International governments, inaction concerning sustainable development is clearly worrying but the proactive (主动出击的)approaches of some leading-edge companies are encouraging. Toyota, Wal-Mart, DuPont, M&S and General Electric have made tackling environmental wastes a key economic driver.
DuPont committed itself to a 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the 10 years prior to 2010. By 2007, DuPont was saving $2.2 billion a year through energy efficiency, the same as its total declared profits that year. General Electric aims to reduce the energy intensity of its operations by 50% by 2015. They have invested heavily in projects designed to change the way of using and conserving energy.
Companies like Toyota and Wal-Mart are not committing to environmental goals out of the goodness of their hearts. The reason for their actions is a simple yet powerful realization that the environmental and economic footprints fit well together. When M&S launched its “Plan A” sustainability programmer in 2007, it was believed that it would cost over £200 million in the first five years. However, the initiative had generated £105 million by 2011/12.
When we prevent physical waste, increase energy efficiency or improve resource productivity, we save money, improve profitability and enhance competitiveness. In fact, there are often huge “quick win” opportunities, thanks to years of neglect.
However, there is a considerable gap between leading-edge companies and the rest of the pack. There are far too many companies still delaying creating a lean and green business system, arguing that it will cost money or require sizable capital investments. They remain stuck in the “environment is cost” mentality. Being environmentally friendly does not have to cost money. In fact, going beyond compliance saves cost at the same time that it generates cash, provided that management adopts the new lean and green model.
Lean means doing more with less. Nonetheless, in most companies, economic and environmental continuous improvement is viewed as being in conflict with each other. This is one of the biggest opportunities missed across most industries. The size of the opportunity is enormous. The 3% Report recently published by World Wildlife Fund and CDP shows that the economic prize for curbing carbon emissions in the US economy is $780 billion between now and 2020. It suggests that one of the biggest levers for delivering this opportunity is “increased efficiency through management and behavioral change” —in other words, lean and green management.
Some 50 studies show that companies that commit to such aspirational goals as zero waste, zero harmful emissions, and zero use of non-renewable resources are financially outperforming their competitors. Conversely, it was found that climate disruption is already costing $1.2 trillion annually, cutting global GDP by 1.6%. Unaddressed, this will double by 2030.
11. What does the author say about some leading-edge companies?
12. What motivates Toyota and Wal-Mart to make commitments to environmental protection?
13. Why are so many companies reluctant to create an environment-friendly business system?
14. What is said about the lean and green model of business?
15. What is the finding of the studies about companies committed to environmental goals?
问题1选项
A.They operate in accordance with government policies.
B.They take initiatives in handling environmental wastes.
C.They are key drivers in their nations’ economic growth.
D.They are major contributors to environmental problems.
问题2选项
A.The goodness of their hearts.
B.A strong sense of responsibility.
C.The desire to generate profits.
D.Pressure from environmentalists.
问题3选项
A.They are bent on making quick money.
B.They do not have the capital for the investment.
C.They believe building such a system is too costly.
D.They lack the incentive to change business practices.
问题4选项
A.It helps businesses to save and gain at the same time.
B.It is affordable only for a few leading-edge companies.
C.It is likely to start a new round of intense competition.
D.It will take a long time for all companies to embrace it.
问题5选项
A.They have greatly enhanced their sense of social responsibility.
B.They do much better than their counterparts in terms of revenues.
C.They have abandoned all the outdated equipment and technology.
D.They make greater contributions to human progress than their rivals.
