A. alarming B. properties C. revealed D. invasive E. rescue F. instrumental G. households H. document I. concerned J. amateur K. initiatives |
Before science became professionalized in the 19th century,
Volunteers and enthusiasts can be powerful drivers for big changes. On the Isle of Man, more than 8,000 people (nearly 10% of the population) are involved in regular weekend beach cleans. At one recent event, 123 volunteers turned up and removed 183 bags of litter in just a couple of hours. Thanks to
Recreational divers are making a real difference underwater too. They monitor the spread of
Volunteers and enthusiasts can be powerful drivers for big changes. No one can know better, or care more about, our most special places than the people who live in them and give up their free time to look after them. As a group of divers and
2 . Garbage sorting has become a hot issue around China, especially after Shanghai began carrying out a regulation on July 1.
Beijing, as a forerunner in environmental protection, has thus been expected to follow suit. The capital of the country has long been campaigning for sorting and recycling household waste, as part of its environmental drive for sustainable growth, local media reported.
The current regulation gives garbage sorting responsibilities to government departments, property management groups and other organizations. It also gives rules for companies, outlining how they’re responsible for waste collection, transportation and treatment. Only individuals are not subject to responsibilities.
The long-awaited revision will soon change the situation, “Taking out the trash without sorting it properly will be illegal,” said Sun Xinjun, director of the Beijing Commission of Urban Management. In Shanghai, violators are now fined up to 200 yuan ($30)for trash-sorting violations. The maximum fine in Beijing will not be less than that, he said.
The Beijing city government first set out to promote garbage sorting in 2009. Authorities have since called on citizens to sort their household waste into four types-recyclable waste, kitchen trash, dangerous waste and others-and leave it in a corresponding dustbin or trash can. Blue-colored dustbins signify items within are recyclable, green represents kitchen trash, red corresponds to dangerous materials and grey to other waste.
To promote the awareness of garbage sorting and expand the base of participants, authorities have employed workers to help residents on the spot. With intelligent devices, those who throw in recyclable waste at given sites will be rewarded with bonus points, which can be used to buy daily goods. At some communities, there are no color-coded dustbins. Instead, a scheduled garbage collection service is offered to help improve the environment. In other communities, workers offer a door-to-door service to collect recyclables or kitchen waste.
Beijing Environmental Sanitation Engineering Group has been promoting new garbage sorting facilities such as recycling cabinets and smart kitchen waste trash cans since 2016, Xinhua News Agency reported. Nearly 26,000 metric tons of household waste is generated across Beijing on a daily basis and 29 terminal garbage disposal facilities are working at full capacity. Nearly 9.3 million tons of household waste was processed in the city last year.
1. According to the passage, which dustbins should some used coke cans be thrown into?A.Grey-colored dustbins. | B.Red-colored dustbins. |
C.Green-colored dustbins. | D.Blue-colored dustbins. |
A.new technology has been applied to help deal with garbage |
B.Beijing carried out a more severe rule on garbage sorting than Shanghai |
C.the change of the current regulation has aroused objection among citizens |
D.the amount of household waste in Beijing is far from something disturbing |
A.How to Sort Garbage in China | B.The Current Regulation in Beijing |
C.Garbage Collection in Beijing | D.Waste Recycling Project Counts |
A.a book review | B.a travel brochure |
C.an environment report | D.a geography essay |
1. 意义;2. 现状;3. 建议。
注意:1.词数100左右;2.文章标题已拟好,不计入总词数。
参考词汇:垃圾分类 garbage classification
Dear editor,
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4 . “Birds” and “airports” are two words that, paired together,don’t normally paint the most harmonious picture. So it really raises some eyebrows when China announces plans to build an airport that is for birds.
Described as the world’s first-ever bird airport, the proposed Lingang Bird Sanctuary(保护区)in the northern coastal city of Tianjin is, of course,not an actual airport. Rather,it's a wetland preserve specifically designed to accommodate hundreds-even thousands-of daily takeoffs and landings by birds traveling along the East Asian-Australian Flyway. Over 50 species of migratory (迁徙的)water birds,some endangered, will stop and feed at the protected sanctuary before continuing their long journey along the flyway.
