Right now, most people's attention is on the COVID﹣19 pandemic. In
World Earth Day, the international movement aiming
That said, the occasion will still continue in a digital way. "
While the event may not reach its originally
2 . Clothing rental is a hot new industry and retailers (零售商) are demanding to get on board in hopes of attracting green shopper.
But is renting fashion actually more environmentally-friendly than buying it, and if so, how much more? Journalist and author Elizabeth Cline investigated (调查) this question and concluded that it's not as sustainable as it seems.
Take shipping, for example, which has to go two ways if an item is rented — receiving and returning. Cline writes that consumer transportation has the second largest carbon footprint of our collective fashion habit after manufacturing.
She writes, ''An item ordered online and then returned can send out 20 kilograms of carbon each way, and increases up to 50 kilograms for rush shipping. By comparison, the carbon impact of a pair of jeans purchased from a physical store and washed and worn at home is 33.4 kilograms, according to a 2015 study by Levi's.''
Then there's the burden of washing, which has to happen for every item when it's returned, regardless of whether or not it was worn. For most rental services, this usually means dry cleaning, a high impact and polluting process. All the rental services that Cline looked into have replaced perchloroethylene (氯乙烯), a carcinogenic (致癌的) air pollutant, still used by 70 percent of US dry cleaners, with alternatives, although these aren't great either.
Lastly, Cline fears that rental services will increase our appetite for fast fashion, simply because it's so easily accessible. There's something called ''share washing'' that makes people waste more precisely because a product or service is shared and thus is regarded as more eco-friendly. Uber is one example of this, advertised as ''a way to share rides and limit ear ownership.'' and yet ''it has been proven to discourage walking,bicycling, and public transportation use.''
Renting clothes is still preferable to buying them cheap and throwing them in the dustbin after a few wears, but we shouldn't let the availability of these services make us too satisfied. There's an even better step — that's wearing what is already in the closet.
1. What is Elizabeth Cline's attitude toward clothing rental?A.Approving. | B.Unfavorable. |
C.Objective. | D.Enthusiastic. |
A.rental services are on the rise |
B.clothing rental will be as successful as Uber |
C.renting clothes might waste more than expected |
D.renting clothes might make people lose interest in fast fashion |
A.give up renting any clothing |
B.purchase inexpensive clothes |
C.rent clothes rather than buy them |
D.make full use of clothes we've possessed |
A.Clothing rental is a new fashion. |
B.Clothing rental is retailers' preference. |
C.Renting clothes is not that eco-friendly. |
D.Renting-clothes business is in a dilemma. |
3 . According to the World Food Program, one third of the food of the world is lost or wasted. It’s up to some 1.3 billion tons every year, worth about $1 trillion. Moreover, a report in 2021 Sugests that 8 to10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions (排放) are associated with wasting food.
“For our parents and the older generations,‘clearing your plate’ is more about saving some food for a rainy day.”Liu Jichen, founder and CEO of Clear Plate, an anti-food wasting program, told us.
The idea for Clear Plate came to Liu after one dinner at a restaurant in late 2017. The customers who finished all the food they’d ordered would be given a card, and then they could exchange their cards for rewards. “Yet it was limited to one restaurant’s actions, so I thought, why not try it on a larger scale (规模)? And how?” Liu wondered. And then he teamed up with some of his friends,founded a startup and developed the Clear Plate applet.
“The Clear Plate team is trying to deal with the issue (问题) of food waste. After a meal, users of WeChat take photos of their clean plates, post these on WeChat, collect points, and then exchange their points for gifts or charity donations,” Liu explained.
Starting in 2018, Clear Plate has now more than 4.3 million users with about 45 million participations in anti-food wasting actions, reducing food waste by 1,700 tons and carbon emissions by 6,600 tons. Liu’s determination represents a small change of the Chinese lifestyle and more people are turning toward a healthier, greener and more low-carbon lifestyle.
1. How much food of the world is wasted every year according to the World Food Program?A.About 1 billion tons. | B.About 1.3 billion tons. |
C.About 8 billion tons. | D.About 10 billion tons. |
A.A plate. | B.A point. | C.A photo. | D.A card. |
A.In 2016. | B.In 2017. | C.In 2018. | D.In 2021. |
A.The program Clear Plate. |
B.The World Food Program. |
C.The world food wasting. |
D.An introduction to WeChat. |
4 . Can you imagine that there are a huge number of tiny waste pieces in the Arctic (北冰洋的) sea ice? Because of the waste pieces,30,000 kinds of animals are in danger. It’s true that one person’s acts alone can’t help the planet. But each one of us can find ways to make our contributions.
