Making greener choices and encouraging healthy lifestyles can promote your health and benefit the environment.Here are some guidelines to follow:
Choose foods thoughtfully
Americans have never had such a variety or abundance of food to choose from.Besides so many choices, we now hear about our "food print", the amount of land needed to supply o
ne person's nutritional needs for a year.Do we buy cherry tomatoes from Mexico or tomatoes grown locally in a hothouse? Do.we get the Granny Smiths from the fanners' market or the supermarket? Is organic produce healthier for us and the planet?
These are very complex issues that require analysis of many criteria, including the energy used in producing and transporting the food, as well as the type of soil and methods of raising the food.
Despite the complexities, there are some general guidelines you can follow.For instance, eat less meat or eat low on the food chain.Your doctor may have recommended you to restrict your consume red meat because of its too much fat content.Beyond that, there are environmental reasons, too. Raise food animals contributes substantially to climate change because a meat-based diet requires more land, energy and water than a plant - based one.
Drinking plenty of fluids is significant during hot weather or when exercising.But is bottled water the way to go? You may not think so when seeing the true costs.Based on a survey, manufacturing the 30 - plus billion plastic water bottles can produce more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide and use here times the amount of water in the bottle.Adding in transportation, the energy used comes to over 50 million barrels of oil equivalent (等价物).Consequently, skip the bottled water and drink tap water, both at home and at restaurants.Additionally, bottled water is not necessarily cleaner than tap.
In Paragraph 2 the author puts forward three questions mainly _____.
A.to prove Americans have less food to choose from |
B.to show us the shopping habits of most Americans |
C.to indicate Americans tend to buy food from abroad |
D.to remind people to reconsider their food purchase |
The doctor recommends eating less red meat partly because _____.
A.it contains too much fat | B.it costs a lot in transportation |
C.it is too low on the food chain | D.it isn't related to climate change |
According to the text, which of the following is true?
A.Americans all prefer to buy cherry tomatoes from Mexico. |
B.The plant - based diet is responsible for the climate change. |
C.Americans have a variety of food to choose from. |
D.Organic produce is the only choice for Americans. |
Based on the last paragraph, we know that _____.
A.bottled water is cleaner than tap water |
B.tap water is economical as well as eco - friendly |
C.bottled water is more available than tap water |
D.tap water uses one - third the cost of bottled water |
What is the best subtitle for the last paragraph?
A.Skip bottled water, carry tap | B.Drink bottled water |
C.Produce plastic water bottles | D.Save water resources |
A
THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME
In June 1971, Helene Hanff travelled to London and visited the site of Marks & Co, the bookshop that had been dear to her for 20 years. While Hanff was very happy to finally step foot on British soil the visit carried with it a sad irony (讽刺), which she explained in a 1980 television interview with Dick Cavett: “It was very sad,” she said. “It was the bookstore manager Frank Doel’s death that made me want to write the story of our correspondence and when a publisher bought it, I went to London on the proceeds of the sale.”
Hanff spent the early part of her career trying to make a name for herself as a playwright. London-based writer Monica Porter, who met her in the 1980s, says that Hanff considered herself a “failed playwright” and that her 1961 book Underfoot in Show Business was an account of her failure to get her plays produced. A decade after 84, Charing Cross Road was published, James Roose-Evans adapted the book for the stage and the play was a West End hit.
It had a 16-month run and Hanff finally got to taste stage success, albeit (虽然;即使) in a circuitous (迂回的) way. In a piece that Porter wrote for the British weekly newspaper, The Stage, she says Hanff was led on stage at the end of the opening night performance to thunderous applause. “To get a standing ovation(热烈的鼓掌) like that, taking curtain calls before an enthusiastic audience, was something she must often have dreamt about,” Porter wrote.
The stage adaptation opened in the US a year later, but never lived up to its West End success. This was to Hanff’s great relief. According to Porter, she once recounted: “Being a celebrity for a week in London had been the most fun I’d had in my life, and wonderful for the ego (自我) - but only because I’d known I was coming home at the end of it, home to the quiet, orderly, solitary(独立的), unglamorous life I was made for.”