第1题:B
第2题:C
第3题:C
第4题:A
第5题:B
11.事实细节题，第一步，精准定位，定位到第一段最后一句Toyota, Wal-Mart, DuPont, M&S and General Electric have made tackling environmental wastes a key economic driver.（丰田（Toyota）、沃尔玛（Wal-Mart）、杜邦（DuPont）、玛莎百货（M&S）和通用电气（General Electric）都把处理环境垃圾作为一项关键的经济驱动力。），由此可知B选项“他们在处理环境废物方面采取行动”正确。
A选项“他们按照政府政策运作”，文章没有提及，属于无中生有；
C选项“他们是国家经济增长的主要驱动力”，见正确选项，是把垃圾处理作为经济发展的推动因素，不是这些公司是该国经济发展的关键推动力，所以C选项错误，这里属于曲意理解；
D选项“他们是环境问题的主要贡献者”，定位到第二段第二句By 2007, DuPont was saving $2.2 billion a year through energy efficiency, the same as its total declared profits that year.（到2007年，杜邦每年通过提高能源效率节省了22亿美元，与当年公布的利润总额相同），从这里可知这些公司对经济的贡献是对其自身来说的不是对其国家来说，这里属于张冠李戴，所以不选。
12.事实细节题，第一步，精准定位，定位到第三段第一二句Companies like Toyota and Wal-Mart are not committing to environmental goals out of the goodness of their hearts. The reason for their actions is a simple yet powerful realization that the environmental and economic footprints fit well together.（丰田（Toyota）和沃尔玛（Wal-Mart）等公司并非出于好心而致力于环保目标。他们这样做的原因很简单，但也很有力地认识到，环境足迹和经济足迹是相辅相成的），由此可知C选项“对利益的渴望”正确。
A选项“他们出于好心”，见正确选项解析，由这里可以看出A选项错误，属于无中生有；
B选项“强烈的责任感”，文中没有提及，属于无中生有；
D选项“来自环保主义者的压力”，文中没有提及，属于无中生有。
13.推理判断题，第一步，寻找句内线索，定位到第五段第三句They remain stuck in the “environment is cost” mentality.（他们仍然停留在“环境就是成本”的心态中），从这里可以推断C选项正确“他们认为建立这样一个系统太昂贵了”。
A选项“他们一心想赚快钱”，定位到第四段最后一句In fact, there are often huge “quick win” opportunities, thanks to years of neglect.这里的quick win是指多年来很多公司对环境有疏忽，就导致那些先采用环保计划的公司更能够快速的获得意想不到的收获，这里不是公司不愿意采取行动的原因，属于出处错误，不选；
B选项“他们没有投资的资本”，定位到第六段第一二句话Lean means doing more with less. Nonetheless, in most companies, economic and environmental continuous improvement is viewed as being in conflict with each other. This is one of the biggest opportunities missed across most industries.（精益意味着用更少的钱做更多的事。然而，在大多数公司中，经济和环境的持续改善被认为是相互冲突的。这是大多数行业错失的最大机遇之一。），从这里关键词，most industries可知其实很多公司是承担得起的，只是觉得会减少自己的利益，所以不愿意去做，所以B选项错误，这里属于反向干扰；
D选项“他们缺乏改变商业惯例的动机”，文章没有提及，这里属于无中生有，所以不选。
14.事实细节题，第一步，精准定位，定位到第五段最后一句话In fact, going beyond compliance saves cost at the same time that it generates cash, provided that management adopts the new lean and green model.（事实上，如果管理层采用新的精益和绿色模式，超越合规可以在节约成本的同时产生现金），从这里可知答案选A选项“它帮助企业省钱，同时获利”。
B选项“只有少数领先的公司才负担得起”，定位到第六段第一二句话Lean means doing more with less. Nonetheless, in most companies, economic and environmental continuous improvement is viewed as being in conflict with each other. This is one of the biggest opportunities missed across most industries.（精益意味着用更少的钱做更多的事。然而，在大多数公司中，经济和环境的持续改善被认为是相互冲突的。这是大多数行业错失的最大机遇之一。），从这里关键词，most industries可知其实很多公司是承担得起的，只是觉得会减少自己的利益，所以不愿意去做，所以B选项错误，这里属于反向干扰；
C选项“这可能会引发新一轮激烈的竞争”，文章没有提及，属于无中生有；
D选项“所有公司都需要很长时间才能接受它”，文章没有提及，属于无中生有。
15.事实细节题，第一步，精准定位，定位到第七段第一句话Some 50 studies show that companies that commit to such aspirational goals as zero waste, zero harmful emissions, and zero use of non-renewable resources are financially outperforming their competitors（大约50项研究表明，那些致力于实现零浪费、零有害排放、零使用不可再生资源等雄心勃勃的目标的公司，在财务上胜过竞争对手），B选项“在收入方面，他们比同行做得更好”是该句的同义替换，所以答案选B。
A选项“他们的社会责任感大大增强了”，文章没有提及，属于无中生有；
C选项“他们已经放弃了所有过时的设备和技术”，文章没有提及，属于无中生有；
D选项“他们比他们的对手对人类进步做出更大的贡献”，文章没有提及，属于无中生有。