In the home, we could try not to waste foods. Use a digital meal planner to get a right amount of food so that everything we buy and cook gets eaten. Learn how to store foods to keep them fresh longer. Be sure to use proper ways to keep our home warm. For example, we can replace old windows with energy-saving ones.
At the store, we could green our habits. Buy reusable plates, but not single-use ones. Buy home tissue (纸巾) not made of materials which may lead to destruction (破坏) of forests. Buy glass cups instead of paper ones.
In the community, we could help keep its plants healthy. Take part in tree-planting projects or grass-cutting activities to help plants grow well.
Our actions alone can’t save the planet, but the above ways and habits can help.
1. What puts so many animals in danger?A.Cold ice. | B.Waste pieces. | C.Bad weather. |
A.To avoid wasting foods. |
B.To cook delicious foods. |
C.To keep foods fresh. |
A.That can be kept long. |
B.That can be used again. |
C.That can be thrown away. |
A.To describe the future of the planet. |
B.To encourage an environment friendly life. |
C.To introduce shopping places for green products. |
5 . Suppose you find a bright yellow bike on a street corner in the city. You hop on (跨上) it and
You
The
Portland’s
A.drive away | B.ride away | C.ride back | D.run away |
A.No one | B.Someone | C.Anyone | D.Everyone |
A.whether | B.so | C.because | D.though |
A.have to | B.don’t have to | C.can’t | D.can |
A.expensive | B.crowded | C.free | D.common |
A.protect | B.control | C.make | D.bring |
A.out of | B.into | C.up | D.near |
A.ended | B.started | C.changed | D.refused |
A.public | B.private | C.clean | D.dirty |
A.but | B.as | C.until | D.or |
A.next | B.last | C.best | D.first |
A.break | B.make | C.discuss | D.follow |
A.buy | B.repair | C.produce | D.steal |
A.citizen | B.street | C.idea | D.school |
A.looked up | B.made up | C.put up | D.set up |
6 . Skeptics are strange a lot. Some of them refuse to admit the serious threat of human activities to the environment and they are tired of people who disagree with them. Those people, say skeptics, spread nothing but bad news about the environment. The "eco-guilt" brought on by the discouraging news about our planet gives rise to the popularity of skeptics as people search for more comforting worldviews.
Perhaps that explains why a new book by Bjorn Lomborg received so much publicity. That book, The Skeptical Environmentalist, declares that it measures the "real state of the world" as fine. Of course, another explanation is the deep pockets of some big businesses with special interests. Indeed, Mr. Lomborg's views are similar to those of some industry-funded organizations, which start huge activities through the media to confuse the public about issues like global warming.
So it was strange to see Mr. Lomborg's book go largely unchallenged in the media though his beliefs were contrary to most scientific opinions. One national newspaper in Canada ran a number of articles and reviews full of words of praise, even with the conclusion that "After Lomborg, the environmental movement will begin to die down."
Such one-sided views should have immediately been challenged. But only a different review appeared in Nature, a respected science magazine with specific readership. The review remarked that Mr. Lomborg's "preference for unexamined materials is incredible".
A critical eye is valuable, and the media should present information in such a way that could allow people to make informed decisions. Unfortunately, that is often inaccessible as blocked by the desire to be shocking or to defend some special interest. People might become half-blind before a world partially exhibited by the media. That's a shame, because matters concerning the health of the planet are far too important to be treated lightly.
1. According to the passage, which of the following may be regarded as "skeptics"?A.People who agree on the popularity of "eco-guilt". |
B.People who dislike the harmful effect of human activities. |
C.People who disbelieve the serious situation of our planet. |
D.People who spread comforting news to protect our environment. |
A.The book challenges views about the fine state of the world. |
B.Some big businesses intend to protect their own interests. |
C.The author convinces people to speak comforting worldviews. |
D.Industry–funded media present confusing information. |
A.find fault with Lomborg's book |
B.voice a different opinion |
C.challenge the authority of the media |
D.point out the value of scientific views |
A.To show the importance of presenting overall information by the media. |
B.To warn the public of the danger of half–blindness with reviews. |
C.To blame the media's lack of responsibility in information. |
D.To encourage the skeptics to have a critical eye. |
注意:
1. 词数100左右。
Thoughts Upon the International Biodiversity Day
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8 . “The fact that the smoke reached São Paulo and blackened an afternoon proves how unusual the fires that burn in the countryside of Brazil are,” Ricardo Mello, head of the World Wide Fund for Nature's (WWF) Amazon program, said.
