Question

【题目】 These days, the environment is a huge topic. It seems like we’re always being reminded to recycle, or to ride a bike instead of taking a taxi.

However, it isn’t just rubbish and traffic that can cause harm to the environment.

According to a recent study by the University of California, published by the journal Science Advances, fertilizer (化肥) in farm soils is a major contribution to smog in nearby cities. According to the research, agricultural soils make up of 25 to 41 percent of nitrogen oxide emissions (氮氧化物排放) in California. Nitrogen oxide, or NOx, is a major cause in smog formation.

“Emissions of NOx from agricultural areas are much higher than we used to believe and could be a major source（来源） of NOx statewide,” the researchers wrote in the study.

Just like fertilized farmland, there are many other things that we wouldn’t expect to have a huge influence on the environment. Take clothes for example. Data (数据) published by the World Wildlife Foundation says that every kilogram of cotton takes around 10,000 liters of water to produce.

This means that it takes around 6,000-8,000 liters of water just to create a single pair of jeans, not to mention the carbon produced when they’re made in the factory and then transported to a store.

And even what we choose to eat could be bad for the planet.

In a 2014 study carried out by a professor in New York, US, it was found that beef farming could be causing more harm to the environment than all of the planet’s cars.

So does this mean that we should all stop buying jeans and eating beef? That would certainly help, although it’s not a practical goal.

Instead, a few simple changes could be made. For example, there’s no need to buy new jeans every year when a good pair can last much longer than that.

And when it comes to food, taking the place of the beef in our dishes with chicken or pork every now and then will still mean they taste as delicious.

Indeed, small actions could make a huge difference to our planet.

Unexpected things that 【1】 the environment

What they are	Fertilizer: It plays a 【2】 role in causing the smog in our nearby cities.
	Clothes: Besides a great 【3】of water is taken to create a single pair of jeans, the carbon can’t be 【4】when they are made in the factory and transported to a store.
	Beef: Beef farming is surprisingly causing more harm to our environment than all of the planet’s cars
What we can do	It is 【5】 to stop buying jeans and eating beef, but small action could make a huge difference.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】harm

【2】major

【3】deal

【4】avoided

【5】impossible

【解析】

这篇文章主要讲述不仅是垃圾和交通会对我们的地球环境带来危害，我们在农田里施肥，我们穿的牛仔裤的加工包括吃的食物都会对地球有影响，告诉人们从小的行动开始保护我们的地球。

【1】句意：危害环境的意外事件

根据原文“However,itisn'tjustrubbishandtrafficthatcancauseharmtotheenvironment. 然而，不仅是垃圾和交通可能会对环境造成伤害。”可知，陈述一般事实用一般现在时；先行词things是复数，故空格处应是动词原形。harm伤害，动词。故填harm。

【2】句意：它在造成我们附近城市的烟雾方面扮演着重要角色。

role角色，名词，故空格处应是形容词，作定语。根据原文“fertilizer（化肥）infarmsoilsisamajorcontributiontosmoginnearbycities农田土壤中的化肥是附近城市烟雾的主要贡献。”可知，化肥在污染城市方面扮演着重要角色。major重要的，主要的，形容词。故填major。

【3】句意：除了大量的水被用来制作一条牛仔裤外，在工厂生产并运到商店时，碳也无法避免。

根据原文“Thismeansthatittakesaround6,0008,000litersofwaterjusttocreateasinglepairofjeans这意味着它需要大约6000到8000升的水来创造一条牛仔裤。”可知，制作一条牛仔裤用大量的水。a greatdeal of大量的，修饰不可数名词；a great deal of water大量的水。故填deal。

【4】句意：除了大量的水被用来制作一条牛仔裤外，在工厂生产并运到商店时，碳也无法避免。

根据“This means that it takes around 6,000-8,000 liters of water just to create a single pair of jeans, not to mention the carbon produced when they’re made in the factory and then transported to a store. 这意味着它需要大约6000到8000升的水来制造一条牛仔裤，更不用说在工厂生产并运到商店时产生的碳。”可知，除了用水，还会产生碳，故碳是不可被避免的。所以此处是含有情态动词的被动语态（can’t +be+过去分词）；avoid避免，过去分词avoided。故填avoided。

【5】句意：不可能停止买牛仔裤和吃牛肉，但小小的行动可能会产生巨大的影响。

It is +adj. + to do sth.表示“做某事是……的”。根据原文“Sodoesthismeanthatweshouldallstopbuyingjeansandeatingbeef？Thatwouldcertainlyhelp, althoughit'snotapracticalgoal.这是否意味着我们都应该停止购买牛仔裤和吃牛肉？这当然会有帮助，尽管这不是一个实际的目标。”可知，不买牛仔裤不吃牛肉是不可能的。故填impossible。