1 . This may look like an ordinary plastic straw (吸管), but it is not made of plastic. Cameron Ross started the Celise Bio-products company, to produce single-use plastic alternatives from plant materials like these. They are made of poly lactic acid (聚乳酸) known as PLA from com starches (淀粉).

Cameron Ross said, "We work with food service providers, mainly larger brands, to help them get quality sustainable and cost-effective solutions, made from plants to start getting rid of single-use plastics." Single-use plastics such as bottles or straws are major cause of pollution. When we throw these away, they end up in a landfill or in the water like rivers. According to researchers, it could take up to more than 500 years for them to properly break down.

Ross says he wasn't always so environmentally conscious himself. But ever since the hiking trip in West Virginia, when he spent more time picking up trash than enjoying nature, his priorities changed. That meant making biodegradable products that can break down in only a few years.

While many cafes and restaurants are choosing paper products to be more eco-conscious, it isn’t cheap. Paper straws can cost about eight times more than plastic straws. But bio-plastic straws cost less a penny a straw, not even double the price of plastic ones.

Another problem with paper straws is that they get soft and wet. You don't want to be sipping (啜饮) something that alters your drink, or starts to melt while you're drinking and then you have to get which creates more wastes than needed. Ross hopes his Washington DC-based company will provide an eco-friendly solution for food service providers.

1. Which aspect is NOT the focus of the Celise Bio-products?

A．Material.	B．Appearance.
C．Quality.	D．Cost.

2. What inspired Ross to start the Bio-products company?

A．High profits.	B．Requests from food service providers.
C．Lower cost.	D．His changed environmental awareness.

3. What can we learn about the new straws?

A．They are widely used in cafes and restaurants.

B．They cost less than paper ones.

C．They may soften or even melt while carrying water.

D．They produce more waste.

4. What's the author's purpose of writing the passage?

A．To persuade more food service providers to work with Ross.

B．To explain the development of straws.

C．To introduce a new eco-friendly straw.

D．To compare different straws.

2 . Going green seems to be fad (时尚) for a lot of people these days. Whether that is good or bad, we can’t really say, but for the two of us, going green is not a fad but a lifestyle.

On April 22,2011,we decided to be green every single day for an entire year. This meant doing 365 different things, and it also meant challenging ourselves to go green beyond the easy things. Rather than recycle and reduce our energy, we had to think of 365 different things to do and this was no easy task.

With the idea of going green every single day a year, Our Green Year started. My wife and I decided to educate people about how they could go green in their lives and hoped we could show people all green things that could be done to help the environment. We wanted to push the message that every little bit helps.

Over the course of Our Green Year, we completely changed our lifestyles. We now shop at organic (有机的) stores. We consume less meat, choosing green food. We have greatly reduced our buying we don’t need. We have given away half of what we owned through websites. Our home is kept clean by vinegar and lemon juice, with no chemical cleaners. We make our own butter, enjoying the smell of home-made fresh bread. In our home office anyone caught doing something ungreen might be punished.

Our minds have been changed by Our Green Year. We are grateful for the chance to have been able to go green and educate others. We believe that we do have the power to change things and help our planets.

1. What might be the best title for the passage?

A．Going Green.	B．Protecting the Planet.
C．Keeping Open-Minded	D．Celebrating Our Green Year.

2. It was difficult for the couple to live a green life for the whole year because_________.

A．they were expected to follow the green fad

B．they didn’t know how to educate other people

C．they were unwilling to reduce their energy

D．they needed to perform unusual green tasks

3. What did the couple do over the course of Our Green Year?

A．They tried to get out of their ungreen habits.

B．They ignore others’ ungreen behavior.

C．They chose better chemical cleaners.

D．They sold their home-made food.

4. What can we infer form the last paragraph?

A．The government will give support to the green people.

B．The couple may continue their project in the future.

C．Some people disagree with the couple’s green ideas.

D．Our Green Year is becoming a national campaign.

3 . 阅读下面材料,在空白处填入适当的内容或括号内单词的正确形式。

We live in a world of plastic. Shopping bags, drink bottles, your toothbrush and even your clothes are among the everyday items     1     (make) from plastic. But plastic isn’t fantastic, and neither is the current state of our environment.

Humans     2     (produce) plastic on a large scale (大规模地) since the 1950s. We produce hundreds of millions of tons of plastic every year and production is only increasing.     3     (fortunately), most of it is used only once and then thrown away. Only a small part of plastic     4     (recycle). The majority ends up in our oceans.

A Plastic Ocean is a documentary film directed by the Australian journalist Craig Leeson. It investigates the serious harm plastic has done     5     our oceans. What starts off as an adventure to film the blue whale, the     6     (large) animal on the planet, leads to the shocking discovery of a thick layer (层) of plastic     7     (float) in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The film sends the message that our actions and choices can severely influence the planet.

