A
(2020·洛阳市第二次统一考试)Plastic is the workhorse material of the modern economy.Light and durable,it's been used to make a vast number of products since its introduction over 100 years ago.
However,a study carried out by the World Economic Forum,the Ellen MacArthur Foundation(基金会) and McKinsey & Company showed the breakdown of the status in the global plastic system.A full 32% of the 78 million tons of plastic packaging produced annually is left to flow into our oceans.
The Ocean Cleanup,a startup founded in 2013,is the brainchild of Boyan Slat,who came up with the idea for the company when he was just 17 years old.Since then,it's received more than $2 million in funding(基金).The company plans to use a large device that will be fixed to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.This will have arms that spread out over 100 km,getting all of the plastic garbage pushed into its nets.This is then collected by a 10,000metrecube container that will be emptied monthly.
Most recently,the Ocean Cleanup launched a team of explorers aboard a specially refitted C130 Hercules aircraft heavily loaded with specialized sensor equipment.It discovered that the problem was worse than expected with an abundance of plastics measuring up to 1.5m across and at a higher density than previously thought.The organization will continue to pilot the device and will start removing the pile before the end of the decade.
Once the plastic is out,what should we do with it? The foundation hopes that the plastic from the ocean will have a commercial value which can help to fund the project.Ocean plastic is not easy to use,for it's mixed with everything from intact PET bottles to microplastics.However,some of the world's biggest companies also see the chance to market products made of ocean plastic.
Transforming today's plastic economy from its present form (takemakewaste) to a zero waste circular economy (takemaketakemake) is a difficult challenge.However,with cooperative action from producers,recyclers,governments and consumers alike and continuing innovation,it can be done.
【语篇解读】 本文主要介绍了The Ocean Cleanup想出了一个收集海洋塑料垃圾的方法,但关于收集的塑料应该如何处理,该基金会希望海洋塑料能有商业价值以资助该项目,而世界上一些大公司也看到商机,能从商业上利用海洋塑料垃圾。
1.What's Boyan Slat's idea about?
A.A way to collect ocean plastic waste.
B.A new product made of ocean plastic.
C.A machine to recycle plastic garbage.
D.An organization to research into plastic.
A [细节理解题。根据第三段对The Ocean Cleanup的介绍可知,Boyan Slat的想法是把海洋中的塑料垃圾收集起来,故选A。]
2.Which of the following can replace the underlined word “density” in Paragraph 4?
A.Flexibility. B.Thickness.
C.Width. D.Strength.
B [词义猜测题。根据画线词所在句中的“with an abundance of plastics measuring up to 1.5m across and at a higher density than previously thought”可推知,density与该句中的“1.5m across”呼应,应是一个与度量相关的名词,而C项“宽度”上文已提及,故B项与画线词词义相近。]
3.What do some biggest companies expect of the ocean plastic?
A.It'll be turned into treasure.
B.It'll sponsor the foundation.
C.It'll be recycled by the government.
D.It'll take the form of takemakewaste.
A [细节理解题。根据第五段中的“some of the world's biggest companies also see the chance to market products made of ocean plastic”可知,一些大公司想要推销由海洋塑料制成的产品,即变废为宝,故选A。]
4.Where is this text most likely from?
A.A diary. B.A guidebook.
C.A novel. D.A magazine.
D [文章出处题。通读全文内容可知,本文主要介绍了The Ocean Cleanup能收集海洋塑料垃圾,而世界上一些大公司能在商业上利用塑料垃圾,由此可推知,本文最可能摘自杂志,故选D。]