Researchers in Australia have discovered an effective new method to capture the atmospheric carbon dioxide that is damaging our planet and transform it into something solid, making it much easier to store.
Carbon capture isn’t new, but previous methods call for the gas to be compressed into liquid and then injected underground. Widespread usage of that technology has been locked by economic and environmental concerns due to possible leaks. Instead, in a study published in Nature Communications, the group details their sustainable and cost-effective plan for transforming CO2 into coal.
This new process involves a liquid metal catalyst( 催化剂 )that is efficient in conducting electricity. CO2 gas is dissolved in a container with some liquid. Once electricity charge is introduced, the CO2 begins to turn into solid pieces of carbon, which can be collected and stored.
What makes this particularly unique is that the entire process can occur at room temperature. Previous experiments have only shown a gas to solid conversion at extremely high temperature, which made it impossible on a large scale. Now, the researchers are hoping that their work will be used to create even further when it comes to carbon storage.
In an interesting side benefit, the solid carbon also works as an electrode( 焊 条 ), which opens up a world of possibilities. “A side benefit of the process is that the carbon can hold electrical charge, becoming a super battery, so it could potentially be used as a part in future vehicles,” explains Dr. Dorna Estrafilzadeh, a researcher. “The process also produces fuel as a by-product, which could also have industrial applications.”
1.What can we know about the previous carbon capture methods?
A.People have to inject liquid to the gas.
B.The previous methods can be done easily.
C.The previous methods are not very popular.
D.People have widely accepted previous methods.
2.What is the special part of the new method?
A.It needs electricity to make the process efficient.
B.It can be done in any kind of container.
C.It doesn’t need extreme temperature.
D.It can produce much solid carbon.
3.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A.The method will make fossil oil disappear.
B.The method will influence the future industry.
C.The method will make developed countries more powerful.
D.The method will be used to make new vehicles.
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A.How to change carbon into CO2.
B.A new carbon capture technology.
C.A new technology to get useful carbon.
D.Australia makes the world cleaner than before.
The term“smiling depression”—appearing happy to others while actually suffering depressive symptoms—has become increasingly popular. In fact, many people who experience a low mood and a loss of pleasure in activities manage to hide their condition in this way. And these people might be particularly easy to suicide.
While smiling depression is not a technical term that psychologists use，it is certain to be depressed and manage to successfully mask the symptoms. The closest technical term for this condition is “atypical depression”. It can be very hard to spot people suffering depression because they may seem like they don’t have a reason to be sad — they have a job, an apartment and maybe even children or a partner. They smile when you greet them and can carry pleasant conversations. In short, they often put on a mask to the outside world while leading seemingly normal and active lives. Inside, however, they often feel hopeless and down, sometimes even having thoughts about ending it all.
People with smiling depression put on a happy face to the outside world, but they can experience a lift in their mood as a result of positive occurrences in their lives. Other symptoms of this condition include overeating, feeling a sense of heaviness in the arms and legs and being easily hurt by criticism or rejection. They are also more likely to feel depressed in the evening and feel the need to sleep longer than usual. With other forms of depression, however, your mood might be worse in the morning and you might feel the need for less sleep than you are normally used to.
So how can they break this circle? A starting point needs to be known that this condition actually exists and that it’s serious. Only when we stop ignoring our problems because we think they’re not serious enough can we start making an actual difference. Then we can find purpose by taking the attention away from ourselves and placing it onto something else. Feeling that our lives matter is finally what gives us purpose and meaning — and this can make a significant difference for our mental health and well-being.
1.What do we know about people suffering smiling depression?
A.They are wearing masks all day. B.They are difficult to get along with.
C.They lead an abnormal life actually. D.Most of them commit suicide.
2.What does the underlined word “atypical” in paragraph 2 mean?
A.representative B.common C.hidden D.formal
3.Compared with smiling depression, people suffering other depressions .
A.may feel sleepless B.feel more depressed in the evening
C.are tired of heaviness in the arms D.may eat more food
4.What can we do to overcome smiling depression?
A.Never talk about smiling depression and ignore its existence.
B.Admit the condition and pay attention to ourselves.
C.Value the importance of our life and enjoy it.
D.Find out the problem and place it onto somebody else.
Imagine someone who has spent the majority of their life sitting with a sign on the side of the road and that very person giving someone their last 20 dollars. That’s exactly what Marine Corps veteran (退伍军人) Johnny Bobbitt, 34, did in October in Philadelphia.
Bobbitt served in the U.S. Marine Corps and worked as a paramedic (医务辅助人员) in Vance County, N. C. before he became homeless. Nobody knew how he got to where he was because he was discreet about that.
