1 . In the U. S., people eat more protein than they need to, which might not be bad for human health, but does pose a problem for the country’s waterways. The nation’s wastewater is loaded with the leftovers from protein digestion: nitrogen compounds(氯化合物) that can feed harmful algal blooms(藻华) and pollute the air and drinking water.
Maya Almaraz, a biogeochemist at the University of California, Davis, and her team wanted to see how much of this nitrogen entered into the U. S. wastewater system because of a protein-heavy diet. The researchers found that the majority of nitrogen pollution present in wastewater—some 67 to 100 precent—is a by-product of water people consume.
Once it enters the environment, the nitrogen can have a series of ecological impacts. It helps algae grow much faster than they would normally, which is harmful to humans, other animals and plants. And when the algae eventually die, the problem is not over. Microorganisms(微生物) that feed on dead algae use up the oxygen in the water, leading to “dead zones,” where many species simply cannot survive, in rivers, lakes and oceans.
Although it is possible to treat algal blooms, many of the current methods are not always effective at getting rid of all of the harmful growth. Some of these methods can even lead to additional pollution. So the best strategy for dealing with the effects of nitrogen pollution is prevention, says Patricia Glibert, an ocean scientist at the University of Maryland. Almaraz and her team suggest that controlling nitrogen pollution could be approached more quickly with a change in eating habits that could save billions of dollars in the long term.
1. Which aspect of Americans’ diet does Almaraz’s research focus on ?A.Its variety. | B.Its effect. | C.Its make-up. | D.Its amount. |
A.No oxygen for many species. | B.Death of lots of healthy algae. |
C.Microorganisms’overconsumption of nutrients. | D.Poisonous chemicals released by harmful algae. |
A.They are costly. | B.They may kill all algae. |
C.They are slow to take effect. | D.They may cause secondary pollution. |
A.It is high time to treat wild algae growth. | B.Eating too much protein harms the planet. |
C.Prevention is better than cure in treating air pollution. | D.Researchers find solutions to the wastewater problem. |
2 . A new study has found that light pollution is making the night sky brighter and the stars dimmer (暗淡的). The study examined data from more than 50, 000 citizen star watchers across the world, It found that man-made, or artificial lighting is making the night sky about 10 percent brighter each year. Data for the study was collected from 2011 to 2022.
The result was a much faster rate of change than scientists had estimated in the past. As cities expand and put up more lights, a “skyglow” is created in the sky. Skyglow is a term scientists use to describe light that becomes more intense. The research team gave an example to explain the result. If a child is born where 250 stars can be seen on a clear night, by the time that child turns 18, only 100 stars will be seen.
Past studies involving artificial lighting used satellite images of the Earth at night. They had estimated the yearly increase in sky brightness to be about 2 percent a year. But the satellites used are not able to identify light with wavelengths toward the blue end of the spectrum (光谱) — including light given off by energy-effective LED bulbs. The researchers noted that more than half the new outdoor lights put in across the United States during the past 10 years have been LED lights. The satellites are also better at finding light that gets spread upward like a spotlight than light that spreads out from side to side, Kyba said.
“Migratory songbirds normally use starlight to orient (确定方向) where they are in the sky at night,” said Georgetown University biologist Emily Williams. She was not part of the study. And when sea turtle babies hatch, they use light to orient toward the ocean — light pollution is a huge deal for them.
Falchi, the physicist at the University of Santiago de Compostela, said part of what is being lost is a universal human experience. “The night sky caused the generations before ours to have exciting new ideas or made them want to create something, especially in art, music, science and literature,” he added.
