Consumers are being confused and misled by the hodge-podge(大杂烩) of environmental claims made by household products, according to a “green labeling” study published by Consumers International Friday.
Among the report’s more unacceptalbe findings – a German fertilizer described itself as “earthworm friendly”; a brand of flour said it was “non-polluting” and a British toilet paper claimed to be “environmentally friendlier”.
The study was written and researched by Britain’s National Consumer Council (NCC) for lobby group Consumers International. It was funded by the German and Dutch governments and the European Commission.
“While many good and useful claims are being made, it is clear that there is a long way to go in ensuring shoppers are adequately informed about the environmental impacts they buy,” said Consumers International director, Anna Fielder.
The 10-country study surveyed product packaging in Britain, Western Europe, Scandinavia and the United States. It found that products sold in Germany and the United Kingdom made the most environmental claims on average.
The report focused on claims made by specific products, such as detergent (洗涤剂), insect sprays and some garden products. It did not test claims, but compared them to labeling guidelines set by the International Standards Organization (ISO) in September, 1999. Researchers documented claims of environmental friendliness made by about 2,000 products and found many too vague or too misleading to meet ISO standards.
“Many products had specially designed labels to make them seem environmentally friendly, but in fact many of these symbols mean nothing,” said report researcher Philip Page.
“Laundry detergents made the most number of claims with 158. Household cleaners were second with 145 separate claims, while paints were third on our list with 73. The high numbers show how confusing it must be for consumers to sort the true from the misleading,” he said.
The ISO labeling standards ban vague or misleading claims on product packaging, because terms such as “environmentally friendly” and “non-polluting” cannot be verified. “What we are now pushing for is to have multinational corporations meet the standards set by the ISO,” said Page.
1.According to the passage, the NCC found it unacceptable that _______.
A. all the products surveyed claim to meet ISO standards
B. the claims made by products are often unclear and deceiving
C. consumers would believe many of the manufacturers’ claims
D. few products actually prove to be environment friendly
2.As indicated in this passage, with so many good claims, the consumers _______.
A. are becoming more cautious about the products they are going to buy
B. are still not willing to pay more for products with green labeling
C. are becoming more aware of the effects different products have on the environment
D. still do not know the exact impact of different products on the environment
3.It can be inferred from the passage that the lobby group Consumer International wants to _______.
A. make product labeling satisfy ISO requirements
B. see all household products meet environmental standards
C. warn consumers of the danger of so-called green products
D. verify the effects of non-polluting products
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
Consumers are being confused and misled by the hodge-podge(大杂烩) of environmental claims made by household products, according to a “green labeling” study published by Consumers International Friday.
Among the report’s more unacceptalbe findings – a German fertilizer described itself as “earthworm friendly”; a brand of flour said it was “non-polluting” and a British toilet paper claimed to be “environmentally friendlier”.
The study was written and researched by Britain’s National Consumer Council (NCC) for lobby group Consumers International. It was funded by the German and Dutch governments and the European Commission.
“While many good and useful claims are being made, it is clear that there is a long way to go in ensuring shoppers are adequately informed about the environmental impacts they buy,” said Consumers International director, Anna Fielder.
The 10-country study surveyed product packaging in Britain, Western Europe, Scandinavia and the United States. It found that products sold in Germany and the United Kingdom made the most environmental claims on average.
The report focused on claims made by specific products, such as detergent (洗涤剂), insect sprays and some garden products. It did not test claims, but compared them to labeling guidelines set by the International Standards Organization (ISO) in September, 1999. Researchers documented claims of environmental friendliness made by about 2,000 products and found many too vague or too misleading to meet ISO standards.
“Many products had specially designed labels to make them seem environmentally friendly, but in fact many of these symbols mean nothing,” said report researcher Philip Page.
“Laundry detergents made the most number of claims with 158. Household cleaners were second with 145 separate claims, while paints were third on our list with 73. The high numbers show how confusing it must be for consumers to sort the true from the misleading,” he said.
The ISO labeling standards ban vague or misleading claims on product packaging, because terms such as “environmentally friendly” and “non-polluting” cannot be verified. “What we are now pushing for is to have multinational corporations meet the standards set by the ISO,” said Page.
