Silent Spring

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson was published in 1962. Carson wrote the book     1     (aim) to alert people to the damaging effects of human activities     2     natural ecosystems. And she wished to see pesticides     3     (use) in a more responsible, limited and carefully monitored way. The book contained a lot of scientific information, research, examples and so on,     4     showed how precise she was as a scientist. The arguments were strong and the language was     5     (elegance) and influential. However, the book was not received positively by everyone. It quickly became a target for critics in the pesticide industry, who said that Carson’s research was not precise. Carson appeared in public and on television     6     (defend) her claims.

Carson’s message was     7     (alarm) and its influence was immediate and far-reaching. The use of DDT     8     (ban) and the EPA was established in the US. The book was considered as     9     milestone in the launch of the green movement in the Western world. Carson earned a Presidential Medal of Freedom after she passed away.

The book changed the world by increasing people’s     10     (aware) of protecting natural ecosystem.

4 . To cut greenhouse gas emissions, we need to increase cyclist numbers and that means getting more women on their bikes.

Transportation accounts for up to one­third of greenhouse gas emissions from the world's biggest cities. And traffic is the largest source of air pollution. To create healthy and liveable cities, we need to increase the number of cyclists on our streets.     1     In San Francisco, only 29% of cyclists are women. In Barcelona, there are three male cyclists for every female cyclist. In London, 37% of cyclists are female.

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Surveys show that potential cyclists of women are stopped by similar concerns, including aggressive and speeding drivers, the threat posed by large vehicles such as lorries and buses, and bike theft.     3     So providing secure cycle roads and parking may encourage those who do not yet ride.

Also, people do what they think to be possible. Research in San Francisco found that women, especially women of colour, felt that “people like me” do not cycle. Similarly, 49% of people in London say they do not feel cycling is for “people like them”.     4     These events can be possible for women to try cycling in a relaxed environment. They can help make cycling more accessible, along with approaches such as female­led training classes.

Here is the truth.     5     It can also help handle climate change and make our cities a better place to live.

5 . Conservation requires the reasonable use of all Earth's natural resources. People who are concerned about conservation try their best to protect natural resources.

Some resources are renewable.     1     But renewable resources can still be damaged or destroyed. For example, people may catch too many of one type of fish. If not enough fish are left, that type of fish might die out. Conservation helps people keep renewable resources in good supply.

Some resources are nonrenewable, which means they cannot be replaced. Fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, are examples of nonrenewable resources. People can conserve nonrenewable resources by using them carefully.     2    

    3     For example, cars make travel easy, but they also produce a lot of air pollution. To have clean air, people can choose to drive less and walk more. Such changes can be tough when people have gotten used to a certain life－style.

Money is another reason why conservation can be a challenge. For example, a timber (木材) company might be able to protect forest animals by limiting the number of trees it cuts.     4    

Everyone can contribute to conservation in one way or another. People can recycle paper, glass, and other materials.     5     Governments can make laws that help to keep the air and water clean.

Starbucks is launching     1     experimental "borrow a cup" program at the selected     2    (locate) in its hometown, Seattle. The program will start as a two-month trial(试验) in five Seattle stores,     3     customers will have an option(选择) to receive their drinks in a cup they can use again. Customers will order their drinks in a     4    (reuse) cup and pay a $1 refundable deposit(可退订金).     5     the customer is done with their drink, they return the cup and get a $1 credit as     6     (they)refund（退款）plus 10 Bonus Stars on their Starbucks Rewards account.     If customers take the cup home, they can also take advantage of Starbucks' partnership with Ridwell, a company that will pick     7     the reusable cups from your home. Each cup is then     8    (clean) and sanitized(消毒) and put back into the rotation(轮流) for another customer     9    (use). The chain says one reusable cup       10    (replace) 30 disposable(一次性的) ones.

I was one of the people who work on Qinghai­Tibet Railway,       1     was completed by     2     (overcome) the most difficult engineering challenges to protect the delicate ecosystem. To allow animals to move     3     (safe) and freely, thirty­three passages have been built. To prevent damage to wetlands and grasslands, 675 bridges,which is about 160 kilometres in     4     (long), were build and 140,000 square metres of wetland     5     (move) to protect its distinct ecosystem. Tanggula Station,       6     (locate) at over 5,000 metres above sea level, is the highest railway station in the world. To keep us     7     (health), several oxygen­making stations were constructed. To protect Cuona Lake     8     construction waste, a twenty­kilometre wall was built. Thanks to our efforts, passengers     9     have been attracted by the Qinghai­Tibet Plateau, have been enjoying these    10     (magic) landscapes.

I've always loved the ocean. In the    1     (seven) grade,I started volunteering at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. I was upset to learn that many sea animals eat plastic garbage,     2     (think)it is food.

I decided to do something     3     (educate) people about this problem. I held presentations at schools to teach kids about plastic waste. I wanted to reach businesses too. I decided that if I learned of a company    4     used a lot of plastic, I'd send it an email urging it to cut back.

One day, I saw a commercial for a health-care company. People in the ad were using plastic straws （吸管）.   I found the contact information of the company    5     emailed its president. I told him how     6     (harm) plastic could be to the environment and asked him to consider using more eco-friendly options. I was so    7     (excite) when he wrote back to me.He said he would make sure that the company cut its use of plastic straws in half.

I kept going. Whenever I heard of businesses using plastic, I'd send an email. One of the biggest companies I wrote to     8     (be) Alaska Airlines Paris. A company     9     (represent) wrote back and told me the airline was switching over     10     plastic to paper cups on all of its 1,200 daily flights.