单选题. Plastic microbeads can no longer be used in cosmetics and personal care products in the UK, after a long-promised ban came into effect on December 7th, 2017. The ban initially bars the manufacture of such products and a ban on sales will follow in July. Thousands of tonnes of plastic microbeads from products such as exfoliating face scrubs, body shampoo and toothpastes wash into the sea every year, where they harm wildlife and can ultimately be eaten by people. The UK government first pledged to ban plastic microbeads in September 2016, following a US ban in 2015. The huge problem of plastic pollution choking the oceans has gained a high profile with recent revelations that there are five trillion pieces of plastic floating in the world's seas and that the debris has reached the most remote parts of the oceans. Microbeads are a small but significant part of this which campaigners argued was the easiest to prevent. "The world's oceans are some of our most valuable natural assets and I am determined we act now to tackle the plastic that devastates our precious marine life," said environment minister Thérèse Coffey. "Now we have reached this important milestone, we will explore how we can build on our world-leading ban and tackle other forms of plastic waste." Dilyana Mihaylova, at Fauna Flora International, said. "We are delighted that a robust UK microbeads ban comes into force today. We hope this ban signals the dawn of a new era in the fight for cleaner, healthier oceans." Pressure is now mounting for action on plastic bottles—a million are bought every minute around the world and they make up a third of the plastic litter in the seas. In December, the UK's Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) of MPs called for a deposit return scheme, which has successfully increased recycling rates in other countries. Mary Creagh MP, EAC chair, said: "The microbead ban is a step in the right direction, but much more needs to be done. Since we called for a ban, my committee has also recommended the deposit return scheme, a latte levy for plastic-lined coffee cups and reforms to make producers responsible for their packaging. We look forward to hearing the government's response." On Sunday, the prime minister, Theresa May tweeted: "In 2015 we introduced the 5p charge on plastic carrier bags, we now see 9bn fewer bags being used. It's making a real difference. We want to do the same with single use plastics. Nobody who watched Blue Planet Ⅱ will doubt the need for us to do something—and we will." May's government has signalled a series of environmental moves, including a ban on ivory sales and on wild animals in circuses, as well as tougher sentences for those convicted of abusing animals and retracting a pledge on a parliamentary vote to reinstate fox hunting. Political observers say the moves are intended to woo younger voters and the prime minister is expected to give a speech on the environment later this week. However, on the major policy issue of the illegal levels of air pollution in most urban areas that cause many thousands of premature deaths, the government's action has been condemned as "woefully inadequate" by city leaders and "inexcusable" by doctors.26. Which of the following statements is TRUE about the bans on plastic microbeads? ______

单选题 No wonder they are called "patients"

单选题.17.

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单选题. It is perhaps unsurprising that Indonesia produces more marine plastic pollution than any other country since the world's biggest archipelago is also its fourth most populous. Limited income and cash flow means that poorer communities rely on cheap single-use plastics like bags, water cups and shampoo sachets. Waste management systems are rudimentary and each year millions of tons of trash ends up in waterways and eventually the ocean. Last year Indonesia pledged USMYM1 billion to cut its marine waste by 70% by 2025. The country will have to tackle the issue on multiple fronts if this ambitious target is to be met. Besides changing consumer habits and improving waste management infrastructure, industry needs to move away from single-use plastics and quickly introduce and scale up biodegradable alternatives. This is where seaweed comes in. Indonesia's seaweed production is increasing by an estimated 30% a year. Indonesia is also the world's biggest producer of red seaweed, a variety that's ideal for creating bio-plastics and packaging. Currently, most bio-plastics derive from terrestrial sources related to the food industry, including corn, sugarcane and cassava. However, according to Bakti Berlyanto Sedayu, a researcher with the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, seaweed is a far more sustainable alternative. Sedayu says that land-based bio-plastics require huge investments in land, risking the kind of catastrophic deforestation we're seeing with palm oil. They also use fertilizers and pesticides and are not always as biodegradable as they're touted to be. By contrast, seaweed is cheap to produce as it is cultivated offshore, grows quickly and doesn't require fresh water or chemicals to grow successfully. Seaweed beds are also natural carbon sinks, de-acidifying water. Conditions in Indonesia are ideal for seaweed farming—the sun shines more or less year round and there are more than 34,000 miles of coastline. And as pressure on fish stocks continues to increase, coastal populations are turning to aquaculture as an alternative. Sedayu believes it could take just five to ten years to bring the production of bio-plastics up to an industrial scale—though this would require careful management. Having signed up to the UN Clean Seas campaign, which is targeting both production and consumption of single-use plastics, the Indonesian government will now need to develop legal frameworks at national and regional levels to provide a foundation for new supply chains, effective waste management and community engagement. Pledges need now to be backed by concerted, concrete action.21. The author recommends all of the following measures for Indonesia to cut marine waste EXCEPT ______.

