In the old days, when you had to drive to a movie theater of to to a video store to get some entertainment, it was easy to see how your actions could have an impact om the environment.You were hopping into your war, driving across town and coughing out emissions（排放）and using gas all the way.
But now that we’re used to staying at home and streaming movies, we might get a little cocky. After all ,we’re just picking up our phones or maybe turning on the TV. You’re welcome.Mother Nature.
Not so fast, says a recent report from the French-based Shit Project. Watching a half-hour show would lead to 3.5 pounds of CO2 emissions. That’s like driving 3.9 miles. According to "Climate Crisis: The Unsustainable Use of Online Video," digital technologies are responsible for 4% of greenhouse gas emissions, and that energy use is increasing by 9% a year. Stored in data centers, videos are transferred to our terminals such as computers, smart phones, etc. via networks: all these processes require electricity whose production consumes resources and usually involves CO2 emissions.
In the European Union, the Eureca project lead scientist, Rabih Bashroush, calculated that 5 billion downloads and streams of the song "Despacito" consumed as much electricity as the countries of Chad, Guinea-Bissau, Somalia, Sierra Leone and the Central African Republic used in a single year.
Streaming is only expected to increase as we become more attached to our devices. Online video use is expected to account for 80%of all internet traffic by 2022 according to CISCO. By then, about 60% of the world's population will be online.
You're probably not going to give up your streaming services, but there are things you con do to help lessen the impact of your online use.
Here are some tips:
※Disable autoplay for video on social media.
※Stream over Wi-Fi, not mobile networks.
※Watch on the smallest screen you can.
※Don’t use high-definition（高清）video on devices.
1.It can be inferred from paragraph 2 that people think .
A.they should welcome Mother Nature
B.watching movies at home is more fun
C.it is inconvenient to drive to a movie theater
D.streaming at home avoids possible emissions
2.We may learn from the text that .
A.3.9 miles may produce 3.5 pounds of CO2
B.digital technologies account for 4% of electricity use
C.Online video use makes up 80% of all internet traffic
D.60% of the world’s population watch videos online
3.Why are the five countries mentioned in paragraph 4?
A.To praise their energy-efficient practice.
B.To prove the poverty of the five countries
C.To stress the popularity of the song “Despacito”
D.To show the high energy use of downloads and streams
4.How can people help to save energy when streaming?
A.Use high-definition videos. B.Turn off video autoplay
C.Stream over mobile networks. D.Watch movies on bigger screens.
In the trailer (拖车式房屋)，Sischo was refreshing the snails ‘(锅牛）accommodations--an ongoing routine that takes days of careful work. He had found a dozen of Achatinella bulimoides--a third of the world's population of the species. Once every individual was accounted for, he cleaned the cage and packed in new leaves. The work took much trouble, but the responsibility, he said, was like “a heavy weight sitting on you.”
The trailer is very vulnerable. It’s designed to keep away would-be thieved, and to resist hurricanes. But a fire could easily destroy it, or a disease could sweep through it. Last September , a mystery pathogon（病原体）appeared to have entered the trailer on leaves fed to the snails, killing almost an entire species. As sad as the event was, there’s no good way to insure against future catastrophe. The snails can’t simply be spread among zoos or other facilities: they need special equipment, experienced handlers, and a diet of native Hawaiian plants.
Consequently, it can be hard for the snails' minders to relax, even when they are outside the trailer. “How do you switch off when your decisions mean existence or extinction?" Sischo said. While action lightens the burden, yet with animals whose natural history is largely unknown, that action can be dangerous. "If you do it wrong, the snails die.”
Snails are neither intelligent nor beloved. Sischo's friends sometimes tease him about being "the strange snail guy' ; strangers ask why he cares. It's hard to convince people, but he insists that if he can just get them in the trailer, they will understand why the Achatinella bulimoides are worth saving. "People melt," he said“When you show them that the entire population is in this chamber, it hits them."
1.What is the trailer used for?
A.Accommodating guests B.Sheltering snails
C.Planting vegetables. D.Alarming thieves.
2.What does the underlined word “vulnerable" mean in paragraph?
A.Quite. B.Safe.
C.Easily affected. D.Well protected.
3.What is the snail minders' attitude towards their job?
A.Relaxed. B.Confident.
C.Cautious D.Disapproving
4.Which of the following could be the best title for the text?