1.According to the passage, the NCC found it unacceptable that _______.
A. all the products surveyed claim to meet ISO standards
B. the claims made by products are often unclear and deceiving
C. consumers would believe many of the manufacturers’ claims
D. few products actually prove to be environment friendly
2.As indicated in this passage, with so many good claims, the consumers _______.
A. are becoming more cautious about the products they are going to buy
B. are still not willing to pay more for products with green labeling
C. are becoming more aware of the effects different products have on the environment
D. still do not know the exact impact of different products on the environment
3.It can be inferred from the passage that the lobby group Consumer International wants to _______.
A. make product labeling satisfy ISO requirements
B. see all household products meet environmental standards
C. warn consumers of the danger of so-called green products
D. verify the effects of non-polluting products
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
As you enter university, you are likely to be confused by new demands and challenges. You need to decide for yourselves what you want to achieve when you graduate. It is important that you have appropriate and realistic expectations of a university education and know how far you can go towards achieving your personal and academic goals, so that you will have a sense of achievement at the end of your first year as well as when you graduate.
This website aims to be a quick one stop information hub to help you understand more about learning at HKU and make better use of HKU’s support services.
University Life is an adventure that—literally everyone here is a key player.
Your strategic moves at each stage have a direct impact on the outcomes of this adventure. The key to winning is mainly about how you manage your resources, especially your time. Most successful players engage themselves in activities that meet their needs and goals.
First Year Experience
As a new player, you may find yourself standing at the crossroads and wondering which directions you should go. An open mind for handling new challenges and a roadmap or planning and setting priorities during your stay at HKU are what you need to start your journey.
And don’t forget to check out the following to familiarize yourself with the ‘game rules’, ‘support and resources’ and ‘opportunity cards’ on hand:
* HKU Education aims to help to fulfill what you are expected to achieve.
* The key cards that contribute to your academic, professional and social excellence, e. g. Horizons Office, Common Core, Centre for Sports and Exercise (CSE), Centre for Applied English Studies (CAES).
1.What is the purpose of the website?
A. To attract more excellent students to attend HKU.
B. To inspire students to seek adventure at university.
C. To advertise roadmaps and key cards among students.
D. To give students a hand to adapt to their university life.
2.According to the passage, which is the most important for students’ academic success?
A. Turning to teachers.
B. Using their time reasonably.
C. Familiarizing school facilities.
D. Ignoring personal and academic goals.
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A. HKU can help you achieve your expectation.
B. As a freshman, you must be lost in the university.
C. Successful players engage in activities randomly.
D. Your behavior has an indirect effect on the adventure.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
American researchers have discovered that human brains and sleep patterns are confused by devices(装置) that give out bright lights. Electronics, such as laptops, mislead our minds into thinking that it is still daytime, preventing sleep and increasing the risk of insomnia.
Sleep experts say human's natural body clock begins to rest and relax from the day between 9 and 10 pm but the use of computers confuses it.
A person's brain biologically becomes awake when the sun is out because bright light after dark causes the brain to stop producing the hormone (荷尔蒙) called melatonin that makes us sleepy.
Researchers say blue light from devices such as iPads, which is expected to become a popular reading tool when it comes out later this month, is particularly disruptive (干扰的)during the night when the brain thinks it should be dark.
Experts say a good book is a far better way of resting the brain and ensuring a good night's sleep because the bedside lamp(灯) light doesn't affect the brain as it does not look straight into a person's eyes.
“Potentially, yes, if you're using an iPad or a laptop close to bedtime... that light can be stimulating (刺激) to the brain to make it more awake and delay your ability to sleep,” Phyllis Zee, a professor at Northwestern University and director of the school's Centre for Sleep & Circadian Biology, told CNN.
“And I think more importantly, it could also be enough to affect your circadian (昼夜节律的) rhythm. This is the clock in your brain that determines when you sleep and when you wake up. ”
Alon Avidan, associate director of the Sleep Disorders Center at the University of California Los Angeles, added, “I wish people would just take a boring book — an oldfashioned book — and read by a lamp.”
1.The underlined word “insomnia” in the first paragraph probably means “________”.
A.being unable to eat properly
B.brain injury
C.being unable to fall sleep
D.lack of energy
2.Melatonin is the hormone that ________.