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单选题Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following telephone conversation. 1.

单选题 When the letter arrived, I almost threw it out

单选题. Tens of thousands of acres of farmland lie fallow on this island, cemeteries of Hawaii's past plantation era, which met its end last year when the state's last remaining sugar grower shut down an operation that had run for 146 years. Hawaiian Commercial Sugar Co.'s sprawling sugar cane fields used to provide visitors to Maui a rolling green blanket as they arrived at the airport, but they are newly stagnant, joining other growers in a long decline. Facing competition from cheap foreign labor, a shortage of farm workers and some of the nation's highest land costs, the sugar and pineapple plantations that used to be the state's lifeblood are not redeploying into active agriculture, raising questions about the industry's future here. "Pineapple is lost, sugar is lost, and we now have one sole industry, which is a very dangerous position to be in," said Maui County Councilman Alika Atay. "We have put all our eggs into one basket, and that is tourism. But not everybody who lives on this island wants to work in the hotel industry, and it's almost impossible to feed a family here working as a farmer. We are now seeing drastic displacement of young people leaving Maui because of a lack of economic opportunity." The closure of Maui's last sugar producer marked a pivotal moment in Hawaii's agricultural production. Since 1980, Hawaii's total land use for agricultural production has shrunk by about 68 percent, according to data from the University of Hawaii. Sugar had, at one point, been Hawaii's top crop. Now the corn seed industry is the state's dominant agricultural land user, followed by commercial forestry and macadamia nuts. But none of those products, not even when combined, come anywhere close to filling the economic void created by the loss of sugar and pineapple. "There are tens of thousands of acres of good agricultural land, at least, currently sitting fallow in Hawaii, where we have some of the most expensive land in the world," said Department of Agriculture Director Scott Enright. "At the same time, we've got a group of farmers who are aging out of the business. The next generation is coming in and finding if you're going to try and start up a farm when you're a 20-something with no track record, the banks aren't going to lend to you. That's a problem for us." The sugar industry, which helped usher Hawaii into statehood, steered the state's politics and economy for more than a century. It helped build company towns inhabited by multiethnic field laborers from Asia and Europe. With statehood came U.S. labor laws, inspiring Hawaii's biggest sugar and pineapple producers to embrace cheaper foreign labor. As monocrop agriculture declined, plantation companies either vanished or transitioned into land-development firms. Some swaths of farmland have been sold off and developed into commercial or residential real estate, inspiring fears that Hawaii's agrarian past could one day be lost to a more citified future. Hawaii spends as much as $ 3 billion a year to import 90 percent of its food, and residents routinely pay some of the highest prices in the nation for staples such as eggs and milk. Even the grain that feeds the cows on the islands' two dairy farms is shipped in. On an island chain that once was completely self-sufficient—before the arrival of Westerners in the late 1700s, indigenous Hawaiians thrived 2,500 miles from the nearest continent using sustainable farming and fishing methods many believe a resurgence of agriculture is possible.16. All the following factors have contributed to the decline of Hawaii's plantations EXCEPT ______.

