1 . Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses （球场） in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.
There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’s free.
1. Which of the following is the author most probably in favor of?| A．Cycling around a lake. |
| B．Motor racing in the desert. |
| C．Playing basketball in a gym. |
| D．Swimming in a sports center. |
| A．It is popular in Portugal and Spain. |
| B．It causes water shortages around the world. |
| C．It pollutes the earth with chemicals and wastes. |
| D．It needs water and electricity to keep its courses green. |
| A．it is an outdoor sport |
| B．it improves our health |
| C．it uses fewer resources |
| D．it is recommended by experts |
| A．show us the function of major sports |
| B．encourage us to go in for green sports |
| C．discuss the major influence of popular sports |
| D．introduce different types of environment-friendly sports |
2 . Carbon dioxide emissions from transportation are now thought as the top source of green-house gases. One of the most effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint is to reconsider how much, and how often, you travel.
Going car free for a year could save about 2. 6 tons of carbon dioxide, according to a study from the University of British Columbia. How can you stop using a car? Try taking a train, bus or better yet, riding a bike.
But let’s be realistic. You will likely need to use a car this year. So, when you do, here are some tips to make your trip more climate-friendly. Driving efficiently can help to reduce emissions. Go easy on the gas and brakes and drive like you have an egg under your foot. Regularly service your car to keep it more efficient. Keeping your tires pumped correctly can re-duce emissions. Low tire pressure will hurt your fuel economy. Air conditioning and frequent city driving can make emissions go up. So cut down on these as often as possible. Use cruise control (定速巡航) on long drives-in most cases, this can help to save gas. Don’t weigh your car down with extra things that you don’t need on your trip.
Fly often? Taking one fewer long round-trip flight could reduce your personal carbon footprint significantly. If you use public transportation often and fly less, your carbon foot-print might still be relatively sustainable, but if you drive and fly a lot, your emissions will be sigher. If you can’t avoid flying, you can offset them by donating money to sustainable proacts, such as supplying efficient stoves to rural homes, or projects which help farmers deal with crop waste environmentally.
1. What does the author think of going car free?| A．Efficient. | B．Costly. | C．Impractical. | D．Reliable. |
| A．Maintaining your car properly. | B．Using cruise control in the city. |
| C．Stepping hard on the gas and brakes. | D．Geiting rid of all the necessary loads. |
| A．Make up for. | B．Team up with. | C．Set foot in. | D．Put up with. |
| A．How to save fuel when driving cars | B．How to reduce your carbon footprint |
| C．Reduce carbon footprint by all means | D．Lower carbon footprint in transportation |
3 . Fashion designers are always looking for new materials to work with. Lately, it’s all about environment-friendly materials -- recycled tires, mushrooms, even pineapple fibers! What if you want such a pair of shoes? Thaely is here to help.
This sneaker brand out of Dubai wants to fight the growing problem of plastic pollution. Led by 23-year-old Indian businessman Ashay Bhave, they may have found a winning approach: making shoes out of plastic grocery bags. “Thaely” means “plastic bag” in the Hindi language.
“I was looking to create footwear that is cost-effective and safe for the environment,” Bhave said in an interview with a newspaper. “I needed to come up with something that uses recycled plastic without creating any more plastic waste. ”Plastic bags were the perfect solution. He said five trillion plastic bags are used around the world each year. “I was motivated to find a solution to this problem,” Bhave said.
That solution was the fiber called ThaelyTex. Made entirely from plastic bags, the material looks and feels like leather. That sounds promising. Better yet, the production process requires no additional chemicals and produces no poisonous by-products. The result is a smart-looking pair of white low-top sneakers.
Bhave wouldn’t expose the full process for making ThaelyTex, but he said that each pair of shoes was made from up to 15 plastic bags and 22 plastic bottles. Where do they get the materials? Bhave told Elle that was the hardest part. “The biggest challenge we faced was right at the first step of acquiring the plastic bags. ”
Finally, they got help from TrioTap Technologies, a waste management plant. Bhave said they offered to collect the bags and also process them into ThaelyTex.
