眾所周知，回收再利用可以幫助緩解地球能源緊缺問題，但你知道到底什麼可以被回收嗎？裝比薩外賣的盒子能回收嗎？茶葉包能回收嗎？英國各地方都設有不同的回收體系，各種回收容器的使用和每周變換的垃圾收取時間讓英國人感到回收是一件非常復雜的工程。本期《隨身英語》帶你看看英國的垃圾回收系統。
課文內容
Should you recycle the box from your takeaway pizza or throw it away? Can you recycle aerosol cans? Is all plastic recyclable? How clued up about recycling are you?
We probably all know that recycling is good for the environment. It saves energy and limits the drain on Earth’s resources. But do you know which items you should or shouldn’t recycle?
In the UK, we have a well-established system of kerbside recycling. Most people expect to separate recyclable material from general refuse. A typical household recycles paper, cardboard, plastic and glass bottles, foil and drinks cans. Food and garden waste is now also collected. But in the last four years, the number of items rejected for recycling in England has gone up by 84%, mainly as a result of contamination.Many items end up in landfill or being incinerated when, with more care, they could be recycled. The problem often stems from confusion over what and how to recycle.
Across the UK the system of recycling differs between local authorities, and multiple containers are used for different types of recyclables. In one area there may be one large wheelie bin for recycling all household items, another for garden waste, and yet another for general waste. There are also composting food caddies – a small one for the kitchen and a larger one for the kerbside. These use compostable bags for food waste, including tea bags, coffee grindings and egg shells. A few streets away, another council may use a separate container just for glass bottles. Waste collection times vary – either weekly or fortnightly. Each week, you have to remember which bin has to go out. It’s all highly confusing.
One of the biggest problems recycling firms face is food contamination. If your plastic milk bottle is empty, it’s ok to recycle it, but if it contains a small amount of milk, it could result in contamination of the plastic recycling process. Likewise, paper fibres cannot be recycled if they are contaminated with food, so a cheesy pizza box shouldn’t be recycled.
Conscientious consumers are constantly faced with recycling conundrums. You’ve just finished a carton of juice. Should you remove the plastic cap before recycling the carton? You feel the fate of the planet lies in your hands. My advice:stop worrying and crack open a bottle of beer! …Hang on!…. what should you do with the bottle top?!
詞匯表
aerosol 噴霧器
clued up 對某事瞭解很多，熟知的
kerbside 馬路邊
refuse 廢物，垃圾
foil 錫，箔(紙)
contamination 污染
landfill 垃圾填埋，垃圾填埋場
to incinerate 焚燒
local authority 地方政府
recyclable 可回收的
wheelie bin 帶輪子的垃圾箱
composting 制作堆肥的
caddy 小罐
coffee grindings 咖啡渣
council 市政
paper fibres 紙纖維
conscientious 認真的，用心的
conundrum 難題，復雜的問題
carton 塑料盒
cap 瓶蓋
bottle top 瓶蓋
測驗與練習
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. True or false? Recycling in the UK is a relatively recent phenomenon.
2. What happens to items that have been rejected for recycling?
3. Why does the author of the article think people are confused by recycling? Give one reason.
4. How often are rubbish and recycling bins collected in the UK?
5. What expression does the author use to indicate a sense of responsibility?
2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。
1. Don’t throw __________! I’ll take it to the charity shop.
it off away that out it it out
2. That talk about recycling was a real __________ of time. They didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know!
loss drain waste lack
3. Today’s solar energy industry has its __________ in the 1970s during the oil embargos.
vary roots stems branches
4. The reason many recyclable items are rejected is because they are _________ with food.
contained contaminated composted consumed
5. Global warming is possibly the biggest problem future generations will have to __________ with.
confront face deal meet
答案
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. True or false? Recycling in the UK is a relatively recent phenomenon.
False. In the UK recycling is well established.
2. What happens to items that have been rejected for recycling?
They end up in landfill or being incinerated.
3. Why does the author of the article think people are confused by recycling? Give one reason.
(Any one from) There are different kinds of containers for different items. The recycling system can differ from one local authority to another. Collection times vary. People have to remember which bin to put out each week.
4. How often are rubbish and recycling bins collected in the UK?
Every week or every two weeks
5. What expression does the author use to indicate a sense of responsibility?
The fate of the planet lies in your hands.
2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。
1. Don’t throw it out! I’ll take it to the charity shop.
2. That talk about recycling was a real waste of time. They didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know!
3. Today’s solar energy industry has its roots in the 1970s during the oil embargos.
4. The reason many recyclable items are rejected is because they are contaminated with food.
5. Global warming is possibly the biggest problem future generations will have to deal with.
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