The European Parliament has approved a law banning a wide-range of single-use plastic items, such as straws and cotton buds by 2021. “Europe is setting new standards, paving the way(铺路) for the rest of the world,” the European Commission's vice-president Frans Timmermans, who is responsible for sustainable development, said in a statement.
The new plans come after the EC found that plastics make up more than 80% of marine litter, which has disastrous effects on wildlife and habitats. The EU parliament notes that because of its slow rate of breaking down, plastic residue(残余) has been found in marine species as well as fish and shellfish - and therefore also makes its way into the human food chain.
Under the new European law, tobacco companies will be required to cover the costs for the collection of cigarette butts. Manufacturers of fishing tools will also have to pay for the retrieval(找回) of any plastic nets that have been left at sea. There's also a new focus on further raising public awareness, where producers of items such as tobacco filters(滤嘴), plastic cups, and wet wipes will be required to clearly explain to users how to appropriately dispose of them.
The European Commission first suggested the ban in May, which was approved by member states in October. China last year banned the import of 24 varieties of solid waste, including types of plastic and unsorted paper, putting pressure on Europe to deal with its own waste.
The World Economic Forum estimates that there are about 150 million tons of plastic in the world's seas. A study published in Science in 2015 suggested that between 5 and 13 million tons more are flowing into them every year. Research shows there will be more plastic than fish by weight in the world's oceans by 2050, which has encouraged policymakers, individuals and companies into action.
1.What is the best title for the passage?
A. Plastic drives fish out of seas. B. EU paves the way for the world.
C. EU bans single-use plastic items. D. Plastic threatens marine life and human.
2.Under what circumstances has EU passed the new law?
A. Plastic pollution has reached a disastrous degree.
B. EU bears the responsibility for sustainable development.
C. Plastic residue has been found in human bodies.
D. Manufactures are prepared to collect used products.
3.Under the new EU law, what result will be unavoidable for plastic producers?
A. Production will be reduced. B. Products will be more expensive.
C. The staff will be larger. D. Factories will be moved out of EU.
4.What message is implied in Paragraph 4?
A. China once urged EU to control plastic pollution.
B. China’s ban on solid waste inspired EU.
C. EU and China has signed relevant agreements.
D. EU once exported plastic waste to China.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
The European Parliament has approved a law banning a wide-range of single-use plastic items, such as straws and cotton buds by 2021. “Europe is setting new standards, paving the way(铺路) for the rest of the world,” the European Commission's vice-president Frans Timmermans, who is responsible for sustainable development, said in a statement.
The new plans come after the EC found that plastics make up more than 80% of marine litter, which has disastrous effects on wildlife and habitats. The EU parliament notes that because of its slow rate of breaking down, plastic residue(残余) has been found in marine species as well as fish and shellfish - and therefore also makes its way into the human food chain.
Under the new European law, tobacco companies will be required to cover the costs for the collection of cigarette butts. Manufacturers of fishing tools will also have to pay for the retrieval(找回) of any plastic nets that have been left at sea. There's also a new focus on further raising public awareness, where producers of items such as tobacco filters(滤嘴), plastic cups, and wet wipes will be required to clearly explain to users how to appropriately dispose of them.
The European Commission first suggested the ban in May, which was approved by member states in October. China last year banned the import of 24 varieties of solid waste, including types of plastic and unsorted paper, putting pressure on Europe to deal with its own waste.
The World Economic Forum estimates that there are about 150 million tons of plastic in the world's seas. A study published in Science in 2015 suggested that between 5 and 13 million tons more are flowing into them every year. Research shows there will be more plastic than fish by weight in the world's oceans by 2050, which has encouraged policymakers, individuals and companies into action.
1.What is the best title for the passage?
A. Plastic drives fish out of seas. B. EU paves the way for the world.
C. EU bans single-use plastic items. D. Plastic threatens marine life and human.
2.Under what circumstances has EU passed the new law?
A. Plastic pollution has reached a disastrous degree.
B. EU bears the responsibility for sustainable development.
C. Plastic residue has been found in human bodies.
D. Manufactures are prepared to collect used products.
3.Under the new EU law, what result will be unavoidable for plastic producers?
A. Production will be reduced. B. Products will be more expensive.
C. The staff will be larger. D. Factories will be moved out of EU.
4.What message is implied in Paragraph 4?
A. China once urged EU to control plastic pollution.
B. China’s ban on solid waste inspired EU.
C. EU and China has signed relevant agreements.
D. EU once exported plastic waste to China.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
An Israeli law banning too skinny models went into effect with the start of 2013. The law, approved last March in Israel, requires models to prove they have maintained a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 18.5 for three months before a fashion show. That means a woman who is 68 inches tall can weigh no less than 119 pounds.
“This law is another step in the war against eating disorders,” said physician Adatto. “Underweight models,” he explained, “can no longer serve as role models for innocent young people who copy their false image of being skinny.”
But some critics in this country say it is misguided, focusing on weight instead of health. They also say the Israeli ban is bound to fail because of the strong power of the fashion industry. “I think it’s an approach that isn’t going to work.” said eating disorder expert Susan Ice, who worked with an organization which creates a healthy working environment for models.
