1 . Puppies can be taught. So can human children, though not for the first couple of years. Now, in the hope of fighting climate change, Dr Jan Langbein, of the Fredrich-Loweffler-Institut in Germany, and his colleagues hope they can train cows to use the toilet, too.
Cow pee（尿）contains a nitrogen-rich substance that, when broken down by enzymes（酶）, is transformed into ammonia（氨）. Bacteria in the soil, in turn, transform that ammonia into nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas. Collecting and treating cow pee before the ammonia can be produced might, therefore, seem like a good idea. But it has proved difficult in the past without limiting the cows to small areas, which is bad for their welfare.
As Dr Langbein describes in Current Biology, this confusing problem could be solved if cows could be persuaded to voluntarily relieve themselves in a toilet. He has developed a three-stage process to help cows master toilet training. The first job was to establish the toilet. Calves（小牛）were limited to a toilet and rewarded with treats after peeing in it. Next, they were given the freedom to wander around a path outside the toilet. Peeing in the toilet were rewarded; those in the path were gently punished with a spray of water. Finally, the path was extended, to allow the animals to practice self-control over a greater distance.
Of the 16 calves involved in the training process, 11 were considered successfully toilet-trained by the end of it. Their overall performance, say the researchers, was almost comparable to that of human children. The animals managed to pee in the toilet around 77% of the time.
The next step, says Dr Langbein, is to see if cattle on a working farm can be similarly trained. Whether farmers will be keen is another question. Building toilets and training animals costs time and money, after all. But when it comes to climate change, every little helps.
1. Why did Dr Jan Langbein and his team train cows to use toilet?| A．To make use of cow pee. | B．To keep the environment clean. |
| C．To reduce greenhouse gas. | D．To limit the cows to small areas. |
| A．Using rewards and punishments. | B．Forcing them to use the toilet. |
| C．Making the toilet-training interesting. | D．Keeping them from wandering around. |
| A．It was successful. | B．It was doubtful. |
| C．The training proved difficult. | D．Calves were as smart as human children. |
| A．To encourage people to train their pets. | B．To explain an abstract science concept. |
| C．To raise awareness of caring for animals. | D．To introduce a new eco-friendly method. |
2 . Among the world’s waste-recycling pioneers, Germany is the leader. The country has quite a detailed way of sorting their waste-down to the color of glass waste, the type of paper, the separate bin for metals, etc.
Here below are what you should know about Germany’s waste sorting system：
◇You are expected to gather your waste in your apartment/housing area’s local public garbage bins.
◇There are commonly several types of public garbage bins available in the German’s apartment/housing areas：
Blue bin — for paper and cardboard
Green and white bin — for glass, different bins for differently colored glass, not available for holiday decorations and lights
Yellow/orange bin — for plastic and metals
Brown bin — for goods that can be changed naturally by bacteria into substances that don’t harm the environment, like leftovers, fruit and vegetables
Gray/black bin — for everything else that can’t be recycled such as used cat litter and animal waste
◇Some items don’t belong in these public garbage bins. Items like used batteries, electronics, unused paints, and lights must be returned to the special agent/locations so they can be properly recycled. Other items such as clothes, shoes, and oversized rubbish and furniture are advised to be donated or sold.
◇There’s this thing called Pfand in Germany, a certain part of the price for a bottled drink that you get back if you send back the bottle to certified (有资历的) shops. German law requires shops over a certain size selling bottled drinks have a Pfandruckgabestelle, or place for bottles with deposits (押金). These bottles usually made of glass or plastic will be refilled. Of course, there’re strict health regulations.
1. Which bin should the fallen leaves be classified into？| A．The blue bin. | B．The brown bin. |
| C．The grey/black bin. | D．The green and white bin. |
| A．By returning it to special agents. | B．By placing it in a specific location. |
| C．By giving it away to those in need. | D．By donating it to a Pfandruckgabestelle. |
| A．To collect money for some shops. | B．To help shops reuse plastic or glass. |
| C．To reduce the broken bottles. | D．To encourage bottles to be returned. |
3 . The worldwide 20th century “Green Revolution”, which saw huge year-by-year increases in global grain yields (产量),was fueled by the development in the 1960s of new high-yielding dwarfed (矮小) varieties known as Green Revolution Varieties (GRVs).