So far, it seems like things are falling into place. There are already hundreds of pre-orders in place. It sounds like they have some plans for the future. “We have a few more colors coming up,” said Bhave. They also plan to put out a high-top model and bring in a line of clothing. Let’s hope their growth is also friendly to the environment.
1. Why did Bhave choose to make shoes out of plastic bags?| A．To set a new footwear trend. |
| B．To test new materials for footwear. |
| C．To reduce the use of plastic bags in his home country. |
| D．To use recycled plastic in an environment-friendly way. |
| A．Having a few more colors for Thaely. | B．Processing plastic bags into ThaelyTex. |
| C．Collecting enough production materials | D．Dealing with many poisonous by-products |
| A．produce | B．conserve |
| C．provide | D．broadcast |
| A．Bhave: a promising young man |
| B．Thaely: killer of waste plastic bags |
| C．ThaelyTex: material out of plastic bags |
| D．TrioTap Technologies: a waste management plant |
4 . Eradajere Oleita thinks she may have a partial solution to two of our country’s persistent problems: garbage and poverty. It’s called the Chip Bag Project. The 26-year-old student and environmentalist from Detroit is asking a favor of local snack lovers: Rather than toss your empty chip bags into the trash, donate them so she can turn them into sleeping bags for the homeless.
Chip caters drop off their empty bags from Doritos, Lay’s, and other favorites at two locations in Detroit: a print shop and a clothing store, where Oleita and her volunteer helpers collect them. After they sanitize (消毒) the chip bags in soapy hot water, they slice them open, lay them flat, and iron them together. They use padding and liners from old coats to line the insides.
It takes about four hours to sew a sleeping bag, and each takes around 150 to 300 chip bags, depending on whether they’re single-serve or family size. The result is a sleeping bag that is “waterproof, lightweight, and easy to carry around,” Oleita told the Detroit News. Since its start in 2020, the Chip Bag Project has collected more than 800,000 chip bags and, as of last December, created 110 sleeping bags.
Sure, it would be simpler to raise the money to buy new sleeping bags. But that’s only half the goal for Oleita — whose family moved to the United States from Nigeria a decade ago with the hope of attaining a better life — and her fellow volunteers. “We are devoted to making an impact not only socially, but environmentally,” she said.
And, of course, there’s the symbolism of recycling bags that would otherwise land in the trash and using them to help the homeless. It’s a powerful reminder that environmental injustice and poverty often go hand in hand. As Oleita said, “I think it’s time to show connections between all of these issues.”
1. What is the main idea of paragraph 2?| A．How they make the sleeping bags. | B．Why they sanitize the chip bags. |
| C．Where they collect the chip bags. | D．What they use to line the insides. |
| A．The new sleeping bags have many benefits. |
| B．A lot of effort is put into making the sleeping bags. |
| C．People consume a large quantity of chips every day. |
| D．People are aware of the importance of environmental protection. |
| A．They wish they could earn better life. |
| B．They think it is difficult to raise a lot of money. |
| C．They aim to help the homeless by recycling waste. |
| D．They want to find a simpler way to help the homeless. |
| A．Recycling chip bags can remove poverty. |
| B．The new sleeping bags have been put into wide use. |
| C．Few chip bags will end up in the trash in the country. |
| D．Environmental injustice and poverty are usually closely connected. |
5 . After weeks of hard work, a cafe built by a group of young people from recycled solid waste has opened recently. The group recycled about 270 tons of solid waste, including wooden poles, boxes, refrigerators and washing machines. Located on the Gaza City beach, it’s the first of such shops in Gaza.
Gaza is suffering from severe garbage pollution. According to a report by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the average amount of household waste in the Gaza Strip stands at 716 tonnes. About 80 percent of the garbage there is organic waste, while 20 percent of it is solid waste.
Called “The Sea Is Ours”, the project falls under the responsibility of the Abdul Muhsin al-Qattan Foundation and the Gaza Municipality. The organizers say the cafe is not intended to earn money. It’s a way to tell the masses about the environment. “Some people go to the sea to relax and leave plastic waste on the beach, damaging the area. Our initiative (新方案) encourages people to keep our environment clean and healthy,” said Hanaa al-Ghoul, one initiative organizer.
