时文选读| 使用塑料制品一定是坏事吗？

Is plastic always bad?

五级易 | 363词

Part I. Passage

Is plastic always bad?

Cotton or plastic: which kind of bag is better for the environment? Many of us would naturally say that the cotton bag is best, but that might only be true if you use that bag thousands of times. Surprised? Keep listening and we'll explain.

There is no doubt that plastic is damaging for the environment in many ways. Producing it can cause toxins to be released into the atmosphere. Its used in great quantities and often disposed of after a single use, meaning even more then needs to be produced. Thrown-away plastic can sit in landfill sites for centuries, or alternatively can contaminate the sea causing harm to wildlife and breaking down into polluting microplastics.

Because of these factors, many people are looking for ways to reduce their plastic use. However, the picture is not straightforward. Let's return to our cotton bag. It's certainly more biodegradable than plastic, but this might be where the advantages end. The industrial production of cotton requires far more energy, along with water and pesticides. As the bags are heavier, transporting them will lead to higher carbon emissions. An article from Columbia University suggests that cotton shopping bags need to be used over 7,000 times before they are more sustainable than plastic ones.

It's not just about shopping bags. Lightweight plastic components in cars and planes help reduce fuel use and emissions. If we didn't use so much plastic in clothing and footwear, the amount of land, water and chemicals that would be needed to produce enough natural textiles and leather would be enormous. Researchers have been looking to see if carbon could be sequestered during the production of plastics, reducing the amount in the atmosphere.

One other characteristic of plastic might actually be the key to this issue. The fact that plastic lasts for centuries is what causes much of the environmental harm, but it also means it can be used to make items that can be re-used again and again. The problem is that we often don't. Plastic can cause serious harm to the environment, and efforts to throw less of it away can reduce this. Re-using it more could be one way to achieve this.

【Vocabulary】

1. toxin n. 毒素  

2. biodegradable adj. 可生物降解的  

3. pesticide n. 杀虫剂，农药  

4. sequester v. 隔离，封存；（化学上）使（碳等）隔离

Part II. Questions

Q1. According to the text, what is a major environmental issue caused by plastic waste?  

A. It decomposes into harmless substances over time.  

B. It releases toxins into the soil during decomposition.  

C. It pollutes the sea and breaks down into microplastics.  

D. It reduces the need for pesticides in cotton production.  

Q2. What does the word “biodegradable” in the text most likely mean?  

A. Capable of being reused multiple times.  

B. Able to break down naturally over time.  

C. Resistant to decomposition in landfill sites.  

D. Requiring energy and water for production.  

Q3. What does the text say about the environmental impact of cotton bag production?  

A. It leads to higher carbon emissions during transportation.  

B. It uses less energy compared to plastic bag production.  

C. It requires fewer pesticides than other natural materials.  

D. It decomposes more rapidly than plastic in landfill sites.  

Q4. What can be inferred about the long-term environmental impact of reusing plastic products?  

A. It might increase the carbon emissions from transportation.  

B. It could minimize the production of new plastic.  

C. It would eliminate the need for cotton bags entirely.  

D. It could prevent the use of pesticides in agriculture.  

Q5. What is the main purpose of the text?  

A. To discuss the challenges of biodegradable materials in industries.  

B. To argue that cotton bags are the best solution for sustainability.  

C. To highlight the role of plastic in reducing carbon emissions.  

D. To evaluate the environmental pros and cons of plastic and cotton bags.  

Part III. KEY

Q1. C.【解析】细节题。根据“Thrown-away plastic can sit in landfill sites for centuries, or alternatively can contaminate the sea causing harm to wildlife and breaking down into polluting microplastics.”，可知被丢弃的塑料可以在垃圾填埋场里存放几个世纪，会污染海洋，危害野生动物，并分解成污染性微塑料。正确答案为C。  

Q2. B.【解析】词汇题。根据“It’s certainly more biodegradable than plastic, but this might be where the advantages end.”，可知棉布袋比塑料更具生物降解性，biodegradable指的是能够自然分解，因此正确答案为B。  

Q3. A.【解析】细节题。根据“As the bags are heavier, transporting them will lead to higher carbon emissions.”，可知由于棉质袋子更重，运输过程会产生更多碳排放。正确答案为A。  

Q4. B.【解析】推理题。根据“The fact that plastic lasts for centuries is what causes much of the environmental harm, but it also means it can be used to make items that can be re-used again and again.”，可知塑料持续存在几个世纪是导致环境危害的主要原因，但这也意味着它可以用于制作可以反复使用的物品，也就是说重复使用塑料产品能够减少新塑料的生产需求，因此正确答案为B。  

Q5. D.【解析】主旨题。文章主要讨论了塑料和棉质袋对环境的影响，并分析了两者的优缺点。因此正确答案为D。  

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