The Japanese government has launched a campaign encouraging people to go to bed and get up extra early in order to reduce household carbon dioxide emissions (排放).
The Morning Challenge campaign, launched by the Environment Ministry, is based on the belief that changing late night electricity for an extra hour of morning sunlight could greatly cut the nation’s carbon footprint.
A typical family can reduce its carbon dioxide footprint by 85kg a year if everyone goes to bed and gets up one hour earlier, according to the campaign.
The amount of carbon dioxide emissions that might be saved from going to bed an hour earlier equals 20% of annual emissions from household lights. “Many Japanese people waste electrical power at night-time, for example, by watching TV until very late,” a ministry spokesperson told The Daily Telegraph.
“But going to bed early and getting up early can avoid wasting electrical power which causes carbon dioxide emissions. If people change their lifestyle, we can save energy and reduce emissions.” The campaign also suggests that people take advantage of an extra hour of morning sunlight by improving their lifestyle in general by running, doing yoga and eating a nutritious breakfast.
It is the latest initiative (倡议) fighting climate change by the Japanese Environment Ministry, which is faced with the challenge of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 25% from the level of 1990 within the next decade.
It was the same government department that launched the Cool Biz campaign five years ago, which encourages workers to wear short-sleeved shirts and offices not to turn air conditioner lower than 28 degrees Celsius during summer.The Morning Challenge campaign is aimed at .
| A．saving electricity and cost in Japan |
| B．reducing carbon dioxide emission at home |
| C．improving Japanese citizens’ lifestyle |
| D．making full use of morning sunlight |
The underlined phrase “carbon footprint” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to .
| A．carbon paper |
| B．carbon dioxide emission |
| C．the plan of coal industry |
| D．the footsteps the Japanese can hear |
Getting up an hour earlier, people are advised to .
| A．work out together | B．exercise outdoors |
| C． enjoy the sunshine | D．live a healthier life |
By 2020, the Japanese hope to reduce carbon dioxide emission from the level of 1990 by .
| A．25% | B．85% | C．28% | D．20% |
This week is National Volunteer Week, a time for the Canadian Red Cross to recognize our dedicated (有奉献精神的) volunteers who devote their time and talents from coast to coast. Over the course of the week we will use this blog to share stories about our volunteers and the amazing work they do --- a small part of the outstanding individuals across the country.
Take Saskatchewan for example. Last year that province was hit by wide-spread flooding, a hurricane and forest fires. Canadian Red Cross staff and volunteers went to work right away and helped more than 2,100 adults and 775 children recover the basic necessities of life.
It’s important to share stories from volunteers to truly appreciate what they do. Christine Hoffman is a Disaster Response Volunteer in Canadian Red Cross in Saskatchewan. She’s a veteran Red Crosser for about 16 years. Still nothing could have prepared her for the call she took in the Recovery Center last year in response to flooding in Maple Greek. This story is best told in her own words. This is what she said:
“I will never forget the first phone call I took in the Recovery Centre. A young man called asking what services Red Cross was offering in town. As we were talking, he told me he had a rope in his backyard but he thought he would be using it for other reasons. My heart stopped. I told him to come to see us so we could work together on a plan to improve his situation. He came in a little while later. Nearly two hours later he left standing straight up with tear- filled eyes. He thanked me for convincing him to come in. His home had been destroyed, but together we put together a plan and he was eventually able to move back into his own home.”
During National Volunteer Week 2011, let’s thank Christine, and the many other volunteers like her. Thanks for making us proud!According to the second paragraph, Canadian Red Cross’ action is ______
| A．slow | B．quick | C．helpless | D．disappointing |
Which of the following is closet in meaning to the underlined word “veteran” in the third paragraph?
| A．Careless | B．Experienced | C．Unskillful | D．Optimistic |
The underlined words in the forth paragraph expressed Christine Hoffman’s feeling of ____
| A．excitement | B．anger | C．happiness | D．nervousness |
What can we infer from what Christine Hoffman said?
| A．The young man felt sad for Christine Hoffman because of her poor experience |
| B．The young man was persuaded by Christine Hoffman and decided to live on |
| C．Christine Hoffman made the young man sad and he cried |
| D．Christine Hoffman offered to give the young man a little money to help him |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．How to become a volunteer |
| B．An excellent volunteer and her family |
| C．Volunteers and their amazing work |
| D．What the Canadian Red Cross does |
Plastic is everywhere because plastic is an extremely useful material. It is cheap, strong and lightweight. What’s more, it can take on nearly any form or shape, from soft and stretchy (有弹性的) to hard and glasslike.
Plastic, however, is far from perfect. It may even be bad for us. Studies now suggest that poisonous chemicals can get out of some types of plastic, get into our bodies, and cause a variety of health problems, including cancer, birth defects and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (注意缺陷障碍).
