1.
| A．People used the stoves less often. |
| B．Outdoor air pollution was not that serious. |
| C．Indoor air pollution was related to the way of cooking. |
| D．An increasing number of trees were cut down every year. |
| A．Taking advantage of greener energy. |
| B．Building a base in the Himalayas. |
| C．Depending on animal waste for fuel. |
| D．Finding land covered with forests. |
| A．It was resistant to water. |
| B．It was easy to pack and move. |
| C．It worked well on rainy days. |
| D．It looked like a pot or a pan. |
2 . Plastic pollution has long been a problem, but now it’s gotten to a new height - literally.
Microplastics, referring to plastic fragments and particles less than 5 millimeters in diameter, have been found on Mount Qomolangma as high as 8,440 meters above sea level, just 408.86 meters below the peak of the mountain, according to a recent study published in the journal One Earth.
“These are the highest microplastics (ever) discovered so far; ” lead author Imogen Napper from the University of Plymouth, UK, said in a statement.
Scientists collected snow and water samples from 19 different locations from 4,200 meters above sea level all the way up to the summit of Mount Qomolangma. They found microplastics in all the water samples and part of the snow samples. The most polluted samples was from the Base Camp in Nepal, where most human activity on the mountain is concentrated. It had 79 particles of microplastics per liter of snow.
The harsh fact is that plastic pollution has reached even the most remote places on Earth. Researchers even found a plastic bag at the deepest point in the world’s oceans - in the Mariana Trench, located in the Pacific Ocean. The bag is the same as the ones commonly used in grocery stores.
Even covered in ice, the Arctic is still a victim of plastic pollution. A 2020 report published in Nature suggests that there are 2,000 to 17,000 plastic particles per cubic meter in Aretic ice cores, and between 0 to 18 microplastic particles per cubic meter from the water beneath ice floes. Expats think microplastics may be transported by air and then reach the North Pole in snowfall.
“What we don’t yet fully know is the potential problems these tiny pieces of plastic could be having to ecosystems, to organisms and even to our own health as well, ” said Christian Dunn of Bangor University, UK.
Then what can we do? “We need to start focusing on deeper technological solutions that focus on microplastics, like changing fabric (织物) design and incorporating natural fibers instead of plastic when possible, ” Napper said.
1. Why does the writer say plastic pollution has got to a new height?| A．The global plastic pollution problem can never by any worse. |
| B．The consumption of plastic products has peaked at an incredible level. |
| C．A significant breakthrough has been made in the research on plastic pollution. |
| D．Microplastics are found about 400 meters below the peak of the highest mountain. |
| A．documenting the human activities in the Base Camp in Nepal |
| B．interviewing scientists from famous universities all over the world |
| C．testing the snow and water samples collected from different places |
| D．comparing the plastics found in remote areas with those in daily life |
| A．Human activities speed up the spread of plastic pollution. |
| B．The impact of microplastics on ecosystems is quite obvious. |
| C．Microplastics are available in the air, water, snow and earth. |
| D．Using natural materials is one of the ways to reduce plastic pollution. |
3 . A recent study published in the journal Science Advances has revealed that the United States ranks as high as third among countries contributing to coastal plastic pollution. The new research challenges the once-held assumption that the US is adequately “managing” its plastic waste. A previous study using 2010 data that did not account for plastic waste exports had ranked the US 20th, globally, in its contribution to ocean plastic pollution.
Using plastic waste generation (产生) data from 2016 — the latest available global numbers — scientists calculated that more than half of all plastics collected for recycling (1.99 million tons of 3.91 million tons collected) in the US were shipped abroad. Of this, 88% of exports went to countries struggling to effectively manage plastics; and between 15-25% was low-value or contaminated (受污染的). It means it was unrecyclable. Taking these factors into account, the researchers estimated that up to 1 million tons of US-generated plastic waste ended up polluting the environment beyond its own borders.
Using 2016 data, the paper also estimated that between 0.91 and 1.25 million tons of plastic waste generated in the US was either littered or illegally dumped into the environment domestically. Combined with waste exports, this means the US contributed up to 2.25 million tons of plastics into the environment. Of this, up to 1.5 million tons of plastics ended up in coastal environments. This ranks the US as high as third globally in contributing to coastal plastic pollution.
