1 . You’ve heard that plastic is polluting the oceans — between 4.8 and 12.7 million tonnes enter ocean ecosystems every year. But does one plastic straw or cup really make a difference? Artist Benjamin Von Wong wants you to know that it does. He builds massive sculptures out of plastic garbage, forcing viewers to re-examine their relationship to single-use plastic products.
At the beginning of the year, the artist built a piece called “Strawpocalypse,” a pair of 10-foot-tall plastic waves, frozen mid-crash. Made of 168,000 plastic straws collected from several volunteer beach cleanups, the sculpture made its first appearance at the Estella Place shopping center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Just 9% of global plastic waste is recycled. Plastic straws are by no means the biggest source (来源) of plastic pollution, but they’ve recently come under fire because most people don’t need them to drink with and, because of their small size and weight, they cannot be recycled. Every straw that’s part of Von Wong’s artwork likely came from a drink that someone used for only a few minutes. Once the drink is gone, the straw will take centuries to disappear.
In a piece from 2018, Von Wong wanted to illustrate (说明) a specific statistic: Every 60 seconds, a truckload’s worth of plastic enters the ocean. For this work, titled “Truckload of Plastic,” Von Wong and a group of volunteers collected more than 10,000 pieces of plastic, which were then tied together to look like they’d been dumped (倾倒) from a truck all at once.
Von Wong hopes that his work will also help pressure big companies to reduce their plastic footprint.
1. What are Von Wong’s artworks intended for?A.Beautifying the city he lives in. | B.Introducing eco-friendly products. |
C.Drawing public attention to plastic waste. | D.Reducing garbage on the beach. |
A.To show the difficulty of their recycling. |
B.To explain why they are useful. |
C.To voice his views on modern art. |
D.To find a substitute for them. |
A.Calming. | B.Disturbing. |
C.Refreshing. | D.Challenging. |
A.Artists’ Opinions on Plastic Safety |
B.Media Interest in Contemporary Art |
C.Responsibility Demanded of Big Companies |
D.Ocean Plastics Transformed into Sculptures |
2 . Kenya has been at the forefront (前沿) of the global war on plastic since the government banned single-use plastics in protected areas in June 2020. Unfortunately, the preventive measures have barely received attention. Hundreds of tons of industrial and consumer polymer waste continue to get dumped into landfills daily. However, if 29-year-old Nzambi Matee has her way, the unsightly plastic heaps will soon be transformed into colorful bricks.
The materials engineer’s seeking to find a practical solution to control plastic pollution began in 2017. She quit her job and set up a small lab in her mother’s backyard. It took her nine months to produce the first brick and even longer to convince a partner to help build the machinery to make them. But the determined eco-entrepreneur was confident in her idea and did not give up.
She says, “I wanted to use my education to handle plastic waste pollution. But I was very clear that the solution had to be practical, sustainable, and affordable. The best way to do this was by channeling the waste into the construction space and finding the most efficient and affordable material to build homes.” Her company produces over 1,500 bricks a day. The pavers are made using a mix of plastic products that cannot be reprocessed or recycled.
The collected plastic is mixed with sand, heated at very high temperatures, and compressed (压缩) into bricks that vary in color and thickness. The resulting product is stronger, lighter, and about 30 percent cheaper than concrete bricks. More importantly, it helps repurpose the lowest quality of plastic. “There is that waste they cannot process anymore; they cannot recycle. That is what we get.” Matee says.
Matee is not nearly done. Her dream is to reduce the mountain of trash to just a hill by increasing production and expanding her offerings. She says, “The more we recycle the plastic, the more we produce affordable housing, the more we created more employment for the youth.”
