Consumers are being confused and misled by the hodge-podge(大杂烩) of environmental

Consumers are being confused and misled by the hodge-podge(大杂烩) of environmental

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Consumers are being confused and misled by the hodge-podge(大杂烩) of environmental claims made by household products, according to a “green labeling” study published by Consumers International Friday.
Among the report’s more unacceptalbe findings – a German fertilizer described itself as “earthworm friendly”; a brand of flour said it was “non-polluting” and a British toilet paper claimed to be “environmentally friendlier”.
The study was written and researched by Britain’s National Consumer Council (NCC) for lobby group Consumers International. It was funded by the German and Dutch governments and the European Commission.
“While many good and useful claims are being made, it is clear that there is a long way to go in ensuring shoppers are adequately informed about the environmental impacts they buy,” said Consumers International director, Anna Fielder.
The 10-country study surveyed product packaging in Britain, Western Europe, Scandinavia and the United States. It found that products sold in Germany and the United Kingdom made the most environmental claims on average.
The report focused on claims made by specific products, such as detergent (洗涤剂), insect sprays and some garden products. It did not test claims, but compared them to labeling guidelines set by the International Standards Organization (ISO) in September, 1999. Researchers documented claims of environmental friendliness made by about 2,000 products and found many too vague or too misleading to meet ISO standards.
“Many products had specially designed labels to make them seem environmentally friendly, but in fact many of these symbols mean nothing,” said report researcher Philip Page.
“Laundry detergents made the most number of claims with 158. Household cleaners were second with 145 separate claims, while paints were third on our list with 73. The high numbers show how confusing it must be for consumers to sort the true from the misleading,” he said.
The ISO labeling standards ban vague or misleading claims on product packaging, because terms such as “environmentally friendly” and “non-polluting” cannot be verified. “What we are now pushing for is to have multinational corporations meet the standards set by the ISO,” said Page.
小题1:According to the passage, the NCC found it unacceptable that _______.
A.all the products surveyed claim to meet ISO standards
B.the claims made by products are often unclear and deceiving
C.consumers would believe many of the manufacturers’ claims
D.few products actually prove to be environment friendly
小题2:As indicated in this passage, with so many good claims, the consumers _______.
A.are becoming more cautious about the products they are going to buy
B.are still not willing to pay more for products with green labeling
C.are becoming more aware of the effects different products have on the environment
D.still do not know the exact impact of different products on the environment
小题3:It can be inferred from the passage that the lobby group Consumer International wants to _______.
A.make product labeling satisfy ISO requirements
B.see all household products meet environmental standards
C.warn consumers of the danger of so-called green products
D.verify the effects of non-polluting products

答案

小题1:B
小题2:D
小题3:A
解析

试题分析:根据周五国际消费者所发表的一个绿色标签的研究表明,消费者正在被家用产品所做的五花八门的环保声明所混淆和误导。 对10个国家的研究调查了英国、西欧、斯堪地纳维亚和美国。发现德国和英国所销售的产品做的环保声明平均最多。主要是洗涤剂、***虫剂和一些农产品。
小题1:细节理解题。第六段的大意是:他们(the NCC)把这些标签上的导语和1999年9月的ISO 对比,2000多项产品所做的环保声明许多都是太含混不清、太有误导性,根本达不到ISO的标准。所以他们认为产品的标注经常是不清楚的,具有欺骗性。故选B。
小题2:推理判断题。第七段说:许多产品专门设计了标签使他们似乎很环保,但是事实上,这些标准毫无意义。以及The high numbers show how confusing it must be for consumers to sort the true from the misleading,(高的数字表明对消费者而言,把事实和误导分清楚一定很难做到。)故选D。
小题3:推理判断题。 全文的最后一句话意思是:我们现在推动的是使多国公司达到ISO制定的质量认证标准。由此判断:消费者国际游说团想使产品标签满足ISO 的标准要求。故选A。
举一反三
There is no doubt that Apple is well aware of the increased competition in the market and could be in a hurry to put another device out there, said Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst at IDC Mobile Devices Technology and Trends. Given its history with product launches and business policy, though, Apple probably isn’t going to rush an iPhone release simply to put it on shelves, he said.
“If you’re Tim Cook (CEO of Apple), you’re thinking if you want to pay more attention to how to keep growing that bottom line and keep investors happy, or continue with the same approach from Apple, which is do what we can do and manage products and releases in the best way they can work for us. Apple usually does things in their own time ,and I’m having a hard time buying this May or June timeline.” Llamas told Mac News World.
While it,s probable that Apple is definitely in a testing stage for its next smartphone , consumers likely have a standard wait for the finished product, said Colin Gibbs, analyst at GigaOm Pro.
“It typically takes a year or longer to create a state-of-the-art smartphone, so no one should be surprised Apple is in the testing stages with the next iPhone. And while it’s possible that Apple could launch the next iPhone this spring or summer, I’m not expecting to see it until a little later in the year,” he told Mac News World.
When it does launch, though, it could be in a variety of colors, said Gibbs. “Apple has already tested the waters with releasing colored devices when it revamped(更新,翻新)its iPod line last fall, so it’s not too much of a stretch to believe it would want the new twist with its smartphone, as well”.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the new iPhone becomes available in some new colors,’’ he said. “That could be done pretty cheaply ,and it would give Apple a new marketing angle.”
小题1:According to Ramon Llamas, Apple always______.
A.tries to pleases its investors
B.does things as planned
C.ignores the fierce market competition
D.rushes to put new products to market
小题2:As for the next iPhone, Colin Gibbs didn’t mention______ 
A.the stage of its being tested
B.the rough time of its being released
C.the wide variety of its color
D.the function to be improved
小题3:What’s Colin Gibbs ,attitude towards the next iPhone?
A.Disapproving.B.Casual
C.Objective.D.Doubtful.
小题4:This passage is presented in the form of______.
A.storiesB.commentsC.advertisementsD.debates