But Adatto told the reporter that he began to concern the issue after meeting an ambitious model who looked like she needed to be hospitalized. He said. “I realized that only legislation(立法) can change the situation. There was no time to waste; so many girls were dieting to death.”
However, the efforts to regulate models’ weight in Spain and Italy have not resulted in significant changes in part because of difficulties in determining reliable methods of measuring weight and health.
Still, folks including Ice say there’s no denying that images from Hollywood and the fashion industry can be difficult for young women to deal with. “Certainly I don't believe the modeling industry has caused the rise in eating disorders, but it makes it harder,” she says. “It’s a difficult recovery environment, worshiping thinness as the beauty ideal.”
1. One benefit the new Israeli law may bring is ________.
A. to change the working conditions of models
B. to prevent models from suffering from eating disorders
C. to provide guidance for women worshiping thinness
D. to lower the chance of skinny models’ death
2.In the opinion of the critics, the law won’t succeed because .
A. it misleads young women to form a bad eating habit.
B. the fashion industry is much too influential.
C. it doesn’t create a healthy working environment for models.
D. it doesn’t provide a proper approach that can work well.
3. What caused Adatto to think that a law was needed to change the situation?
A. Being interviewed by a reporter.
B. Establishing his fashion model agent.
C. Meeting an ambitious but too skinny model.
D. Seeing a model die from eating disorders.
4.According to the passage, the new Israeli law banning skinny models is .
A. practical B. reasonable
C. acceptable D. argumentative
高二英语阅读理解极难题查看答案及解析
New York State has passed the USA’s first state law banning motorists talking on hand-held cell phones. The ban will begin November 1, although drivers caught using hand-held cell phones will be given only warnings during the first month.
First-time violators(违法者) will face a $100 fine. A second time call for a $200 fine and every violation after that will cost$500.
At least a dozen localities(地方) have established bans, starting in 1999; and 40 states have had bans proposed but not passed. At least 23 countries, including the Great Britain, Italy, Israel and Japan, ban drivers from using hand-held cell phones.
There are about 115 million cell phones in use in the United States and more than 6 million in New York State.
“To think that I’m not going to use cell phone when at the same time I can still use my laptop, I still can read a paper, I can still change my pants(裤子) while driving 65 mph. I think there’s just something wrong,” an official said.
Other critics noted that other things like eating, drinking coffee and applying make-up while driving posed(造成) at least as much of a concern. They suggested that the ban include a broader range of things.
1.How much fine will a hand-held cell phone user receive if he has been caught using it four times while driving after November?
A. $500. B. $1000. C. $1200. D. $1300.
2.We can see from this passage that _______.
A. the ban has been put into effect in most states in the U. S.
B. many of the developed countries forbid drivers using hand-held cell phones
C. over fifty localities or states ban drivers from using hand-held cell phones
D. more people in the U. S. are against the ban than for it
3.The official mentioned in this passage _______.
A. does not agree with this ban
B. doesn’t believe using hand-held cell phones while driving will cause any danger
C. doesn’t understand why hand-held cell phones alone should be banned among many others
D. believes changing pants while driving will cause greater danger
4.The writer intends to tell us in the last paragraph that _______.
A. it is not fair to have this ban passed
B. the ban will never be passed in the whole country
C. more activities of the same kind should also be banned
D. the ban will meet with more criticism
5.This article is most probably taken from _______.
A. a newspaper article B. an advertisement
C. a personal diary D. a letter
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
If a trip to Rome or Paris is in your future, be prepared: The European Union Parliament is calling for an end to visa-free travel Americans. EU lawmakers passed a resolution urging the EU Commission to impose visas on U. S. citizens traveling into the 28-nation bloc.
The dispute(争论)centers on reciprocal treatment of travelers from EU nations and the United States. While Americans have been able to travel throughout EU member nations without a visa, the U. S. still requires citizens of five EU countries-Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania-to apply for entry visas when visiting the U. S, Reuters reports. Citizens of the other 23 EU member nations can use the U. S. visa waiver program to enter America. The EU lawmakers are calling for mutual treatment for all EU citizens, says Reuters. They’ve given the EU Commission two months to respond.
The trans-Atlantic visa dispute first came to light in April 2014, according to an EU Parliament news release. At that time, five countries-Australia, Brunei, Canada, Japan and the U. S. –required visas for some EU citizens. Since then, Australia, Brunei and Japan have lifted their visa requirements for all EU citizens. Canada, which currently imposes(推行)visa requirements on Bulgarian and Romanian citizens, plans to follow suit in next December, leaving just the United States at odds with the issue of reciprocity of visa-free travel with the EU.
The EU says if a visa requirement for Americans is introduced, it would be temporary, according to a story in Money, which did not give a time frame.
1.Which of the following can replace the underlined word “reciprocal” in Paragraph 2?
A. cruel B. equal
C. unfair D. different
2.Which countries have removed visa requirements for all EU citizens according to the text?
A. Australia, Brunei and Japan
B. Australia, Brunei, Canada, Japan
C. Brunei, Canada, Japan and America
D. Australia, Brunei, Canada, Japan and America
3.What may be the best title for the text?
