To be clear, plastic bags are rightly thought of as a threat that’s harmful to human health. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, a decade ago, the average American family took home almost 1,500 plastic shopping bags a year, filling our cabinets, kitchen drawers, and landfills (垃圾填埋场). Today the numbers are slightly better: According to National Geographic, as of 2018, shoppers in the United States used almost one plastic bag per resident per day.
This is not a story about the evil of plastics, but about whether the reusable bag can justify its existence. Although more environmentally friendly than traditional single-use plastic bags, reusable bags, depending on what they are made of, are more energy-intensive (耗能的) to recycle.
According to a report by the United Nations Environment Programme, depending on what they are made of, reusable bags might have to be deconstructed in a costly recycling process to separate the different materials. As a result, in many cases, reusable bags are not recycled. That means despite the best intentions, millions of reusable bags designed to replace the need for traditional plastic shopping bags, will also end up in landfills.
Another point to consider, not all reusable bags are equal in terms of their recyclability. There are a wide range of reusable bag options on the market, and reusable bags tend to be made of more than one material to give the bag added reinforcement and added street fashion. On a life cycle basis, stronger, heavier bags—no matter what material they are made of—will have a more severe environmental effect. That’s because heavier bags use more resources to produce as well as distribute.
Just like plastic bags did, reusable bags multiply rapidly. Used for promotional (促销的) purposes and marketing of all kinds, reusable bags’ growing popularity means bags that have been used very little (or not at all) can be found piled in streets, in garbage cans, in city parks, and basically everywhere. Therefore, consumers have come to see them as disposable, defeating their very purpose.
In the end, the best practice of dealing with reusable bags is to have no half measures: Either use them all the time or don’t use them at all. Using a reusable bag once or twice and then throwing it away doesn’t do the environment any favors.
1. What can we learn from the passage?| A．Plastic bags are refused by environmentalists. |
| B．Shops in America have limited the use of plastic bags. |
| C．The need of strong and fashionable reusable bags is more than the supply. |
| D．Reusable bags demand more resources to produce and recycle than expected. |
| A．being left in landfills |
| B．being used as much as possible |
| C．replacing plastic bags |
| D．promoting goods on the market |
| A．How to Recycle Reusable Bags |
| B．Disadvantages of Plastic Bags |
| C．Reusable Bags? Think Twice! |
| D．Plastic Bags, Less Popular? |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】My husband and I always wanted to go to the Caribbean but didn’t know much about the islands or how we were going to afford it. By chance, a friend of ours in Australia mentioned “pet sitting” and that it is something you can do all over the world.
We quickly created an account on a pet sitting website and began searching for options. There were only a couple of sits available in that part of the world, but we tried our luck, sent a request, and to our surprise, landed a three-month job in Grenada, so our year was going to be taken up with Caribbean pet sits.
Inspired by a Canadian couple, we decided to start our own travel blog. We began by writing about The British Virgin Islands, highlighting the beautiful beaches. However, for every photo album of a beautiful beach, there were 10 photos of trash (垃圾). It was hard to ignore the plastic pollution issue, especially on such primitive and remote beaches. So, we began to share photos of the trash we saw and how much we could pick upon our daily dog walks.
The more we looked into plastic pollution, the more we realized the severity of the global plastic pollution. From that point, we used our platform to create awareness and highlight ways to say no to plastic and travel plastic-free. We changed our daily routines, our way of living, and even our diets to accommodate more organic foods and little to no plastic packaging.
It’s been over three years now and we continue to do what we can. This journey has led us to some amazing places, working with great brands and even organizing a country-wide beach clean-up campaign in Grenada.
Our aim now is to keep on going. We love connecting with like-minded people. It’s been amazing few years that was sparked by a conversation about pet sitting. Who would have guessed?
1. Why did the author do pet sitting?| A．To cover travel expenses. | B．To raise fund. |
| C．To conserve the environment. | D．To shoot beautiful beaches. |
| A．Pet sitting is a new sort of occupation. |
| B．The Caribbean is a perfect travel destination. |
| C．Travel blog is a superb way to gain popularity. |
| D．Actions should be taken to fight plastic pollution. |
| A．Challenging. | B．Significant. | C．Adventurous. | D．Unbearable. |
| A．Shifting Lifestyles by Pet Sitting | B．Address Global Environment Pollution |
| C．Unexpected Gains from Pet Sitting Travel | D．The availability of Pet Sitting in the Caribbean |
【推荐2】The world itself is becoming much smaller by using modern traffic and modern communication means. Life today is much easier than it was hundreds of years ago, but it has brought new problems. One of the biggest problems is pollution. To pollute means to make things dirty. Pollution comes in many ways. We see it, smell it, drink it and even hear it.
