With an eye for style and a heart for the environment, 18-year-old Alexis Giger launched a do-it-yourself blog aimed at “reducing your environmental impact fashionably”.
The idea was sparked (激发) by the ecology unit in her biology class at Charlotte Latin School last year, she said, which taught her about issues like deforestation and habitat destruction. “I started thinking about what I could do to stop the wastefulness in my immediate community,” the fashion lover said.
The blog, ecouturieracg.wordpress.com, aims to make reusing thrift store (旧货店) finds or last season’s pieces easy and fashionable while cutting down on the resources consumed by garment production, Alexis said. Through online research, she discovered that a simple cotton T-shirt takes more than 700 gallons of water to make.
“It made me realize that the fashion industry consumes huge amounts of natural resources as it relies on producing garments quickly and in large supply – many of the garments are only intended to be worn three or four times,” she said.
Alexis had a number of tools to help her get started. Her mom, Kimberly, taught her to sew when she was 5. Her grandmother taught her to crochet (钩边) around the same time. Alexis said she also gained technical knowledge and inspiration from her part-time job at a clothing company that creates theater wardrobes for schools and drama productions.
Prior to the blog launch, she spent several months illustrating “recycling” projects by creating photo tutorials. Though Ecouturier hasn’t been online long, she’s been getting positive feedback. “I’ve had people come up to me in the hall and say, ‘Hey, I saw your blog. I’m working on one of the projects right now,’” Alexis said.
She said she hasn’t bought a brand-new piece of clothing since last July, and her thrift store shopping has paid off with finds such as a $5 (31 yuan) dress she wore to homecoming.
“Taking an hour from Saturday afternoon to make something for yourself can really have an impact on the environment. A little change every day can really add up,” Alexis said.
1.What inspired Alexis to launch a do-it-yourself blog?
A.Her talent at making handicrafts.
B.Her fascination with the fashion industry.
C.Her part-time work experiences.
D.Her growing concern for the environment after taking a biology class.
2.What is the content of the blog Alexis set up?
A.It sells items made from thrift store finds.
B.It teaches people how to choose thrift store goods.
C.It encourages people to remake their clothing in a cool way.
D.It informs people of the bad effects of deforestation and habitat destruction.
3.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?
A.In order to promote her blog, Alexis is spending a lot of time online every day.
B.The projects on Alexis’ blog have convinced some people to try recycling clothes themselves.
C.Alexis has been dreaming of working in the fashion industry since she was a child.
D.To start the blog, Alexis learned from her mother and grandmother how to sew and crochet.
4.The underlined word “feedback” in Paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to ________.
A.attitude
B.advice
C.response
D.approach
5.Which of the following best describes Alexis?
A.Creative and responsible.
B.Smart and cooperative.
C.Independent and humorous.
D.Fashionable and amusing.
SHORTLIST OF LONDON'S BEST
If you have limited visiting time we recommend you follow this list.
1) Houses of Parliament. The guided tours of the Houses of Parliament are excellent, in any language you want, and get you to places that even normal Brits can't. However, when Parliament is sitting, they are not running, but you can still get in.
2) Hampton Court. We rate this as one of the best attractions in Europe. A whole succession of kings and queens have added to Henry VIII’s original palace. There lie a fantastic park (by Capability Brown) and gardens (including the famous maze), and Tudor kitchens and one of the last remaining Real Tennis courts. Lots of free (once you've paid the admission) guided tours, some in costume, by people who know and love the place. It's also surrounded by a series of parks and makes a great destination for a bike trip — train out (30 minutes from Waterloo), bike back (12 miles) along the river. We prefer it to the Tower of London — you'll probably want to visit both, it knocks the spots off Buckingham Palace.
3) The River. Walk along the South Bank from Tower Bridge to Lambeth. The best of London is spread out for you: The Tower of London & Tower Bridge, The Houses of Parliament, Lambeth Palace (residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury), Shakespeare's Globe theatre, Both Tate Galleries, St Paul's Cathedral, The South Bank Centre, The Temple, The London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Somerset House. (A 2 hour walk if you don't stop for long). Or you can take a boat out to Greenwich, the Thames Barrier or the Dome.