1. What does the new study find according to Paragraph 1?A.Stars are observed by more citizens. |
B.Stars are much brighter than in the past. |
C.Light pollution continues to darken stars. |
D.Light makes the night sky more beautiful. |
A.To highlight an experiment. |
B.To present an assumption. |
C.To clarify a concept. |
D.To explain the result of artificial light. |
A.By the moonlight. | B.By the starlight. |
C.By the sunlight. | D.By the spotlight. |
A.Inspirational. | B.Mysterious. | C.Awesome. | D.Scared. |
Japan said on Tuesday that it had decided to
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“The Japanese government ignores concerns and strong opposition both at home and abroad. Such an
Greenpeace(绿色和平组织)criticized Japan’s plan and said there are other solutions that should
Beaches across the planet share many features: sand, water, ocean gentle winds — and plastic. At Floyd Bennett Field, the coastal area
Plastics will indeed be the product of our age,
Rosenthal observed how bottles,
A project begun for aesthetics (美学) has got a
5 . Lithium (锂) is called “white gold” for good reason. The metal’s value has been growing sharply over the last several years, in a large part because it is an essential part of batteries as well as several key sustainable technologies where energy storage is of huge significance. As electric cars, wind and solar power have grown into major players in the energy industry, lithium has become key to engineering a future free of fossil (化石) fuels.
But acquiring lithium comes at an enormous cost. It often works like this: Water containing lithium is delivered to the surface from underground and mixed with fresh water. The mixture then sits in pools to get rid of water, leaving the rest of its contents behind as brightly colored “mud”. Then heat and chemical reactions are used to get lithium from that, changing it into powder which is then packaged and shipped to buyers around the world.
Any accident that releases mine contents into surrounding communities or the groundwater supply could have unimaginable long-term impacts. To be specific, indigenous (土著的) communities often bear the damage, and political leaders have typically given little weight to their concerns. In Arizona, for example, an expanding lithium mine is threatening the Hualapai Tribe’s cultural and historic sites. Recently, mining lithium and other precious metals has brought about conflict: How do you ensure the availability of materials essential to the future of renewables while protecting those communities’ rights?
Mining of the metal is expected to increase dramatically in coming years. Over time, experts say, that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions (排放) by making electric cars more affordable and, therefore, more popular. As environmentally conscious consumers buy electric cars in ever-greater numbers, it’s important to be aware of the dirty process that powers those clean air vehicles.
1. What does the author’s intention of writing Paragraph 1?A.To introduce the background of an event. | B.To explain a complex industrial theory. |
C.To describe a noticeable recent tendency. | D.To predict the future of a main technology. |
A.Unexpected material leak. | B.Violent chemical reactions. |
C.Wrong political decisions. | D.Lithium mine expansion. |
A.Intolerant. | B.Uncaring. | C.Favorable. | D.Objective. |
A.High Expense of Lithium Mining | B.Potential Benefit of Using Lithium |
C.Hidden Threat behind Clean Energy | D.Bright Future of Renewable Resources |
6 . Pollution is one of the biggest problems in the world today. In many places, rubbish is thrown into lakes and rivers.
In some cities, the air is filled with pollution.
If we do not act to improve the environment, more living things will be killed by pollution.
If we can do these, we will make the world a better place to live in.
A.This makes some old people and children ill. |
B.As well as people, animals are also harmed by pollution. |
C.We can make our lakes and rivers cleaner and cleaner. |
D.It’s time for all of us to take action right away! |
E.Because of this, these places have already been polluted. |
F.Trees reduce dust and help keep the air clean. |
G.A few of us should take action to protect the environment. |
7 . During a waste collection session in May at the base of Mount Qomolangma, in the Tibet Autonomous Region, participants put garbage(mostly plastics)into bags and prepared to transport them downhill.
Dressed in camouflage and a blue vest, Samdrub dragged a sack to a blue truck parked a few hundred meters away. Scores of similar sacks were piled up along the roadside, waiting to be loaded onto the vehicle. Not far away, a couple of sheep roamed the deserted land looking for grass. “Loads of it here. Loads of it. This is the fifth consecutive time we have come here and we still haven’t finished the clean-up, ” said Samdrub, 64, who, like many Tibetans only uses one name. Samdrub and her companions are members of a regular clean-up campaign organized by the Lhasa Ban-White Association, an environmental advocacy group that taps the volunteer spirit to control abandoned plastic trash, also known as “white pollution”. The volunteers are of all ages and come from different walks of life. Now retired and with time to kill, Samdrub and her friends have taken to the city’s ravines and riverbanks to battle the pollution. “In recent years, I’ve read reports that livestock choked and died after eating plastic. I was born and raised in rural Shigatse, and I know how big a financial loss that is for herders. ” Samdrub said.