Man has been polluting the earth. The more people, the more pollution. Many years ago, the problem was not so serious because there were not so many people. When the land was used up or the river was dirty in one place, man moved to another place. But this is no longer true. Man is now slowly polluting the whole world.
Air pollution is still the most serious. It’s bad for all living things in the world, but it is not the only one kind of pollution. Water pollution kills our fish and pollutes our drinking water. Noise pollution makes us angry more easily.
Many countries are making rules to fight pollution. They stop people from burning coal in houses and factories in the city, and from putting dirty smoke into the air. Pollution by S02 is now the most dangerous kind of air pollution. It is caused by heavy traffic. We are sure that if there are fewer people driving, there will be less air pollution.
The earth is our home. We must take care of it. That means keeping the land, water and air clean. And we must care about the rise in pollution at the same time.
1. Why is our world becoming much smaller?| A．Thanks to the development of science. |
| B．Because of the rise in pollution. |
| C．Because the earth is being polluted day and night. |
| D．Because the earth is blown away by the wind every year. |
| A．Rubbish. | B．Water pollution. |
| C．Air pollution. | D．Noise pollution. |
| A．Because it’s bad for all living things in the world. |
| B．Because it makes much noise. |
| C．Because it has made our rivers and lakes dirty. |
| D．Because it makes us become angry more easily. |
| A．Many countries are making rules to fight pollution. |
| B．The problem of pollution is not so serious because there are not so many people living on the earth. |
| C．The pollution of the earth grows as fast as the world population does. |
| D．If people could go to work by bus or bike instead of car or motorbike, it would be helpful in fighting against the problem of S02. |
【推荐3】Purchasing groceries online has typically been seen as a convenient way to shop for food without having to put on pants. But according to a recent study, shopping in your underwear may also benefit the environment.
According to the study, conducted by University of Washington engineers, grocery delivery services can cut carbon emissions (排放) in half, and possibly more. The reasoning is fairly straightforward: Packed trucks can provide groceries to many people in a single trip, thus removing many cars from the road. “A lot of times people think they have to inconvenience themselves to be greener, and that actually isn't the case here,” said Anne Goodchild, an associate professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering who worked on the study. “From an environmental perspective, grocery delivery services overwhelmingly can provide emissions reductions.'
By surveying Seattle residents about their grocery purchasing habits and analyzing the data they collected, the researchers determined that delivery trucks produced 20 to 75 percent less CO2 than the cars that would otherwise have been used to get groceries.
Why the difference The reductions were maximized in denser places, or when companies plotted efficient delivery routes that allowed them to hit many homes in one go. The difference between taking efficient routes versus a more random approach accounted for up to a 90 percent reduction in CO2 emissions alone, the study found.
“Indeed, it is not he delivery service that's green so much as it is the city itself,” says TIME'S Bryan Walsh. “The population density of Brooklyn is over 3400 per 8quare mile compared with a little less than 90 people per square mile for the U.S. as a whole. It can't be said enough: The greenest thing any of us can do is live in dense cities or at the very least, support policies that enable greater population density”.
1. Why is purchasing groceries online environmentally friendly?| A．Because it saves people the trouble of putting on pants. |
| B．Because groceries are provided to many people in one go. |
| C．Because it makes people prefer living in a dense city. |
| D．Because people have to be inconvenienced to be greener. |
| A．Why companies plot different delivery routes. |
| B．Why emission reductions rate differs so greatly. |
| C．Why less cars have been used to get groceries. |
| D．Why the population density of city is so different. |
| A．Driving your own car. | B．Shopping in your outwear. |
| C．Living in urban areas. | D．Inconveniencing yourself. |
【推荐1】Everyone needs friends. We all like to feel close to someone. It is nice to have a friend to talk, laugh, and do things with. Surely, there are times when we need to be alone. We don’t always want people around. But we would feel lonely if we never had a friend.
No two people are the same. Sometimes friends don’t get along well. That doesn’t mean that they no longer like each other. Most of the time they will make up and go on being friends.
Sometimes friends move away. Then we feel very sad. We miss them very much. But we can’t call them and write to them. It could be that we will even see them again. And we can make new friends. It is surprising to find out how much we like new people when we get to know them.
Families sometimes name their children after a close friend. Many places are named after men and women who have been friendly to people in a town. Some libraries are named this way. So are some schools. We think of these people when we go to these places.
There’s more good news for people who have friends. They live longer than people who don’t. Why? It could be that they are happier. Being happy helps you stay well. Or it could be just knowing that someone cares. If someone cares about you, you take better care of yourself.