“The US generates the most plastic waste of any other country in the world, but rather than looking the problem in the eye, we have outsourced it to developing countries,” said Nick Mallos, senior director of Ocean Conservancy’s Trash Free Seas program and a co-author of the study. “The solution has to start at home. We need to create less, by cutting out unnecessary single-use plastics; we need to create better, by developing innovative new ways to package and deliver goods; and where plastics are inevitable, we need to greatly improve our recycling rates.”
“Previous research has provided global values for plastic input into the environment and coastal areas, but detailed analyses like this one are important for individual countries to further assess their contributions,” said Dr. Jenna Jambeck, Distinguished Professor at the University of Georgia’s College of Engineering and a co-author of the study. “In the case of the United States, it is critically important that we examine our own backyard and take responsibility for our global plastic footprint.”
1. Compared with the previous study, the new one ________.| A．covers data more comprehensively |
| B．excludes plastic waste shipped abroad |
| C．is contrary to the latest global numbers |
| D．challenges the recycling way of plastics |
| A．Over half of it ended up polluting the environment outside the US. |
| B．Most of its exported plastic waste wasn’t worth recycling. |
| C．Less than half of it was actually recycled domestically. |
| D．More of it is littered or illegally dumped than exported. |
| A．plastic pollution in developing countries is more serious |
| B．US has been irresponsible in dealing with its plastic waste |
| C．US should cooperate with others to handle its plastic waste |
| D．innovative means are needed to eliminate single-use plastics |
| A．Plastic Pollution Great Risk to Marine Life |
| B．US Top Contributor to Coastal Plastic Pollution |
| C．Plastic Waste Major Source of Coastal Pollution |
| D．Recycling Effective Way to Address Plastic Waste |
4 . Beijing is hardly alone in its air pollution problems. The world Health Organization has said that roughly half of the world’s urban population is exposed to pollution at least 2.5 times higher than it recommends.
While it may take years to fix this global problem, innovative minds in the Asia region have come up with creative solutions for living with air pollution.
DIY Purifier
Thomas Talhelm started worrying about the air inside his Beijing home during “airpocalypse” in 2013 when Beijing’s air quality index skyrocketed to a terrifying 755.
The scholar couldn’t afford the luxury of an expensive air purifier. “Fillers are actually very simple— a high efficient filter is all you need to get over 96% of the PM2.5,” he said.
With three of his friends, Talhelm created Smart Air, an air purifier consisting of a basic household fan with a high efficient filter attached to it.
It works as efficiently as the big brands selling for thousands of dollars, removing more than 90 percent of PM 2.5 in your room, according to Talhelm’s research.
Invisible Mask
Infipure’s “nose mask” claims to cut 99% of PM2.5 without the trouble of a surgical face mask.
The filters, made from special materials, are inserted into your nose and aim to be undetectable.
“People care about their health, but don’t want all the downsides that come with a traditional face mask.” Infipure co-founder Francis Law explained.
Plant Backpack
Taiwanese artist Chui Chih has designed a survival device for an apocalyptic world.
Named Voyage on the Planet, a potted plant is housed inside a clear backpack hooked up to two tubes to bring fresh to a face mask. It’s a bold, abstract idea from an oxygen tank.
Smog Vacuum
Daan Roosegaarde has been working on a smog vacuum that will suck pollutants from the sky to the ground like a vacuum, making way for clean air.
A byproduct of this smog vacuum, namely The Smog Free Tower, is the “smog ring”—a piece of jewelry made from smog particulates.
“The pollution we suck up, the small particulates, we don’t throw them away. We put them under pressure for a couple of weeks and they crystallize, creating something like a diamond,” Roosegaardc explains.
