3 . In the past few decades, the way we shop has changed dramatically. We used to buy our goods in traditional shops. Now, customers are increasingly buying online, where they can order whatever they want directly to their door with the click of a mouse. As companies race to improve their Internet shopping experience, the trend towards shopping online is predicted to continue.
Most people commonly think that online shopping is better than in-store shopping. After all, an online store does not use the electricity that a traditional store might use and it doesn't require the customer to drive anywhere. So you would think the carbon savings must be significant.
Take the typical home delivery round in the UK, for example. Supermarket drivers often do 120 deliveries on an 80-kilometre round, producing 20 kilograms of CO2 in total. In contrast, a 21-kilometre drive to the store and back for one household would generate 24 times more CO2! However, the reality is slightly more complex than that. Many home deliveries fail the first time and the driver has to make a second or third attempt to deliver the purchase.
The carbon footprint also goes up if the customer chooses to return the item. A study in Germany shows that as many as one in three online purchases are returned. According to another study, merchandise worth nearly $ 326 million is returned each year in the USA. Two billion kilograms of this ends up in landfill, leading to 13 tons of CO2 being released.
When we take all these factors into consideration, we realize that online shopping isn't necessarily as green as people might think. There is some positive news, as various online retailers are starting to lower their carbon footprint by turning to electric delivery vehicles. However, the question of how to deal with returns efficiently and without waste is a challenge that many companies have not wanted to face, but they have to shoulder responsibilities.
1. What is a common belief about online shopping according to the text?
| A．It brings unpleasant changes. | B．It increases companies' pressure. |
| C．It is more environment-friendly. | D．It costs less than in-store shopping. |
2. The data in Paragraph 3 and Paragraph 4 mainly shows that________.
| A．waste from online shopping should be recycled |
| B．customers should think twice before shopping |
| C．some online items are actually of poor quality |
| D．online shopping may cause much carbon footprint |
3. How do online retailers try to reduce carbon footprint?
| A．By cutting the distance of delivery. | B．By using a greener way of delivery. |
| C．By choosing to sell electric vehicles. | D．By recycling their customers' returns. |
4. What is the best title for the text?
| A．Bad Environmental Impact of Online Shopping |
| B．Shopping Delivery Is Harming the Environment |
| C．The Advantages and Disadvantages of Shopping |
| D．Online Companies Cause Much Carbon Footprint |