Located on a former landfill site,the 150-acre airport is also open to human travelers.(Half a million visitors are expected annually.) However,instead of duty-free shopping,the main attraction for non-egg-laying creatures at Tianjin’s newest airport will be a green-roofed education and research center, a series of raised “observation platforms” and a network of scenic walking and cycling paths totaling over 4 miles.
“The proposed Bird Airport will be a globally significant sanctuary for endangered migratory bird species, while providing new green lungs for the city of Tianjin.” Adrian McGregor of an Australian landscape architecture firm explained of the design. Frequently blanketed in smog so thick that it has shut down real airports, Tianjin is a city---China’s fourth most populous----that would certainly benefit from a new pair of healthy green lungs•
1. The underlined phrase “non-egg-laying creatures” in Paragraph 3 refers to?A.Visitors. | B.Designers. |
C.Endangered water birds. | D.Planes. |
A.People cannot watch birds up close here. |
B.It is located on a 150-acre landfill site. |
C.It functions as an actual airport and a wetland preserve. |
D.It provides migratory birds with food and shelter. |
A.The airport will become a permanent home for birds. |
B.Tianjin will win worldwide fame in the future. |
C.Tianjin’s air quality will improve thanks to the airport. |
D.Tianjin will be able to accommodate more people. |
A.Airports shut down and open up. |
B.China is to open the first Bird Airport. |
C.Airports turn into green lungs. |
D.Birds are no longer enemies to airports. |
5 . Living in an urban area with green spaces has a long-lasting positive impact on people’s mental well-being, a study has suggested. UK researchers found moving to a green space had a sustained positive effect, unlike pay rises or promotions, which only provided a short-term boost.
Co-author Mathew White, from the University of Exeter, UK, explained that the study showed people living in greener urban areas were displaying fewer signs of depression or anxiety. “There could be a number of reason,” he said, “for example, people do many things to make themselves happier: they strive of promotion or pay rises, or they get married. But the trouble with those thins is that with those things is that within six months to a year, people are back to their original baseline levels of well-being. So, these things are not sustainable; they don’t make us happy in the long term. We found that for some lottery winners who had won more than £500,000 the positive effect was definitely there, but after six months to a year, they were back to the baseline.”
Dr. White said his team wanted to see whether living in greener urban areas had a lasting positive effect on people’s sense of well-being or whether the effect also disappeared after a period of time. To do this, the team used data from the British Household Panel Survey compiled by the University of Essex.
Explaining what the data revealed, he said: “What you see is that even after three years, mental health is still better, which is unlike many other things that we think will make us happy.” He observed that people living in green spaces were less stressed, and less stressed people made more sensible decisions and communicated better.
With a growing body of evidence establishing a link between urban green spaces and a positive impact on human well-being, Dr. White said, “There’s growing interest among public policy officials, but the trouble is who funds it. What we really need at a policy level is to decide where the money will come from to help support good quality local green spaces.”
1. According to one study, what do green spaces do to people?A.Improve their work efficiency. |
B.Add to their sustained happiness. |
C.Help them build a positive attitude towards life. |
D.Lessen their concerns about material well-being. |
A.How it affects different people. |
B.How strong its positive effect is. |
C.How long its positive effect lasts. |
D.How it benefits people physically. |
A.Their stress was more apparent than real. |
B.Their decisions required less deliberation. |
C.Their memories were greatly strengthened. |
D.Their communication with others improved. |
A.Find financial support. |
B.Improve urban planning. |
C.Involve local residents in the effort. |
D.Raise public awareness of the issue. |
6 . Alternative Sources of Energy
The world's number one energy source is not man-made. It is much bigger than anything that Man could ever dream of designing or manufacturing, and in fact produces all the energy needs of everybody on Earth.
Solar Energy
Solar energy is a simple and already familiar source of more direct renewable energy production. Its use is on the increase as technology improves.
Water Energy
Water power is used in countries that have a lot of natural rivers and streams.
Wind Energy.
Of course there are many other alternative sources of energy (geothermal power, tidal power, etc.), which are currently being researched and used in countries around the world. These sources often create less pollution than traditional sources of power and are becoming more economical to use as technology improves.