A.makes us sleepy
B.helps us relaxed
C.prevents us from waking up
D.makes us excited
3.The bedside lamp light doesn't affect the brain because ________.
A.it doesn't give out blue light
B.it's not as bright as your laptop
C.it doesn't enter your eyes directly
D.it is adjustable
4.We can conclude from the passage that ________.
A.one who uses his laptop often before bedtime can have his body clock disturbed
B.using a laptop before bedtime is more harmful than using an iPad
C.we'd better not do anything before going to bed
D.the best time to go to bed is before 9 pm
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
It is becoming a growing trend that more and more consumers across the country are using cashless payment methods. The rapid development of third-party mobile payment tools is helping to boost cashless payments across the country, said Dong Ximiao, a researcher at the Renmin University of China.
Transactions (交易) involving third-party mobile payments rose by 46.8 percent in the first quarter of 2017 compared with the previous quarter to 18.8 trillion yuan, according to a report released in May.
Although there were 3.4 billion third-party payment accounts in total in China in 2016, China is not the first country to seek a cashless society. Developed states like Sweden, Denmark and Singapore are also witnessing that increase.
However, the rapid development of cashless payments does not mean there are no challenges and criticisms. Alibaba’s Hema store, where customers can shop, dine and order commodities for delivery from their mobile phones via Alipay, have come into the spotlight recently. Media reports said that consumers can’t purchase goods with cash there, which would be considered illegal.
Alipay and WeChat Pay, the nation’s two major third-party mobile payment tools, also launched campaigns this month to encourage more merchants and customers to use cashless payment methods, which caused concerns over whether cash will soon disappear.
“Some offline sellers refuse to accept cash, which impacts the natural circulation of yuan,” said Dong. He emphasized that a cashless society would not mean that cash would completely disappear. As the economy grows, the circulation of cash is still very huge, noted Dong. Also, it’s important to remember that nearly half of China’s population live in rural areas, especially in undeveloped western regions, unable to enjoy innovation (革新) brought by the Internet, Dong said. And when it comes to China’s senior citizens, most of them prefer to use cash in their daily lives, he added.
“It’s ridiculous to question digital payment tools’ contribution toward financial development. In the long term, various payment methods will be used by consumers, and merchants should respect consumers’ payment habits,” Dong noted.
1.What does the underlined word “that” in paragraph 3 probably refer to?
A. Economic activity B. Large amount of payment
C. Development of economy D. Cashless payment
2.Why has Alibaba’s Hema store become a focus?
A. It fights against illegal activities.
B. Customers are not permitted to use cash there.
C. It provides comprehensive services.
D. It starts campaigns to encourage mobile payment.
3.Which of the following will Dong find reasonable?
A. Various payment methods ought to be respected.
B. People should be encouraged to use mobile payment.
C. Most elderly people have no access to mobile payment.
D. Mobile payment isn’t beneficial to a cost-effective society.
4.What is the text mainly about?
A. China’s cashless trend B. The research on mobile payment
C. The reasons to use mobile payment D. China’s cashless future
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Asia-Pacific consumers are the world's largest group of online shopping lovers and many rely on Internet reviews when making purchases, research firm Nielsen said this week.
The firm said 35% of consumers in Asia-Pacific used over 11% of their monthly spending to make online purchases, compared to a global average of 27% of consumers.
South Koreans were the heaviest online buyers in Asia, with 59% directing more than 11% of their monthly spending to online purchases, followed by 41% in China, Nielsen said in a report.
A further 31% of Asian consumers use between 6% and 10% of their monthly shopping purchases to buy items online.
More Asia-pacific consumers also intend to buy online in the next six months than those from other regions, with South Koreans and Chinese the most likely to make such purchases.
Among the purchases consumers in the region are likely to make in the next six months are books, clothing, shoes, airline tickets, electronic equipment and hotel reservations.
"Technology and the Internet will very likely basically change how and where shoppers spend their money and interact with sellers,” said Pete Gale, a managing director at Nielsen's Retailer Services.
"We are seeing a strong trend in markets like Korea, where a significant population of online shoppers buy essentials such as groceries, cosmetics and nutrition supplies over the Internet."