单选题. "I've always kind of felt like eventually it was going to happen here too." That was what one student said at Santa Fe High School in Texas after the latest school shooting. An understandable sentiment, given how often such shootings are in the news, but mistaken statistically: With more than 55 million students in our schools, the odds of one of them becoming the victim of a mass shooting are vanishingly small. Still, mass school shootings are common enough that the responses have become routinized, even ritualized: paramilitary police, armored vehicles, news conferences, thoughts and prayers—and more precautions. Preparation is already the norm. Two-thirds of American school districts conduct "active shooter" drills. Most of America's students know exactly what to do: Move to designated safe spaces, lock doors, turn off lights, silence phones, hide in closets, make the space appear empty. Then, when instructed, evacuate single-file, hands over head. Santa Fe High School had such drills, as well as armed officers and security cameras. Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla: had drills too. "I don't think we could have been more prepared." one Stoneman Douglas teacher said. Nevertheless, 17 students and teachers died in Parkland, and 10 more died in Texas last week. All that preparation wasn't enough. So, predictably, there are calls for more precautions—for controlled entry, locked doors, bag searches—just as there were calls for more after Parkland, when Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dokota prescribed "multiple lines of defense" at every school in the country. Every precaution, that is, except for one: limiting access to guns. It's the single line of defense that we as a nation are unwilling to contemplate, even though guns create the need for all those defenses. When I was a child in Los Angeles, we held earthquake drills. But the adults organizing those drills weren't operating a machine to generate earthquakes. The fact that guns are widely available is not some biblical plague. It's a policy choice we make. But rather than confront that choice, we circle its symptoms, and many of our responses are as unnecessary as they are useless. Terrible as this latest mass shooting is, most American students will never be touched directly by one. Few of the hundreds of thousands of students who joined the March for Our Lives will ever confront an actual shooter. Instead of treating our schools as "hardened targets," we might consider keeping them open and unguarded. We could let our kids spend their time studying math, writing and geography rather than practicing how to hide in a closet. They might be safer this way, because the alternative presents a more insidious danger: Being slowly, subtly nudged into a state of continuous fear. We are becoming a nation not of free people, but of first responders, sacrificing open space and minds for ever-multiplying lines of defense. And we are teaching our children to be the same. We are conditioning them to run from danger instead of seeking its source. We are teaching them that violence is normal, that the implements of violence are a given instead of a choice. In our idolatry of the 2nd Amendment we proclaim that guns protect our freedom, but we are purchasing that freedom by chaining ourselves to an altar of fear. And so we all become victims. We are also participants. Every time you enter a secured building, every time your company or your school organizes a shooter drill, you are being trained. Trained to walk through metal detectors instead of asking why metal detectors are needed; to supply students with transparent backpacks or ban trench coats instead of creating an environment in which a backpack isn't a threat and a trench coat is just an eccentric fashion choice; to praise heroic teachers for saving their students. But as a participant, you can also choose to ask your human resources department, your legislator, yourself: Why are these measures necessary? Why is there one thing we have never tried? We are the ones making the earthquake. Our children should not be slaughtered in their schools, but neither should they have to train not to get slaughtered. They should not have to learn to lock doors when their friends are screaming in the hallway, to obey the rituals so that the shooter might pass by, like the angel of death. There's an idea: Perhaps we should mark the doorposts with blood. Would that keep us safe? In Parkland and in Santa Fe, despite their preparations, they ended up doing that too. And soon, in a school that almost surely won't be your child's, they'll be marking the doors again.6. Which of the following is the routinized response to mass school shootings? ______

