1 . Imagine a world where nothing ends up in landfill. Instead, everything can be reused and recycled, creating products that never reach their “end of life”. According to a recent report by the Circle Economy Foundation, only 7.2% of all used materials are being cycled back to be reused and recycled without creating waste.
An Italian company aims to change this by creating furniture products made from a plastic-like biomaterial, which is fully organic and biodegradable (可生物降解的), and can be used over and over again. Using fruit peel, orange seeds and coffee grounds collected from businesses in Italy, the company can redistribute products to the same businesses for use in their offices, instead of furniture made from common plastic. If, by mistake, any of the material ends up in the ocean, it doesn’t produce any microplastics.
Each product is made through a four-step process. First, the food waste is dried and crushed into a very fine powder. Then, the powder is mixed with a biodegradable plastic alternative known as polyhydroxybutyrat (PHB), with the fruit waste making the PHB more study (坚固的). The material is then turned into a filament (细丝) and, using a spool, put into a 3D printer.
Because a lot of food waste would be buried and incinerated in the landfill, which would produce lots of carbon dioxide, Reusing fruit peel and coffee grounds decrease carbon dioxide from the production of plastic, according to the director of operations in the company. He adds that the biomaterial is as sturdy as wood, and won’t begin to break down unless it’s touched by water, bacteria or acidity.
Despite its eco-friendly benefits, the biomaterial is expensive. It costs probably six times more than common plastic, and it is a very difficult and expensive process, so this is why many companies aren’t doing it.
However, the director is hopeful that in a few years, as-more consumers and businesses are forced to face the damage that unsustainable plastic is doing to the planet, the biomaterial will be much more widely used. “We really believe this is the material of the future,” says the director. “Little by little, a step at a time.”
1. What is a problem faced by the current world according to paragraph 1?A.Pollution is becoming milder. |
B.The rate of recycling is too low. |
C.Plastic poses a threat to the ocean. |
D.New material needs to be improved. |
A.It is of benefit to the environment. |
B.It is cheaper than common plastic. |
C.It is given a welcome by businesses. |
D.It has gradually replaced common plastic. |
A.Damaged. | B.Burned. | C.Selected. | D.Recovered. |
A.New Material: One Way To Regain Fruit Peel |
B.From Landfill To Furniture: The Journey Of Furniture |
C.Sustainable Material: The Future Of Eco-Friendly Furniture |
D.Italian Businesses Using New Strategies To Manage Industrial Waste |
2 . 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 |
3 . A brown and dry lawn is not something many gardeners would boast about. But that is exactly the kind of yard competition organizers in Sweden were looking for when they launched the prize for the “World’s Ugliest Lawn”. People from around the world were invited to post pictures of their dehydrated(脱水的)grass to social media in a bid to win the uncertain honor.
The intention, according to those behind the project, was to raise awareness of “saving water on a global scale by changing the norm for green lawns”. Lawns, which can require large amounts of water to maintain, are coming under increasing examination as climate change makes periods of drought more frequent and intense.
The global initiative was launched on the official website for Gotland in Sweden. “Huge amounts of water are used to water lawns for aesthetics(美学). As the world gets warmer, lack of water in urban areas is projected to affect up to 2.4 billion people by 2050. By not watering lawns for aesthetic reasons, we can protect the availability of groundwater,” the competition organizers said.
The unlikely title has been awarded to Kathleen Murray who lives in Sandford in Tasmania, Australia. According to the organizers, Murray’s lawn “boasts deep and dry divots created by three wild bandicoots(袋狸)and not one dust-covered decimeter is wasted on watering”. Murray said in the press release about her triumph, “I am terribly proud! I knew I would have my 5 minutes of fame, even if it was for having the ugliest lawn on the planet! I am now free of ever taking care of my lawn again.”
A press release by the Gotland, office added, “For the planet and its declining stockpiles of life-giving liquid, thank you, Kathleen, as well as those naughty bandicoots damaging your lawn for the greater good.” Organizers added, “Gotland aims to show to Sweden and the world that sustainable behavior doesn’t have to be dull.”
1. What can we say about the yard competition organized in Sweden?A.People had even doubted its authenticity. |
B.People worldwide were unwilling to join. |
C.Its participants must be professional gardeners. |
D.Its entries must agree with the existing aesthetics. |
A.To call on people to protect lawns. | B.To encourage people to be creative. |
C.To challenge the norm of aesthetics. | D.To remind people of water shortage. |
A.Ambition. | B.Success. | C.Sorrow. | D.Barrier. |
A.People’s Whelming Reaction To A Yard Contest In Sweden |
B.Lawns And Rare Bandicoots Calling For Urgent Protection |
C.A Lawn Named The Ugliest Globally All For A Good Cause |
D.The World’s Ugliest Lawn Unaccepted By The Whole World |
4 . Climate change is causing more areas to turn into deserts. This issue is affecting the lives of 250 million people as land that used to be good for farming becomes dry and unproductive. Around one-third of the world’s land is impacted, including regions in Africa, southern Europe, Asia and America.
