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The earth is getting warmer. The planet is suffering. But what can you do about it? Reduce the amount of waste you generate. Use cleaner energy sources and go greener today, starting with these steps:
1. Get a reusable water bottle
Americans buy about 25 billion single-serving plastic water bottles each year. That's an average of 83 bottles per person per year. Plastic bottles take plenty of resources to produce, including fuel for transportation and petroleum to make the plastic. Even recycling bottles uses energy.
2. Eat less meat
You don't need to become a vegetarian to help save the planet. Eating meat just one day less a week can reduce your negative impact on the environment. More water, energy and land are required to produce meat than to produce grain.
3. Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs
Most households use standard incandescent (白炽的) bulbs. But compact fluorescent (荧光的) light bulbs, or CFLs, use 66 percent less energy than standard bulbs, produce just as much light, last up to 10 times longer and don't need to be replaced as often. If every household in the United States replaced just one incandescent light bulb with a CFL bulb, it would equal removing one million cars from the road.
4. Buy organic and local food
Did you know that only 1 percent of pesticides (杀虫剂) applied to crops reach the pests they target? The rest enter the environment. Organic food is grown without the use of pesticides. Organic farming can use 50 percent less energy than traditional farming methods. Buying local food saves on the fuel used to transport food grown elsewhere, thousands of miles across the country or around the world.
5. Recycle your electronics
Everyone knows the importance of recycling glass and plastic, but what about cell phones, computers, CDs and batteries? Electronics are responsible for about 40 percent of toxic (有毒的) heavy metals such as lead and mercury. Check with your city's recycling facilities to see if they take electronics.
72. The readers of this passage are called on to ______.
A. help reduce global warming B. use water in a wise way
C. donate money for charity D. keep a balanced diet
73. What is an advantage of CFLs according to the passage?
A. They use more energy but produce more light.
B. They can last longer so don't need to be replaced often.
C. They cost less than standard incandescent bulbs.
D. They are as energy-efficient as incandescent bulbs.
74. Which of the following figures is correct according to the passage?
A. Every year an American buys 63 plastic water bottles on average.
B. Eating meat one day less a week helps cut environment costs.
C. 99 of the pesticides used on crops is effective in practice.
D. Electronics account for half of poisonous heavy metals on the earth.
75. Which can be the best title for this passage?
A. Why is the earth getting warmer? B. What can we do about pollution? C. How can you lead a greener life? D. Who is to blame for global warming?
Since the end of World War I (WWI) in 1918,Canadians, and millions of others around the world have paused at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month to honour the sacrifices our soldiers have made in different wars, fighting for the freedoms that we all enjoy today.
Known as Remembrance Day, the day originated as a tribute to the soldiers of WWI, a dark period for our young country, which claimed the lives of over 60,000 military personnel and civilians and over 16 million dead worldwide.
As there are no more surviving soldiers of WWI,today we rely on the wisdom and words of those soldiers who fought in the wars that followed,and this day now also recognizes their heroic contribution.
They tell us to always remember what those brave souls fought for, and all they ask in return is that we never forget.
That’s why we wear the red poppy (罂粟花);that’s why when we see a soldier in uniform we should stop him or her and say “Thank you” ; that’s why we take a pause from our busy lives for two short minutes today to honor that request.
Yet this message is fading away, year after year.
Take for example the terrible decision to allow parents to excuse students from Remembrance Day ceremonies at school.
Not only is this disrespectful, it distances the student from his or her classmates.
It is difficult to understand why any Canadian parent would want to remove their child from the time-honored tradition of reading the poem In Flanders Fields, while a wreath of poppies is laid.
It is more important than ever to teach school-aged children about our history,no matter how violent it was. Sheltering them from the realities of war is a great disservice.
Understanding why conflicts happened, or happen today, can help shape choices and decisions they make as adults.
Of course, because we live in a free society, we cannot force an individual to do something. It is unfortunate, but some parents now have their child “opt-out” of the services. These people should be reminded they are free to make such choices only because of the men and women the rest of us are remembering.Which of the following is true about Remembrance Day?
A. It’s only held in Canada. |
B.Its ceremony lasts 11 hours. |
C.It falls on November 11th each year. |
D.It’s to celebrate the country’s independence. |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a Remembrance Day activity today?
A.Stopping at 11a.m. to remember the war dead. |
B.Listening to stories told by WWI soldiers. |
C.Wearing a red poppy to show respect. |
D.Showing gratitude to soldiers in uniform. |
What can we learn from the passage?