单选题. Life's annoyances can affect your wellbeing if they go unaddressed. Studies have found that people who rate high on tests for anger are at an increased risk for high blood pressure and heart disease. To process anger in a healthy way, Todd Kashdan, a psychology professor at George Mason University in Virginia, recommends that you attempt to understand why you feel upset. Without pinpointing why you're angry, he says, "you can't get a foot-hold to figure out what your body is mobilising to do." When harnessed properly, anger can be a motivator. Frustration can drive us to choose a novel path while problem solving, or to become focused and committed taking up a new political cause, for example. Frustration may also be useful in negotiations. Anger can signal that you are done conceding, says Russell Cropanzano, a professor of management and entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado's Leeds School of Business. But watch how you express it—raising your voice during a debate may be helpful, but the same tactic could potentially undermine collaborative work. On that note, vexation has limits. Kashdan recommends thinking of anger as a vehicle speedometer, where 10 km/h is irritation and 100km/h is blind rage. Speed limits are a measure of effectiveness—momentary annoyance during a negotiation might be useful, but rage seldom is. If you use anger as a tool too often, people will learn to avoid you. While others may offer small amounts of time and effort to keep your temper from erupting, you'll miss out on their best contributions. Make anger the last step. If you get into a disagreement with someone, pause for a moment and try to understand that person's point of view, then look for a mutually beneficial solution. "Once you become angry," Cropanzano points out, "your thinking gets too narrow." To bring anger down a notch or two, the American Psychological Association recommends practising deep breathing. Focus on inhaling and exhaling, and picture your breath travelling to your diaphragm. Create a playlist of your favourite music to help you relax in difficult situations. Kashdan says different genres work for different people. He suggests listening when you feel agitated in order to curb anger. Keep disagreements from turning into fights by improving your communication skills. Avoid cutting others off or using accusatory adverbs such as 'always' and 'never'. Unhealthy anger can be a symptom of mental health disorders such as depression, says Dr Darin Dougherty of the Harvard Medical School. Speak to your doctor if this feels familiar; medication and cognitive behavioural therapy may help.6. According to the passage, people fail to keep their temper from erupting tend to ______.

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单选题. Questions 16 to 20 are based on the following talk.16.

单选题. Coventry has been named the UK's city of culture for 2021, a one-off opportunity to boost the economy, tourism, civic pride and access to the arts but also, its backers hope, a chance to be in the limelight and have some fun. It follows Derry and Hull as the third UK city of culture, a programme modelled on the European capital of culture concept, which had such a dramatic effect on the fortunes of Glasgow in 1990 and Liverpool in 2008. The winner was announced live on television by the arts minister John Glen at BBC's The One Show. Coventry beat Swansea, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland and the town of Paisley. David Burbidge, the chair of the bid team, said: "It's huge and just an incredible result. Most importantly, we are bringing this to the people of Coventry and they deserve this, so we are thrilled that we have been selected." He said one early survey showed 80% of Coventry residents supported the bid. About 150 businesses have also given the bid financial support, which may have set Coventry apart from other bidders. "Coventry has taken a lot of knocks over the years and this is the time for us to spring back and to show the world what we are made of. We have the advantage of being a very young city, seven years below the national average, which means more time to enjoy the success. We will make the most of this title and make everybody proud of Coventry," Burbidge said. Glen said the title was "an incredible opportunity for Coventry to boost investment in the local economy, grow tourism and put arts and culture centre stage". Each of the bidders had made spirited pitches reflecting on their cultural pasts and future ambitions. Coventry is the birthplace of the poet Philip Larkin, the thriller writer Lee Child, the singer Hazel O'Connor and the band The Specials, whose anthem to 1980s urban decay and rising unemployment, Ghost Town, was inspired by the city. The "Our Coy" promotional film reflected on the city's rebuilding and reinvention after the Blitz, the steeliness of its people and the boast "we shape, we make, we give more than we take". While Coventry celebrated, others reflected on what might have been. Paisley, with a population of 77,000, was easily the smallest bidder and had been one of the favourites. It was the first town to be shortlisted after the contest began in 2009. Its promotional film rifled on it being the birthplace of Paisley print, the musicians Kelly Marie, Gerry Rafferty and Paolo Nutini, the actors David Tennant and Gerard Butler, and Robertson's marmalade. The Scottish culture secretary, Fiona Hyslop, said Paisley's bid had been inspiring. "Despite just missing out they can all be immensely proud of their efforts, they have done Paisley and Scotland proud." Swansea, a city summed up by its most famous son, Dylan Thomas, as an "ugly, lovely town", was also shortlisted last time around. The winner gets ￡3m from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) but government money is also expected to be forthcoming. Hull was said to have received ￡15m in government funding as well as ￡3m from Arts Council England and ￡3m from the HLF. Importantly, the city of culture status gives leverage and access to other pots of money, public and private. It has been estimated that Hull has had ￡1bn of investment since it won four years ago, with an economic boost in 2017 alone of ￡60m. Hotel occupancy has been up 14% and train journeys up 17%. But more than bald economic figures, the status has given Hull a spiritual lift and changed perceptions of the city. The blizzard of cultural highlights over the year included a visit by the Royal Ballet, the first Prom outside London since the 1930s, the Turner prize, 3,000 residents getting naked and blue for a Spencer Tunick photograph, and the world premiere of a new Richard Bean play, The Hypocrite. The lure of the prize has intensified since the EU, post-Brexit, cancelled Britain's turn for a European city of culture award in 2023. That came after much time, effort and money had gone into formal bids from Dundee, Nottingham, Leeds, Milton Keynes and Belfast-Derry. The five competing UK cities of culture were visited by a panel of judges chaired by Phil Redmond, the creator of Brookside and Grange Hill, who headed Liverpool's European capital of culture year. He said: "The process has highlighted the depth and strength of culture across the UK. That made it difficult choosing a winner, but I would like to congratulate Coventry and I am sure they will build on the legacy of Derry-Londonderry and Hull and bring about a transformational change in 2021." The UK city of culture programme was introduced by the then Labour culture secretary, Andy Burnham, and has spawned a London version with the mayor, Sadiq Khan, launching a contest to choose a London borough of culture, the first in 2019.6. According to the passage, the UK city of culture programme ______.