To fire people with enthusiasm for it, organizers decided to run workshops to teach people how they can benefit from their own waste. Furthermore, they arranged theatrical performances that spread the message of environmental conservation. Many Gazan families praised the initiative as they took their waste to the cafe and learned how to recycle it into useful things.
Mariam Ibrahim, who had spent a whole day with her family there, said her children succeeded in producing flower vases from plastic waste, as well as bags from old clothes. “The green methods can be used not only on the beach but at home,” the 35-year-old mother said. She expressed her hope that others will follow this example. “Gaza is the most beautiful area, but it needs more people who take care of it.”
1. What does paragraph 2 serve as?| A．A summary. | B．An explanation. |
| C．An example. | D．A background. |
| A．To recycle wasted objects. |
| B．To better serve visitors in Gaza. |
| C．To raise people’s environmental awareness. |
| D．To introduce eco-friendly products. |
| A．By spreading the useful message. |
| B．By holding some activities. |
| C．By using special building materials. |
| D．By cooperating with other organizations. |
| A．More initiatives like the cafe are needed. |
| B．Gaza’s environment is getting better. |
| C．She wants to spend more time in the cafe. |
| D．The cafe is popular with both adults and kids. |
6 . An impressive invention made by a 17-year-old teenager, called Anna Du, is helping to clean up small pieces of plastic from the ocean.
While walking along her local beaches in Massachusetts, the young student began collecting waste plastic bags and bottles. But what she noticed was a large number of tiny pieces of plastic or microplastics that were impossible to pick up. At just 12 years old, Du set out to solve the problem. After testing a few prototypes(原型)in her backyard, she invented a remotely operated vehicle that uses the infrared camera(红外摄像机)to detect microplastics on the ocean floor. More recently, Du has also created a simulation(模拟)model that uses artificial intelligence to predict where microplastics are located.
Du’s robot invention has earned her awards at top science fairs in the US, and she’s now a nationally recognized advocate for microplastic awareness and pollution prevention. “When I first started doing science fairs, I had no idea that a young girl without lots of money and just a little advanced engineering knowledge could make a difference in the world. I’ve learned that I truly love working on a problem that’s so much larger than me,” Du said.
Du has also released a new book to help spread the word not only about the dangers of microplastics but also about the ways to relieve the problem. Titled Microplastics &Me, the book follows Du’s own story of how she went from worrying about the environment to designing award-winning solutions. Writing for kids her own age, the young girl alerts her readers to the threat of microplastic pollution and urges them to care about the environment. The book hopes to encourage young students to get into science, technology, engineering and math(STEM)subjects and to inspire a new generation of inventors and engineers. What’s more, Du has even raised more than $7,000 to distribute the book free to kids and libraries in high-need communities.
1. What inspired Du to make the invention?| A．There was too much rubbish along the beaches. | B．The plastics were too small to collect by hand. |
| C．The sea was polluted seriously. | D．She was interested in AI. |
| A．She has a spirit of challenge. | B．She is too poor to make a difference. |
| C．She doesn’t study hard in engineering. | D．She wins international recognition. |
| A．Innovation. | B．Voice. | C．Culture. | D．Art. |
| A．To inspire readers to share their stories. |
| B．To raise the awareness of microplastics pollution. |
| C．To encourage high schools to offer STEM subjects. |
| D．To collect money for kids in high-need communities. |
7 . FitzGerald is a 16-year-old long-distance runner from Devon, England, who has set a national record in the under-17s 3, 000 meters, but now she’s getting noticed for her commitment to saving the planet.
FitzGerald finished fourth in the under-20s race at the European Cross Country Championships in Italy last December, but her journey to get there made it even more impressive. To reach Turin in Italy, FitzGerald could have taken a quick flight. However, flying releases carbon dioxide. Instead, she took an overnight coach to Lille in France, then trains to first Paris, then Turin, cycling between stations. Despite her tiring journey, she beat athletes three years older than her.