However, her peace was not to last: Hollywood came calling. The 1987 film of 84 Charing Cross Road, produced by Mel Brooks, won several awards.
Anne Bancroft starred as Hanff. Doel was played by Anthony Hopkins. Hanff died in New York in 1997 from diabetes-related complications. Today, the Marks & Co building is a restaurant with a plaque on its street frontage that commemorates(纪念) the author that made the site so famous. And Hanff’s unlikely bestseller remains in print.What made Helene Hanff want to write the story of their correspondence?
A.The trip to the bookstore. |
B.The death of the bookstore manager. |
C.A decade after 84, Charing Cross Road was published. |
D.Visiting the site of Marks & Co, the bookshop. |
It took Hanff the early part of her career to _______.
A.finally step foot on British soil |
B.commemorate the author that made the site so famous |
C.try to make a name for herself as a playwright |
D.get to taste stage success |
What made Hanff feel relieved?
A.The stage adaptation that never lived up to its West End success. |
B.The 1987 film of 84 Charing Cross Road winning several awards. |
C.James Roose-Evans adapting the book for the stage. |
D.A piece that Porter wrote for the British weekly newspaper, The Stage. |
Nowadays the Marks & Co building is _______.
A.a famous bookstore |
B.a restaurant in hour of the author |
C.a theater where people can enjoy plays |
D.a stage for West End hit |
D
Many people rely on a cup of coffee or two to wake them up in the morning or pick them up during the working day, but now a chemist has come up with a speedy alternative to crafting a cup of coffee.
U.S. biochemist Ben Yu has created `Sprayable Energy,` which claims to be the world`s first caffeine - based topical energy spray.He said tired workers can spray a `shot` of caffeine onto their skin without experiencing a strong buzz, loading up on unnecessary calories or being stuck with a nasty aftertaste like they might get from drinking energy drinks or coffee.
The patent-pending caffeine spray is an odourless liquid that is absorbed through the skin and distributed through the body over a number of hours to deliver a caffeine hit that apparently lasts longer than guzzling a cup of coffee.
Each small aluminum bottle of Sprayable Energy contains around 160 sprays - the equivalent amount of caffeine to 40 cups of coffee and the creators say it is a much cheaper way of getting a caffeine fix than popping to a cafe.The only active ingredient in the spray is caffeine, which can naturally enter the human body through the skin by passing through cell membranes as it is very similar to nicotine in structure.Each spritz of Sprayable Energy contains around a quarter of the amount of caffeine found in a cup of coffee, but apparently has the same effect as a full cup.
The website said: `The reason for this is our product not being ingested, isn`t almost entirely metabolised(新陈代谢) by the liver before entering your system and becoming available to your body.`
`Thus, a smaller amount of caffeine can have just the same effect as a very large amount of caffeine ingested through an energy drink or cup of coffee.`c`s website recommends that users apply the spray in places where they normally spritz perfume, such as the neck or wrists, but warns users not to exceed 20 sprays a day.
It claims that after spraying the product on the skin, users will feel `awake and focused without being over-stimulated,` which is common with coffee and energy drinks.What can we learn about Sprayable Energy from the passage ?_______.
A.A bottle of Sprayable Energyis cheaper than 40 cups of coffee. . |
B.Sprayable Energy lets users not worry about taking in unnecessary calories.. |
C.Sprayable Energy can be used at least 20 sprays a day |
D.The caffeine spray is a colorless liquid that is absorbed through the skin.. |
What does the fifth paragraph mainly tell us ?____
A,Sprayable Energy is taken by mouth...
B.Before Sprayable Energy is absorbed by body, the liver entirely metabolizes it
C.How Sprayable Energy acts on user’s body and how users use the product.