A.The Last of Its Kind B.The Worst of Times
C.Mourn Its Loss D.Resist Possible Dangerous
Bull Run Regional Park
Thus family- friendly park is around 30 miles from the District. Bull Run is a history fan's delight：It provides access to the nearly 20-mile Occoquan Trail, which was used during the war. The trail is one of many hiking options on the 1,500-acre grounds. Each cabin($85 to $95 per night) accommodates six people and offers such luxuries（奢华）as electricity, heat and swing.
Savage River Lodge
Savage River Lodge-about three hour drive from the District-- specializes in a solid roof and a side of luxury. Savage River is surrounded by more than 700 acres of thick forest, and popular activities include fly-fishing. biking, hiking and cross -country skiing. Cabins start at $250 per night.
Cherry Hill Park
Given its proximity (邻近) to the District, this family-owned campground is particularly appealing to visitors who are traveling to the area via recreational vehicle. It also offers buses to the subway and organizes sightseeing tours as well as daily educational sessions. Guests can play mini golf, go fishing, or hit the basketball court. Cabins start at $99 per night.
Maple Tree Campground
Maple Tree Campground is about a 90-minute drive from the District. Come to this campground for nature's evening show: It always has really pretty sunsets. While there's no electricity, guests can use a wood stove for heat and cooking. Field tent sites start at $8 per night and tree cottages $65 per night
1.What's the minimum cost for a group of 10 to stay at Bull Run Regional Park for one night?
A.$85. B.$95
C.$170 D.$850
2.Which tour spot is suitable for people traveling by public transport?
A.Cherry Hill Park. B.Savage River Lodge.
C.Bull Run Regional Park. D.Maple Tree Campground.
3.The passage most probably appeals to those who are .
A.planning a business trip B.seeking a weekend getaway
C.fond of online shopping D.interested in geography study
Microplastics are everywhere in our environment. It's hardly surprising that the tiny fragments have also been found in humans. A new study shows that Americans are consuming as many as 121,000 particles each year.
Measuring 50 to 500 microns in length, microplastics come from a variety of sources, including large plastics that break down into smaller and smaller pieces. Therefore, much remains unknown about the common existence of these materials within the human body, as well as their impact on human health.
Hoping to fill in some of these gaps, a research team led by Kieran Cox, a PhD candidate at the University of Victoria, looked at 26 papers assessing the amount of microplastics in commonly consumed food items, among which are seafood, sugars, salts, honey, alcohol and water. The team also evaluated the potential consumption of microplastics through inhalation （吸入）using previously reported data on microplastic concentrations in the air and the Environmental Protection Agency's reported respiration rates. Based on these data, the researchers calculated that our annual consumption of microplastics via food and drink ranges from 39,000 to 52,000 particles. When microplastics taken in through inhalation are taken into account, the range jumps to between 74,000 and 121,000 particles per year.
The authors of the study found that people who drink exclusively from plastic water bottles absorb an additional 90,000 microplastics each year, compared to 4,000 among those who only consume tap water. "This shows that small decisions, over the course of a year, really matter and have an impact." Cox says. The new study, according to its authors, was the first to investigate "the accumulative human exposure" to microplastics. But in all likelihood, the research tells only a small part of the entire story. Collectively, the food and drink that the researchers analyzed represent 15 percent of Americans' caloric intake. The team could not account for food groups like fruits, vegetables and grains because there simply is not enough data on their microplastic content.
For those worried about microplastic consumption, cutting down bottled water is a good place to start. But to the heart of the problem, we have to stop producing and using so much plastic.
1.What makes it difficult to know microplastics commonly exist in the human body?
A.The quality. B.The quantity.
C.The shape. D.The size.
2.How did Kieran Cox's team calculate the potential consumption of microplastics?
A.By studying papers. B.By comparing the impacts.
C.By analyzing the data. D.By conducting experiments.
3.Which of the following is true according to the text?
A.Drinking less plastic bottled water helps to take in fewer microplastics.
B.The study is among the earliest to investigate human exposure to microplastics.
C.Cox's team gained comprehensive information of microplastics taken in by humans.