The latest figures come at a time of international protest against the inaction of President Jair Bolsonaro's administration. In July, Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) showed data to the public, which indicated that there had been a significant rise in deforestation (毁林) rates. Particularly, the figures showed that in July 2019, deforestation had increased nearly 300 percent in comparison to the same month in 2018.
Environmentalists are becoming increasingly concerned, accusing the government of encouraging deforestation and those who want to make use of the forest for commercial gain. During his time in power, Bolsonaro has moved to rob some power of government agencies that are responsible for protecting the rainforest as well as regulations covering native lands and nature reserves. Bolsonaro sees these kinds of regulations as a drag on economic growth in the Amazon region.
Fire in the Amazon is used as a technique to clear land for agriculture. “Farmers clear cut land to make way for agriculture, and then wait for the dry season to set fire to clear the land so they can plant,” Mello said. “It's likely that all of these forest fires are deliberately set by humans.”
Now it is the dry season in the Amazon, which means conditions in many parts of the rainforest are suitable for the fires to spread over large areas. “It is very unlikely that those fires break out naturally,” Mello said. “It is important to remember that 2019 is not a strong El Niño year. When we have strong El Niños, weather gets drier in the northern part of Brazil and this favors fires. This is not the case of 2019.”
1. Why are deforestation figures of 2018 and 2019 compared?A.To share knowledge of the Amazon forest. |
B.To show how the Brazil president governs. |
C.To stress the seriousness of deforestation. |
D.To express the anger of environmentalists. |
A.Weakening relevant government agencies. |
B.Encouraging the fight for commercial gain. |
C.Using techniques to clear land for agriculture. |
D.Defending regulations about nature reserves. |
A.They're fit for fires to break out naturally. |
B.The Amazon experiences the dry season. |
C.They're possible for fires to spread everywhere. |
D.The Amazon is just in a strong El Niño year. |
A.Jair Bolsonaro's Administration Was Accused |
B.Farmers Cleared Amazon Land for Agriculture |
C.Unusual Rainforest Fires: Effects on Health and Weather |
D.Amazon Fires: Possibly Linked to Environmental Policies |
9 . We need to be responsible for our environment. Being a frugal consumer (节俭的消费者) is one way to help.
Use It Up.
You can use things up instead of wasting them. Squeeze (挤) that last bit of toothpaste out of the tube.
Wear It Out.
You do not always need to have new things. Suppose your sneakers (运动鞋) have broken laces (鞋带) , but they still fit you. Repair them and wear them longer. You don’t have to have the latest iPhone until the old one doesn’t work any more. Then you can get a new one.
Make It Do.
When something you want is not on hand, look for something else that you already have to take its place. Suppose you are packing your lunch for tomorrow and want a butter sandwich. You are out of butter. Have a cheese sandwich instead so you can use all of the cheese. Learn to fix broken toys instead of just throwing them away.
Think about all those things that you would like to have. Do you really need them? How long will you really play with that new toy you saw on TV? Making the things that we want uses up our world’s resources (资源). And, getting rid of the things we don’t want any more takes up even more resources and space.
A.Do without it. |
B.Throw it away. |
C.What exactly does that mean? |
D.Do you know what to consume? |
E.Use the last little piece of soap. |
F.With a little thought, you can make something do. |
G.Think twice before replacing something that still works. |
10 . Most of us are aware that we must take care of the environment, and the majority of us take steps to save energy and reduce waste and pollution. But recently, some “green truths” have been shown to be only half true, or even completely false.
Eating local food is good for the environment.
It seems like common sense: eating local food should be better for the environment, because it does not need to be transported long distances and kept cold during transport.
It depends on how long you spend in the shower and how large your bath is. If you spend more than eight minutes in a shower, you'll use as much water as in a bath—about 50 litres of water. Therefore, the key is to keep your shower time as short as possible.
Paper shopping bags are better than plastic ones.
Plastic bags cause litter and are a danger to wild animals.
However, making a paper bag uses four times as much energy as making a plastic bag and up to three times the amount of water. The process also produces more greenhouse gases.
Environmental awareness is now part of daily life. But it’s worth checking common ideas and opinions to see what's really green.
A.They mistake them for food. |
B.Here are some common ones. |
C.Unfortunately, it is not that simple. |
D.It’s better to take a shower than a bath. |
E.A paper bag is more environmentally friendly. |
F.In fact, both kinds of bags are bad for the environment. |
G.When we turn off a machine, it goes into a stand-by state. |