Sand to Green is a Moroccan company that can transform a patch of desert into a sustainable (可持续的) and profitable plantation in five years, according to Wissal Ben Moussa, its co-founder and chief agricultural officer. The solution is using agroforestry (农林业)to create a new kind of agriculture that is sustainable and that can be resilient (有适应力的) in front of climate change.
The system can be set up close to any source of salty water, which Sand to Green cleans using energy from the sun. It then grows different types of fruit trees and plants together in the same area—a method called mixed planting—and waters the plants’ roots directly with the cleaned water, to reduce water loss to the air. The soil is regenerated using what Sand to Green calls “green manure”, a mixture that includes compost, biochar(生物炭)and microorganisms that help the soil “wake up”. Biochar is a form of charcoal that can help dry soil hold on to water.
In a five-hectare trial in southern Morocco that’s been running since 2017, Sand to Green has tried out a variety of plants in search of the best performers. Among the intercropping herbs (草本植物) that have been successfully trialed are rosemary, geranium, vetiver and citronella, which Ben Moussa describes as “very low-maintenance and very high-profit”.
Sand to Green is now working to scale up to a 20-hectare commercial site, also in southern Morocco. It says a site of that size would cost around $475,000 to set up and would start bringing financial returns in about five years.
According to Ben Moussa, with this system they create biodiversity, which means better soil, healthier crops and a bigger yield. The plantation can generate 1.5 times more yield, thus making more money than a farm that grows only one type of crop in the same space.
1. What phenomenon does the author describe in paragraph 1?A.Deforestation. | B.Desertification. |
C.Global warming. | D.Urbanization. |
A.To preserve the crop’s survival rate. |
B.To protect water from pollution. |
C.To make a new type of soil. |
D.To help people adapt to climate change. |
A.It aims to plant more trees. |
B.It earns a good reputation. |
C.It develops new plants. |
D.It produces good results. |
A.Expand. | B.Object. | C.Refer. | D.Prefer. |
In China, Tree Planting Day falls on March 12, but more often people plant trees during Qing Ming Festival in early April. Newly-planted trees can survive more
China set March 12
Since 2013, Xi Jinping,
China has seen a
6 . Born to an adventure-loving mom and a National Geographic’s photographer dad, Alison Teal was already exploring the world as a baby. The family traveled the globe staying not at five-star hotels but in a six-foot-wide tent. From cold mountaintops to hot jungles, they completely involved themselves in local nature and culture.
Between journeys, they would return home to a quiet and faraway part of the Big Island of Hawaii, where they built a solar-powered oceanfront rest center. The front yard was the ocean, and Alison’s friends were dolphins. She would dive into the water and release seaweed. A dolphin would catch it on its nose or fin and throw it to the next player. Over the years, the dolphins grew to trust Alison. They looked for her and came close to her in the water.
After graduating from university, she continued her world travels. Her adventurous childhood and life skills landed her a spot in the reality show Naked and Afraid, in which she and her partner had to live on an unwelcoming island for 21 days. Alison’s deep knowledge of how to live in a wilderness saved the pair, but what shocked her was the amount of trash washed upon the shore.
“After that, I couldn’t ignore our plastic problem. I shifted my focus and started to protect our greatest resource, the ocean,” says Alison. Swimming in familiar waters back home, she also found her dolphin friends were no longer tossing (抛) seaweed to each other, but plastic. “That was distressing,” she says.
Her book, Alison’s Adventures: Your Passport to the World, is fled with travel tales and environmental lessons. She also offers free adventure films to go along with each chapter on her YouTube and TikTok. Alison believes all of us can make changes to protect the Earth and, in turn, those we love. “Whether you’re a lawyer, a gardener, an artist, a teacher or a surfer, we can all help in our own ways,” she says.
1. What can we infer from the first paragraph?A.Alison Teal had a comfortable life when she was young. |
B.Alison Teal was fond of photography when she was young. |
C.Alison Teal’s parents we restrict with her when she was young. |
D.Alison Teal led a life close to nature when she was young. |
A.The amount of trash washed upon the shore. |
B.The unwelcoming island where they had to live. |
C.The lack of resources in the wilderness. |
D.The dangerous situations they encountered. |
A.During a journey with her parents. |
B.After her participation in a show. |
C.Before her graduation from university. |
D.When visiting the Big Island of Hawaii. |
A.Everyone can contribute in their own ways. |
B.Only certain professions can make a difference. |
C.It is impossible to make any significant changes. |
D.It is the responsibility of governments and organizations. |
增加:在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧),并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除:把多余的词用斜线( \ )划掉。
修改:在错的词下划一横线,并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意:1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词;
2. 只允许修改10处,多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Living a low carbon life is becoming increasing important in our modern society. It means reduce the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases we released into the atmosphere. There are many simple steps we can take them. Firstly, we can choose eco-friendly modes of transportation such as walking, cycling, or using public transport instead driving. Secondly, saving energies in our homes is crucial. Switching off lights when they are not in use but using energy-efficient appliances (电器) make a significance impact. Lastly, consuming less meat and dairy products, that have a high carbon footprint, and opting for organic produce can make a different.
