Question

    A company in San Francisco, California, has found a way to turn used plastic bottles into women’s shoes.

Every day, millions of Americans drink water and other liquids from plastic bottles. More than 60 million of them are thrown away each day. Many of the plastic bottles end up in landfills or are burned with other waste products.

A San Francisco start-up company called Rothy’s, however, turns this plastic waste into environmentally friendly shoes. Roth Martin is the company’s co-founder. He explains how they turn plastic into soft material for women’s feet. They take the plastic, clean it, and break it down into small pieces. Then they press them through a device that makes soft fibers. Those fibers are then combined together. This is done by a 3D machine. It is designed to reduce waste while making the shoes. The knitted stuff and the inner part of the shoe are then attached to the shoe’s outer part, called the sole (鞋底). This outer sole is also made from environmentally friendly material: responsibly sourced no-carbon rubber.

Rothy’s shoes are sold online. They are flat shoes, with either a rounded or pointed toe. They come in different colors and designs. They cost either $ 125 or $ 145 per pair, depending on the design. After American actress Gwyneth Paltrow discovered them last year, the demand for the shoes grew. Martin says there is no shortage of material to fill that demand. “We’re not going to run out of water bottles any time soon. So we have a limitless supply of material, and I think that is a good sign for our future.” When the environmentally friendly shoes wear out, customers can return them at no cost to a company that uses the recycled materials to make other products.

For now, the shoes are only available to be shipped in the United States. However, the company says it will add international shipping in the near future.

1.How are used plastic bottles usually dealt with?

A.They are buried or burned.

B.They are used to make shoes.

C.They are changed into soft materials.

D.They arc returned to factories for reuse.

2.What does the underlined word knitted in the third paragraph mean?

A.Attached. B.Fixed.

C.Combined. D.Repaired.

3.Which of the following directly helped to increase the sales of Rothy’s shoes?

A.The design and color. B.The reasonable price.

C.The company’s advertisement. D.The star power of Gwyneth Paltrow.

4.What is the purpose of the text?

A.To advertise a new kind of shoes.

B.To describe the process of making shoes.

C.To introduce a new way of recycling plastic waste.

D.To stress the importance of environmental protection.

Answer

1.A

2.C

3.D

4.C

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍一种回收塑料垃圾的新方法。

1.A

细节理解题。根据第二段最后一句Many of the plastic bottles end up in landfills or are burned with other waste products.可知，废弃塑料瓶的处理方法是被埋葬或焚烧。故选A。

2.C

词义猜测题。根据第三段中Those fibers are then combined together. （这些纤维结合在一起。）This is done by a 3D machine. It is designed to reduce waste while making the shoes. （它的设计目的是在制造鞋子的同时减少浪费。）The knitted stuff and the inner part of the shoe are then attached to the shoe’s outer part, called the sole (鞋底).（这些knitted东西和鞋的内部部分被连接到鞋的外部分，叫做鞋底）由此推出划线词的意思是“结合的”。故选C。

3.D

细节理解题。根据第四段中After American actress Gwyneth Paltrow discovered them last year, the demand for the shoes grew.美国女演员Gwyneth Paltrow发现了这种鞋后，对这种鞋的需求增加了。可知，D项（The star power of Gwyneth Paltrow.）直接帮助增加Rothy鞋子的销售。故选D。

4.C

目的意图题。根据第一段A company in San Francisco, California, has found a way to turn used plastic bottles into women’s shoes.加利福尼亚旧金山的一家公司发现了一种把用过的塑料瓶变成女鞋的方法。可知本文是为了介绍一种回收塑料垃圾的新方法。故选C。