D.Sprayable Energy is convenient but expensive.We can conclude from the passage that ____
A.Sprayable Energy can not be permitted to be used by people now. |
B.Sprayable Energy has not already gone into mass production |
C.each spritz of Sprayable Energy has the same effect as a full cup of coffee |
D.Sprayable Energy is well received by flagging workers. |
The writer’s attitude towards Sprayable Energy ____
A.negative. |
B.positive |
C.uncertain |
D.indifferent |
C
A machine that takes sweat-laden clothes and turns the moisture into drinking water is in use in Sweden.The device spins and heats the material to remove the sweat, and then passes the vapor through a special membrane designed to only let water molecules get through.
Since its Monday launch, its creators say more than 1,000 people have "drunk other's sweat" in Gothenburg.They add the liquid is cleaner than local tap water.
The device was built for the United Nation's child-focused charity UNICEF to promote a campaign highlighting the fact that 780 million people in the world lack access to clean water.
The machine was designed and built by engineer Andreas Hammar, known locally for his appearances on TV tech show Mekatronik.He said the critical part of the sweat machine was a new water purification component developed by a company named HVR in collaboration with Sweden's Royal Institute of Technology.
"It uses a technique called membrane distillation(膜蒸馏)," he told the BBC."We use a substance that's a bit like Gortex that only lets steam through but keeps bacteria, salts, clothing fibers and other substances out."They have something similar on the International Space Station to treat astronaut's urine - but our machine was cheaper to build.Volunteers have been sampling the treated sweat since the start of the week in Gothenburg"The amount of water it produces depends on how sweaty the person is - but one person's T-shirt typically produces 10ml , roughly a mouthful."
The equipment has been put on show at the Gothia Cup - the world's largest international youth football tournament.MattiasRonge, chief executive of Stockholm-based advertising agency Deportivo - which organized the stunt(惊人的表演) - said the machine had helped raise awareness for UNICEF, but in reality had its limitations.
"People haven't produced as much sweat as we hoped - right now the weather in Gothenburg is lousy," he said."So we've installed exercise bikes alongside the machine and volunteers are cycling like crazy."Even so, the demand for sweat is greater than the supply. And the machine will never be mass produced - there are better solutions out there such as water purifying pills."Which of the following is the disadvantage of the machine?_______.
A.The water processed by the machine is cleaner than local tap water . |
B.The amount of water the machine produces is too small. |
C.the machine is cheaper than the similar one on the International Space Station |
D.The machine can help raise awareness of lacking water in the world . |
What is the main idea of the fifth paragraph ?
A.How the machine works. |
B.Who developed the machine. |
C.How the machine was invented. |
D.Why the machine was invented.. |
What does Mttias Ronge think of the machine?____
A.The machine can solve the severe water shortage in the world.. |
B.People do not like the water the machine processes |
C.The machine should be used in rather hot areas in summer. |
D.The machine is not worth popularizing.. |
The passage is most likely to be____
A.a tourist brochure. |
B.a book review |
C.a news report |
D.a blog. |
B
Banquets are usually held in restaurants in private rooms that have been reserved for the purpose. You will be met at the door and led to the banquet room. Traditionally, the head of your delegation should enter the room first. Do not be surprised if your hosts greet you with a loud round of applause. The proper response is to applaud back.
Seating arrangements are stricter than in the West. Guests should never assume that they may sit where they please and should wait for hosts to guide them to their places. Traditionally, the Chinese regard the right side as the superior and the left side as the inferior. Therefore on formal occasions, the host invariably arranges for the main guests to sit on his right side.
It is the host's responsibility to serve the guests, and at very formal banquets people do not begin to eat until the host has served a portion to the principal guest. Or, the host may simply raise his chopsticks and announce that eating has begun. After this point, one may serve oneself any food in any amount. Remember to go slow on eating. Don't fill yourself up when five courses are left to go. To stop eating in the middle of a banquet is rude, and your host may incorrectly think that something has been done to offend you.
