Plastic waste is an increasingly important problem. Up to now, only 9% of the plastics ever produced have been recycled. The rest remain on earth for hundreds of years. They wash out to the ocean to become rubbish, harm wildlife and break down into small plastics that can enter the human brain and other parts of our bodies.
Recently, scientists have developed a new method to break down plastic waste with the help of water in the air. The researchers mixed a special metal and activated carbon (活性碳) with PET, the most common type of polyester (聚酯) plastic. Then they heated the mixture. After a short time, this broke the chemical connections in the polyester. Next, when the team left the material in the air, the mixture turned into TPA, a polyester material, and acetaldehyde, an industrial chemical. Finally, these valuable chemical materials were recycled.
After the first success, researchers tested the method on different plastics and found it worked on polyester plastic only. That meant they didn’t need to separate different kinds of plastics. Also, when they added water, it stopped working because the amount (数量) of water in the air was just right.
The team’s next plan will be to use the method widely in industry.
“It’s hopeful that our technology can hugely reduce plastic pollution, lower the environmental footprint of plastics and help materials be reused instead of being thrown away,” researchers said. “It’s a leap towards a cleaner, greener future, and it shows how creative chemistry can solve world challenges in a way that joins hands with nature.”
1.1.What harm of plastics is mentioned in Paragraph 1?
A Polluting the sea.
B Warming the air.
C Reducing wetland.
D Causing wildfire.
解析:选A。A题型:细节理解题(考查对段落中具体信息的提取) 解析:题目问第一段提到的塑料危害是什么。首先定位第一段,文中明确说 “They wash out to the ocean to become rubbish, harm wildlife and break down into small plastics that can enter the human brain and other parts of our bodies”(它们被冲入海洋成为垃圾,危害野生动物,还会分解成微小塑料颗粒进入人类大脑及身体其他部位)。选项中 A “污染海洋” 符合原文描述;B “使空气变暖”、C “减少湿地”、D “引发野火” 均未在第一段提及,故答案为 A。
2.2.How did the team do the research? ①Heat the mixture. ②Leave the mixture in the air. ③Recycle the chemical materials. ④Mix a special metal, activated carbon with PET.
A ④-②-①-③
B ④-②-③-①
C ④-①-②-③
D ④-①-③-②
解析:选C。C题型:细节理解题(考查对实验步骤顺序的梳理) 解析:题目要求排出研究团队的实验步骤。定位第二段实验过程描述:1. “The researchers mixed a special metal and activated carbon with PET”(混合特殊金属、活性炭与 PET,对应④);2. “Then they heated the mixture”(加热混合物,对应①);3. “Next, when the team left the material in the air”(将物质置于空气中,对应②);4. “Finally, these valuable chemical materials were recycled”(回收化学原料,对应③)。步骤顺序为④-①-②-③,故答案为 C。
3.3.What do we know about the method according to the passage?
A It works widely in industry.
B It works after adding water.
C It works on different plastics.
D It works without plastic separation.
解析:选D。D题型:细节理解题(考查对新方法特点的判断) 解析:题目问根据文章,关于该方法我们能知道什么。逐一分析选项:A “已在工业中广泛应用”,原文第四段说 “next plan will be to use the method widely in industry”(下一步计划工业推广),并非已应用,排除;B “加水后生效”,第三段明确说 “when they added water, it stopped working”(加水后失效),排除;C “对不同塑料都有效”,第三段提到 “found it worked on polyester plastic only”(仅对聚酯塑料有效),排除;D “无需分拣塑料”,第三段说 “That meant they didn’t need to separate different kinds of plastics”(无需分拣不同塑料),符合原文,故答案为 D。
4.4.How do researchers like their technology?
A It will improve people’s creativity.
B It will help with a green environment.
C It will prevent people from using plastics.
D It will stop the present pollution problems.
解析:选B。B题型:观点态度题(考查研究人员对技术的看法) 解析:题目问研究人员如何看待他们的技术。定位最后一段研究人员的表述:“hugely reduce plastic pollution... help materials be reused... a leap towards a cleaner, greener future”(大幅减少塑料污染、助力材料回收、迈向更清洁环保的未来)。选项 A “提升人们的创造力”,原文说 “shows how creative chemistry”(彰显创新化学),并非提升人们创造力,排除;B “助力绿色环境”,与 “cleaner, greener future” 一致,符合;C “阻止人们使用塑料”,原文未提及 “阻止使用”,仅说 “reused instead of being thrown away”(回收再利用),排除;D “解决当前所有污染问题”,原文说 “reduce plastic pollution”(减少塑料污染),并非 “解决所有污染问题”,表述绝对,排除,故答案为 B。
5.5.Which can be the best title for the passage?
A Turn to plastics for more metals.
B Put plastics into wider farming use.
C Recycle plastics for a cleaner future.
D Improve plastic production in a better way.
解析:选C。C题型:主旨大意题(考查对文章核心内容的概括) 解析:题目问文章最佳标题是什么。文章核心是 “科学家研发新方法降解塑料,回收有价值原料,助力减少污染、实现清洁未来”。选项 A “从塑料中获取更多金属”,原文是 “混合特殊金属” 降解塑料,并非从塑料中获取金属,排除;B “将塑料广泛用于农业”,文中未提及农业用途,排除;C“回收塑料,共创清洁未来”,既包含 “回收塑料”(新方法的目的),也包含 “清洁未来”(技术的意义),符合主旨;D “更好地改进塑料生产”,文章讲的是 “降解塑料垃圾”,而非 “改进生产”,排除,故答案为 C。