These dwarfed GRVs are common all over the world in today’s wheat and rice crops. Because they are dwarfed, with short stems, GRVs devote relatively more resources than tall plants to the growth of grains rather than stems, and are less likely to suffer yield losses from wind and rain damage. However, the growth of GRVs requires farmers to use large amounts of nitrogen fertilizers (氮肥) in their fields. These fertilizers are costly to farmers and cause extensive damage to the natural environment. The development of new GRVs combining high yields with reduced fertilizer requirements is thus a global agricultural goal.
Researchers at the University of Oxford and the Chinese Academy of Science have discovered for the first time a gene that can help reach the goal. Comparing 36 different dwarfed rice varieties, the researchers identified a novel natural gene that helps increase the rate at which plants make use of nitrogen from the soil. This gene, called GRF4, can increase the amount of a protein (蛋白质) in plant cells. GRF4 is actually a promoter that encourages the activity of other genes—genes that promote nitrogen uptake (摄入). Professor Harberd said, “Increasing GRF4 levels could contribute to an increase in the grain yields of GRVs, especially at low fertilizer input levels.”
The researchers say the latest rice variety containing GRVs should now become a major target for farmers in increasing crop yields and fertilizer use efficiency, with the aim of achieving the global grain yield increases necessary to feed a growing world population at a reduced environmental cost. It is very urgent at the moment.
Professor Harberd added, “This study is an example of how studying fundamental science objectives can lead rapidly to potential solutions to global challenges. It shows how the discovery can enable chances for food security and future new green revolutions.”
1. What can we know about dwarfed GRVs?| A．They have higher yield and taller stems. |
| B．They are a “double-edged sword”. |
| C．They are environmentally friendly. |
| D．They can be easily affected by weather. |
| A．Increasing the rate of nitrogen use. |
| B．Producing cheaper nitrogen fertilizers. |
| C．Using fewer fertilizers to produce more grains. |
| D．Finding a gene to solve agricultural problems. |
| A．It promotes other genes' activity. |
| B．It increases the output of crops. |
| C．It takes in nitrogen from the soil. |
| D．It lowers fertilizer input levels. |
| A．Decreasing the amount of fertilizers required by GRVs. |
| B．Encouraging farmers to adopt the new rice variety. |
| C．Calling on farmers to use effective fertilizers. |
| D．Focusing on the improvement of GRF4. |
| A．GRVs—a potential measure to achieve global food security. |
| B．The influence of agricultural development on the environment. |
| C．The importance of raising public awareness of global issues. |
| D．GRF4—foundation for new green revolutions. |
Litter is everywhere, doing great harm
The story began with his 6-year-old daughter. One day they were going on a hike when the girl noticed a broken plastic tub (浴盆) in a river. She said, “Daddy, that doesn't go there.”That took Kirschner by surprise. He, like many adults, had become so used to seeing the rubbish
Jeff started to take
Litterati is more than an app. It is highly
5 . About 97% of the world’s water is salty and is found in our oceans and seas. But, as we can’t drink sea water, how can it be important?
Every part of our seas and oceans contains an amazing number of animals and fish that live at different ocean depths. Most of the different species of animals and fish depend on simple plants for their food. These simple plants called algae (海藻) drift near the surface of the ocean and use sunlight to turn carbon dioxide and water into food and oxygen. In fact, algae produce over half of the oxygen people breathe. How important sea water is !
Each plant or animal in our seas and oceans is an important link in a food chain. The algae are eaten in large amounts by microscopic animals, which are in turn consumed by larger animals. These food chains are delicately (微妙地) balanced.
The bad news about the food chains in the oceans is that they are under threat because of man. People once thought that the oceans were so big that it didn’t matter if we dumped rubbish into them or caught huge quantities of fish and whales for food. But we now know this is not true and fish stocks in the oceans have started to drop.
Thankfully, the world is taking steps to protect the future of our oceans by introducing international agreements to protect marine habitats. Most countries have introduced fishing restrictions (限制) to protect fish stocks in the oceans and new techniques are being pioneered to cope with pollution. Finally, the importance of protecting oceans is being made known to more people. This is just the beginning of a long process to protect the oceans for our future. We depend on the oceans for fish which are an important part of the human diet. How important sea water is!
