Question

【题目】 Businesses are witnessing a difficult time, which has in turn produced influence on consumers, desire to go green. However, shoppers are still laying stress on environmental concerns.

Two thirds of customers say that environmental considerations inform their purchases to the same degree as they did a year ago, while more than a quarter say that they are now even better aware of the environmental effect on what they buy.

This may help to influence how shops store goods on their shelves. And the companies should still make efforts to become more environmentally friendly. Two out of three people think it is important to buy from environmentally responsible companies, with about one in seven saying that they had even decided to take their custom elsewhere if they felt a company’s environmental reputation was not good enough.

Harry Morrison, chief executive (主管) of the Carbon Trust, sympathizes: “I understand this situation where survival is very important now. But from environmental considerations, the clock is ticking — we don’t have much time. In addition, cutting carbon has an immediate effect as costs drop and a medium-term benefit for the brand.”

Larger companies have an extra motivation to look at reducing their carbon footprint, as new rules next year will require businesses to buy carbon allowances to make up for their emissions (排放). Those that have taken early action will have a head start. More than two thirds of consumers are not clear about which companies are environmentally responsible. This suggests that firms that are able to relay clearly their message to the public will be in a pole position to attract shoppers.

The Carbon Trust believes that it can help by informing customers about the good work companies are doing. “When companies are granted (授予) the standard, they can use a logo (标识) in all their marketing which makes it clear that they are working towards cutting emissions,” Mr. Morrison said.

【1】What’s the main idea of the passage?

A.Businesses are finding ways to send their message to the shoppers.

B.Companies will soon get information about cutting carbon emissions.

C.Firms are making efforts to encourage customers to keep goods at home.

D.Firms are urged to cut carbon emissions by shoppers, environmental awareness.

【2】The underlined word “inform” in Paragraph 2 probably means “ ”.

A.affectB.change

C.disturbD.reject

【3】According to Harry Morrison, businesses .

A.will benefit from cutting carbon emissions

B.should buy carbon allowances for shoppers

C.are required to make up for their carbon emissions

D.have encouraged shoppers to take their custom elsewhere

【4】We can learn from the passage that businesses will .

A.have a strong desire to reduce costs

B.use the same logo in their marketing

C.gain advantages by taking early action

D.attract more shoppers by storing goods

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】D

【2】A

【3】A

【4】C

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了由于消费者环保意识的增强，各公司不得不下大力气减少碳的排放量。

【1】主旨大意题。通读全文及第一段Businesses are witnessing a difficult time, which has in turn produced influence on consumers, desire to go green.(企业正经历一个艰难的时期，这反过来又对消费者产生了影响，促使他们渴望环保)和第二段中的Two out of three people think it is important to buy from environmentally responsible companies, with about one in seven saying that they had even decided to take their custom elsewhere if they felt a company’s environmental reputation was not good enough.(三分之二的人认为从对环境负责的公司购买产品很重要，约七分之一的人表示，如果他们觉得某家公司的环境声誉不够好，他们甚至决定到其他地方去购买)可知，文章主要介绍了消费者和环保意识正敦促企业减少碳排放。故选D。

【2】词义猜测题。根据该词所在句后面的内容while more than a quarter say that they are now even better aware of the environmental effect on what they buy.(而超过四分之一的人表示，他们现在甚至更加清楚环境对他们所购买产品的影响)可知，Two thirds of customers say that environmental considerations inform their purchases to the same degree as they did a year ago意为“三分之二的消费者表示，环境因素对他们购物的影响与一年前相同”。由此可知，划线词与选项中的effect意思相同。故选A。

【3】推理判断题。根据第四段Harry Morrison所说的一番话，特别是最后一句In addition, cutting carbon has an immediate effect as costs drop and a medium-term benefit for the brand.(此外，随着成本下降，降低碳排放会产生立竿见影的效果，对品牌来说也是中期效益)可推断，企业将从减少碳排放中获益。故选A

【4】细节理解题。根据第五段第二句Those that have taken early action will have a head start.(那些及早采取行动的企业将占得先机)可知，那些通过早期行动的企业将获得优势。故选C。