Question

    The idea of turning recycled plastic bottles into clothing is not new. During the last five years, a large number of clothing companies, businesses and environmental organizations have started turning plastics into fabric to deal with plastic pollution. But there’s a problem with this method. Research now shows that microfibers could be the biggest source of plastic in the sea.

Dr. Mark Browne in Santa Barbara, California, has been studying plastic pollution and microfibers for 10 years now. He explains that every time synthetic clothes go into a washing machine, a large number of plastic fibers fall off. Most washing machines can’t collect these microfibers. So every time the water gets out of a washing machine, microfibers are entering the sewers and finally end up in the sea.

In 2011, Browne wrote a paper stating that a single piece of synthetic(合成的) clothing can produce more than 1, 900 fibers per wash. Browne collected samples from seawater and freshwater sites around the world, and used a special way to examine each sample. He discovered that every single water sample contained microfibers.

This is bad news for a number of reasons. Plastic can cause harm to sea life when eaten. Studies have also shown that plastic can absorb other pollutants.

Based on this evidence, it may seem surprising that companies and organizations have chosen to turn plastic waste into clothing as an environmental “solution.” Even though the science has been around for a while, Browne explains that he's had a difficult time getting companies to listen. When he asked well-known clothing companies to support Benign by Design-his research project that seeks to get clothes that have a bad effect on humans and the environment out of the market, Browne didn’t get a satisfying answer. Only one women’s clothing company, Eileen Fisher, offered Browne funding.

1.What has happened during the past five years?

A.Fabric has become much stronger. B.Plastic pollution has been less serious.

C.Many plastic bottles have been reused. D.Microfibers have been greatly improved.

2.What does Browne think of washing synthetic clothes?

A.It is adding microfibers to the clothes.

B.It is worsening environmental problems.

C.It is making synthetic clothes last longer.

D.It is doing great damage to washing machines.

3.What can be inferred about Browne’s Benign by Design research project?

A.It has achieved great success. B.It hasn’t got anything done.

C.It is known to very few people. D.It is facing some difficulties.

4.What’s the best title for the text?

A.It’s important to learn to recycle

B.It’s never easy to solve pollution problems

C.Recycled plastic clothing: solution or pollution?

D.Are human beings moving forward or backward?

Answer

1.C

2.B

3.D

4.C

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章主要讲述了在处理塑料污染方面，把可回收塑料重组成衣服的一部分不失为一个好办法，但研究表明，合成型衣服的清洗会产生大量纤维，其中微纤维对海洋环境的危害最为严重。

1.细节理解题。由第一段“During the last five years, a large number of clothing companies, businesses and environmental organizations have started turning plastics into fabric to deal with plastic pollution. ”可知，在过去的五年里，很多制衣公司，企业和环境组织已经开始把塑料转换成纤维来解决环境污染问题。结合上文，企业是用可回收塑料瓶转换成纤维。由此，在这五年会有很多塑料瓶被再次利用，结合选项，故选C。

2.细节理解题。由第三段“He discovered that every single water sample contained microfibers.”可知，Browne通过自己的研究发现世界各地海水样本中都存在微纤维。结合第四段Plastic can cause harm to sea life when eaten.可知，微纤维对海洋生物有很大的危害。由此，合成型衣服的清洗会产生大量微纤维，微纤维的排放会加重海洋问题，结合选项，故选B。

3.推理判断题。由最后一段“When he asked well-known clothing companies to support Benign by Design-his research project that seeks to get clothes that have a bad effect on humans and the environment out of the market, Browne didn’t get a satisfying answer. ”可知，在Browne要求世界知名制衣公司支持把对人类和环境有危害的衣服撤出市场的研究项目时，Browne并没有得到一个令人满意的答案。由此可推知，他的研究项目Benign by Design遇到了难题，结合选项，故选D。

4.标题判断题。由第一段“ During the last five years, a large number of clothing companies, businesses and environmental organizations have started turning plastics into fabric to deal with plastic pollution.”（ 在过去的五年里，大量的服装公司、企业和环保组织已经开始将塑料变成织物来处理塑料污染）和第一段“Research now shows that microfibers could be the biggest source of plastic in the sea.”（ 研究显示,微纤维是海洋塑料的最大来源。）由此可知，文章就这项技术究竟是对环境的保护还是对环境的再次污染进行说明。故C项（Recycled plastic clothing: solution or pollution?）回收塑料服装：是解决方案还是污染？能够概括文章中心，可作为标题。故选C。