8 . The beauty industry produces many units of one-time use containers every year. More and more consumers are asking how they can keep themselves clean and beautiful without trashing the planet.
It’s a question Women of the Future winner, Natassia Nicolao, considered during her years working in product development for beauty and wellness companies. Raised by a strong and supportive mother, Natassia used her skills and passion to make a difference. In 2021, she created her waterless beauty brand.
She said, “Water is involved in every stage of a product life cycle. Everything we use, buy, sell and make has a huge water footprint. On top of that, the beauty industry adds water as the main ingredients in its products, despite it having no direct benefit to our skin.”
Having lived through water restrictions in drought-ridden Australia, Natassia felt it necessary to stop the overuse of water in the beauty industry. Natassia has always loved beauty. Her company tries to be sustainable in every step of the way, but at its core, it is about removing water from our beauty routines.
“It’s really rooted in water conservation first, and then managing your water footprint, your carbon footprint and your waste footprint,” Natassia said. “We create waterless beauty products to help conserve water.” The glass bottles and jars of her products can be recycled. The oils and wipes are formulated without any water, requiring no water to use. The company also has a piece of game-changing beauty technology: face-wipes and masks that completely dissolve in water.
“The company is still in its beginning,” Natassia said. With the prize money from Women of the Future, she plans to purchase a machine to simplify the creation of the wipes and masks. The publicity, meanwhile, will help her spread the message central to the company’s existence that beauty must do better. Natassia believes that, with a little courage and innovation, it can do.
1. What does the underlined word “trashing” in paragraph 1 mean?A.Studying. | B.Damaging. | C.Exploding. | D.Supporting. |
A.Her pursuit of profit. | B.Her best beauty skills. |
C.Her growth environment. | D.Her love of extreme beauty. |
A.Environmentally friendly. | B.Relatively cheap. |
C.Elegant. | D.World-famous. |
A.It has died out. | B.It’s promising. | C.It develops well. | D.It’s worth analysis. |
Jiangxi Province has taken many measures to protect finless porpoises (江豚),
The species,
As the water level dropped to less than 12 meters, the lake officially entered this year’s dry season on August 6,
Wang Liang, who works for the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Jiangxi, said the province has released
10 . Where does food waste go? In most countries around the world, it goes into landfills (垃圾填埋场). But not in South Korea. The country banned food waste in landfills nearly 20 years ago and today, it is turned into animal feed, fertilizers and fuel.
Around the globe, 1.4 billion tons of food is thrown away every year. The waste goes into landfills where it can pollute the land and water as well as releasing methane — a greenhouse gas — into the air. In fact, food waste is the third-largest source of methane in the US.
The system that is in place in South Korea keeps almost 100 percent of unused food out of landfills. While other cities and local governments have put similar plans in place, it is not done anywhere else on a country-wide basis.
There are two reasons why South Korea passed laws to carry out mandatory (强制性的) recycling of food waste. First, the country’s cooking tradition of numerous small dishes resulted in large amounts of uneaten food. This food waste went into landfills. But the country’s mountainous geography didn’t allow for enough landfills to be built. That’s why the government forced recycling of paper and plastic in 1995 but food waste continued to be buried in landfills. But it was the neighbors of these landfills that demanded that another solution be found due to the very unpleasant smell from rotting food. The government banned organic waste from landfills in 2005. Another law that was passed in 2013 banned dumping liquid food waste in the ocean.
The system is not free but most of the cost is absorbed by the country. People can buy yellow recycling bags that are picked up on the roadside and some local governments have placed autonomous food waste collectors that require residents to pay a weight-based fee by using cards.
The food waste is collected from the bins every day except Sunday. Some of it is used to make animal feed or fertilizers and some is used to make fuel.
1. What phenomenon does the author describe in paragraph 2?A.The US is worried about landfills. | B.Landfills are the most common. |
C.Greenhouse gas is hard to avoid. | D.Food waste can cause much harm. |
A.Other governments don’t plan to recycle food waste. |
B.100 percent of food waste goes into landfills worldwide. |
C.South Korea is successful in dealing with the unused food. |
D.South Korea should follow others’ way of building the system. |
A.Some people’s appeal. | B.Insufficient landfill sites. |
C.Unhealthy traditional diets. | D.Large amounts of food waste. |
A.By avoiding using cards. | B.By purchasing recycling bags. |
C.By paying the cost of collectors. | D.By picking up waste on the roadside. |