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The hottest show this summer-the “Voice” just finished on Sunday at the Shanghai Stadium.But the show that had a good start didn"t end to everyone"s satisfaction.The two and a half hour show dragged on for more than four hours because of the huge amount of advertising, which the audience and residents(居民) living nearby could hardly bear.
This summer, something hotter than the weather came to Shanghai. That is the Voice of China.The show soon became a cash cow for the organizer as the advertisement prices reached 1.16 million yuan for 15 seconds. And the show has earned more than 100 million yuan up to now in ad income only. But the organizers’ bliss(快乐) was audiences’ melancholy(悲哀).
In the final live show on Sunday, about 14 rounds of advertisements were aired, each of which came at a crucial result-announcing moment.
Frequently interrupted by advertisements, some audience complained that the show wasn’t worth its ticket prices of 180 to 1680 yuan.
The planned two and a half hour show went two hours overtime because of the advertising. This annoyed audience members, and touched the nerves(神经) of residents living near the site.
Someone called the police, and the show is now facing punishment for going over-time and disturbing residents late at night.
小题1:Why didn’t “the Voice” make audience satisfied?
A.It failed to attract audience attention in the end.
B.It failed to make audience satisfied.
C.It increased by one and a half hours and audience couldn’t bear it.
D.It was full of so many advertisements that audience can’t tolerate them.
小题2:Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.The show lasted for two and a half hours.
B.Someone called the police because they can’t bear the noises late at night.
C.The show was worth its ticket prices because the audience watched many advertisements.
D.The show has earned more than 100 million yuan up to now totally.
小题3:Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?
A.The Voice of China—the most popular TV show of last summer.
B.The Voice of China—I want you.
C.The Voice of China—hard to say I love you.
D.The Voice of China—the noises of China.
小题4:This passage is organized in the pattern of____.
A.time and eventB.comparison and contrast
C.cause and effectD.definition and classification

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Mainland couples who give birth to a second child in Hong Kong will be fined forbreaking the family planning policy a senior official has warned. As more women flock to Hong Kong to give birth to their second child,Zhang Feng,family planning department director of Guangdong Province,stressed that this violated Chinaspolicies. “And those who are government employees will even be dismissed from their posts.”he said.
""It doesn"t matter if they give birth to their second child on the mainland or in other countries and regions, they have violated the country"s policies and the province"s regulations"".
He said that some families had been punished in the past few months after having a second child in Hong Kong, but gave no details.
Zhang made his remarks when a Hong Kong newspaper carried a controversial notice claiming residents" medical services had been affected by the growing number of mainland women who arrive in the city to give birth and gain right of abode (居住) there.
According to statistics revealed by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, about 88,000 babies were born in Hong Kong in 2010, but more than 41,000 or 47 percent, were to mainland couples, including a large number from Guangdong.
Hong Kong has limited the number of mainland women permitted to give birth in the city at 34,000 this year.
The issue also has caused calls for an amendment to Hong Kong"s Basic Law so that babies born to mainland women are no longer granted permanent right of abode.
""I support Hong Kong government"s decision to reduce or limit the number for mainland women giving birth in Hong Kong."" Zhang said.
China introduced its family planning policy in 1979 to limit births in the world"s most populous nation, although the rules have been relaxed in recent years.
小题1:Which of the following is true?
A.Zhang Feng is family planning department director of Guangdong Province.
B.Many government employees have been dismissed from their posts.
C.Those who give birth to a second child in Hong Kong will be fined.
D.It doesn’t matter if they give birth to their second child on the mainland.
小题2: What does the word ""violated"" mean in the second paragraph?
A.was obeyedB.went againstC.was forD.was dismissed
小题3:Zhang Feng said that______.
A.few families had been punished after having a second child in China
B.about 88,000 babies were born in Hong Kong in 2010
C.he agreed to reduce or limit the number for mainland women giving birth in Hong Kong
D.the residents" medical services in Hong Kong had been affected
小题4:From the passage we can infer______.
A.in 2010 most of the babies born in Hong Kong belonged to mainland couples
B.babies born to mainland women in Hong Kong can"t get permanent right of abode now
C.the number of mainland women permitted to give birth in Hong Kong has been reduced
D.the family planning policy in China is as strict as before
小题5:Which is NOT the reason why some people want to give birth to a second child in Hong Kong?
A.They want to gain right of abode there for their babies.
B.They want to escape being punished for breaking the family planning policy.
C.They want their babies to enjoy the good medical services in Hong Kong.
D.They want to cause calls for an amendment to Hong Kong"s Basic Law.

