Imagine a mass of floating waste is two times the size of the state of Texas. Texas has a land area of more than 678 000 square kilometers. So it might be difficult to imagine anything twice as big. All together, this mass of waste flowing in the North Pacific Ocean is known as the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch. It weighs about 3 500 000 tons. The waste includes bags,bottles and containers--plastic products of all kinds.www.zxxk.com The eastern part of the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch is about l 600 kilometers west of California. The western part is west of the Hawaiian Islands and east of Japan. The area has been described as a kind of oceanic desert,with light winds and slow moving water currents. The water moves so slowly that garbage from all over the world collects there. In recent years,there have been growing concerns about the floating garbage and its effect on sea creatures and human health. Scientists say thousands of animals get trapped in the floating waste,resulting in death or injury. Even more die from a lack of food or water after swallowing pieces of plastic. The trash can also make animals feel full,lessening their desire to eat or drink. The floating garbage also can have harmful effects on people. There is an increased threat of infection of disease from polluted waste,and from eating fish that swallowed waste. Divers can also get trapped in the plastic.www.zxxk.com Its existence first gained public attention in l997. That was when racing boat captain and oceanographer Charles Moore and his crew sailed into the garbage while returning from a racing event. Five years earlier,another oceanographer learned of the trash after a shipment of rubber duckies got lost at sea. Many of those toys are now part of the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch. In August,2009,a team from the University of California,San Diego became the latest group to travel to it. They were shocked by the amount of waste they saw. They gathered hundreds of sea creatures and water samples to measure the garbage... What do we know about the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch? A) It is made up of various kinds of plastic products. B) It is a solid mass of floating waste materials. C) It lies l60 000 kilometers east of California. D) It is described as a kind of oceanic land.
A
Recommended Delft Hotels Bridges House Hotel Bridges House Hotel is a hotel in the centre of Delft and has shops and museums next door. There are many restaurants in the area where you can eat a lovely dinner in the evening. The market square is within easy walking distance. The comfortable rooms are all uniquely decorated and have a splendid bathroom.Air conditioning and free WiFi are available. There are extra long beds for your convenience. Breakfast is served in the hotel lounge. In the evenings, guests can have a drink here as well. Hotel Juliana Just a 5minute walk from the centre of Delft, this friendly family hotel is close to everything and offers comfortable rooms at an affordable price. The main priority is to provide you with quality service through personal attention and by creating a pleasant atmosphere. This hotel is also conveniently located near the Technical University of Delft. Other cultural spots and a series of bars and restaurants are just a stroll away. Shanghai Hotel This unique hotel features Chinesestyle decoration and an elegant bar. Shanghai Hotel is located next to the A13 highway, only a 10minute drive from Delft city centre. It offers free onsite parking. Each of the rooms at Shanghai Hotel includes flatscreen cable TV, a desk and tea/coffee making facilities plus a refrigerator.The comfortable modern bathrooms have a shower, a hairdryer and free makeup. Hotel de Koophandel Located on the central Beesten Market, Hotel de Koophandel is surrounded by cafes and restaurants in the heart of Delft. In the breakfast room, you can enjoy various breads, toasts,cereals, eggs and fruits in the morning. The comfortable and uniquely decorated rooms are equipped with a private bathroom and free WiFi. Coffee and tea facilities are available. Because of the perfect location, you can easily walk around the city centre and visit the main places of interest. For more detailed information, please click here www.booking.com/hotel/nl. Where can you probably see the passage? A) In a magazine. B) In a newspaper. C) On the Internet. D) In a TV program.
C
Q: Solar water heaters can use energy from the sun to heat water. They are used around the world. The solar water heater is based on a design developed some years ago in Afghanistan. Since then, it has been built and used in many countries. It can heat seventy liters of water to 60degC. It can do this between sunrise and noon on a clear day with an average temperature of 32degC. There are two parts of the solar water heater. One part, the collector, is made of a metal plate painted black. This metal surface, placed in contact with the water, will heat the water. Black-painted surfaces that receive the sun's heat become hotter than those of any other color1. Metal plates that have raised parts on the surface work better than those without them. Once the water is heated, it is kept hot with special material, which allows the water to stay warm for a long time. The second part of the solar water heater holds the water for the system. This water tank can hold about one hundred liters of water. Two rubber pipes are connected to the water tank. One pipe lets water go into the system. The other lets water go out. When the water heater is working correctly, water will flow from the tank to the collector and back again. You can use the hot water at the top of the tank for washing and cleaning. This solar water heater is easy to build and operate. It will last about two years before the rubber pipes need to be replaced. We can learn that solar water heaters _ . A) have three basic parts in their system B) are hardly able to heat water above 60degC C) are used widely by people all over the world D) can heat water even on cold and rainy days
A: C
(Q).
For thousands of years, people have seen things they didn't understand in the sky. The United States Air Force first used the words "Unidentified Flying Object" to describe them. Today everyone uses the term UFO. When people see a UFO, it is usually no more than a weather balloon or an airplane. But the Center for UFO Studies goes on to receive hundreds of reports each year. In 1947 a businessman and pilot, Kenneth Arnold, was flying near Mount Rainier, Washington when he saw nine shiny, round objects flying through the air. He told a newspaper reporter they looked like "pie plates skipping over water." The reporter used the words "flying saucer " in his story and today that is the popular name for UFOs. The Center for UFO Studies lists three kinds of contacts with flying saucers. "Encounters of the first kind" are reports of unknown objects or lights in the sky. People have "Encounters of the second kind" when a UFO leaves burn marks or other signs on the ground. People report "Close encounters of the third kind" when they see aliens in or near a UFO. Why did the newspaper reporter use the words "flying saucer" to describe the UFO that Kenneth Arnold said he saw? A) Because the UFO that Kenneth Arnold saw was flat. B) Because Kenneth Arnold told the newspaper that what he had seen in the sky was round. C) Because Kenneth Arnold described what he has seen looked like a plate flying in the sky. D) Because what Kenneth Arnold saw was pie plates flying in the air.
(A).
C