1. What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 1 imply?A.Matee’s method can be effective if adopted. | B.Matee’s idea has been widely accepted. |
C.Colorful bricks are in huge demand. | D.Plastic waste hasn’t attracted enough attention. |
A.Generous and ambitious. | B.Confident and grateful. |
C.Creative and resolved. | D.Optimistic and modest. |
A.to build cheaper houses. | B.to support the government. |
C.to create job opportunities. | D.to tackle plastic pollution. |
A.Kenya: Pioneer in Banning Plastic Single-use Plastics |
B.Nzambi Matee: Innovator in Solving Plastic Waste |
C.Mix of Plastic Products: A New Construction Material |
D.Plastic Recycling: A Creative Solution to Pollution |
3 . Human beings have somehow managed to engineer the night to receive us by filling it with light. This kind of control is no different from the feat ( 壮 举 ) of damming a river. Its benefits come with
For most human history, the phrase “light pollution” would have
We’ve lit up the night as if it were a(n)
It was once thought that light pollution only affected astronomers, who need to see the night sky in all its glorious clarity. Unlike astronomers, most of us may not need a
In a very real sense, light pollution causes us to
A.consequences | B.achievements | C.agreements | D.circumstances |
A.Randomly-designed | B.Well-designed | C.Poorly-designed | D.Economically-designed |
A.appealed | B.adapted | C.objected | D.amounted |
A.come under criticism | B.made no difference | C.come into effect | D.made no sense |
A.making do with | B.fed up with | C.identifying with | D.overflowing with |
A.visit | B.greet | C.feel | D.smell |
A.independent | B.disconnected | C.unoccupied | D.excluded |
A.exposed | B.captured | C.dismissed | D.frustrated |
A.clear | B.comprehensive | C.traditional | D.critical |
A.Subsequently | B.However | C.Therefore | D.Similarly |
A.Reviewing | B.Embracing | C.Denying | D.Regulating |
A.light | B.rhythm | C.status | D.dawn |
A.emerging from | B.withdrawing from | C.messing with | D.coinciding with |
A.keep track of | B.lose sight of | C.catch hold of | D.let go of |
A.measured | B.neutralized | C.undergone | D.supervised |
4 . Baggy has become the first dog in the UK—and potentially the world—to join the fight against air pollution by recording pollutant levels near the ground.
Baggy wears a pollution monitor on her collar so she can take data measurements close to the ground. Her monitor has shown that air pollution levels are higher closer to ground level, which has helped highlight concerns that babies and young kids may be at higher risk of developing lung problems.
Conventional air pollution monitors are normally fixed on lampposts at about nine feet in the air. However, since Baggy stands at about the same height as a child in a pushchair(婴儿车), she frequently records pollution levels which are much higher than the data gathered by the Environment A gency.
The doggy data research was the idea of Baggy's 13-year-old owner Tom Hunt and his dad Matt. The English youngster noticed that pollution levels are around two-thirds higher close to the ground than they are in the air at the height where they are recorded by the agency. Tom has since reported the shocking findings to the government in an attempt to emphasise that babies are at higher risk of developing asthma(哮喘).
Matt Hunt said he was "very proud" of his son because “when the boy gets an idea, he keeps his head down and gets on with it, and he really does want to do some good and stop young kids from getting asthma."
“Tom built up a passion for environmental protection at a very early age," Matt added. “He became very interested in gadgets(小装置). About one year ago, he got this new piece of tech which is like a test tube. One Sunday afternoon, we went out to do some monitoring, and he said, why don't we put it on Baggy's collar and let her monitor the pollution?'So we did it."
Tom said, "Most of the time, Baggy is just like any other dog. But for the rest of the time she is a super dog, and we are all really proud of her."
1. With a monitor on her collar, Baggy can ____________.A.take pollutant readings | B.record pollutant levels |
C.process collected data | D.reduce air pollution |
A.High places are free of air pollution. |
B.Higher pushchairs are more risky for kids. |
C.Conventional monitors are more reliable. |
D.Air is more polluted closer to the ground. |
A.To warn of a health risk. | B.To find out pollution sources. |
C.To test his new monitor. | D.To prove Baggy's abilities. |
A.Modest. | B.Generous. | C.Creative. | D.Outgoing. |
Researchers say they have found microplastics (微塑料) -tiny pieces of plastic that come as a result of the disposal of industrial waste-deep in the lungs of living
The research, which
In the study, researchers
The study notes
The world produces about 300 million metric tons of plastic a year and about 80% ends
6 . Hundreds of years ago, life was harder than it is today. People didn't have modern machines.
Life today has brought new problems. One of the biggest problems is pollution. Water pollution has made our rivers and lakes dirty. It kills our fish and pollutes our drinking water. Noise pollution makes us talk louder and become angry more easily. Air pollution is the most serious kind of pollution to all living things in the world.
Cars, planes and factories all pollute our air every day. Sometimes the polluted air is so thick that it is like a quilt over a city. This kind of quilt is called smog.
Many countries are making rules to fight against pollution. Factories must now clean their water before it is thrown away, and they mustn't let dirty smoke go into the air.
We need to do many other things. We can put waste things in the dustbin and do not throw them on the ground. We can go to work by bus or with our friends in the same car. If there are fewer people driving, there will be less pollution.
Rules are not enough. Every person must help to fight against pollution.
1. Hundreds of years ago, life was much harder than it is today because_________A.there were many problems | B.there were too many people |
C.there were wars now and then | D.there were no modern machines. |
A.noise pollution | B.water pollution | C.air pollution | D.waste things |
A.The air. | B.The city. | C.The quilt. | D.The smog. |
A.clean water after it is thrown away | B.throw waste things in the dustbin |
C.let dirty smoke go into the air | D.encourage more people to drive to work |
7 . 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. |
8 . Recycling is a great way of doing your bit for the environment and helping to protect the earth’s precious resources. However, a new study has revealed that our desire to be sustainable maybe doing more harm than good. According to waste company Biffa, this is because of “wish-cycling” — assuming that items such as disposable coffee cup sand pizza boxes will be recycled if put in the recycling bin. In fact, pollution from those items or other non-recyclables can result in recyclable items that have been put in the correct bin going to landfill. David Heaton, a business director at Biffa, said: “Pollution happens when items are disposed of in the wrong bins or haven’t been cleaned before being recycled.”