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One of the world"s richest men has taken a close interest in one of man"s most basic functions: visiting the toilet.Bill Gates"s charitable organization, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is looking for inventors to design the loo of the future, which, they hope, would improve sanitation for millions of people around the world.
So, what"s wrong with the traditional flush toilet? Firstly, it wastes a huge amount, of potential drinking water.Secondly, they are more likely to cause pollution.This is a real problem in many areas of the developing world, where, according to United Nations estimates, unsafe sanitation causes half of all hospitalizations.Younger people are particularly at risk.Illnesses which cause diarrhea are responsible for the deaths of about 1.5 million children a year.Finally, standard lavatories simply aren"t practical in remote areas.
The challenge set by Bill Gates was to come up with a latrine which works without running water, electricity or aseptic tank.It also needed to operate for less than 5 cents.28 designs were displayed at the recent Reinvent the Toilet Fair.in Seattle, USA.Among them was one which turned human waste into electricity using microwaves, another which converted human waste into charcoal, and yet another which used urine for flushing.
But the winner was a solar-powered design which generated hydrogen gas and electricity.The team from the California Institute of Technology(CIT)picked up a prize of $ 100,000.
But clearly Bill Gates doesn"t feel he"s flushing money down the toilet.After the Seattle event he said, "We, couldn"t be happier with the response we"ve gotten," Gates has even pledged $370 million more to the future toilet project.They hope to field test more, prototypes over the next three years.
小题1:Why is Bill Gates paying people to invent new toilets?
A.Because he wants to test people"s sense of creativity.
B.Because he thinks the traditional ones are out of fashion
C.Because he wants to improve sanitation for many people.
D.Because he can"t design this kind of things himself.
小题2:Which of the following is NOT a problem with the traditional flush toilet?
A.They are too complicated to use. B.They waste too much water
C.They might cause diseases.D.They are not always practical.
小题3:The underlined word "latrine" in the third paragraph might have similar meanings to the word "__   " in the text.
A.sanitationB.looC.diarrheaD.prototype
小题4:The team from CIT won the prize because their design        .
A.can change human waste into electricity
B.can turn human waste into charcoal
C.can use urine for flushing
D.can produce power with solar energy
小题5:If someone "flush money down the toilet", they are       .
A.wasting money for nothing
B.being angry with their work conditions
C.showing—off their wealth
D.expressing their great determination

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March 22, 2011---Most restaurants in the United States offer their customers a glass of tap water at no charge with their meal, but this week many restaurants are asking dinners to pay a dollar, or more, for a glass of water. Cards on their tables explain that this small amount helps bring clean water to children around the world. It’s called the UNICEF Tap Project.
“UNICEF’s Tap Project is really all about bringing attention to the fact that over 900 million people around the globe do not have access to good, clean, healthy drinking water,” says Cary Stem, who heads the US Fund for UNICEF. She adds that water-borne illness is the second-highest cause of preventable childhood death in the world.
“Each and every day approximately 4,100 children die just because they don’t have that access - 4,100 every single day.”
The public service campaign encourages people to help change that statistic with a simple, affordable action: paying a dollar to get a glass of tap water at a restaurant.
“One dollar buys enough good, clean water for a child for 40 days,” Stem says.
“The tap project has expanded since it began five years ago with 300 restaurants in New York City. This year, Stem says, about 3,000 restaurants across the country are participating in the campaign. We raised about $2.5 million over the last five years of this campaign,” says Stem. “Last year, we raised over $1 million for the first time. This year we’re hoping to top that.”
Stem credits the continued success of the campaign to an army of volunteers who support the tap project and raise money in their communities.
The UNICEF Tap Project is promoting its efforts with a simple motto: when you take water, give water. Currently, UNICEF works in more than 100 countries around the world to improve access to safe water and sanitation facilities in schools and communities.
Stem hopes that, by participating in the project, more Americans will realize that what they often take for granted is a precious and scarce resource in many other parts of the world.
小题1:Restaurants began to charge for tap water to _______.
A.increase their profit
B.urge customers to save water
C.raise people’s awareness of the world water problem
D.collect money for those without access to safe water
小题2:We can learn from the text that the Tap Project ________.
A.began in New York City
B.was started by volunteers
C.is hoping to collect $2.5 million this year
D.provides help for 1,000 countries in the world
小题3:It can be learned that _______.
A.the Tap Project began in 2006
B.America suffers a serious problem
C.4,100 children die of water pollution every year
D.water-borne illnesses are the biggest killer of children
小题4:How does Cary Stem feel about the work of the Tap Project?
A.ConcernedB.HopefulC.DisappointedD.Angry

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