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.
My family and I never talked about school as the ticket to a future. I was in the classrooms, but I wasn’t there to learn to write, read or even speak. When it was my turn to read, I wanted to hide. I was 13 years old, but I already hated being who I was.
I had an English teacher, Mr. Creech, who knew I couldn’t read. In one of my first lessons the teacher said that anyone who had a reading age below six had to stand up. I felt so embarrassed. But at the same time, it made me realize that I needed to change the situation. I was determined it wouldn’t happen again. Later that day, Mr. Creech encouraged me and promised he would try his best to help me learn to read. From then on, I never gave up practicing reading.
Now I was 41 years old. One day, I planned to fly back to Texas to visit my friends and family. On my way from the airport, I saw Mr. Creech buying himself a drink. I rushed over and reached into my pocket to pay for him. “Do I know you?” he asked. “Yes, sir, you do know me,” I answered excitedly. “My name is Anthony Hamilton. You taught me English.” The look on his face told me that he remembered the boy he’d once encouraged.
“I’m so glad I had a chance to see you,” I said. “And Mr. Creech, I have great news to share.” I told him I had learned to read. But that wasn’t all. I had become a published author and an active speaker. “The next time you get another Anthony Hamilton in your classroom, please encourage him to read as well,” I added.
The experts say what once worried me has a name: dyslexia (诵读困难症). But I can tell you it was a lack of desire for education.
1.Why did the author want to hide?
A.Because he felt sorry for himself. B.Because he hated being laughed at.
C.Because he couldn’t read at all. D.Because he didn’t have a ticket.
2.Which of the following could best describe Mr. Creech?
A.Considerate and dutiful. B.Demanding and enthusiastic.
C.Emotional and dedicated. D.Friendly and ambitious.
3.Why couldn’t the author read before meeting Mr.Creech?
A.Because his reading age was not long enough.
B.Because his parents didn’t teach him how to read.
C.Because he was afraid of reading before the class.
D.Because he didn’t have inner driving force to learn to read.
4.What can we infer from the passage?
A.Mr. Creech taught two students called Anthony Hamilton.
B.The author had become a published author and an active speaker.
C.Dyslexia was the underlying reason that made the author unable to read.
D.The author was grateful to Mr. Creech.
DNA analysis has revealed family relationships between more than 10 generations of Stone Age people at megalithic (巨石的) tombs in Ireland and Sweden.
The evidence suggests that megaliths, prehistoric large stone structures, sometimes acted as graves for family groups in northwestern Europe thousands of years ago. The latest findings throw new light on the origins and social structure of the groups that built megaliths in this region—a history that has long been hidden in mystery.
For their study, the international team of researchers analyzed the genomes—the complete set of genetic material in a cell—of 24 Stone Age individuals from five megalithic burial sites in Ireland, Scotland and Gotland, a large Swedish island in the Baltic Sea.
This analysis showed that many of the individuals buried at each megalith, who all lived between 3,800 B.C. and 2,600 B.C., according to radiocarbon-dating of their remains, were closely related via family ties.
The results also showed that the individuals buried at the megaliths were related to Neolithic farmers in northern and western Europe but genetically distinct from other hunter-gatherers. This was particularly noticeable at the Ansarve site on the island of Gotland.
“The people buried in the Ansarve tomb are remarkably different on a genetic level compared to the individuals dug out from hunter-gather contexts, showing that the burial tradition in this megalithic tomb, which lasted for over 700 years, was performed by distinct groups with roots in the European Neolithic expansion,” Magdalena Fraser, co-first author from Uppsala University, said in the statement.
1.What’s the significance of the new findings?
A. It reveals the family ties between people in Ireland and Sweden.
B. It implies that many people buried in the tombs were closely related.
C. It indicates the long-hidden mystery concerning DNA analysis.
D. It suggests that the megaliths became tombs thousands of years ago.
2.How did the researchers reach their findings?
A. By interviewing individuals. B. By travelling to different regions.
C. By analyzing genes. D. By studying the burial sites.
3.Which is true according to the latest findings?
A. Some people buried in the tombs were related to farmers.
B. Few people buried in the tombs were genetically different.
C. All the people buried at megaliths had family relationships.
D. People buried in the Ansarve tomb were dug out 700 years later.
4.What’s the main idea of this passage?
A. Megaliths served as tombs thousands of years ago.
B. People buried at the megaliths were recently analyzed.
C. Latest findings shed light on a mystery about burials.
D. Stone-Age people in Ireland and Sweden had close ties.
Dreaming of summer picnics filled with family and fun? We’ve come up with 4 of the top picnic areas across the US.
Cumberland Islands, Georgia
Just a few hours south of Savannah, this national seashore is a wonderful picnic place. It’s an unspoiled place in the Deep South with over 50 miles of hiking trails (小径). Covered in Spanish moss, the trails are lined with trees and since it’s still a rural area, the stars line up for a grand show at night and create the perfect evening starlit picnic opportunity.
Grant Park, Chicago
If you are looking for delicious food in Chicago, go for a taste of a 20-day, lake-front, foodie festival that happens in October each year. Grab a spot near the fountain to enjoy your picnic, appreciate the city scenery and lake views and relax with family and friends. If you are there on July 4th, be sure to plan the day to include the fireworks display at the Navy Pier.
Cranberry Islands, Maine
Here, you’ll enjoy natural picnics with island views. The islands are a delightful group of islands about 20 minutes offshore from Acadia National Park. You can visit the islands by private boat or ferry service. Bring a picnic basket along for the ride as it’s a romantic picnic area to take your special someone or go for a family outing to visit the islands.
Big Sur, California
The Point Lobos State Reserve is a small gem. Besides the coastal wildlife there are rare plant communities, and unique geological formations. It’s good to have a picnic there. We recommend bringing a telescope, because much of the wildlife can be seen only at a distance.
1.Why does the writer advise us to go to Cumberland Islands?
A.Because they are just next to Savannah.
B.Because they have a grand show every night.
C.Because they are almost covered in Spanish moss.
D.Because they keep their original ecology (生态).
2.Where can you enjoy observing wildlife with a telescope?
A.At the Navy Pier. B.At the Point Lobos State Reserve
C.At Acadia National Park. D.In the Deep South.
3.Where can we most probably read this passage?
A.In a personal dairy. B.In a science report.
C.In a geography textbook. D.In a travel magazine.
假定你是李华，你的城市将有一个大型抗击新冠肺炎英雄人物展，请写一封邮件邀请你的朋友Adam同去。内容包括：
1.展出时间和地点；
2. 展出形式与内容；
3. 表达期待。
提示：C0VID-19 （新型冠状病毒肺炎）； pandemic （流行病）
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 结束语已为你写好。
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假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共 有10处语言错误,每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加:在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧),并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除:把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改:在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.毎处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
With time pass by, I will be 18 years old. In other words, I will be a adult. What I want to express most is certainly my appreciate. First of all, I must thank for my parents, with which care and love I have grown up happily. What’s more, I am quite gratefully to the dear teachers I had ever met. It is the teachers have taught me what should be done. Last but not least, having such many lovely friends makes my life quite meaningful and helps you realize the importance of sharing happiness and sorrow with others. I am sure that I will be better with the love given by others.
