Module C Practice

KEEPING IT "GREEN"by Andrew Little LINES 1-3It's hard to imagine our lives without plastic bags. They are useful and disposable. Stores give them away for free, so people often take three or four bags when one is enough. As a result, Americans throw away 100 billion plastic bags each year! LINES 4-6Although people think that they get plastic bags for free, in fact stores charge higher prices for everything in order to pay for the bags. People are also not aware that they are paying higher city taxes because of the high costs of cleaning up plastic bags from the city streets.LINES 7-10Vincent Cobb, a Chicago businessman, has put up an Internet site to convince people to stop the use of plastic bags. Cobb explains the negative effects plastic bags have on the environment. "Plastic bags are made of petroleum. In order to produce plastic bags and bring them to stores, we are using large amounts of petroleum and increasing global warming".LINES 11-13Additional damage is caused to the environment when plastic bags are discarded and end up in city streets, in the countryside and in the sea. In the city, plastic bags often block water pipes causing water to flood the streets. In the countryside and in the sea, many animals die when they eat them.LINES 14-16The biggest problem with plastic bags is that they disintegrate very slowly and stay in the environment for many years. When plastic bags finally disintegrate, they break down into small pieces which pollute water and land.LINES 17-20Several solutions have been offered in order to solve these problems. In many countries, stores are now asking people to pay for plastic bags. In Ireland, a 20-cent tax on each plastic bag has resulted in a 90% reduction in their use! In the USA, more and more supermarkets now offer their customers paper bags instead of plastic bags. Some countries have forbidden the use of plastic bags altogetherLINES 21-22Cobb believes this last solution is the best. He hopes that people will begin to carry re-useable cloth shopping bags and help make the environment a better place.(Adapted from "Are Plastic Grocery Bags Sacking the Environment?", National Geographic News, 2 September 2003) 1. Why are plastic bags so popular? Give ONE reason. (lines 1-3) ANSWER: They are useful / They are disposable. / Stores give them for free. / They are free. 2. CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER. What is the main idea in lines 1-3? Stores don't give away enough plastic bags. People use too many plastic bags. Americans don't like to use plastic bags. People should throw away used plastic bags. 3. In what ways do people pay for plastic bags? Write TWO ways. (lines 4-6) ANSWER:(1) Stores charge higher prices for everything (in order to pay for the bags).(2) People / they are paying higher city taxes (because of the high costs of cleaning up plastic bags from city streets). 4. CHOOSE THE TWO CORRECT ANSWERS. What information is given in lines 7-10 about plastic bags? What they are made of. How they can be improved. Where they are produced. What they are used for. How they affect the environment. Why they are so cheap. 5. How do discarded plastic bags harm the environment? GiveTWOexamples. (lines 11-16) ANWER:(1) (In the city,) (plastic bags / they) (often) block water pipes (causing water to flood the street). / (Plastic bags / They) cause floods (in the streets).(2) (in the country side and in the sea,) (many) animals die when they eat them / plastic bags. (3) (Plastic bags / They) disintegrate very slowly (and stay in the environment for many years). (4) (When plastic bags / they disintegrate), (they break down into small pieces which) pollute water and land. 6. CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER. Ireland is mentioned in lines 17-20 as an example of a country where (—). the use of plastic bags is not allowed there are many problems caused by plastic bags people are now using less plastic bags plastic bags are usually re-used 7. According to lines 17-22 what can people use instead of plastic bags? WriteTWOthings. ANSWER:(1) paper bags(2) (re-usable) cloth (shopping) bags 8. CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER. (lines 20-26) Which solution does Cobb prefer? Using plastic bags only when necessary. Stop using plastic bags completely. Using plastic bags several times. Having special places to throw away plastic bags.