．Simon is much tougher than expected. | D．Simon didn’t get support from his father. |
| A．The Best Way to Go to School |
| B．Father and Son Run for the Environment |
| C．A Teenager Keeps Running to Inspire Father |
| D．Three Inspiring Running Athletes to Protect the Environment |
6 . In July 2017, Hoh Xil became a world heritage (遗产) site and there live more than 70, 000 Tibetanantelopes. Every year, pregnant (怀孕的) Tibetan antelopes migrate (迁徙) to Hoh Xil between the end of May and early June to give birth and leave with their children around August. Zonag Lake at the heart of Hoh Xil is known as the “delivery room” for the species.
About 40 female Tibetan antelopes with three young were spotted crossing the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Saturday. Experts say that in recent years, the number of young Tibetan antelopes among the migrating groups consisted of between a fifth and quarter of the population.
“In the early stage of migration, Tibetan antelopes face a high risk of falling prey to predators (盗猎者) so the number of young Tibetan antelopes is relatively small, and there may even be none,” said Lian Xinming, an associate research fellow at Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
According to research, the number of Tibetan antelopes that migrate back has been rising. A total of 5, 952 Tibetan antelopes were spotted migrating in 2020, and 233 more in 2021. “This year’s migration season is expected to finish in early September. The population is expected to continue to increase,” Lian said.
Tibetan antelopes are mostly found in Tibet autonomous region, Qinghai province, and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The species is under first-class state protection in China.
In the 1980s, the Tibetan antelope population declined sharply from 200, 000 to 20. 000, due to illegal hunting. It has recovered thanks to the country’s efforts to improve its habitat and crack down on poaching (盗猎).
To make sure the species go back to their habitats safe and sound, the reserve’s management bureau has staff monitor their migration. When they come over in large groups, they temporarily close some sections of the road to make way for the animals and prevent them from having interactions with humans.
1. What can we learn from the text?| A．Tibetan antelopes migrate to Hoh Xil to find mates. |
| B．Baby Tibetan antelopes are born in Zonag Lake. |
| C．Female Tibetan antelopes made up a fifth of the population. |
| D．Migrating Tibetan antelopes’ number is 6,185 in 2021. |
| A．Promising. | B．Concerning. | C．Perfect. | D．Unpredictable. |
| A．To offer delivery place. |
| B．To catch unlawful predators. |
| C．To stop poaching Tibetan antelopes. |
| D．To avoid animals meeting people. |
| A．The Habitats of Tibetan Antelopes |
| B．The Migration of Tibetan Antelopes |
| C．The Methods to Stop Poaching Tibetan Antelopes |
| D．The Measures of Protecting Tibetan Antelopes |
7 . Every year, tens of thousands of kids aged 3 to 13 become Junior Rangers in different national parks across America. At Yosemite alone more than 20, 000 kids take part in the Yosemite Junior Ranger Program. If you want to be a Junior Ranger, you need to learn about the natural and cultural history, and make a promise to be a national park protector.
Here Is How YOU Can Become a Junior Ranger!
Earn yourself an official Junior Ranger Badge You could become a Yosemite’s Junior, Ranger today by completing the following steps:
•Buy your Junior Ranger Handbook in the nearest Visitor Center.
•Complete the pages in the handbook.
•Pick up rubbish.
•Attend a Guided Program.
•Return your completed handbook and a bag of rubbish to the Visitor Center.
•Make your official Junior Ranger Promise at a ceremony.
•Get your official Junior Ranger Badge.
After you become a Junior Ranger, you are encouraged to share your ranger stories with your friends, teachers and families.
1. Who can become Junior Rangers?| A．Children. | B．Parents. | C．Teachers. | D．Officers. |
| A．Read the handbook. | B．Learn American history. |
| C．Share ranger stories. | D．Protect the national parks. |
| A．Collect a bag of rubbish. | B．Start a Guided Program. |
| C．Write your ranger stories to friends. | D．Get a Junior Ranger Handbook for free. |
8 . When Alex Lin was 11 years old, he read an alarming article in the newspaper about e-waste. The article said that people were throwing away their e-waste in places it should never go. This was dangerous, the article said, because e-waste contains poisonous chemicals and metals like lead. These harmful substances (物质) can leak into the environment, getting into crops, animals, water supplies — and people.
Alex showed the article to a few of his classmates. They were worried too. But what could they do about this problem with e-waste? How would they even start? “The first thing we did,” Alex says, “was to learn more about the problem.” Alex and his friends spent several weeks gathering information about the chemicals in e-waste and their effects on humans. They learned how to dispose (处理) of e-waste properly and how it could be recycled. “Then,” he says, “we had to find out what the situation was in our town. So we sent out a survey.”
What they found shocked them: Of the people who answered the survey, only one in eight even knew what e-waste was, let alone how to properly dispose of it. Alex and his friends went into action. They advertised in the local newspaper and distributed notices to students, asking residents to bring their unwanted electronics to the school parking lot. The drive lasted two days, and they collected over 21,000 pounds of e-waste.
