Unsafe slime toys claim 流行兒童玩物 “鬼口水” 安全嗎？

流行玩具 “鬼口水” 含有能導致嘔吐和損害生育能力的化學物質。據一個消費者團體稱，在部分廠商出售的玩具中，這類化學物質可能超出瞭安全水平。英國消費者維權機構 Which? 調查瞭十一種在市面上流行的黏膠類玩具產品，並發現其中八種產品的化學物質硼含量都超出瞭歐盟建議的安全標準。

文字稿

Squishy, gungy, slimy slime. Around the world, children grab it and squeeze it. Every day globules are lobbed at weary adults. To the horror of parents, British TV programmes even tell kids how to make their own.

軟綿綿、油膩膩、黏乎乎的黏液。在世界各地，孩子們都抓著它捏來捏去。每天，精疲力竭的傢長們成瞭孩子們扔小黏球的對象。讓他們感到可怕的是，一些英國電視節目甚至還教孩子們怎樣制作自己的黏膠玩具。

But when it comes to buying the stuff, the advice from a British consumer organisation is to approach slime with caution – and not just because of the obvious reason – you know, its slime! Which? tested 11 popular slime products and found eight contained higher than recommended levels of borax, which is made of a chemical called boron. Boron is what makes the slime sticky.

但在購買這類玩具的時候，英國一消費者組織建議人們應謹慎對待，這並不隻是因為最明顯的原因：你知道，這種玩具可是黏液做成的！名為 “Which?” 的機構測試瞭十一種暢銷的黏膠玩具，發現八種產品中的硼砂含量都高於推薦水平，硼砂由一種叫作“硼”的化學物質制成。硼是讓膠狀玩具變 “黏” 的原因。

But Nikki Stopford from Which? says it can make children ill. One product had more than four times the amount of boron the European Union says is safe. The eight products which didn’t meet the standards were all purchased by Which? on Amazon, which has now removed them from sale.

但來自 “Which?” 的尼基·斯托普夫德說，該物質可能會讓兒童生病。在受檢測的十一種暢銷產品中，有一種產品的硼含量達歐盟推薦安全值的四倍以上。“Which?” 已從亞馬遜網站上購買瞭八種未達標產品的所有存貨，這些產品現已停售。

But Science Communicator Dr Stuart Farrimund says while we should be aware of borax and boron, we shouldn’t be hugely concerned.

但科學通訊員斯圖爾特·法瑞蒙德博士說，盡管我們應認識到硼砂和硼的危害，但無需過於擔心。

1. 詞匯表

squishy 濕軟的
gungy 又臟又粘的
slimy 粘糊糊的
globules 小球、小珠
lobbed 被扔出
caution 當心、警惕
recommended levels 推薦水平
sticky 黏的
standards 標準
aware 瞭解的，知悉的
hugely concerned 過於重視

2. 閱讀理解：請在讀完上文後，回答下列問題。

1. Why do you think parents are horrified by British TV programmes showing kids how to make slime?

2. Why does British consumer organisation Which? think we should approach buying slime with caution?

3. True or false? Only slime toys claimed to be dangerous are sold on Amazon.

4. According to Science Communicator Dr Stuart Farrimund, how worried should we be about playing with slime toys?

3. 答案

1. Why do you think parents are horrified by British TV programmes showing kids how to make slime?
Because, as the reporter says, every day globules are lobbed at weary adults. They are fed up with it!

2. Why does British consumer organisation Which? think we should approach buying slime with caution?
Which? thinks some slime toys contain higher than recommended levels of borax, which is made of a chemical called boron – and they could lead to illness.

3. True or false? Only slime toys claimed to be dangerous are sold on Amazon.
False. The eight products which didn’t meet the standards were all purchased by Which? on Amazon (which has now removed them from sale) but they are available from other retailers.

4. According to Science Communicator Dr Stuart Farrimund, how worried should we be about playing with slime toys?
He says ‘we shouldn’t be hugely concerned’, which means ‘there is no reason to be particularly worried’.