Part II Cloze 10%
         Toyota unveiled a modern four-door car cruising down a test track in an 11-second YouTube video. The most important upgrade was the tagline __11__ onthe car’s right side: “Powered By All-Solid-State Battery.” It is considered that animportant milestone has been achieved.
         With battery price falling and range rising, electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining afoothold in the automotive industry. However, every rose has its thorns； it is the leapforward in battery technology that __12__feathers in conservation world. The boneof __13__ is the sourcing of materials needed to make the batteries used in EVs fromthe seabed. First and foremost, lasting between 11 and 13 years, the batteries willeventually be put out to __14__, creating millions of tons of battery waste. Trashingthem also requires companies to __15__ the mining of necessary materials, andthese mining projects typically raise environmental and human rights issues. WhenEVs faces the steepest increase in demand, it is expected that the cobalt market willfall into __16__ in 2027, with supplies from mine and recycling only meeting half ofdemand. The manufacturers have therefore turned to the seabed as the next frontierfor mining these materials, a decision that made conservationists __17__ with rage.They __18__ against the plan, arguing that mining in the seabed would bring aboutunquantifiable consequences on deep-sea ecosystems and biodiversity.
         Currently, a two-pronged strategy is in progress. For one, consumers areincentivized to turn in their batteries to manufacturers through __19__or cashincentives, while manufacturers are improving the recycling methods whenrecovering materials that go into batteries in a bid to cut down on the need for newmining projects. For another, scientists and engineers are in __20__, optimizingbatteries in terms of capability, durability, and sustainability. So, even if an EV doesn’tfit your needs for now, watch this space. `
【題組】11.
(A) trounced
(B) emblazoned
(C) epitomized
(D) derided