1 . More attention is being paid to the air issue in London, especially with a continuing investigation into the death of Ella Kissi-Debrah, a 9-year-old girl who lived just meters from one of the capital’s busiest roads. Ella died in February 2013 having suffered from many asthmatic attacks (哮喘发作) and had been taken to hospital for nearly 30 times in the three years prior to her death. She may become the first person in the UK for whom air pollution is listed as the cause of death.
Today low emission (排放) has helped reduce dangerous poisonous air in parts of the United Kingdom capital by 94 percent, according to an annual report from Transport for London (TFL). The transport authority said they had established the defined areas where access by some polluting vehicles is restricted or forbidden in Central London in February, which contributed mostly to the change.
The TFL report showed traffic on roads fell by half during lockdown. Figures showed a big increase in the number of people walking and cycling in London, with journeys made on foot or by bicycle up from 29 percent between January and March 2020 to 46 percent between March and June 2020.
TFL will spend at least 75 million pounds on walking and cycling programs across the capital over the next six months. About 88.5 kilometers of new or upgraded cycle lanes have been built or are under construction.
“This new data shows just how important walking and cycling have been in helping Londoners stay healthy and safe, ” TFL Streetspace delivery manager Helen Cansick said. “That’s why it’s crucial that we continue to invest to support walking and cycling, ensuring that the capital can become a healthier and more sustainable place for everyone.”
1. What does Ella Kissi-Debrah’s death indicate?| A．Air pollution is a big cause of death |
| B．Children often suffer from asthma. |
| C．Big cities are polluted more seriously. |
| D．Air pollution and its effect are severe. |
| A．Policy on lockdown. | B．Change in transport. |
| C．Low-emission zones. | D．Reduction in economy. |
| A．Short-distance journeys are more popular. |
| B．The traffic on roads increases a lot. |
| C．Walking and cycling are Londoners’ first choice. |
| D．More Londoners choose to walk and ride. |
| A．London’s air is now cleaner. |
| B．Traffic restrictions take effects. |
| C．Walking and cycling help stay healthy. |
| D．Air issue in London is gaining attention. |
2 . Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde has spent much of his time seeking artistic solutions to our environmental problems.His past projects include a "Smog Free Tower" to clean polluted air and "Gates of Light", which uses the headlamps of passing cars to light up the 60 floodgates of the Afsluitdijk, a major dam in the Netherlands.Now, he is hoping to use his skills to solve a pressing global problem — space junk!
Scientists estimate that there are over 500,000 pieces of space junk.To deal with the problem, Roosegaarde intends to achieve his goal by educating the public about the urgency of the situation and coming up with possible solutions.The project called the Space Waste Lab started in October 2018 with a laser(激光) show in the Netherlands.The unique outdoor artwork of LEDs used real-time tracking information to point at pieces of space junk floating at altitudes of 200 to 20,000 kilometers.The experience was designed to make the public know more about how much space junk there is.
To find a solution, the designer has been thinking with experts.One of the projects being considered is "Shooting Stars", which attempts to reintroduce the trash to the atmosphere in a controlled way.Upon reentry, the waste would burn in the atmosphere like a shooting star.Roosegaarde envisages that if successful, burning space trash could someday replace fireworks at large public events!
In September 2018, the RemoveDEBRIS satellite successfully sent a net to catch a target while orbiting at an altitude of about 300 kilometers.Sometime this year, the spacecraft will send a harpoon that has been designed to remove space trash.At the end of its task, RemoveDEBRIS will release a sail to bring the satellite itself and hopefully some trash back into the atmosphere where it will burn up.
1. What can we infer about Daan Roosegaarde?| A．He is too aggressive to put forward good plans. |
| B．He is creative in solving environmental problems. |
| C．He is fond of spending all of his time learning art skills. |
| D．He is sensitive to art reflected in environmental projects. |
| A．To confirm real-time information about space trash. |
| B．To show the great beauty of LEDs to common people. |
| C．To raise public awareness of the amount of space trash. |
| D．To inspire people to consider the solution to space trash. |
| A．Suspect. | B．Demand. | C．Advise. | D．Imagine. |
