With fifteen years Britain and other nations should be well on with the building of big industrial plants for the recycling of waste. The word rubbish could lose its meaning because everything which goes into the dustbin would be made into something useful. Even the most dangerous and unpleasant wastes would provide energy of nothing else.

The latest project is to take a city of around half a million citizens and discover exactly what raw (未经加工的) materials go into it and what go out. The aim is to find out how much of these raw materials could be provided if a plant for recycling waste were built just outside the city. This plant would recycle not only metal such as steel, lead and copper, but also paper and rubber as well.

Another new project is being set up to discover the best ways of sorting and separating the rubbish. When this project is complete, the rubbish will be treated like this: First, it will pass through sharp metal bars which will tear open the plastic bags in which rubbish is usually packed; then it will pass through a powerful fan to separate the lightest elements (元素) from the heavy solids; after that rollers will break up everything that can be broken. Finally, the rubbish will pass under magnets (磁铁), which will remove the bits of iron and steel; the rubber and plastic will then be sorted out in the final step.

The first full-scale (全方位的) big recycling plants are perhaps fifteen years away. Indeed, with the growing cost of transporting rubbish to more distant dustbins, some big cities will be forced to build their own recycling plants before long.

The underlined phrase “be well on with…” most probably means   __    .

  A. have completed what was started  B. get ready to start

  C. have achieved a great deal in    D. put an end to

What is NOT mentioned as a part of the recycling process (过程) described in

  Paragraph 3?

   A. Breaking up whatever is breakable.

   B. Sharpening metal bars.

   C. Separating light elements from the heavy ones.

   D. Sorting out small pieces of metal.

What’s the main reason for big cities to build their own recycling plants?

  A. To deal with wastes more economically.

  B. To protect the environment from pollution.

  C. To get raw materials locally.

  D. To get advantage from those plants.

The passage is mainly about         .

  A. a cheap way to get energy    B. the position of recycling plants

  C. new ways of recycling wastes D. the probability of city environment

Bedazzling (眼花缭乱) with their bright colors and eye-catching displays, fireworks light up our night skies during the holidays. However, these crowd-pleasers can have some damaging side effects.

Once a firework is set off, it only takes a couple of seconds before smoke, dust and harmful chemicals are let out into the atmosphere. The loud booming noises are caused by gunpowder. While the sounds may excite some people, they can be frightening to domestic and wild animals — as well as some humans.

The pretty colors you see are a result of more chemicals. Barium, added to make green, is known for its poisonous and radioactive qualities. Blue comes from copper compounds. Cadmium, lithium and lead — all found in fireworks — have been linked to diseases, such as allergies and skin rashes in both humans and animals. Acid rain has been linked to gases given off by fireworks, which sometimes go beyond the toxin(毒素) limits of the United States Clean Air Act.

Once all those chemicals come back down to the ground, they can cause problems too. Debris (碎片) from the fireworks falls to the ground, where animals can burn their paws or noses on piping hot pieces. Humans also are at risk of stepping on or picking up something sharp or hot. Meanwhile, debris that finds its way into waterways can damage animal habitats and water supply sources.                              

Instead of setting off fireworks, try to come up with some new ways for fun. Here are some ideas to get you started:

? Sky lanterns — a tradition that originated long ago in the most-populated Asian country.

?  Party crackers — a favorite in the United Kingdom — give you noise and surprises without the mess of fireworks. You can make your own or buy eco-friendly crackers.

? Want noise excitement with less volume? Consider a fireworks sound recording beforehand or break out the party horns (号角) and blow up a storm! 

46. The advantages of fireworks can be seen below EXCEPT that _____.

A. the special sounds of fireworks excite people

B. debris from fireworks can even find its way into water

C. the pretty and bright colors add to the beauty of night skies

D. fireworks are enjoyed as one of the crowd-pleasers

47. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Copper compounds are needed to make green in fireworks.

B. Chemicals in fireworks are both poisonous and dangerous.

C. Too much gases from fireworks can result in acid rain.

D. Chemicals in fireworks are harmful in the air and on the ground.

48. All the underlined words are probably _____________.

A. mineral materials                             B. tiny solids

C. chemical elements                                   D. broken pieces

49. What is implied from the passage?

A. Gunpowder in fireworks makes loud booming noises.

B. It must be Indians who first started to hang sky lanterns.

C. Fireworks does less harm in the air than on the ground.

D. Fireworks can even break the balance of nature.

50. What can be concluded as the writer’s attitude towards fireworks?

A. It is not allowed to set off fireworks except during the holidays.

B. Fireworks should be banned and replaced by some other means.

C. Night is the best time to set off fireworks and see the pretty colors.

D. You cannot set off fireworks unless you come up with new ways.

      

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