Two types of chemicals in particular have raised special concern lately. They are called phthalates (邻苯二甲酸盐) and Bisphenol-A (二酚基丙烷), BPA for short. Not all plastic products contain them. But the ones that do are surrounded by controversy (争议). That’s because experts disagree on how dangerous these chemicals are.
Plastic is a single word, but plastic isn’t just one thing. What all plastics share in common are plasticizers -- special chemicals that allow the material to be changed into nearly any shape or texture. Plasticizers (塑化剂) are added to plastic during the manufacturing process.
Phthalates and BPA are two types of plasticizers that work in different ways. Phthalates add softness to things like shampoo bottles, raincoats and rubber. They are also used in perfumes and makeup. BPA, on the other hand, gives a hard, clear, almost glasslike feel to products such as infant bottles. BPA also appears in food and soda cans, DVDs and other unexpected places.
How do these chemicals get into us? When plastic is heated in the microwave or dishwasher, chewed on or scratched, the chemicals can seep (渗透) out of the plastic. Even though we can’t see them, we eat them, drink them and breathe them in.
Scientists and parents are especially worried about young children, who tend to chew on everything, including plastic.Dozens of countries, including the European Union, Japan, Canada and Mexico have already banned phthalates from products made for children younger than three. California and Washington have done the same. And a number of other states are considering similar rules. As for BPA, Canada became the first country to ban the chemical from baby bottles. A dozen states are considering it.What can we know about the plastic from the first paragraph?
| A．Its characters and effects. | B．Its wide use and bad points. |
| C．Its importance and chemicals. | D．Its popularity and advantages. |
Which of the following products contains BPA?
| A．A soft plastic cup. | B．A pencil eraser. |
| C．A baby milk bottle. | D．A new perfume. |
Phthalates and BPA can get into us __________.
| A．through mouth or nose | B．through blood transfusion |
| C．by feeling plastic products | D．by heating in the microwave |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．A new ban on plastic products. | B．Problems caused by the plastic. |
| C．Good points of the plastic. | D．The use of plasticizers. |
One day when I was driving on the freeway, I noticed all the way there were large dividing walls, which had been built between it and the road running parallel to it, for noise reduction (减少) and a sense of separation. The purpose was to create a sense of privacy (隐私) for people on the other side.
This got me thinking: How often do we put up mental barriers that keep us distant from others? Lifting the artificial barriers that keep us apart can offer opportunities to express our goodwill and create better relationships. If we can do like this, maybe our life will be a little different.
There is a little post office in a nearby town, and since it is closer to me than the post office in my own town, I go there. One day, with many people jammed into the little building, a man came hurrying in to mail a letter, and the girl at the counter saw he had too little postage on it. She told him he needed 2 more cents. Obviously he was a little at a loss. He had hurried over from his office, and didn’t have any money on him or time to stand in line. He was going to run back to get the needed money and wait in line again, but he hurried to get the letter mailed in the first place.
As we were watching him, one woman volunteered a two-cent stamp, and the whole line became very quiet. It was a beautiful moment. The man hesitated for a little while and asked her if she was sure, and she assured him she was fine with giving him the stamp. He offered to go back to his office to get the two cents, and she told him not to bother.
It was a small thing, but it meant something to both of the people involved, and to the rest of us. We aren’t a yard that needs defining or a freeway that needs barriers. We are human beings who can contribute to each other’s wellbeing by taking time to pay attention and interact. After all, we are all parts of a whole living in society.The purpose of the first paragraph is to __________.
| A．summarize the main idea |
| B．give detailed information |
| C．tell readers the author’s opinion |
| D．introduce the topic |
What happened after the man being told he needed two more cents?
| A．The man went back to his office immediately. |
| B．The man turned to a lady for help. |
| C．A woman offered a stamp to the man. |
| D．The man waited in line patiently. |
What can we learn about the author?
| A．She pays too much attention to privacy. |
| B．She believes people should participate in the world around them. |
| C．She confuses real barriers with false ones. |
| D．She insists all small things always have the greatest meaning. |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Artificial Barriers | B．Unnecessary Separation |
| C．An Unforgettable Experience | D．The Kindness of People |
Are you an optimist? Do you look at your glass and see it as half full? Do you believe that every cloud has a silver lining and that things generally turn out for the best? Do you believe that if something is meant to be, it will be? If you reply “yes” to all of these questions, then you are an optimist. You probably are enthusiastic, cheerful and outgoing. You may be successful at work and in love.
But you may be misguided because things don’t turn out for the best. You may believe that when one door closes another one opens (for example, you may fail to obtain a new job; another chance will come around soon). Wrong. When one door closes, another door slams (砰然关上) in your face. That’s bitter reality.