One night in October, Bobbitt was sitting roadside with a sign in Philadelphia as usual, when Kate McClure of Florence Township, N. J. was driving home down Interstate 95 and ran out of gas. Scared and nervous, she got out of the car to head to the nearest gas station. As McClure was heading to the nearest gas station, she ran into Bobbitt and he told her to get back in the vehicle and lock the door. Minutes later, he appeared with a red gas can. He’d used his last $20 to buy her gas.
After that unexpected meeting, McClure and her boyfriend, Mark D’Amico, who both live in New Jersey, visited Bobbitt several times to deliver gift cards, cash, snacks and toiletries. They then decided to create a fund raising page so he wouldn’t have to spend the holidays sleeping on the street.
McClure started the GoFundMe page on November 10. With the page, the couple hoped to raise $10,000, enough money for his rent, a reliable vehicle and up to six months’ expenses. Bobbitt’s story ran in a local paper. By November 15，more than 10,000 local people had made donations through the GoFundMe page and more than $300,000 had been raised.
On Thanksgiving, Bobbitt was resting in a hotel, his feet up on the bed, drawing up a grand plan for his new life, thanks to several thousand dollars raised to repay him for a good deed.
1.What does the underlined word “discreet” in paragraph 2 most probably mean?
A.Doubtful. B.Cautious.
C.Guilty. D.Optimistic.
2.McClure met Bobbitt when she .
A.couldn’t find a gas station B.got to the way home
C.couldn’t unlock her car D.was in search of gas
3.It can be known from the text that .
A.Bobbitt’s story obtained wide attention
B.Bobbitt became world-famous overnight
C.the GoFundMe page collected over $400,000 for Bobbitt
D.the GoFundMe page was started to help people like Bobbitt
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.A Homeless Veteran Paid Kindness Forward
B.A Homeless Veteran Had a Generous Heart
C.A Homeless Veteran’s Kindness Paid Off
D.A Small Kindness Made a Big Difference
New Jersey Botanical Garden Membership
It’s easy to join New Jersey Botanical Garden (NJBG) Membership online, by phone or by mail. Your membership dollars help to improve the Garden, and provide educational and entertaining activities for the general public. Thank you for your support!
To join or renew, please click on the appropriate section and membership category below for safe and convenient online payment processing by PayPal.
If you prefer to join by phone or mail, call the NJBG office at (973) 962-9534 or download and send in our membership brochure (Adobe Acrobat PDF file).
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Annual Fees | $ 35 | $ 60 | $ 25 |
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The Botanical Garden started life as Skylands, a large area in the grand manner. It is famous for a 44-room Tudor Revival granite mansion(公馆)designed John Russel Pope. Skylands has 96 acres of formal and naturalized gardens and is surrounded by over 1,000 acres of meadows(草坪) and woodlands. Purchased by the State in 1966 and officially named as the New Jersey Botanical Garden in 1984, the gardens contain approximately 5,000 species and varieties of trees and flowers.
For you, the NJBG is an exciting and beautiful place to visit where you may enjoy each season’s best. Members enjoy special events, festivals, lectures and rewarding educational opportunities for both city and gardeners.
Your NJBG membership offers you discounts at participating nurseries, garden centers and other fine businesses. Simply present your NJBG membership card when beginning your purchase.
1.The money paid for NJBG membership will be used to _____
A.offer further education B.update the payment system
C.provide better service D.protect the environment
2.To renew the one-year membership for your parents, you need to pay_____
A.$30 B.$50 C.$60 D.$80
3.According to the passage, New Jersey Botanical Garden_____
A.was officially named in 1966 B.used to be privately-owned
C.presents members with awards D.offers discounts in most shop
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.How much did Ron Wallace’s pumpkin weigh?
A.1,200 kilograms. B.1,026 kilograms. C.1,011 kilograms.
2.Whose pumpkin was the champion in an event in California?
A.A teacher’s. B.A farmer’s. C.A gardener’s.
3.From where do we know a person in Belgium produced the heaviest pumpkin?
A.A newspaper. B.A magazine. C.A website.
4.What seeds are most popular?
A.Those of smart farmers.
B.Those of champion pumpkins.
C.Those of magazine ads.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What can we know about Morag?
A.She’s got a painful feeling.
B.She’s invited Harvey to her birthday party.
C.She’s going to be 27 years old.
2.How’s the celebration?
A.Great. B.Terrible. C.Simple.
3.When is Morag’s birthday?
A.In summer. B.In fall. C.In spring.
4.What does Harvey do at the end of the conversation?
A.Gives a suggestion. B.Makes a joke. C.Offers some help.
