四、阅读理解
Plastic straws (吸管) are commonly used in daily life, but people in Hong Kong are not allowed to use plastic straws because of the regulation (法例) on single-use plastic products. Many single-use plastics, like forks and plates, are covered. It started on Earth Day, April 22nd, 2024.
However, the regulation has caused some problems. On the internet, people in Hong Kong have shared pictures of paper spoons that get soft before they finish drinking their soup, especially when the soup is hot. Someone says, "In the past, plastic covers for umbrellas were given out when people walked into a mall on rainy days. But now they aren't available. Rainwater drops from umbrellas, increasing the chance of people falling down."
According to Zhou Yue, a young man who lives in Hong Kong, the regulation will affect travellers more because hotels in Hong Kong do not provide free plastic products any more. It means they have to bring their own toothbrushes. Many travellers aren't aware of this beforehand, so they feel inconvenient having to buy or bring their own toothbrushes.
"To protect the environment and public health, we need to cut down the use of plastics step by step," said an officer, explaining the reason for the regulation. "
Even small changes in daily choices can come together to guard the planet we share for years to come."
Carrying out this regulation certainly has a lot of difficulty. To help, the government has set the first six months after the introduction of the regulation as an "adaptation period (适应期)", during which restaurants and stores are taught how to follow the rule correctly. After that, they might be punished if they are against the regulation.
(
A
) 1. How does the writer show problems caused by the regulation?
A. By giving examples. B. By expressing an idea.
C. By listing numbers. D. By raising questions.
(
B
) 2. What does the underlined sentence mean?
A. Protecting the planet mainly depends on big actions.
B. Tiny daily changes can work together to protect our planet.
C. Daily choices have little influence on environmental protection.
D. Small efforts in daily life can work well with the support of the government.
(
D
) 3. Why did the government set an "adaptation period"?
A. To punish rule-breaking businesses. B. To test if the regulation works.
C. To let travellers prepare beforehand. D. To help businesses follow the rule.
(
B
) 4. What is the best title for the passage?
A. Ways to Cut Down Plastic Use
B. Hong Kong's Rule on Single-use Plastics
C. Problems of Using Plastic Products
D. Travellers' Inconvenience in Hong Kong