Experts at Biffa analyzed the amounts of non-target and non-recyclable materials that entered UK material recycling facilities between 2016 and 2020. It was found that, in 2016, the average pollution rate of recycling waste was 13.4 percent, rising over four years to 17 percent by the end of 2020. This shows that, even as people are becoming more eco-conscious, wish-cycling is increasing both in households and businesses.
The Biffa experts say that one of the best ways to prevent pollution of recycling is to clean recyclable waste before putting it in the bin. They suggest cutting off the top of old pizza boxes and only recycling that part to avoid pollution from the grease (油脂). Check the on-packaging recycling label to check it can actually be recycled When it comes to plastics, Biffa recommends checking the resin code, the number in the plastic triangle, to know whether it should go in the recycling bin. In general, resin codes 1, 2, 4 and 5 are recyclable, while 3, 6 and 7 are not. Larger items, like electronics, furniture and batteries, can also be recycled but often can not go in household recycling bins as they need specialist separating. These will need to be taken to recycling centers or sustainable waste management companies.
“It’s vital as a nation that we get better at effective ‘pre-cycling’— sorting waste correctly before collection to reduce pollution rates,” added Mr. Heaton.
1. What’s the truth of “wish-cycling” according to the first paragraph?A.The desire to lead a sustainable life. |
B.The good intention to help recycling. |
C.The habit of throwing items that end up in landfills. |
D.The practice of recycling items that can not be recycled. |
A.People are becoming more eco-conscious. |
B.Wish-cycling is on the rise in recent years. |
C.Pollution happens less frequently in recycling facilities. |
D.People are used to cleaning recyclable waste before putting it in the bin. |
A.Dispose of electronics together with household waste. |
B.Skip the step of checking the on-packaging recycling label. |
C.Check the resin code of plastics to see whether it is recyclable or not. |
D.Cutoff the top of old pizza box and throw the rest to the recycling bin. |
A.Recycling: a Big Project | B.Wish-cycling: a New Trend |
C.Wish-cycling: a Growing Concern | D.Pre-cycling: an Effective Method |
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a shocking finding about the air we breathe. It has found that almost everyone on Earth breathes unhealthy air. The WHO made
The WHO said its report highlighted the need to move away from fossil fuels. It asked governments to do more
10 . A new study suggests classic paintings by well-known Impressionists Joseph Turner and Claude Monet may have been influenced by air pollution during the Industrial Revolution.
The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by authors from Harvard and Sorbonne universities, analyzed 60 oil paintings by Turner from 1796 to 1850 and 38 paintings by Monet from 1864 to 1901.
Scientists don't know exactly how polluted the cities were during that time for lack of data. However, researchers say examining the works of Turner and Monet can give a picture of long-term environmental change with the air pollution.
In particular, researchers said changes in local sulfur dioxide emissions from burning coal may explain changes in the colour contrast and intensity of Turner, Monet, and others' works, even after taking into account the artistic trends and subject matter of the time.
Scientists successfully measured painters' representation of nature, focusing on differences in local weather patterns which influenced colour in works painted in different parts of Europe. Paintings' done in Britain generally feature a paler blue sky than other works in other parts of the continent. Generally, artists can historically accurately represent their environment, so Turner and Monet were chosen because they are famous for their landscape and cityscape paintings and also because they were active during the Industrial Revolution, when air pollution grew at a rate never seen before.
Additionally, researchers say that as the air in London and Paris became more polluted, the cities would appear hazier to the eyes as well as in photographs. By comparing the paintings of Turner and Monet to pictures from the era, they were able to determine the artists were at least partly influenced by the change in emissions.
1. How did the researchers conduct the study?A.By referring to relevant historical records. |
B.By comparing the paintings of Turner and Monet. |
C.By relating the paintings to the air conditions then. |
D.By analyzing the data during the Industrial Revolution. |
A.Air pollution at that time. | B.Change in subject matter. |
C.Social trends of the period. | D.Development of photography |
A.European artists preferred landscape paintings. |
B.Scientists focused on studying weather patterns. |
C.Turner and Monet intended to present pollution. |
D.Britain suffered from air pollution most in Europe. |
A.To inform people of a new discovery. | B.To instruct people to appreciate paintings. |
C.To introduce the Industrial Revolution. | D.To call on people to protect the environment. |