1. Thomas Talhelm invented Smart Air for all the following reasons except ________.| A．the high price of the big brands | B．the help from three of his friends |
| C．the poor quality of the indoor air | D．the simple principle behind the device |
| A．Smart Air. | B．Infipure’s nose mask. |
| C．Voyage on the Planet. | D．The Smog Free Tower. |
| A．DIY Purifier. | B．Invisible Mask. | C．Plant Backpack. | D．Smog Vacuum. |
5 . Racket, din, clamor, noise, whatever you want to call it, unwanted sound is America's most wide spread nuisance. But noise is more that just a nuisance. It constitutes a real and present danger to people's health. Day and night, at home, at work, and at play, noise can produce serious physical and psychological
The
Of many health hazards of noise, hearing loss is the most clearly observable and
Noise affects us throughout our lives. For example, there are
Why, then, is there not greater
| A．stress | B．consequence | C．influence | D．risk |
| A．identifying | B．rejecting | C．ignoring | D．emphasizing |
| A．case | B．relief | C．hatred | D．tension |
| A．annoyance | B．ignorance | C．frustration | D．grief |
| A．category | B．symptom | C．property | D．code |
| A．outcome | B．reason | C．effect | D．basis |
| A．particularly | B．traditionally | C．enormously | D．frequently |
| A．Therefore | B．Moreover | C．Actually | D．Nevertheless |
| A．accessible | B．renewable | C．measurable | D．available |
| A．resistance | B．exposure | C．opposition | D．objection |
| A．indications | B．clues | C．catalogues | D．distinctions |
| A．restricted | B．exposed | C．related | D．addicted |
| A．alarm | B．panic | C．expectation | D．suspicion |
| A．necessarily | B．especially | C．initially | D．conclusively |
| A．differentiate | B．deliberate | C．dismiss | D．discredit |
NOW he has a new computer, Mike is wondering what will happen to the old one. Well, after
Things like this happen every day. Last month Hong Kong officers found 131,000 kilograms of broken computers, TVs and phones. They
Computers
The city has to deal with 1.5 million kilograms of e-waste each year. This earns $75 million,
Greenpeace, an environmental group, has said that it has found the earth and rivers of Guiyu badly
| A. capable B. effectiveness C. employing D.exposure E.famously F. joining G. limitation H. minimal I.precisely J.recognizing K.worthwhile |
Clean Air Act
The air in modern homes and offices is pretty clean,but not as clean as it might be.Often it contains small amounts of volatile(挥发性的）,poisonous,organic compounds.Long-term
Finding an effective way to do so has proved difficult.But Stuart Strand, Long Zhang and Ryan Routsong, of the University of Washington,in Seattle,think they have succeeded,As they report in Environmental Science and Technology, their method involves
The idea of
Dr Strand, Dr Zhang and Mr Routsong thus sought something suitably transgenic ( 转 基 因 的),but that does not flower indoors. The plant they settled on was Devil's vine,
| A．The air will be cleaner if they go to another city. |
| B．It'll soon be too late to control the pollution. |
| C．Society will not pay attention to the new laws. |
| D．The situation will improve if changes are made. |
Does Kilimanjaro Still Have Its Beauty?
Kilimanjaro is a watershed (分水岭)between Tanzania and Kenya. It is a volcano and a snowy mountain. Surrounded by mountain forests, Kilimanjaro is home to numerous mammals, some of which are endangered. Kilimanjaro was established as a national park in 1968 and was added to the World Heritage List in 1981. In the Tanzanians’ mind, Kilimanjaro is not just a bright mountain, and it is also an interesting mountain. Kilimanjaro is a world-famous tourist resort with the world's explorers and mountain enthusiasts gathering there.
Every year about 40,000 people attempt to climb Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. They bring with them lots of waste. The crowds might damage the beauty of the place. The glaciers are disappearing, changing the face of Kilimanjaro. Hearing these stories, I’m wondering about the place-other destinations are described as purer natural experiences.
However, I soon discover that much has changed since the days of disturbing reports of camps among tons of rubbish. I find a clean mountain, with toilets at camps and along the paths. The environmental challenges are significant but the efforts made by the Tanzania National Park Authority seem to be paying off.
The best of a Kilimanjaro experience, in my opinion, isn’t reaching the top. Mountains are regarded as spiritual places by many cultures. This view is especially evident on Kilimanjaro as climbers go through five ecosystems in the space of a few kilometers. At the base is a rainforest. It ends suddenly at 3, 000 meters, giving way to lands of low growing plants. Further up, the weather changes—low clouds envelope the mountainsides covered with thick grass. I count twelve shades of green from where I stand. Above 4, 000 meters is the highland desert: gravel (砾石)，stones and rocks. Finally, you climb into an arctic-like zone with permanent snow and the glaciers that may soon disappear.
Does Kilimanjaro deserve its reputation as a crowded mountain with lines of tourists ruining the atmosphere of peace? I found the opposite to be true.
1.
| A．Because they track human activities through the agency of sound. |
| B．Because sound helps them locate food and avoid danger. |
| C．Because they use sound to stay away from offshore construction. |
| D．Because they take advantage of sound to find living creatures. |
| A．Noise pollution. | B．Plastics. | C．Overfishing. | D．Light pollution. |
| A．Humans are making oceans too noisy. |
| B．Masking is a helpful to the existence of marine animals. |
| C．Sound travels very far underwater. |
| D．Noise from humans threatens marine animals. |
