Question

【题目】 Many environmentalists and entrepreneurs are looking for ideas on how to “capture gold” ― that is, how to collect and convert plastic waste into new plastic or fuel.

OK, describing plastic waste as potential “gold” may be overdoing it. But the campaigners say that publicizing the notion that plastic is worth something may help reduce the amount of waste that ends up in oceans and the bellies of sea creatures.

To that end, they have set up a competition inviting members of the public to submit ideas online. Organizers will take the best ones to the Rio+20 Earth Summit (峰会) in Rio de Janeiro next month, where they are planning a daylong side event called Plasticity focusing on issues related to plastic pollution.

The plastic waste problem is gaining broader attention as environmentalists, scientists, manufacturers and the public become more aware of the sheer volume of the stuff that finds its way into the sea.

More than 260 million metric tons of plastic are now produced per year, according to the trade association PlasticsEurope. The majority of that is not recycled. Most of it ends up in landfill, and a significant amount ends up as litter on land, in rivers and in the oceans.

Technological advances have made clear that it is possible to reuse much of this plastic by turning it into fuel or new products. Yet the companies that have come up with such solutions have not achieved the economies of scale that would allow them to function profitably. Insufficient waste-collection and recycling systems in most countries also stand in the way of “ trash to cash” concept, said Doug Woodring, an environmental entrepreneur in Hong Kong who is among the organizer of the Plasticity forum(论坛) in Rio.

Rather than breast-beating, the form aims to highlight some of the technologies and ideas out there for collection and reuse. My personal favorite for now is a vacuum cleaner with plastic parts made from plastic waste.

【1】What do the campaigners like to do exactly?

A. To describe plastic waste as potential “gold”.

B. To invite members of the public to their forum.

C. To collect ideas on how to recycle plastic waste.

D. To hold a competition on how to deal with environmental pollution.

【2】The underlined part “trash to cash” most probably means “ ”.

A. applying modern technology to recycling systems

B. collecting sufficient plastic waste for future use

C. establishing many environmental businesses

D. turning plastic waste into fuel or new products

【3】According to Doug Woodring, the companies that want to reuse plastic waste .

A. have collected enough waste to be used

B. have no practical solutions

C. haven’t reached profitable scale

D. lack technological advances

【4】What can be the best title for the text?

A. Earth Summit = Way Out?

B. Plastic Waste = Great Wealth?

C. Waste Recycling = Green Life?

D. New Technology = Little Waste?

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】C

【2】D

【3】C

【4】B

【解析】

试题分析：本文主要讲述的人们为了把塑料垃圾变成燃料或者新的产品所做的尝试和努力。故B项符合中心思想。

【1】C 细节题。根据文章第三段第一行To that end, they have set up a competition inviting members of the public to submit ideas online.可知组织者想邀请人们提供如何回收利用塑料垃圾的新方法。故C正确。

【2】D 推理题。根据文章第六段第一句Technological advances have made clear that it is possible to reuse much of this plastic by turning it into fuel or new products.可知技术进步让塑料垃圾变成燃料变得可能。由此可见“trash to cash”就是指把塑料垃圾变成燃料或者新的产品，创造新的价值同时少导致污染。故D正确。

【3】C 细节题。根据文章倒数第二段第二句Yet the companies that have come up with such solutions have not achieved the economies of scale that would allow them to function profitably.可知提出这种想法的公司还没有到达盈利的规模。故C正确。

【4】B 主旨大意题。本文主要讲述的人们为了把塑料垃圾变成燃料或者新的产品所做的尝试和努力。故B项符合中心思想。