Downing the last drop of an expensive famous brand H2O as well as remembering to throw the empty bottle in the recycling bin, makes you feel pretty good about yourself, right? It shouldn’t. Even when the bottles are recycled, there are all kinds of other consequences of swallowing bottled water, says Melissa Peffers, the air-quality program manager for Environmental Defense.
The containers are often filled in faraway lands, then shipped from abroad, and stored in refrigerators at your local store. Compare that with the influence on environment of turning on your tap, filling a glass, and drinking up!
Anyone who is choosing bottled water for health reasons is misguided, says Peffers, “Most bottled water is just tap water.” And what comes out of your tap is carefully monitored to follow the strict rules. Consider another fact that bottled water is surprisingly expensive, especially when compared with the alternative, which is almost free, and it is astonishing that America’s desire for bottled water seems impossible to satisfy, reaching nearly 30 billion bottles a year.
“My parents’ generation never had bottled water,” says Isabelle Silverman, an Environmental Defense legal adviser. She has made a commitment to going bottle free. “You don’t need to fetch it home from the store, and it’s cheaper,” she adds.
Bottled water’s role as a status symbol needs to change, Peffers points out. So when a waiter at an expensive restaurant offers “And what’s your drink?” that’s no reason to forget your conviction(信念). “Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I’ll have tap.’ Say it loud enough that the other tables nearby can hear you,” Peffers says. “And then spend that money on a dessert.”In the first paragraph, the underlined sentence “It shouldn’t.” suggest that people _______.
A.shouldn’t feel pleased with finishing the water in the bottle. |
B.shouldn’t feel good about drinking an expensive brand H2O. |
C.shouldn’t be pleased with just recycling empty bottles. |
D.shouldn’t be satisfied with drinking only bottled water. |
According to the author, tap water is _______.
A.as safe as bottled water | B.morel likely to be polluted |
C.healthier than bottle water | D.less convenient than bottled water |
The underlined part “going bottle free” (in Para. 4) means “_______”.
A.making bottled water free |
B.giving up bottled water |
C.recycling use water bottles |
D.providing free water containers |
Why does Peffers ask people to say “I’ll have tap.” Loudly?
A.To encourage them to set an example for others to follow. |
B.To advise them to save the money for one more dessert. |
C.To remind them to be aware of their social status. |
D.To persuade them to speak confidently in public. |
Dr.Sylvia Earle wants you to stop eating fish.It's not because fish are endangered,thoughwild fish stocks in many oceans are very low.It's not because they're bad for you, though fishin many areas are exposed to poisonous substances in the water.It's because they're smart.
"Fish are sensitive, they have personalities’,says the marine biologist.For Earle, eating afish would be like eating a dog or a cat.“I would never eat anyone I know personally.”
There's a lot more to fish than meets the eye: they talk to each other, they like to betouched, and they engage in behavior that can seem very human.They can remember thingsand learn from experience.Earle and a growing number of animal rights activists see these asstrong arguments against eating fish altogether.
The activists also point out that fish feel pain and fish suffer horribly on their way fromthe sea to the supermarket.“While it may seem obvious that fish are able to feel pain, likeevery other animal, some people think of fish as swimming vegetables,” says Dr. LynneSneddon. “Really,it's kind of a moral question.Is the enjoyment you get from fishing (oreating fish) more important than the pain of the fish?”
Fishermen and (fried) fish lovers are doubtful."I've never seen a smart fish," says MarieSwaringen as she finishes off a plate of fish at a Seattle seafood restaurant.“If they were verysmart, they wouldn't get caught."
“For years, everyone's been telling us to eat fish because it's so good for us,” says anotherdiner.‘‘Now I've got to feel guilty while I'm eating my fish? What are they going to think ofnext? Don't eat salad because cucumbers have feelings?"Dr.Sylvia Earle discourage people from eating fish because.