1. The first paragraph tells us ________.| A．nobody needs friends | B．we always need friends around |
| C．making friends is a need in people’s lives | D．we never need to be alone |
| A．People are not happy when their friends leave them. |
| B．People will never see their friends after their friends move away. |
| C．People can know their friends in different ways. |
| D．People like their friends very much if they get to know them. |
| A．A city. | B．A room. | C．A town. | D．A library. |
| A．They feel happier. | B．They take better care of themselves. |
| C．Their friends care about them. | D．All of the above. |
| A．that people are all friends | B．that people need friends |
| C．how to get to know friends | D．how to name a place |
【推荐2】Many of us mistakenly believe that it's wrong to think we have any good qualities. We may spend a lot of time blaming ourselves for our negative qualities, thinking that self criticism is the key to improving our performance. However, a constant focus on our supposed shortcomings can stop our efforts to make friends with other people. How can we believe that others could like us if we believe our inner being is flawed (有缺陷)?
If someone seems to dislike you, the reason for that dislike might have little or nothing to do with you. The person who doesn't like you might be fearful, or shallow, or busy or shy. Perhaps you and that person are simply a mismatch for each other at this particular time.
Don't take yourself out of the game by deciding that your flaws are bigger than your good qualities. In fact, some of the very qualities you consider to be flaws may be irresistible to someone else. For all the factors that might cause one person to reject you, there are at least as many factors that will work in your favor with someone else.
You might be thirty pounds over your ideal weight, but you may have a wonderful laugh and a real enthusiasm for life. There are many people who don't mind your extra pounds. You may drive a shabby car, but you might be a great dancer and a loyal friend. There are people out there looking for loyalty, or fun, or sweetness, or wisdom, and the package it comes in is not important. If you are worried that you are not beautiful enough to attract friends, keep in mind that not everyone is looking for physical beauty in their friends. You can decide to feel inferior (自卑) because you don't have much money and you don't drive a nice car. You can believe that this is the reason that you don't have many friends in your life. On the other hand, if you are very wealthy you may be suspicious that everyone is after your money and that nobody really likes you as a person.
The point is that you can focus on just about anything and believe it's the reason you do not have friends and cannot make any.
1. According to the author plays an important role in making friends.| A．admitting your shortcomings | B．self criticism |
| C．modesty | D．confidence |
| A．you should find the reason in yourself |
| B．you'd better talk with the person face to face |
| C．you may not be the one to be blamed |
| D．you and that person misunderstand each other |
| A．your good qualities may turn out to be your flaws |
| B．your weakness may also be your strengths in some way |
| C．your negative qualities cause a person to reject you |
| D．you’ll have few friends if your flaws are bigger than your good qualities |
| A．It is important to lose weight. |
| B．It is easier for a wealthy person to make friends. |
| C．Inner qualities are more important than physical appearance. |
| D．If you are not beautiful enough, try to improve your physical beauty. |
【推荐3】Expecting the worst to avoid feeling bad later is known as “bracing”. It may help them prepare for emotionally challenging situations, particularly in the moments before these situations occur. People brace for the worst while waiting for potentially negative outcomes. Someone might also brace for the worst in anticipation of stressful events like giving a presentation at work.
Some psychological theories suggest that bracing should help. For example, “decision affect theory” proposes that how we feel about a situation is determined partly by comparing what actually happened with what could have happened. Based on this, people should be happy when an event goes beyond their expectations, and disappointed when an event falls behind. Therefore, by anticipating the worst, one can safeguard themselves against future disappointment, as any result is likely to surpass their expectations.
But other psychological theories undermine the idea that bracing will be helpful. It has been theorized and scientifically established – that expectations can powerfully influence reality. There are two key ways that expectations can shape reality.
First, people may behave in ways that fit with their expectations. If you expect to fail an upcoming test or interview, then you might not invest efforts in preparation, which in turn reduces your chances of doing well. Second, people may interpret a situation in line with their expectations. Imagine you believe you are insufficiently qualified for a job you’ve applied for. During the job interview, you’re likely to interpret blank expressions from the interviewer in line with this belief, which could negatively affect your performance. In fact, the interviewer did not want to give anything away.
Drawing together the scientific studies, it seems that expecting the worst is anything but a wise way to prepare for upcoming news or results. It might be better to hold positive expectations than to brace for the worst.
1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?| A．The logic of preparing for the worst. |
| B．The theory of comparing past and future. |
| C．The conflict between people’s expectation and reality. |
| D．The emotions hidden behind anticipating the worst. |
| A．Strengthen. | B．Determine. | C．Oppose. | D．Justify. |
| A．By resulting in unnecessary time waste. |
| B．By promoting people’s ambition and motivation. |
| C．By giving weight to people’s potential of excellence. |
| D．By causing less preparation and some misinterpretations. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Objective. | C．Negative. | D．Approving. |