A.War history is too violent for school children. |
B.The writer was once a soldier in the Canadian army. |
C.Few students are willing to take part in Remembrance Day ceremonies. |
D.More parents are keeping their children away from frightening war stories. |
The underlined word “It” in the last paragraph probably refers to _____
A.the death of so many soldiers in wars |
B.the fact that there were so many wars after WWI |
C.people’s ungratefulness for the freedom they have |
D.removing children from Remembrance Day events |
The writer believes that_____
A.the sacrifice of the soldiers should always be remembered |
B.Remembrance Day is becoming less important for soldiers |
C.schools - no longer think Remembrance Day is necessary |
D.people should be forced to learn about the realities of war |
Today, bicycles are elegantly simple machines that are common around the world. Many people ride bicycles for recreation, whereas others use them as a means of transportation. The first bicycle was invented in Germany in 1818. Because it was made of wood, it wasn’t very strong nor did it have pedals (脚踏板).Riders moved it by pushing their feet against the ground.
In 1839, Kirkpatrick Macmillan, a Scottish blacksmith, invented a much better bicycle. Macmillan’s machine had iron-covered wheels to keep them from getting worn down. He also used foot-operated levers, similar to pedals, so his bicycle could be ridden at a quick pace. It didn’t look much like the modem bicycle, though, because its back wheel was substantially larger than its front wheel. Although Macmillan’s bicycles could be ridden easily, they were never produced in large numbers.
In 1861, Frenchman Pierre Michaux and his brother Ernest invented a bicycle with an improved pedal mechanism. They called their bicycle a velocipede,but most people called it a “bone shaker” because of the effect of the wood and iron frame. Despite the impolite nickname, the velocipede was a hit. After a few years, the Michaux family was making hundreds of the machines annually, mostly for fun-seeking young people.
Ten years later, James Starley , an English inventor, made several innovations that revolutionized bicycle design. He made the front wheel many times larger than the back wheel, put a gear on the pedals to make the bicycle more efficient,and lightened the wheels by using wire spokes. Although this bicycle was much lighter and less tiring to ride, it was still clumsy, extremely top-heavy,and ridden mostly for entertainment.
It wasn’t until 1874 that the first truly modern bicycle appeared on the scene. Invented by another Englishman, H. J. Lawson, the safety bicycle would look familiar to today’s cyclists. The safety bicycle had equal-sized wheels, which made it easier to ride. Lawson also attached a chain to the pedals to drive the back wheel. By 1893,the safety bicycle had been further improved with air-filled rubber tires, a diamond-shaped frame, and easy braking. With the improvements provided by Lawson; bicycles became extremely popular and useful for transportation. Today, they are built, used, and enjoyed all over the world.This passage was most likely written in order to _____.
A.compare bicycles used for different purposes |
B.describe the problems early bicycle makers experienced |
C.persuade readers to use bicycles for transportation |
D.tell readers about the early history of the bicycle |
Macmillan covered the wheels of his bicycle with iron to _____
A.add weight to the bicycle |
B.make the bicycle easier to ride |
C.allow the wheels to last longer |
D.let the bicycle be more comfortable |
Which of the following bicycle types was invented by James Starley?
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A.Two hundred years ago,bicycles did not exist. |
B.The first bicycle could be ridden at a very quick pace. |
C.The Michaux brothers called their bicycle a “bone shaker”. |
D.Macmillan’s machine had wheels with rubber tires. |
The information about bicycles in this passage is arranged according to _____.
A.importance | B.time | C.place | D.Interest |
Zoos divide opinion : there are those who think it is cruel to keep animals locked up while others believe zoos are essential for the survival of endangered species.
To argue that zoos imprison animals is to misunderstand what zoos are about. Without zoos many of the creatures we love and admire would no longer exist. Every single day,over one hundred animal species vanish. Scientists predict that as early as 2050 one quarter of the Earth’s species will become extinct.
Some animals are in danger because they are hunted. Alarmingly, the population of tigers has already fallen by ninety-five percent. Other species are in danger because of a lack of food. For example, there are fewer than 1300 giant pandas left in the wild.
Zoos have special breeding programmes to help those animals at risk. These breeding programmes are proving extremely successful. As Irene Shapiro from Zoo and Wildlife Support says, “the Puerto Rican Parrot has grown in numbers from just thirteen to about eighty-five and the Golden Lion Tamarin Monkey, which has almost ceased to exist twenty years ago, has been reintroduced back into the wild. ”
Unfortunately, not everyone understands this important role zoos play. For example, Brian Featherstone from the Anti-Zoo Forum says, “I can’t believe we take animals from the wild and put them in cages for the entertainment of the public! We should view them on film or TV in their natural environment.,’
However, this misses the point. A zoo does more than display animals to the public. It ensures their survival. Without zoos you would not be able to see many of these animals on TV or anywhere else!What’s the writer’s attitude towards zoos?
A.He shows no opinion either for or against them. |
B.He thinks that they are unnecessary and cruel. |
C.He believes they play an important environmental role. |
D.He expresses a desire that more of them be built. |
The underlined word “vanish” in Paragraph 2 most probably means _____.