A.there are not that many wild fish in the ocean |
B.fish actually are sensitive and have personalities |
C.some ocean fish contain poisonous substances |
D.fish are like dogs or cats that people know personally |
We can infer from the passage that.
A.all people don't agree with the idea to stop eating fish |
B.people will be persuaded not to eat fish in the future |
C.stopping eating fish will lead to people's not eating vegetables |
D.we shouldn't care too much about the feeling of fish |
By saying "There's a lot more to fish than meets the eye, "the writer means.
A.there are far more fish than other animals in the world |
B.there are more fish in the world than people can see |
C.people can see more fish if they pay more attention |
D.fish are not that simple as they appear to people's eyes |
What is the writer's attitude towards people eating fish?
A.Neutral. | B.Indifferent. | C.Approving. | D.Opposed. |
Being the head of a high school for many years, I grew tired of budget meetings, fundingcuts, and many other administrative chores and started to dream of retirement.Sitting in trafficon a weekday morning, I would find my mind wandering.I would imagine spending time withmy grandchildren, quiet evenings with my wife, traveling, or rediscovering some great books.Itold myself that I wouldn't sign myself up for any committees, any classes, or anythingrequiring a schedule.
My first day of retirement came at last! I cooked a great breakfast for my wife and me,leisurely read the paper, cleaned a bit of the house, and wrote a few letters to friends.On thesecond day, I cooked breakfast, read the paper …On the third day, ...This is retirement? Itried to tell myself that it was just the transition, that those golden moments were right roundthe corner, and that I would enjoy them soon enough.But something was missing.
A former colleague asked a favor.A group of students was going to Jamaica to work withchildren in the poorest neighbourhood.Would I interrupt my newfound "happiness" and returnto the students, just this once? One trip.That's all.My bags were packed and by the door.
The trip was very inspiring.I was moved not only by the poverty I saw but also by thesense of responsibility of the young people on the trip.When I returned home, I offered to workone day a week with a local youth organization.The experience was so positive that I was soonvolunteering nearly full-time, working with students across North America to assist them intheir voluntary work.
Now,it seems, the tables have turned .Some days I am the teacher, other days I am thestudent.These young people have reawakened my commitment to social justice issues bychallenging me to learn more about the situation in the world today, where people are still poorand suffer because of greed, corruption and war.Most importantly, they have given me theopportunity to continue to participate in helping to find solutions.In return, I help them do theircharitable projects overseas.I've gone from running one school to helping oversee theconstruction of schools in twenty-one countries!What did the writer expect to do after he retired?
A.To stay away from busy schedules. | B.To write some great books. |
C.To do some voluntary work. | D.To plan for his future. |
Why did the writer decide to go to Jamaica?
A.He missed his students in that country. |
B.He couldn't reflise his colleague's favor. |
C.He was concerned about the people there. |
D.He was not satisfied with his retired life. |
The underlined part "the tables have turned" (Paragraph 5 ) means that thewriter.
A.improved the situation in his school | B.felt happy to work with students again |
C.became a learner rather than a teacher | D.changed his attitude toward his retired life |
What does the writer think of his retired life now?
A.Disappointing. | B.Troublesome. |
C.Promising. | D.Meaningful. |
INVITATION TO A GOING-AWAY PARTY Sunday, June12 Dear Li Yang and Lu Ming, You are invited to a party for our foreign teacher Miss Green’s return to England for her holiday. She leaves on June 21. The best part of the party will be when we sing and dance together. Party given by: Students’ Union Date: Saturday, June 18,2006 Time: 6:00p.m. to 9:30p.m. Place: The Students’ Dining Hall Reply by: Friday, June 17 Food and drinks will be provided at the party. Zhang Yu PS: This event is NOT to be missed! We hope to see you there! |
When will they have the party?
A.On Sunday, June12th. | B.On Friday,June 17th. |
C.On Saturday, June18th. | D.On Tuesday,June21th. |
How long will the party last?