A.Solar energy is said to keep down the costs of maintenance and energy. |
B.It is happening in both developed countries and emerging economies like India. |
C.The best source of energy is wind energy. |
D.They are the logical choice towards a more environmentally conscious planet. |
E.That energy source is by all means the Sun. |
F.Another form of energy with us for centuries is the use of wind power. |
G.Some environmentalists claim that this type of power can be hazardous to local ecosystems. |
7 . Thanks to its cold environment, Antarctica remained largely untouched by humans for thousands of years. However, since the 1990s, the last true wilderness on the planet is becoming an increasingly popular destination for adventure-seeking tourists. Now, a new study states that the visitors may be leaving behind harmful bacteria(细菌) which could devastate the area’s native bird population.
Researchers believed that the Antarctic creatures were not affected by the danger due to the continent’s extreme weather. However, microbiologist Marta Cerdà-Cuéllar was not convinced this was true. She and some colleagues decided to examine samples from Antarctic birds for evidence of human bacteria. To ensure the waste was not polluted, the scientists had to collect it from the birds themselves. This was no easy task. If they missed catching a skua at first go, the bird never came close again.
It took the scientists four years, from 2008—2011, to collect fecal(粪便) samples of 666 adult birds from 24 local species. The results of their study revealed the presence of several types of human bacteria in the bird waste.
"While we should do as much as possible to reduce transmission, it’s hard to believe that we will stop tourism and science at these sites, and so it is hard to believe that humans won’t continue to transmit pathogens(病原体)." said Kyle Elliott.
Experts, including González-Solís, believe the only way to prevent the mass destruction of the birds, is to introduce stricter regulations or, at least, obey the ones already in place. For example, while the Antarctica Treaty states clearly visitors carry their waste back home to protect the original environment, the regulation is rarely obeyed. Hopefully, officials will take steps to protect the easily hurt birds before it’s too late.
1. What does the underlined word "devastate" in Para. 1 mean?A.Increase. | B.Destroy. | C.Affect. | D.Block. |
A.This was not an easy task. |
B.This proved their conclusion. |
C.Their tempers contributed a lot. |
D.They found polluted human bacteria. |
A.Hopeless. | B.Difficult. | C.Impossible. | D.Delighted. |
A.Make new strict rules. |
B.Quit the Antarctica Treaty. |
C.Take measures as soon as possible. |
D.Encourage officials to strengthen cooperation. |
8 . Government in Tibet have denied the permanent(永久的) closure of Mount Qomolangma National Nature Reserve.
The announcement came after a report went viral online claiming the base camp of the world's highest mountain was “permanently closed due to heavy pollution” and caused a universal misunderstanding.
Mount Qomolangma National Nature Reserve was set up in 1988. Covering an area of more than 33, 800 square km, it is home to one of the world's most weak ecosystems(生态系统).
Kelsang, deputy director of the reserves administration, said ordinary tourists are allowed to visit areas around Rongpo Monastery, almost 5,000 meters above sea level. As for travelers who have a climbing permit, they can go to the base camp at an altitude of 5,200 meters. The mountaineering activities have been permitted by the regional forestry department.
To conserve the environment surrounding Mount Qomolangma, China carried out three major clean-ups at an altitude of 5, 200 meters and above last spring, collecting eight tonnes of household wastes, human wastes and mountaineering trash. This year, the clean-up will continue, and the remains of mountaineering victims(受害者) above 8,000 meters will be centrally dealt with for the first time. Meanwhile, the number of people who stay at the base camp will be kept under 300.
Recently, there are 85 wildlife protectors in the reserve, and 1,000 herders have part-time jobs going around and cleaning up garbage.
These measures aim to strike a balance between various demands such as environmental protection, local poverty relief, mountaineering and education, said Wang Shen, county chief of Dingri at the mountain foot.
