Question

    If you're one of the millions of Americans now trapped in home because of the COVID-19，it might feel like you're cooking more than you've ever cooked in your entire life. And maybe you' re planning to reduce your home food wastes. A good way of dealing with them is to learn to make compost (堆肥).

Select your food wastes. Start with fruits and vegetables — the skin of a sweet potato，the top of your strawberry. Also tea bags, coffee grounds, old flowers and even eggshells are good raw materials. Store these food wastes in a container so you can add them bit by bit. The container doesn't have to be bought online. It can just be an old milk carton (纸箱) or an old wooden chest —just work with what you have available. Also, you can store the food wastes in a bag in your freezer or fridge. That's an easy way to avoid odors and insects in your kitchen.

The crucial step is to make the compost mix. In the world of composting you're inevitably going to hear about ''the greens and browns''—the two main elements for your mix. ''Greens'' are typically wet food wastes, like fruit and vegetable peelings. They are a crucial part for the growth of organisms (微生物),''Browns" are typically dry and they are more carbon rich like newspapers, dried leaves，and pine needles. A good thing to remember is when you're layering， put the dry browns on the bottom with the wet greens on the top because they allow water and air to flow. That will make sure organisms can do their job.

How long do you have to wait for the compost breakdown? If it's hot, you could get there in two months pretty easy. If it's cold, you could be there in six months, And for every component to break down, it might be a year.

In the end ''your nose knows'' when the compost is ready. It just smells so woody, earthy, sweet or sometimes sour. The smell can tell how well you work at your compost.

1.What is a good solution to your home food wastes?

A.Make a plan and reduce the wastes.

B.Collect the picked wastes to make compost.

C.Select the wastes and bury them into the earth.

D.Pick the wastes and put them in a bag in your fridge.

2.What plays a crucial role in making the compost mix?

A.Wet ''greens''

B.Dry "browns''

C.Carbon rich materials.

D.Wet ''greens'' and dry ''browns''.

3.Why should the ''browns'' be put on the bottom with the ''greens'' on the top?

A.To help the organism work on the compost efficiently.

B.To save more space for the water and air to flow.

C.To allow the water and air to flow into the container.

D.To make sure the organism can live longer and better.

4.What does the author feel about making compost?

A.Pretty easy and fun.

B.Complex and time killing.

C.Demanding patience but worthwhile.

D.Calling for hard work but enjoyable.

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.A

4.C

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章主要讲述用食物垃圾制作堆肥的好处，以及制作方法。

1.

细节理解题。根据第一段的And maybe you' re planning to reduce your home food wastes. A good way of dealing with them is to learn to make compost (或许你打算减少家里的食物垃圾。处理它们的好方法就是学会制作堆肥)和第二段的Start with fruits and vegetables — the skin of a sweet potato，the top of your strawberry. Also tea bags, coffee grounds, old flowers and even eggshells are good raw materials. Store these food wastes in a container so you can add them bit by bit. (从水果和食物开始——红薯皮、草莓蒂。茶袋，咖啡渣，凋谢的话甚至蛋壳都是很好的原料。把这些食物垃圾储存在一个容器里，这样你就可以一点一点地收集它们)可知，处理家里食物垃圾的好办法是把它们收集起来制作堆肥。B. Collect the picked wastes to make compost.(把摘下的食物垃圾收集起来制作堆肥)符合以上说法，故选B项。

2.

细节理解题。根据第三段的The crucial step is to make the compost mix. In the world of composting you're inevitably going to hear about ''the greens and browns''—the two main elements for your mix. ''Greens'' are typically wet food wastes, …''Browns" are typically dry and they are more carbon rich…. (关键的一步是制作混合肥料。在堆肥的世界你不可避免地会听到“绿色”和“棕色”——它们是混合肥料的主要成分。“绿色”是典型的湿食物垃圾……，“棕色”是典型地干垃圾，它们富含碳……)可知，在制作混合肥料时“绿色”的湿垃圾和“棕色”的干垃圾起了重要作用。D. Wet ''greens'' and dry ''browns''.(“绿色”的湿垃圾和“棕色”的干垃圾)符合以上说法，故选D项。

3.

细节理解题。根据第三段的A good thing to remember is when you're layering，put the dry browns on the bottom with the wet greens on the top because they allow water and air to flow. That will make sure organisms can do their job.(要记住的一件事情是，当你分层的时候，把 “棕色”的干垃圾放在底部，“绿色”的湿垃圾放在顶部，因为它们可以让水分和空气流动，这将确保微生物能够完成它们的工作)可知，在制作混合肥料时，绿色的湿垃圾放在棕色的干垃圾上面是为了让空气和水分流通，这样微生物可以有效地利用堆肥。A. To help the organism work on the compost efficiently.(帮助微生物有效地利用堆肥)符合以上说法，故选A项。

4.

推理判断题。根据最后一段的How long do you have to wait for the compost breakdown? If it's hot, you could get there in two months pretty easy. If it's cold, you could be there in six months, And for every component to break down, it might be a year. In the end ''your nose knows'' when the compost is ready. It just smells so woody, earthy, sweet or sometimes sour. (如果天气热，两个月就可以完成堆肥；如果天气寒冷，要六个月才能完成。如果要等所有成分都降解，可能要一年。最终，你的鼻子会知道堆肥已经完成。它闻起来是那么的有木香、泥土味、甜的或酸的。)可推测，作者认为制作堆肥需要有耐心，但也是值得的。因为虽然经历了较长时间的等待，但堆肥的气味闻起来让人觉得舒服。C. Demanding patience but worthwhile.(需要耐心，但值得)符合以上说法，故选C项。