FitzGerald turned down the chance to compete at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia. She told Athletics Weekly magazine that the decision wasn’t easy but that travelling fills her “with deep concern”. “To have the opportunity to compete for Great Britain in Australia is a privilege,” FitzGerald said. “However, I would never be comfortable flying in the knowledge that people could be losing their livelihoods, homes and loved ones as a result. The least I can do is voice my solidarity (团结一致) with those suffering on the front line of climate breakdown.”
FitzGerald’s refusal to fly has led people to compare her to the climate activist Thunberg, who once travelled to New York by boat. FitzGerald could travel by ship to Australia, but it would take her more than a month to get there. FitzGerald knows her choice to put the needs of the Earth first could affect her athletics career, but she has to act as if it’s an emergency.
Champions for Earth, an organization for environmentally-friendly athletes, said: “She is looking for sponsors and supporters who can help her with the more expensive public transport, accommodation and eco-friendly kit that she requires. It is clear that FitzGerald has the steely determination and focus, combined with the courage and clarity to face a reality quite different to athletes of previous generations.”
1. Why did FitzGerald make headlines?| A．Because she chose green transport instead of a flight to Italy. |
| B．Because she made a national record in 3, 000 meters in England. |
| C．Because she devoted all her time to eco-environment in England. |
| D．Because she won the champion in the cross country race in Italy. |
| A．Ungreen travelling. | B．Tiring competing in Italy. |
| C．Changeable climate on the way. | D．Affected athletics career. |
| A．Acting immediately if there is an emergency. |
| B．Preferring taking the ship instead of the flight. |
| C．Spending all their life in protecting the environment. |
| D．Choosing the eco-friendly means of transportation. |
| A．Honest and outgoing. | B．Determined and concentrated. |
| C．Attractive and modest. | D．Courageous and humorous. |
8 . The monarch butterfly migration(迁徙)is at risk because of climate change and other envuronmental factors.
Do you know that monarch butterflies can travel up to 50- 100 miles a day? If you know they need travel about two months, you’ll have an idea of the distance monarchs travel to get to Mexico.
Monarch butterflies are the only hind of butterflies to make a two-way migration. They travel to Mexico to escape the winter season in the northern climates. Cold, wet weather is considered deadly for monarchs, while hotter, diner summer change their homes in the north.
2020, however, saw a 26% drop from the year earlier in migration patterns reported in a report from the World Wildlife Fund and the Mexican government. With this drop, the butterflies’ population covered only 2.1 hectares in 2020, compared to 2.8 hectares a year earlier. And the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Michoacan. Mexico, lost trees at a higher rate than it did in 2019.
With climate change as the monarch butterflies’ biggest challenge, they are faced with many dangers, such as drought, deforestation(滥伐森林)and struggle to breed. These dangers affect the whole migration and hold back population growth. Female monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed flowers, which have been heavily affected by the wild weather from spring and summer of last year. Because of this, the development of butterfly eggs was also affected.
Since 2013, Mexico has seen a rapid drop in the number of migrants arriving to the area. The effects of climate change and deforestation have become an important sign that action needs to be taken to make sure of a healthy migration for monarchs going forward. If not, it’s their possible dying, out that wall fall unto our hands.
1. Haw far do monarch butterflies fly to escape the cold?| A．50-100 miles. | B．100-200 miles. |
| C．1,500 – 3,000 miles. | D．3,000 -6,000 miles. |
| A．It is becoming cold and wet. | B．It is dangerous for monarchs |
| C．Its environment is being destroyed. | D．Its area is growing smaller. |
| A．The damage to forests. | B．The dangers monarchs face. |
| C．The growth process of monarchs. | D．The development of butterfly eggs |
| A．Point out the signs of climate change. | B．Explain the cause of the monarch migration. |
| C．Call for measures to stop monarchs dying out. | D．Express regret at the monarchs’ disappearance. |
9 . Prince William, second in line to the British throne, gave his first TED Talk on Saturday to launch his Earthshot Prize, a competition that will award five £ 1 million prize money every year for the next decade to those who can come up with solutions to environmental problems.