单选题. Modern-day business really does transcend national barriers. Thanks to sophisticated IT and communications systems, businesses can now market their products on a truly global scale. The world is indisputably becoming a smaller place, as service and manufacturing companies search the international marketplace for new suppliers and clients. Businesses must, however, be aware that once they expand the area in which they operate, they face increased competition. The standard and quality of their goods become increasingly important in keeping up with competitors. But most of all, it is the service element accompanying the goods which is crucial to a company's success in a particular market. This new philosophy has led to many companies, some of which have even offered products of a lesser quality, gaining success overseas. Although globalisation may, in some senses, have brought national economies closer together, societies around the world still have radically different expectations, processes and standards. These are not a function of economic change, but are more deeprooted and difficult to alter. They can be a major problem for businesses expanding abroad, which the greatest obstacle of all being the language barrier. If you have to deal with clients, suppliers and distributors in a range of countries, you will not only need the skills to communicate with them, you will also need to reconcile any national biases you have with the diverse ways of doing business that exist around the globe. The value of effective communication is not to be underestimated. New technology such as videoconferencing and email has played a part in making the communication process easier and it may also be possible that the introduction of language interpretation software will help with some global communications problems. But, of course, it is the human element of the communication process that is so vital in business, especially in negotiations, presentations and team-building. It is essential for managers to meet regularly with staff, customers and partners, so that issues can be discussed, messages communicated and feedback obtained. The value of well-organised language training is immense, and can bring benefits to all levels and departments within a multinational organisation. Unfortunately, however, many organisations have a very narrow view when it comes to training of any kind. Often, an urgent requirement has to be identified before training is authorised. Then, a training company is employed or a programme is developed in-house, the team is trained, and that is seen as the end of the matter. However, the fact remains that training programmes are effective only if they are relevant to a company's broader, long-term needs. They should be regarded as an investment rather than a cost. Changes in expectations and attitudes are certain to continue for companies that trade globally. Although such companies are not yet faced with their international partners and clients demanding that business be conducted in their mother tongue, they realise that overseas competition is increasing fast. If these companies want to continue to achieve success on the international trading circuit, they must be prepared to adapt to situations and speak the local language. If not, someone else will.21. According to the first paragraph, improved communications have enabled companies to ______.

单选题 When you set up your own business

单选题1.

单选题 Parents always want to understand why kids steal