Now a book has been published which confirms what pessimists (悲观者) have suspected all along. It’s called The Positive Power of Defensive Pessimism. Its author argues that defensive pessimism can lead to positive results. Defensive pessimism is a strategy used to manage fear, anxiety and worry. Defensive pessimists prepare for the things by setting low outcomes for themselves. They carefully consider everything that may go wrong and plan for ways to handle these problems. And this gives them a sense of control. Lawrence Sanno, a psychology professor, says, “What’s interesting about defensive pessimists is that they tend to be very successful people, so their low opinion of the situation’s outcomes is not realistic. They use it to motivate themselves to perform better.”
So far, so good. This is not rocket science. Defensive pessimists prepare carefully and consider what might go wrong, whether at work, on date or even in a sports game. It makes sense to have a back-up plan. There are many sayings in English urging caution. For example, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” And “Don’t count your chickens until they hatch.” To have a confident and optimistic approach to life’s problems is good. But listen to what Woody Alien, the American comedian says, “Confidence is what you have before you understand the problem.”
There are pros and cons to being an optimist and a pessimist. Don’t feel bad if you see the glass half empty. You are a realist. But lighten up and hook up with someone who sees the same glass half full.What’s the passage mainly about?
| A．A book that has recently been published. |
| B．How to become successful in life. |
| C．The dangers of being too optimistic. |
| D．The benefits of defensive pessimism. |
The underlined sentence “This is not rocket science” (Para. 4) means __________.
| A．it’s not a dangerous thing to do |
| B．it is quite simple to understand |
| C．the cost is not so high |
| D．there is no real proof |
Which of the following English expressions would a defensive pessimist believe?
| A．Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. |
| B．The glass is half full not half empty. |
| C．Whatever will be, will be. |
| D．Every cloud has a silver lining. |
The writer would probably describe himself as __________.
| A．an optimist | B．a defeatist | C．a realist | D．a scientist |
Eddie’s father used to say he’d spent so many years by the ocean, breathing seawater. Now, away from that ocean, in the hospital bed, his body began to look like a beached fish. His condition went from fair to stable and from stable to serious. Friends went from saying, “He’ll be home in a day,” to “He’ll be home in a week.” In his father’s absence, Eddie helped out at the pier (码头), working evenings after his taxi job.
When Eddie was a teenager, if he ever complained or seemed bored with the pier, his father would shout, “What? This isn’t good enough for you?” And later, when he’d suggested Eddie take a job there after high school, Eddie almost laughed, and his father again said, “What? This isn’t good enough for you?” And before Eddie went to war, when he’d talked of marrying Marguerite and becoming an engineer, his father said, “What? This isn’t good enough for you?”
And now, regardless of all that, here he was, at the pier, doing his father’s labor.
Parents rarely let go of their children, so children let go of them. They move on. They move away. It is not until much later, as the heart weakens, that children understand: their stories, and all their accomplishments, sit on top of the stories of their mothers and fathers, stones upon stones, beneath the waters of their lives.
Finally, one night, at his mother’s urging, Eddie visited the hospital. He entered the room slowly. His father, who for years had refused to speak to Eddie, now lacked the strength to even try.
“Don’t sweat it, kid,” the other workers told him. “Your old man will pull through. He’s the toughest man we’ve ever seen.”
When the news came that his father had died, Eddie felt the emptiest kind of anger, the kind that circles in its cage.
In the weeks that followed, Eddie’s mother lived in a confused state. She spoke to her husband as if he were still there. She yelled at him to turn down the radio. She cooked enough food for two. One night, when Eddie offered to help with the dishes, she said, “Your father will put them away.” Eddie put a hand on her shoulder. “Ma,” he said, softly, “Dad’s gone.”
“Gone where?”In Paragraph four, the writer indicates that __________.
| A．Children like moving away from their parents |
| B．Children often feel regretful because they leave their parents |
| C．Children wouldn’t have achieved so much without their parents’ support |
| D．Children can never understand how much their parents have devoted to them |
The underlined sentence “Don’t sweat it” (Para. 6) probably means __________.
| A．Don’t touch it | B．Don’t give it up |
| C．Don’t let him down | D．Don’t worry about it |
Which of the following shows the right order of the story?
a. Eddie’s father died.
b. Eddie married Marguerite.
c. Eddie worked as a taxi driver.
d. Eddie was bored with his father’s job.
| A．dbca | B．dcab | C．bcda | D．bacd |
From the last paragraph, we learn that __________.
| A．Eddie’s mother liked to listen to the radio |
| B．Eddie’s mother missed her husband so much that she was at a loss |
| C．Eddie and his wife lived in his mother’s apartment |
| D．Eddie often helped his mother wash the dishes |