Any person, group or organization around the world is qualified, and any suggestion is welcome, so long as it is applicable globally. It could be a new technology, a new approach, a new governmental policy or any other ideas toward five environmental goals -fixing the climate, purifying the air, protecting nature, cleaning oceans and handling waste.
"Earthshot" was inspired by John F. Kennedy's "Moonshot," an ambitious 1961 mission to get a man on the moon within a decade. The purpose of the prize is partly to arouse excitement and offer what Prince William called “a bit of catalyst, a bit of hope, a bit of positivity" at a time when the world needs. The money will come from donors around the world. The prize committee includes many celebrities.
Prince William has environmental activism in his blue blood. Both his grandfather, and his father Prince Charles were active environmentalists. Prince William acknowledged his heritage by saying he had always listened, learned and believed what they were saying about the environment. Besides speaking wise words, he also puts forward a good prize. Over a million pounds is significantly more than a Nobel Prize and should inspire some serious and creative thinking about the difficulties of Planet Earth. Unlike the Nobel Prize money, the Earthshot money is supposed to be spent on the winning project. “If we achieve these goals, by 2030 our lives won't be worse, and we won't have to sacrifice everything we enjoy. Instead, the way we live will be healthier, cleaner, smarter, and better for all of us," he said.
1. What can be learned about The Earth shot Prize?| A．It will be awarded to Britons. |
| B．It aims to solve social problems. |
| C．It is named after a moon mission. |
| D．It offers £ 50 million in total. |
| A．a method to monitor sea levels |
| B．a new technology to forecast the weather |
| C．a new approach to recycling the waste |
| D．a local government policy to ban fishing |
| A．Encouragement. | B．Alarm. | C．Challenge. | D．Surprise. |
| A．Earthshot Prize equals Nobel Prize. |
| B．Planet Earth will be cleaned by 2030. |
| C．Prince William only talks the talk. |
| D．Prince William is influenced by his family. |
10 . Notpla, a London-based firm, makes a seaweed-based substitute (代替物) for single use plastic packaging. Although some of Notpla’s products are suitable to be eaten, they are designed to be dissolved (溶解) after usage. Made of seaweed instead of a conventional plastic coating, the company’s packaging is fully biodegradable and ideal for use as packaging for kitchen and bathroom supplies like coffee and toilet paper.
According to the United Nations, 331 million kilograms of plastic garbage is produced annually around the world. About 60% of the estimated 9.15 billion tons of plastic produced since the early 1950s has been taken to landfills.
Plastics harm the water, the air, and our bodies. Many experts agree that single-use plastics are unnecessary and dangerous. Some governments and towns in the United States have taken action. New York has banned most plastic shopping bags, while plastic straws have been banned in Miami Beach. Overseas, India stated in August that it plans to place a wide ban on single-use plastics this upcoming summer, with the European Union already implementing this ban.
Seaweed comes in a variety of species and can be harvested or farmed. Notpla uses plants that have been farmed. Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez and Pierre Paslie, the inventors of Notpla, initially considered seaweed as a solution to the world’s plastic problem for several reasons. Seaweed is plentiful and grows quickly. Additionally it doesn’t compete with land crops and is highly favored for its ability to remove some waste products like carbon from the atmosphere.
In cooperation with the online food ordering service Just Eat, the startup recently tested its product. Last year, the two companies handed out 30, 000 takeaway boxes at various UK restaurants. Plans are in the works to offer the boxes across Europe in 2022. Notpla’s team intends to replace single use plastic in the supply chain more generally as they scale. The company recognizes the difficulty of such a job, considering the volume of plastics consumed around the world.
1. How does the author mainly develop paragraph 2?| A．By presenting figures. | B．By comparing facts. |
| C．By raising questions. | D．By quoting a saying. |
| A．Lifting. | B．Performing. | C．Protesting. | D．Removing. |
| A．The advantages of choosing seaweed. | B．The next goal of the new study. |
| C．The wide use of seaweed. | D．The shortcomings of the plastic bags. |
| A．It will be totally unpractical. | B．It will be richly rewarded. |
| C．It will be a little tough. | D．It will be rather successful. |