A.For three hours. | B.For two hours and a half. |
C.For four hours and a half. | D.For three hours and a half. |
According to the invitation, which sentence is TRUE ?
A.Miss Green leaves on Tuesday. | B.They are not going to sing. |
C.They are not going to dance. | D.They can’t eat food at the party. |
Who are Li Yang and Lu Ming?
A.Zhang Yu’s teachers. | B.Zhang Yu’s students |
C.Zhang Yu’s schoolmates. | D.Zhang Yu’s sisters. |
Dick was born in a poor family. His father had a small boat and went fishing in the morning and sold the fish in the market in the afternoon. Then he bought some food for his family. When winter came, they were often hungry. One morning the hungry man fell into the river and wasn’t found. Dick’s mother left her three-year-old son without saying good-bye. His aunt had to look after him.
Twenty years passed. Dick became a tall, strong man. He found work on a farm. He worked hard and wanted to get more money. He often went to see his aunt with some nice presents. The woman was very happy but one day she died in a traffic accident. The young man was very sad. After he buried her, he decided to buy a beautiful tombstone(墓碑)for her. He went to town and came in a shop, but all the tombstones were too expensive. He asked, “Do you sell an old tombstone, sir?” “Yes, we do, sir, ” answered the shopkeeper. “Is it as expensive as the new one?”
“No, it’s much cheaper,” said the man. “But another name was engraved (刻) on it.” “It doesn’t matter, ” said Dick. “My aunt couldn’t read.” If , the family members were hungry.
A.Dick’s father could catch no fish in winter |
B.Dick’s father had a boat in winter |
C.Dick’s father had to look after him in winter |
D.no food was sold in winter |
Dick wanted to get more money to.
A.marry a wife | B.give his aunt nice presents |
C.buy a farm | D.build a house |
Dick often went to see his aunt because.
A.she felt lonely | B.she was often ill |
C.she had no children | D.with her help he grew up |
Dick wanted to buy an old tombstone because.
A.he didn’t had enough money to buy a new one |
B.his aunt couldn’t read whose name was engraved |
C.his aunt wasn’t going to mind it |
D.nobody knew what his aunt’s name was |
Too many people want others to be their friends,but they don’t give friendship back. That is why some friendships don’t last long. To have a friend,you must learn to be one. You must learn to treat your friend the way you want your friend to treat you. Learning to be a good friend means learning three rules:be honest;be generous;be understanding.
Honesty is where a good friendship starts. Friends must be able to trust one another. If you do not tell the truth,people usually find out. If a friend finds out that you haven’t been honest,you may lose the friend’s trust. Good friends always count_ on one another to speak and act honestly.
Generosity means sharing and sharing makes a friendship grow. You do not have to give your lunch money or your clothes .Naturally you will want to share your ideas and feelings. These can be very valuable to a friend. They tell your friend what is important to you. By sharing them,you help your friend know better.
Sooner or later every one needs understanding and helping with a problem. Something may go wrong at school. Talking about the problem can make it easier to solve. Turning to a friend can be the first step in solving the problem. So to be a friend you must listen and understand. You must try to put yourself in your friend’s place so you can understand the problem better.
No two friendships are ever exactly alike .But all true friendships have three things in common. If you plan to keep your friends,you must practice honesty,generosity and understanding.Some friendships don’t last very long because ________.
A.there are too many people who want to make friends |
B.some people receive friendship but don’t give friendship back |
C.those who give others friendship receive friendship from others |
D.they don’t know friendship is something serious |
According to the passage,honesty is________.
A.something countable |
B.the base of friendship |
C.as important as money |
D.more important than anything else |
The best title of this passage is ________.
A.Honesty Is the Best Policy |
B.A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed |
C.How to Be Friends |
D.Three Important Points in Life |
What’s the meaning of “count on” in this passage?
A.数,点(数) | B.认为,看作 |
C.重视 | D.期待 |