Plastic is so widely used because it is durable (耐用的) and cheap. However, this durability is the same quality that makes it so     8     (harm) to the environment. Most plastics do not break down chemically. Instead, they break into smaller pieces     9     can remain in the environment for     10     long time.

4 . 第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题；
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
In their book Time to Eat the Dog: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living, Robert and Brenda Vale say keeping a medium sized dog has the same ecological impact as driving 10,000 km a year in a 4.6 liter Land Cruiser.
“We’re not actually saying it is time to eat the dog. We’ re just saying that we need to think about and know the ecological impact of some of the things we do and that we take for granted.”
Constructing and driving the jeep for a year requires 0.41 hectares of land, while growing and manufacturing a dog’s food takes about 0.84 hectares — or 1.1 hectares in the case of a large dog such as a German shepherd.
Convincing flesh eating cats and dogs to go vegetarian for the sake of the planet is a non starter, the Vales say. Instead they recommend keeping “greener”, smaller, and more sustainable pets, such as goldfish, chickens or rabbits.
The book’s playful title, and serious suggestion that pet animals may be usefully “recycled”, by being eaten by their owners or turned into pet food when they die, may not appeal to animal fans.
Annoying as the idea may be, the question is valid given the planet’s growing population and limited resources, Robert Vale said.
“Issues about sustainability are increasingly becoming things that are going to require us to make choices which are as difficult as eating your dog. It’s not just about changing your light bulbs or taking a cloth bag to the supermarket,” he said.
“It’s about much more challenging and difficult issues,” he added. “Once you see where cats and dogs fit in your overall balance of things, you might decide to have the cat but not also to have the two cars and the three bathrooms and be a meat eater yourself.”
1. The authors gave their book the playful title to________.

A．make it amusing	B．create a vivid image
C．show　writing skills	D．arouse people’ s concern

2. In Paragraph 3 the writer mainly wants to tell us________.

A．the amount of consumed land	B．the neglected ecological impact
C．some familiar examples	D．some actual figures

3. What does “sustainability” mean according to the passage?

A．Going vegetarian.	B．Raising cats and dogs.
C．Using a cloth bag.	D．Keeping a greener life.

4. Who may not like the idea of “recycling” pet animals?

A．Manufacturers.

B．Drivers.

C．Animal fans.

D．The authorities.

5. What the authors think of living a sustainable life?

A．Challenging.

B．Inspiring.

C．Inviting.

D．Touching.

5 . 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 (处理) 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. Why is plastics pollution research still a very early science?

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.

2. How did the author support his opinion in Paragraph 3?

A．By statistics.

B．By quotations from leading experts.

C．By using examples from his own experience.

D．By comparison and contrast.

3. What can we infer about climate change?

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.

4. What is the main idea of this passage?

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

6 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

We are all aware of the threats our planet is facing. Experts agree that it’s mainly humans     1     are responsible for the destruction of the environment. Activities such as mass farming and burning       2     (harm) our climate now-and we are suffering too through natural     3       (disaster) such as flooding and droughts.

One of the most destructive activities we are carrying out is deforestation (砍伐森林). This has been most noticeable in Brazil, which is home to the world’s     4     (large) rainforest. Deforestation there     5     (hit) its highest rate in the past decade, according to official data. The result of widespread deforestation has threatened     6     centuries-old way of life. The future of the rainforest could be     7     danger of being damaged.

The amount of deforestation in the Amazon has     8     (actual) seen a decline but the figures are still large. Brazil has taken some steps to try and decrease deforestation by     9    (introduce) government policies including fines for breaking land use regulations. While humans are largely     10     (blame) for the destruction of the rainforest, it seems only humans will tackle this problem and save planet Earth.

7 . The increasing environmental problems and need for eco-friendly products and services are creating a new job section of green-collar jobs.     1     It is expected that by 2025 about 25% of the jobs in developed countries will be of green-collar jobs. Doesn’t the data look promising for the future?

    2     And jobs will pop up at every income level, from environmental manager to gardener. For example, many countries including the United States have understood that fossil fuels have negative effect on the environment which can later become a serious danger to mankind.     3     The increasing demand of newer resources has created the need for experts and researchers who can find better ways to deal with the ongoing needs. In addition, in order to meet the increasing demand of environment-friendly equipment, both green product designer and trained workers are needed. Management of environmental organizations also demands a large number of environmental managers.

    4     Internet is undoubtedly the best way to find information on almost any matter. Nowadays, different kinds of jobs are being posted online. Search through a couple of job websites to look for a bright future in energy conversion and recycling of waste management. Check regularly and find the right work for yourself.       5    

A．People who read newspapers can also find different kinds of green-collar jobs.

B．People who take green careers will be well paid.

C．Where can you find green-collar jobs?

D．Green-collar jobs have become a bright career chance for all.

E．Many countries have realized the importance and need for energy-saving products and services.