Nielsen said opinions posted online were important in Asia-pacific customers' decisions to buy products such as cosmetics, cars, software and food.
Asia-pacific consumers were also the most likely to share dissatisfaction at a product on the Internet compared with consumers elsewhere.
"The increasing accessibility of the Internet and unbelievable popularity of social media and online discussion forums mean today's brands have nowhere to hide, " said Megan Clarken, Asia-Pacific managing director at Nielsen's online division.
Nielsen said in June that social media such as Facebook and Twitter or blogging sites had become powerful tools influencing what people buy and urged businesses to embrace the trend.
1.What influences Asia-Pacific consumers most when making purchases online?
A. Other buyers' comments
B. Powerful online tools
C. The varieties of online item
D. The price and the way to play
2.Who uses more than 11% of their monthly spending to buy online?
A.31% of Asians B. 41% of Chinese
C. 41% of south Koreans D. 26% of global consumers
3.What is the passage mainly about?
A. The trend of doing e-business is speeding up.
B. Asians are most likely to shop with a “click.”
C. Online shopping is developing quickly worldwide.
D. Asia-Pacific consumers are fans of online discussion forums.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Consumers are getting more sensible and buy only________they need in spite of all the advertisements they see.
A. that B. what C. which D. whether
高二英语单项填空困难题查看答案及解析
Many Chinese people are confused with the two nations: one is known for its cheese and watches; the other for IKEA and Volvo.
The problem largely stems from the fact that both nation’s names are written similarly in Mandarin---Ruidian(Sweden) and Ruishi (Switzerland)------which begin with the same symbol, according to the Swedish Consul General Victoria Liu in China.
In an effort to put an end to the mix-up, the Swedish and Swiss governments have launched a competition on a website, asking Chinese people to come up with funny ways to help differentiate the two countries. Submissions can be accepted as a blog post, cartoon, photo, short film or in any other format.
The winner with the best submission will receive a 12-day trip to Sweden and Switzerland and will be expected to report back on his/her impressions of both countries following the trip, the website states. Entries will be accepted until November 20.
The organizers have also devised a humorous campaign logo with objects and people associated with Sweden and Switzerland on separate maps of each country. Sweden’s map features meatballs, a Viking, as well as two male cartoon figures with a heart between them symbolizing gay marriage, which remains illegal in Switzerland. Switzerland’s map features cheese, the Alps and a picture of Roger Federer.
China may not be the only country struggling to tell Sweden and Switzerland apart. Residents of Spanish-speaking countries also fall victim to the confusion as Sweden is spelt “Suecia” in Spanish while Switzerland is called “Suiza”.
Sweden and Switzerland aren’t the only places that have caused confusion among people. Last month, , a British holidaymaker hoped to explore the architecture of the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain, but instead mistakenly caught a flight across the Atlantic to the tropical Caribbean island of Grenada following a confusing booking blunder. Earlier this summer, two US holidaymakers were flown to the wrong continent after an airline confused two airport codes.
1.What can we learn about the competition launched by the two governments?
A. The winner of the competition will receive a 24-day trip altogether to both of the countries.
B. The winner will report his/her impressions on the two countries in his/her submission.
C. The competition is held among all people around the world.
D. The competition is held in order to stop people’s confusion about the two countries.
2.Why does the author mention the British holidaymaker?
A. To show us many people are confused by Sweden and Switzerland.
B. To prove airports make mistakes about people’s places too.
C. To explain Spanish-speaking people make mistakes too.
D. To prove many people are confused about some places.
3.In which part of a newspaper could you probably find the passage?
A. Tourism B. News review C. Business D. Culture
4.What does the underlined word “devised” mean?
A. Compared. B. Collected. C. Invented. D.Installed
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
These two kinds of ways are totally different in nature, and we should not _______ the two.
A.confuse B.embarrass C.disappoint D.discourage
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
You will be easily _____ by the company if you are expert at the computer and you can drive a car as well.
A. taken to B. taken on C. taken in D. taken up
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
By 2025, when the number of consumers worldwide has reached 4.2 billion, people with high income will be, for the first time, more than_______ struggling to meet basic needs.
A. one B. that C. ones D. those
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析