A. Americans may soon need a visa for traveling to Europe
B. Americans are limiting the EU citizens to enter America
C. The EU citizens can go to America for traveling without visas
D. The EU government asks for visa requirement from Americans
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Strange Baby-Naming Laws
Germany Parents are banned by law from using last names and the names of objects and products as first names. A child’s first name must clearly indicate his or her sex, and all names must be approved by the office of vital statistics in the area in which the child was born.
Iceland The country’s naming committee consults the National Register of Persons to determine if a name is acceptable. If parents want to go off-list, they must apply for approval and pay a fee, and the name must contain only letters in the Icelandic alphabet.
New Zealand The country’s Births, Deaths, and Marriages Registration Act of 1995 prohibits parents from choosing a name that “ might cause offense to a reasonable person; is unreasonably long; or is, includes, or resembles an official title or rank,” including, apparently, Adolf Hitler and Yeah Detroit—both names recently rejected.
Denmark If Danish parents prefer a moniker not on the list of 7,000 preapproved baby names, they must get permission from local church and government officials. Fifteen to 20 percent of the 1,100 reviewed names—including creative spellings of common names, last names as first names, and unusual names—are rejected each year.
1.You can tell whether a baby is a girl or a boy according to the first name in _____.
A. Germany B. New Zealand
C. Iceland D. Denmark
2.In Iceland, the names should _____.
A. be approved by the office of vital statistics.
B. be accepted by the National Register of Persons.
C. contain only letters in the Roman alphabet.
D. be paid for some money.
3.Which name is accepted in New Zealand?
A. Bin Laden B. Talula Does The Hula
C. John Smith D. Keenan Got Lucky
4.According to the passage, which of the following is true?
A. Parents should pay a fee for babies’ names if the names are rejected.
B. Each year about 150-200 reviewed names are rejected in Denmark.
C. Adolf Hitler is banned in Iceland.
D. Danish babies’ names should be on the list if parents can’t get the permission.
高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
California has become the first U.S. state to approve plans to require newly-built homes to include solar equipment.
The state’s Energy Commission voted 5-0 to approve the new rules, which are to take effect in 2020. The rules will deal with most newly-built residential (住宅的) buildings up to three stories high.
The move is California’s latest step aimed at reaching renewable energy targets and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
California has set a goal of filling half of its electricity needs with renewable energy by 2030. Officials said they had reached 30 percent by the end of 2017. The state’s Governor, Jerry Brown, plans to hold an international climate meeting in September.
①The Energy Commission said the cost of adding solar equipment to a single-family home would be about $9,500. But, the group added that homeowners would save at least $19,000 in energy costs over 30 years.
Robert Raymer is the technical director for the California Building Industry Association. He says the action is a step forward for the wider use of solar power in the U.S. “You can bet every other of the 49 states will be watching closely to see what happens,” he told the Associated Press.
②Solar companies praised the new requirements, which officials have said will likely raise demand for solar equipment in California by 10-15 percent.
The Solar Energy Industries Association called it a “historic decision for the state and the U.S.” It estimated the action would produce “huge economic and environmental benefits,” including bringing tens of billions of dollars into California.
③Some legislative and community leaders argued that Californians cannot afford to pay any more for housing in what is already an extremely high-priced market.
“That’s just going to drive the cost up and make California, once again, not affordable to live in,” said California Assemblyman Brian Dahle.
④Severin Borenstein is an energy economist at the University of California, in Berkeley. He sent an email to the head of California’s Energy Commission to urge the state to reconsider its decision.
He expressed his belief that it is a mistake for California to approve such a policy instead of centering on efforts to develop large solar farms to produce renewable energy. He said these farms would cost much less to operate.
“Every energy economist I know is shaking their head at this,” he told the Wall Street Journal. “In many ways, this is setting the wrong example,” he added.
1.According to the rules to take effect in 2020, newly-built homes are expected to ________.
A. replace large solar farms B. be equipped with solar equipment
C. have the height of three stories D. stop greenhouse gas emissions
2.From what Robert Raymer says, we can know that _______.
A. other 49 states won’t follow in the footsteps of California
B. California can achieve its goal of renewable energy by 2030
C. the action will help homeowners save money in the long term
D. the new rules will probably enjoy a great popularity in the US
3.The sentence “But some individuals and groups were against the new rules.” should be placed in_______.
A. ① B. ②
C. ③ D. ④
4.The purpose of the passage is _______.
A. to show different attitudes towards an approval
B. to express the significance of renewable energy
C. to inform a new way of dealing with climate change
D. to prove a new plan of solar equipment unreasonable
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Because of its high quality, the product has gained with a wide range of people.
A. favor B. approval
C. comment D. permission
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Having broken the traffic rules, Tom _____from driving for a year.
A. has banned B. had banned C. is being banned D. has been banned
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
--- John’s report has been approved by the chief editor.
---_______. He devoted so much.
A. Without doubt B. No wonder
C. It all depends D. A real scoop
高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
Having broken the traffic rules, Tom _____from driving for a year.
A.has banned | B.had banned | C.is being banned | D.has been banned |
高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析