A.remain | B.disappear | C.become rarer | D.get killed |
According to the passage the world’s tiger population _____.
A.will rise by 5% next year | B.is relatively stable |
C.is 95% smaller than in the past | D.has fallen to 95% |
According to the passage some people do not agree with zoos because they _____
A.are too expensive to run | B.put animals in danger |
C.do not provide enough food | D.keep animals locked up |
According to the writer ,the most important function of the zoo is to _____.
A.make a lot of money | B.entertain visitors |
C.ensure animals’ survival | D.educate the public |
As is known to us all, baths and bathing have long been considered of medical importance to man. In Greece there are the ruins of a water system for baths built over 3,000 years ago. The Romans had warm public baths. In some baths, as many 3,000 persons could bathe at the same time.
Treating disease by taking bathing has been popular for centuries. Modern medical bathing first became popular in Europe and by the late1700’s has also become popular in theUnited States.
For many years frequent(经常的) bathing was believed to be bad for one’s health. Ordinary bathing just to keep clean was avoided, and perfume was often used to cover up body smells!
By the1700’s doctors began to say that soap and water were good for health. They believed that it was good for people to be clean. Slowly, people began to bathe more frequently. During the Victorian Age of the late 19th century, taking a bath on Saturday night became common.
In theUnited Statesordinary bathing was slow to become popular. During the 18th and early 19th centuries, many Americans were known as “The Great Unwashed!” In one American city, for example, a person was only allowed to take a bathe every thirty days! That was a law!
Frequency of bathing today is partly a matter of habit. People know that bathing for cleanliness is important to health, Doctors know that dirty bodies increase the chance of diseases. As a result, in theUnited States, people generally bathe often. Some people bath once a day at least. They consider a daily bath essential (="necessary)" to good health. A water system for baths was built by_________over 3,000 years ago.
A.the Greeks | B.the Romans | C.the Americans | D.the Europeans |
In the 18th century doctors believed that being clean was__________.
A.good for health | B.unimportant | C.harmful | D.important |
The underlined word perfume probably means_____________.
A.a strange smelling substance | B.good health |
C.a sweet smelling substance | D.large wealth |
Whichof the following gives the main idea of the passage?
A.Everybody inAmericatakes a daily bath. |
B.A bath a day keeps the doctor away. |
C.Bathing has become easier and cheaper. |
D.Taking baths has become popular in the world. |
Who says constant texting is just a bad habit? The teenager with the fastest thumbs in the country was crowned on Wednesday at the LG US National Texting Championship in New York City, winning $50,000 after a series of fierce texting battles.
16-year-old Austin Wiershke comes from Rhinelander, Wisconsin of the United States. He took home the top prize at the fifth annual texting event, beating 11 other competitors in the final, including last year’s champion Brianna Hendrickson from Brooklyn, New York.
Wiershke, who was wearing a gray shirt and having Justin Bieber’s hairstyle, sailed through each level of the competition by typing passages of text on a QWERTY keyboard rapidly without any mistaken. One special round even included being blindfolded(蒙眼) on the state to make up phrases by memory.
“I’m extremely nervous,” Wiershke said while waiting for the results after the final round. “I’m getting ready to hear Brianna’s name. When I heard my name was announced, I really couldn’t believe my ears.” After the announcement was made, confetti(五彩纸屑) dropped from the ceiling and Wiershke was met on the stage by the singer who said that she liked texting very much. She was Ashley Tisdale, a famous and beautiful singer, who awarded him his check.
In August, a film on Music Television called “Thumbs” took a behind-the –scenes look at the teenager’s life. It shows how he practiced texting to be the fastest. The film followed a series of young texting competitors, including Brianna Hendrickson, in the weeks leading up to this year’s LG US National Texting Championship. Besides showing the always –connected lifestyle of these teenagers nationwide, the mover also shows the studies, sports , dreams and friendships among these competitors.What is the main idea of this passage?
A.A teenager receiver $50,000. |
B.Teenagers in the US make money by texting. |
C.A teenager was named the fastest texter in the US. |
D.The LG US National Texting Championship was held in New York City. |
During the special round, competitors were required to text_____________.
A.among confetti |
B.without using their eyes |
C.using a special keyboard |
D.extremely difficult words |
We can infer that Austin Wiershke_________.
A.wasn’t used to using the QWERTY keyboard |
B.didn’t think Brianna Hendrickson would win this time |
C.didn’t expect he would beat Brianna Hendrickson |
D.was very confident when he was waiting for the result of the contest |
Through the film called “Thumb”, people can know____________.
A.the development of the LG US National Texting Championship |
B.various parts of the competitors’ life |
C.what happened to the competitors after the contest |
D.the details of the texting contest |