Tersing Dorji, 62, a member of the Lhasa Ban-White Association, said the worst pollution results from rural farmers’ markets and the common use of plastic bags, which are super-thin and relatively expensive to recycle. “They are of various colors and very light, and when the wind blows they fly everywhere. ” she said.
A rule was then implemented by authorities in Lhasa that banned the production of super-thin plastics and ordered retailers to charge customers a fee if they wanted a regular plastic bag. The ban was later extended to the entire region. It has worked well generally, especially in supermarkets and other large operations, where additional charges for plastic bags have prompted many shoppers to opt for reusable items, such as cloth bags.
1. Why do the local volunteers like Samdrub participate in waste collection?A.They are retired and have little time left. |
B.They can make money by collecting waste. |
C.They are encouraged by an environmental group. |
D.They fight against pollution to help the Tibetans. |
A.It will soon finish with people’s efforts. |
B.People put it into sacks and dragged them downhill. |
C.Clean-up campaigns are regularly organized to battle it. |
D.It has been the main cause that leads to the death of livestock. |
A.Caused. | B.Advised. | C.Promised. | D.Supported. |
A.Ban on Plastic Bags |
B.Pollution Caused by Plastic Bags |
C.Action Against Plastic Waste in Tibet |
D.Waste Collection Participated in by Locals |
8 . The online takeaway industry is growing in China along with the rapid development of the Internet economy. But environmental activists complain that the huge volume of plastic utensils (用具), wrapping and containers presents a great challenge to the environment, and that the heavy use of throwaway wooden chopsticks is reducing natural resources.
On September 1, the Beijing No.4 Intermediate People’s Court accepted a lawsuit filed by the Chongqing Green Volunteer League, an environmental non-government organization (NGO), against the country’s three largest food delivery platforms—Baidu Waimai, Ele.me and Meituan. The NGO stated that the companies failed to provide customers with the choice to not receive throwaway plastic utensils along with their food deliveries. Meanwhile, these utensils have created large amounts of rubbish and caused serious ecological damage.
In response, both Meituan and Ele.me, which acquired Baidu Waimai in August, have promised to take measures to reduce plastic waste. Meituan announced that it would appoint a chief environmental officer to oversee environmental issues from plastic waste and upgrade its smartphone app to provide consumers with the option of ordering food without single-use chopsticks, spoons or napkins. Ele.me followed by offering a similar choice and putting forward a plan to introduce suppliers of degradable (可降解的) plastic utensils to restaurants in the long term.
Is there a possible way out? Combined efforts by delivery platforms, consumers, restaurants and government departments are required to address plastic waste pollution.
For platforms, promoting environmental protection and introducing this idea to consumers are a meaningful move. Moreover, in the future, they should also make strict rules on the use of plastic utensils. For example, no more than one plastic bag should be used to wrap soup dishes, and all plastic products should be degradable. It is a long and difficult task for them, and the recent reactions from Ele.me and Meituan are just beginnings.
Considering most takeout food packaging is thrown into garbage bins and then taken away along with other household garbage, sorting of waste also becomes more important. Government departments could play a major role in this, and by recycling some materials, waste pollution could be reduced and resources saved. Furthermore, there have been growing calls that the government should also invest more in developing degradable plastic products or environmentally friendly alternatives.
Though consumers enjoy the convenience yet also suffer exposure to the pollution, many of them have paid little attention to the plastic waste problem. Environmental groups suggest that consumers change their habits a little by using their own utensils and dishes and refusing unnecessary plastic containers.
1. The Chongqing Green Volunteer League accused the three food delivery platforms of ________.A.causing damage to people’s health |
B.violating environmental standards |
C.using many wooden chopsticks |
D.offering no utensil option |
A.raise people’s awareness | B.research possible alternatives |
C.upgrade their application design | D.hire a chief environmental officer |
A.Government departments. | B.Food delivery platforms. |
C.Environmental groups. | D.Fast food restaurants. |
A.why environmental problems arise |
B.who food delivery platforms affect most |
C.how plastic utensil pollution can be solved |
D.what efforts environmental groups have made |