1. Which of the following can replace the underlined words “went viral” in Paragraph 2 ?A.Spread wild. | B.Block out. | C.Gave away. | D.Shoot up. |
A.Most tourists are allowed to visit the base camp. |
B.Permit is a must for visitors going to the base camp. |
C.The mountaineering activities are not allowed these days. |
D.The areas above 5,200 meters are open to everyone. |
A.To provide a much easier path for mountaineers. |
B.To keep mountaineering activities going smooth. |
C.To remove the remains of mountaineering victims. |
D.To protect the environment of Mount Qomolangma. |
A.300 | B.1000 | C.85 | D.1085 |
9 . Blue Planet II’s latest episode focuses on how plastic is having a disastrous effect on the ocean and slowly poisoning our sea creatures. Researchers recently also found that sea creatures living in the deepest place on Earth, the Mariana Trench, have plastic in their stomachs. Indeed, the oceans are drowning in plastic.
Though it seems now that the world couldn’t possibly function without plastics, consumer plastics are a remarkably recent invention. The first plastic bags were introduced in the 1950s; the same decade that plastic packaging began gaining in popularity in the United States. This growth has happened so fast that science is still catching up with the change. Plastics pollution research, for instance, is still a very early science.
We put all these plastics into the environment and we still don’t really know what the outcomes are going to be. What we do know, though, is disturbing. Ocean plastic is estimated to kill millions of marine animals every year. Nearly 700 species, including endangered ones, are known to have been affected by it. One in three leatherback turtles, which often mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, have been found with plastic in their bellies. Ninety percent of seabirds are now eating plastics on a regular basis. By 2050, that figure is expected to rise to 100 percent.
And it’s not just wildlife that is threatened by the plastics in our seas. Humans are consuming plastics through the seafood we eat. I could understand why some people see ocean plastic as a disaster, worth mentioning to the same degree as climate change. But ocean plastic is not as complicated as climate change. There are no ocean trash deniers (否认者), at least so far. To do something about it, we don’t have to remake our planet energy system.
This is not a problem where we don’t know what the solution is. We know how to pick up garbage. Anyone can do it. We know how to dispose of it. We know how to recycle. We can all start by thinking twice before we use single----use plastic products. Things that may seem ordinary, like using a reusable bottle or a reusable bag----when taken collectively, these choices really do make a difference.
1. What’s the function of the author mentioning Blue Planet II’s latest episode in the first paragraph?A.It serves as a comment. | B.It serves as a background. |
C.It serves as a lead-in. | D.It serves as a conclusion. |
A.The plastics pollution research is too difficult. |
B.Plastics have produced less pollution than coal. |
C.The world couldn’t possibly function without plastics. |
D.Plastics have gained in popularity too fast for science to catch up. |
A.By statistics. |
B.By quotations from leading experts. |
C.By using examples from his own experience. |
D.By comparison and contrast. |
A.Climate change is caused by human activities. |
B.Some people hold some doubts about climate change. |
C.Climate change is less important than ocean pollution. |
D.Ocean plastic is more complicated than climate change. |
A.Ocean plastic is a global issue. |
B.The oceans become choked with plastic. |
C.Blue Planet II has left viewers heartbroken. |
D.Plastics gain in popularity all over the world |
10 . For some people, walking or running outdoors is a great way to exercise. What may not be so great is seeing rubbish all over the ground. Well, some people are doing something about it.
A Swedish man named Erik Ahlström, started the movement in 2016. He moved to Stockholm from a small community (社区) in northern Sweden. Each day he would ride his bike to work. He became worried about the amount of rubbish and litter he saw each day on his way to work. So, he took matters into his own hands. He began picking up the rubbish.
Today, plogging is an official activity, which is becoming more and more popular. People of all ages are welcome to plog. Exercise while helping your community.
Along with cleaning up the environment, there may be another reason to choose plogging instead of just jogging. You may get a better workout. One fitness app, Lifesum, records one hour of plogging as burning 288 calories.
As can be seen, cities around the world now hold plogging events. The goal is to spread the idea that littering is not acceptable. People would think twice before dropping a garbage on the ground.
A.Plogging is equal parts of exercise and community service. |
B.And that is how plogging was born! |
C.And plogging does good to your health. |
D.Usual jogging burns about 235 calories. |
E.They are plogging! |
F.There are people all around the world doing this. |
G.You get to know your neighbors. |