1. People used to think that the rubbish thrown into the sea _________.| A．wouldn’t harm the fish in the sea | B．wouldn’t change the balance of the food |
| C．wouldn’t be broken down in the sea | D．wouldn’t do much harm to the sea |
| A．most fish and sea animals live at the surface of the seas |
| B．it is very difficult to break the balance of a food chain |
| C．over fishing has caused the decrease in fish stock |
| D．it won't be long before the problems concerning oceans will be solved |
| A．The use of international agreements | B．Forbidding fishing to protect fish stocks |
| C．The use of new techniques | D．Raising people’s awareness of the need to protect oceans |
6 . Stefani Shamrowicz lives in Colorado. The 24-year-old woman has spent 23 days picking up126 bags of rubbish across the country
Having over a month off from her job at a campus recreation center, Stefani Shamrowicz decided to take a trip to help clean up the environment.
She's now driven over 70 hours through Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana Florida,Georgia,Tennessee,Kentucky，Ohio，Pennsylvania，and New York-cleaning up everything from pee-filled bottles to lawn ornaments. About 80 percent of the rubbish was drinking bottles. Stefani said she had found a few fast-food toys and a tire with a pair of cowboy boots in it and her aim wasn't to shame, but rather encourage people to do what they can
Collecting anywhere from one to 16 bags at a time, Stefani's been discouraged. She felt she wasn't doing enough. She said there was a place that had an ocean of rubbish and she pushed out four bags, but then she broke down because she realized how much rubbish there was and it felt like four bags didn't do anything. But she remembered to just do what she could, especially since she had gone beyond her goal. She said she dedicated that to her parents because they raised her to be an independent person and had been very supportive on the trip
People donated $10 a bag for Stefani to clean up in their name, which she uses for lodging and gas. The person's name is written on how many bags they've donated towards and Stefani posted a picture on her Instagram when they were filed, thanking them for helping clean up the cit she was in.
People online and in person have responded positively to the project. Stefani recalled people sent her pictures of bags of trash they picked up. Once, when she started doing a bag on the beach in Florida,two ladies saw her and started helping her fill the bag.
With her job resuming June 1, Stefani is now back home but she has so many good things to say about her unique U.S.road trip.There's litter everywhere, so I'm just happy to be able to make a little bit of an impact everywhere I go. Cleaning up this litter is a huge thank you for all the joy and good times national parks and nature in general has brought to my life,”she said.
1. Why did Stefani drive ower70 hours across the USA?| A．To call on people to donate money |
| B．To earn a living by classifying rubbish. |
| C．To encourage people to protect the environment. |
| D．To enjoy the scenery of the national parks and nature |
| A．People offered their help along her journey |
| B．Her parents make joint efforts to support her. |
| C．People begin to donate their money for her project. |
| D．Many people take action to clean up the environment |
| A．Discouraged. | B．Anxious | C．Surprised. | D．Pleased. |
| A．Cleaning up rubbish is a tough task. | B．A kind act can make a big difference |
| C．Believing in oneself is the key to success. | D．One will realize his dream if he persists in it. |
1. Where do Indonesians put their garbage?
| A．In the official garbage bags. |
| B．In the public garbage cans. |
| C．In the front of their houses. |
| A．Blue. | B．Yellow. | C．Gray. |
| A．They are provided by the government for free. |
| B．Their price depends on the type of waste. |
| C．Different districts have different official garbage bags. |
Ten years ago, Sir Richard Branson launched an exciting challenge. A reward of $25 million would be offered to anyone if he/she
No such situation appeared, not even with the massive reward. But all is not lost. Branson believed everyone could participate in
Drawdown focuses on small, practical steps, not
Just as it says in this book, we can't just build a piece of big equipment
We are living in
1、不浪费粮食和纸张；
2、尽量不使用方便筷、塑料袋；
3、毕业生将书赠给低年级同学循环使用。
注意：
1. 词数80左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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As an attractive city in the Netherlands, Amsterdam is one of the most bicycle-friendly
Up to now, people in Amsterdam