4) Westminster Abbey. Where they crown Kings. An unreasonable admission charge (should really be free or voluntary donation), but a masterpiece anyway. If you get bored of waiting in the queue, or packed down by the crowds, hurry yourself off to the City where there's more square space of historic church, and empty.
5) The Theatre. It'd be a crime to visit London and not take in a show. Londoners have been passionate about theatre for centuries. Not only is the quality high, but the price is low - one third the price of Broadway. Classical Music and Opera is of a similarly high standard and low price.
1.A foreign student studying the history of British Royal Family would most probably prefer the tour of _______.
A.Westminster Abbey
B.Tower Bridge
C.Somerset House
D.Hampton Court
2.The underlined statement “when Parliament is sitting” in paragraph 2 refers to the time _______.
A.when the Parliament is not officially in session.
B.when the members of Parliament are debating over a hot issue.
C.when the Parliament is staying idle for repairs.
D.when the members of Parliament are taking a break after some exercise
3.Where do you think one can probably meet with a man as a guide wearing the eighteenth century royal clothing?
A.In Lambeth Palace.
B.In Buckingham Palace.
C.In Hampton Court.
D.St Paul’s Cathedral.
4.Part of the reasons why Londoners are fond of theatre is that they enjoy _______.
A.the criminal drama plots
B.the inexpensive admission
C.the Classical Music and Opera
D.the scene of Shakespeare’s Globe theatre
After the summer holiday began last year, one Massachusetts boy started thinking about what he wanted to do during his free time.
____ asking to go to summer camp or go on vacation, 10-year-old Liam Hannon asked his dad, Scott Hannon, ______ he could make bagged lunches and give them to the homeless all around Cambridge. “Liam has a huge ______,” Hannon said about his son ______. “Plus, it was something nice we could do ______ as father and son and with my wife and baby.”
Soon after telling his father his plan, Liam started “Liam’s Lunches of Love,” and started _____ 20 lunches each week. Liam ______ the experience of interacting (相互交流) with the homeless. He felt those homeless people he met were very friendly. “Many of the people we help are actually really ______ and could use just a little kindness in their lives,” Liam said. “It just feels really good to _______.”
After seeing how _______ Liam was about his _______, Hannon started a GoFundMe page on the Internet to collect _______ so they could make 60 lunches each week. “It makes me really proud _______ a dad,” Hannon added. So far, Liam has given out 300 lunches and even though summer is_______, he has continued his community _______ on weekends.
“What Scott and Liam have done has been to really give the homeless _______ and kindness in a really tough ______,” said Krystal Kelly, director of development at the Hildebrand Family Help Center where Liam also collects school supplies for homeless ________. “It’s the first time that those folks have been looked in the eye or anyone has ________ their presence. To think that a 10-year-old can be that ______, it’s amazing.”
1.A.Despite B.Considering C.Apart from D.Instead of
2.A.why B.how C.if D.where
3.A.heart B.kitchen C.sacrifice D.problem
4.A.jokingly B.approvingly C.worriedly D.angrily
5.A.only B.once C.together D.early
6.A.leaving out B.handing out C.using up D.picking up
7.A.lacked B.feared C.admitted D.enjoyed
8.A.nice B.handsome C.healthy D.smart
9.A.play B.participate C.sympathize D.help
10.A.passionate B.upset C.curious D.shy
11.A.assignment B.survey C.project D.business
12.A.jewelry B.firewood C.money D.information
13.A.as B.like C.for D.of
14.A.hot B.over C.long D.near
15.A.adventure B.service C.management D.cleaning
16.A.respect B.freedom C.shelters D.entertainments
17.A.match B.camp C.year D.circumstance
18.A.babies B.children C.women D.fathers
19.A.reported B.permitted C.predicted D.acknowledged
20.A.honest B.confident C.selfless D.intelligent
Make sure you save all your work on screen____the computer breaks down.
A.in case B.as if C.so that D.even though
I ______ have worried before I came to the new school, for my classmates here are very friendly to me.
A.mightn’t B.mustn’t
C.needn’t D.couldn’t
Everyone on this planet is different, and that's______ makes it such a beautiful place.
A.When B.how C.what D.why
