Question

【题目】 Need to buy something? Why go to a store? Buy it on the Internet! Need it now? Why wait? Ask for next-day delivery! Each day, more and more people try online shopping. In fact, online sales have doubled in the last ten years. But not everyone is excited. Some scientists now say that online shopping is bad for the environment.

People are surprised to hear this. “They think, ‘I don’t need to drive, and the business doesn’t need to build a store, so there will be less pollution,’” says Nuria Prost, an environmental scientist. “But it is not so simple. In fact, online shopping is wasteful. It also adds to air pollution.”

In truth, the Internet is not always as good a friend to the environment as it seems. For example, most people thought that the Internet would help offices use less paper and other materials. But paper use increased by 33 percent between 1986 and 1997. “Online shopping could have similarly negative effects,” says Nevil Cohen, a professor of environmental science.

Part of the problem is what people are buying these days. In the past, people bought things on the Internet that did not require much packing material, such as books and clothing. But now people also shop online for large, heavy products such as televisions, computers, and furniture. These products need to be packed in large amounts of plastic and paper. This creates a lot of waste.

Another problem caused by online shopping is air pollution. When customers buy products and ask for next-day delivery, companies often have to send them by air. Airplanes use much more fuel than cars and produce more carbon dioxide (CO2). When people buy a lot of different things from different online businesses, this creates even more travel by airplane.

Online product returns are also a problem. For example, an online shoe store may allow customers to return shoes without extra pay if they are the wrong size. This doubles the packing material and number of airplane trips required to sell one pair of shoes.

“If people want to protect the environment, they need to think before they shop,” says Prost. “People need to ask themselves: Is this exactly what I want? Do I really need it tomorrow, or can I wait?” Online stores can also charge（收费 ）customers for returns. This may make people shop more carefully. “Online shopping is fast and easy,” says Prost, “but we can’t forget the negative effects it has on the environment.”

【1】Why does online shopping create a lot of waste?

A.Because companies charge more for product returns.

B.Because paper use has increased by 33 percent from 1986 to 1997.

C.Because large, heavy products require much packing material.

D.Because people buy too many things they don’t need.

【2】Prost probably agrees that________.

A.people should drive to stores to buy things

B.online shopping saves more than shopping in a store

C.people can buy things online without careful consideration

D.online shopping adds pollution to the environment

【3】What is probably the best title of the passage?

A.A Good Deal to Make?B.A Cleaner Way to Shop?

C.A New Business to Start?D.A Different Lifestyle to Keep?

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】C

【2】D

【3】B

【解析】

本文对于网购是一种更清洁的一种方式进行了质疑。网购需要用大量的塑料和纸包装，会造成资源浪费和增加环境污染。建议买家在购物前要考虑清楚，卖家也可要求顾客承担退货费用，通过降低网购的退货率来减少环境污染和资源浪费。

【1】细节题。根据第4段第3句“But now people also shop online for large, heavy products such as televisions, computers, and furniture. These products need to be packed in large amounts of plastic and paper. This creates a lot of waste.（但现在人们也在网上购买大型、重型产品，如电视机、电脑和家具。这些产品需要用大量的塑料和纸包装。这会造成很多浪费。）”可知“网上购物会造成大量浪费是因为大而重的产品需要大量的包装材料。”故选C。

【2】细节题。根据第7段最后1句““Online shopping is fast and easy,” says Prost, “but we can’t forget the negative effects it has on the environment.”（ “网上购物既快捷又方便，”普罗斯特说，“但我们不能忘记它对环境的负面影响。”）”可知“普罗斯特可能同意网上购物会增加环境污染”，故选D。

【3】最佳标题。本文介绍了网购会造成资源浪费，环境污染，建议买家在购物前要考虑清楚，卖家也可要求顾客承担退货费用，通过降低网购的退货率来减少环境污染和资源浪费。所以本文的标题是“网购真的是一种清洁的购物方式吗？”故选B。