D.People consume 74,000 to 121,000 particles of microplastics per year from food and drink.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.The Potential Problems of Microplastics
B.Microplastics Coming From Various Sources
C.Microplastics Found Within Human Bodies
D.The Impact of Microplastics on Human Health
Food experts say washing could spread the germs on your turkey in the kitchen sink or nearby food. But it's been a challenge trying to convince cooks to stop rinsing （冲洗）off raw poultry. Germs that can make people sick are common in the guts of healthy poultry and are legally allowed to be on raw turkey and chicken. The assumption is that nobody eats their poultry raw, and that thorough cooking will kill the bacteria.
The do — not — wash raw poultry advice from the USDA is relatively new and perhaps hasn't caught on because it goes against the common belief that washing makes things clean, said Chapman. Benjamin Chapman, a study author and food safety expert at North Carolina State University, said the instinct to wash raw poultry goes back at least decades when people relied more on visual clues to spot problems with poultry. Meanwhile, washing hands and surfaces are also important.
But food preparation is a complicated act, and germs from poultry can be spread even if it's not washed, especially when birds are removed from packaging.
The USDA-funded study stresses that point. Researchers sprayed raw chicken with a harmless strain of E. coli （大肠杆菌）and watched volunteer cooks at test kitchens. Among those who washed their raw chicken, about a quarter ended up spreading the bacteria to their lettuce. But even some of those who did not rinse the chicken got germs on the lettuce. And there are other opportunities for germs to survive on turkeys: melting and cooking.
To ensure a bird is thoroughly cooked, they say to use a thermometer to check that the deepest and thickest parts of it have reached 165 degrees. Even after the meal is cooked, you aren't out of the danger zone. To keep turkeys and other leftovers safe, experts say they should be refrigerated after two hours.
1.People don't accept USDA's advice because____.
A.the advice is relatively new
B.cleaning seems more trustworthy
C.cooks clean the turkey before cooking it
D.heat can kill most germs and no one eats raw food
2.What can be concluded from Paragraph 4?
A.Food packages carry germs.
B.Hands and surfaces are easy to get E. coli.
C.Germs from a turkey can be spread whether it is washed or not.
D.Multiple methods should be applied to food to get rid of germs.
3.Which way may help to cook a turkey safely?
A.Rinse off the turkey before it is heated.
B.Keep the turkey away from the lettuce and refrigerator.
C.Wash hands and packages before taking out the turkey.
D.Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the turkey.
4.From which section of a magazine is the text probably taken?
A.Culture. B.Science.
C.Education. D.Medicine.
Kyle Cassidy and three other members of the Annenberg Running Group were stretching on the grounds of the University of Pennsylvania, waiting for a few latecomers. The Penn colleagues and other community members meet three days a week for a roughly 30-minute jog and an occasional lecture. That's right― during some runs, one of them delivers a talk. Topics range from the brain to Bitcoin.
But on this day last January, it would not be their normal run. The first clue that something was off was the man who sprinted past them. "Running at an amazing pace," Cassidy told Runner's World admiringly. Cassidy discovered why the sprinter was so fleet of foot when another man ran by, yelling, “Help! He took my phone and laptop!"
At that, the group did what running clubs do: They ran, trailing the suspect down the streets of Philadelphia until he ducked into a construction site. The runners split up. Cassidy ran around to the far side of the site to cut the thief off while the others wandered the neighborhood hoping he had dumped the loot （赃物）in a backyard.
No luck. So they decided to ask residents whether they'd seen the guy. When they knocked on the door of one row house, they were in for a surprise. Unknown to them, he had already emerged from the construction site—and was hiding behind a bush by that very house. As the owner opened the door, the suspect darted out from behind the bush ... and right into the arms of campus police, who'd joined the chase shortly behind the runners.
The members of this running group are not hard-core athletes. But they do understand the benefit of a little exercise. ''Running is typically a useless sport where you turn fat cells into heat," Cassidy told The Philadelphia Inquirer. "But occasionally it can be useful, and here was one of those opportunities."
1.Why do the group members gather together?
A.To do some stretching. B.To have a regular run.
C.To deliver a lecture. D.To cover some topics.
2.What does the underlined word "sprinted" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A.Dashed. B.Pushed.
C.Jumped. D.Escaped.
3.We can infer that the success of the chase is mainly due to____ .
A.the assistance of the runners B.the owner of the row house
C.the campus police on patrol D.the joint efforts of the people
4.Which of the following best describes Cassidy?
A.Athletic and generous. B.Courageous and ambitious.
C.Helpful and humorous. D.Thoughtful and demanding.