The next step was to set up an e-waste drop-off center for the town and to find a responsible company to recycle the waste. That was when Alex and his friends learned another scary fact about e-waste — some irresponsible recycling companies don’t break down the e-waste and dispose of it safely themselves. Instead, they ship it overseas to countries such as China and Nigeria, where local environmental laws are not applied. “We checked carefully online to make sure the company we chose didn’t do this,” Alex says.
Because of the work of people like Alex and his team, more and more people are getting the message about safe disposal of e-waste. As Alex says, “Today’s technology should not become tomorrow’s poisonous trash.”
1. What can we learn about Alex from paragraph 1 and paragraph 2?| A．He was curious about chemistry experiments. |
| B．He possessed a strong sense of responsibility. |
| C．He set out to solve the problem individually. |
| D．He formed the habit of reading newspapers. |
| A．Campaign. | B．Imagination. | C．Performance. | D．Technology. |
| A．Lack of available space was the reason for shipping. |
| B．Recycling was totally banned in their own country. |
| C．They were running their companies on a tight budget. |
| D．They were not charged with insecurely disposing it. |
| A．Reusing School Computers | B．Recycling Electronic Waste |
| C．Meeting a challenge | D．Doing Scientific Experiment |
9 . People today are not unfamiliar with term such as "going eco-friendly" and "sustainable lifestyle". However, there exists a group of sceptics（怀疑论者）who believe that going eco-friendly is merely a fad（一时的风尚）. I disagree with this viewpoint, Going eco-friendly is not merely a fad and it does, in fact, change the beliefs and attitudes of people.
The long-term presence of environmental organisations shows the efforts that people have made towards going eco-friendly. Organisations such as World Wildlife Fund advocate people to go eco-friendly. The high involvement of the organisations and the participants is thus a strong indicator that going eco-friendly is not merely a fad but a trend that can last decades.
Another strong indicator is the emergence of sustainable products in many industries, such as organic produce and electric vehicles. The consumer demand, coupled with eco-conscious（环保意识的）businesses, is behind the sharp increase in such products. This shows a shift in the beliefs and attitudes of people towards adopting a sustainable lifestyle. Thus, it seems quite certain that going eco-friendly is not merely a fad.
While some people who broadcast their eco-friendly practices are criticised for just hoping to project an eco-conscious image, there are a number of celebrities who have been practising the zero-waste lifestyle for years. For those who do so for years, and not mere days or months, it is indeed a commitment that can only come with a true change in beliefs and attitudes towards caring for the earth.
The call to save the earth looks set to stay. With the development of technology and the appearance of many platforms advocating going green, people are more willing to change their beliefs and attitudes when they can learn about and appreciate the positive impact of the work of different environmental organisations and individuals. It is hoped that these effects will go a long way in ensuring that our planet will remain a suitable place to live in.
1. Why does the author mention World Wildlife Fund?| A．To appreciate its environmental efforts. |
| B．To encourage people to go eco-friendly. |
| C．To evidence the universal recognition of going green. |
| D．To highlight the difficulty in changing people's attitudes. |
| A．Sudden disappearance. | B．Sharp increase. |
| C．Gradual development. | D．Limited application. |
| A．It may discourage people from sustainable lifestyle. |
| B．It may boost the business of organic produce. |
| C．It will be used to project an eco-conscious image. |
| D．It will promote environmental awareness. |
| A．To prove going eco-friendly a lasting trend. |
| B．To popularize the eco-friendly products. |
| C．To offer strategies to go eco-friendly. |
| D．To advertise for eco-friendly platforms. |
10 . The Royal Mint has announced plans for a new factory where it will process electronic junk to extract precious metals for coins and gold bars. The factory will be the first of its kind in the world.
The Royal Mint is a Government-owned company that makes coins for the UK and lots of other countries. Most of its coins are made from cheaper metals, but the Mint sometimes makes coins and medals from precious metals like gold and silver. It also makes gold bars. Countries and banks like to keep gold bars because they are very valuable and their price doesn’t tend to go up or down suddenly.
The precious metals used by the Mint are mostly mined from the ground but now it plans to make use of the vast amounts of electronic waste (known as e-waste) that is thrown away in the UK each year. Many electronic devices use small quantities of precious metals such as gold and silver because they are good conductors of electricity. However, it is estimated that just 20% of old electronics are recycled worldwide. This is not just a waste; it can be dangerous, because when e-waste is buried in rubbish dumps, metals and chemicals can leak out and pollute the environment.
Currently, e-waste from the UK is sent abroad to be melted down to recover precious metals. The new factory will use chemical reactions to do the same job much quicker and using far less energy. The process can extract 99% of the precious metals from plastic circuit boards within a few seconds, and could provide the Mint with hundreds of kilograms of gold each year.
“Our new plant will see the Royal Mint become a leader in sustainably sourced precious metals,” said Anne Jessopp, the Mint’s CEO.
1. What does the underlined word “extract” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Obtain. | B．Break. | C．Limit. | D．Add. |
| A．Energy shortage. | B．Environmental pollution. |
| C．A lack of workers. | D．A waste of gold bars. |
| A．Costly. | B．Risky. | C．Promising. | D．Demanding. |
| A．Making Use of E-waste | B．Turning Junk into Gold |
| C．Building a New Factory | D．Running a Junk Business |