Drinking takes an important place in Chinese banquets. It is likely that the host will stand and hold his glass out with both hands while saying a few words. When he says the words "gan bei", which means bottoms up, all present should drain their glasses. After this initial toast, drinking and toasting are open to all. No words are needed to make a toast, and it is not necessary to drain your glass, although to do so is more respectful. When filling another glass, it is polite to fill it as full as you can. This symbolizes full respect and friendship.
When the last dish is finished, the banquet has officially ended. There is little ceremony involved with its conclusion. The host may ask if you have eaten your fill. Then the principal host will rise, signaling that the banquet has ended. Generally, the principal host will bid good evening to everyone at the door and stay behind to settle the bill with the restaurateur. Other hosts usually accompany guests to their vehicles and remain outside waving until the cars have left the premises.To attend a formal banquet,you_______.
A.may enter the banquet room directly when you arrive . |
B.may stop eating in the middle of the banquet. |
C.may help yourself to any food immediately the dishes are served. |
D.should applaud back when greeted with a loud round of applause . |
What is the host ‘s responsibility in the author’s eyes?
A.Announcing that eating ends. |
B.Driving guests to their home. |
C.Filling the guests’ glasses. |
D.Arranging for guests to go to their place.. |
We can conclude form the passage that____
A.To stop eating halfway means that the dishes taste bad. |
B.Guests should drain their g1ass es the instant they are filled |
C.Important guests are arranged to sit on the host’s right side |
D.The more you drink , the more you respect the host. |
The passage mainly tells us ____
A.Chinese food is delicious. |
B.customs and traditions at banquets in China |
C.what food guests should eat at banquets |
D.different customs between China and western countries. |
A
Before he sailed round the world alone, Francis Chichester had already surprised his friends several times. He had tried to fly round the world but failed. That was in 1931.
The years passed. He gave up flying and began sailing. He enjoyed it greatly. Chichester was already 58 years old when he won the first solo transatlantic sailing race. His old dream of going round the world came back, but this time he would sail.His friends and doctors did not think he could do it, as he had lung cancer. But Chichester was determined to carry out his plan. In August 1966, at the age of nearly 65, an age when many men retire, he began the greatest voyage of his life.
Chichester covered 14100 miles before stopping in Sydney, Australia. This was more than twice the distance anyone had previously sailed alone. He arrived in Australia on 12 December, just 107 days out from England. He received a warm welcome from the Australians and from his family who had flown there to meet him. On shore, Chichester could not walk without help. Everybody said the same thing: he had done enough; he must not go any further. But he did not listen.
After resting in Sydney for a few weeks, Chichester set off once more in spite of his friends' attempts to dissuade him. The second half of his voyage was by far the more dangerous part, during which he sailed round the treacherous Cape Horn.After succeeding in sailing round Cape Horn, Chichester sent the following radio message to London: "I feel as if I had wakened from a nightmare. Wild horses could not drag me down to Cape Horn and that sinister Southern Ocean again."
Just before 9 o'clock on Sunday evening 28 May 1967, he arrived back in England, where a quarter of a million people were waiting to welcome him.Queen Elizabeth II knighted(授以爵位) him with the very sword that Queen Elizabeth I had used almost 400 years earlier to knight Sir Francis Drake after he had sailed round the world for the first time.The whole voyage from England and back had covered 28,500 miles. It had taken him nine months, of which the sailing time was 226 days. He had done what he wanted to accomplish.What can we learn about Chichester?
A.He failed the solo transatlantic sailing race in 1959. |
B.He was a brave and determined man. |
C.The second half of his voyage was not as dangerous as the first half. |
D.The radio message expressed his concern about the sailing. |
What did Queen Elizabeth II do after Chichester arrived back in England?
A.She called on the English to learn form him. |
B.She was waiting to congratulate on his success in sailing. |
C.She thought poorly of his achievements. |
D.She knighted him for praising him. |
We can infer from the text that ____
A.Anyone who had sailed alone traveled less than 7050miles before 1966 |
B.Chichester sailed round the Atlantic in 1931 |
C.Most of the English retire at the age of 65 |
D.Chichester died of lung cancer in 1967 after he went back to England |