F．Therefore, possibilities are being explored to find alternatives to meet demands in a better way.

G．Forget the blue–collar and white–collar categories.

8 . Businesses are witnessing a difficult time, which has in turn produced influence on consumers, desire to go green. However, shoppers are still laying stress on environmental concerns.

Two thirds of customers say that environmental considerations inform their purchases to the same degree as they did a year ago, while more than a quarter say that they are now even better aware of the environmental effect on what they buy.

This may help to influence how shops store goods on their shelves. And the companies should still make efforts to become more environmentally friendly. Two out of three people think it is important to buy from environmentally responsible companies, with about one in seven saying that they had even decided to take their custom elsewhere if they felt a company’s environmental reputation was not good enough.

Harry Morrison, chief executive (主管) of the Carbon Trust, sympathizes: “I understand this situation where survival is very important now. But from environmental considerations, the clock is ticking — we don’t have much time. In addition, cutting carbon has an immediate effect as costs drop and a medium-term benefit for the brand.”

Larger companies have an extra motivation to look at reducing their carbon footprint, as new rules next year will require businesses to buy carbon allowances to make up for their emissions (排放). Those that have taken early action will have a head start. More than two thirds of consumers are not clear about which companies are environmentally responsible. This suggests that firms that are able to relay clearly their message to the public will be in a pole position to attract shoppers.

The Carbon Trust believes that it can help by informing customers about the good work companies are doing. “When companies are granted (授予) the standard, they can use a logo (标识) in all their marketing which makes it clear that they are working towards cutting emissions,” Mr. Morrison said.

1. What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Businesses are finding ways to send their message to the shoppers.

B．Companies will soon get information about cutting carbon emissions.

C．Firms are making efforts to encourage customers to keep goods at home.

D．Firms are urged to cut carbon emissions by shoppers, environmental awareness.

2. The underlined word “inform” in Paragraph 2 probably means “      ”.

A．affect	B．change
C．disturb	D．reject

3. According to Harry Morrison, businesses       .

A．will benefit from cutting carbon emissions

B．should buy carbon allowances for shoppers

C．are required to make up for their carbon emissions

D．have encouraged shoppers to take their custom elsewhere

4. We can learn from the passage that businesses will       .

A．have a strong desire to reduce costs

B．use the same logo in their marketing

C．gain advantages by taking early action

D．attract more shoppers by storing goods

10 . The national movement to get rid of plastic bags is gaining steam — with more than 240 cities and counties passing laws that ban or tax them since 2007 in the US. But these bans may be hurting the environment more than helping it.

University of Sydney economist Rebecca Taylor and colleagues compared bag use in cities with bans with those without them. For six months, they spent weekends in grocery stores recording the types of bags people carried out.

Taylor found these bag bans did what they were supposed to: People in the cities with the bans used fewer plastic bags, which led to about 40 million fewer pounds of plastic garbage per year. But people who used to reuse their shopping bags for other purposes, like picking up dog waste, still needed bags. "What I found was that sales of garbage bags actually grew sharply after plastic grocery bags were banned," she says.

Garbage bags are thick and use more plastic than typical shopping bags. "So about 30 percent of the plastic that was reduced by the ban comes back in the form of thicker garbage bags," Taylor says. On top of that, cities that banned plastic bags saw a surge in the use of paper bags, which she estimates（估计）resulted in about 80 million pounds of extra paper garbage per year.

A bunch of studies find that paper bags are actually worse for the environment. They require cutting down and processing trees, which involves lots of water, toxic chemicals and fuel. While paper is biodegradable(可生物降解的) and avoids some of the problems of plastic, Taylor says, the huge increase of paper means banning plastic shopping bags increases greenhouse gas emissions(排放).

The Danish government recently did a study that took into account environmental impacts（影响）beyond simply greenhouse gas emissions, including water use, damage to ecosystems and air pollution. These factors make cloth bags even worse. They estimate you would have to use an organic cotton bag 20,000 times more than a plastic grocery bag to make using it better for the environment.

1. What is main idea of the passage?

A．Banning plastic bags is gaining popularity worldwide.

B．Banning plastic has great influence on people’s life.

C．Banning plastic increases the use of pager and cloth bags.

D．Banning plastic may harm rather than help the environment.

2. What is the result of banning grocery plastic bags?

A．Plastic bags are no longer needed.

B．People began to reuse their plastic bags.

C．The amount of garbage is even greater.

D．Most of the reduced plastic returns in garbage bags.

3. Why are paper and cloth bags worse for the environment?

A．They are not as biodegradable as plastic bags.

B．It hurts the environment more to make them.

C．They can’t be reused as many times as plastic bags.

D．They are much thicker than plastic bags.

4. What does the underlined word in the fourth paragraph mean?

A．Sharp increase.	B．Fast development.
C．Tight control.	D．Sharp decrease.