Frustrated with delays in Sacramento, Bay Area officials said Thursday they planned to take matters into their own hands to regulate the region’s growing pile of electronic trash.
A San Jose councilwoman and a San Francisco supervisor said they would propose local initiatives aimed at controlling electronic waste if the California law-making body fails to act on two bills stalled in the Assembly. They are among a growing number of California cities and counties that have expressed the same intention.
Environmentalists and local governments are increasingly concerned about the toxic hazard posed by old electronic devices and the cost of safely recycling those products. An estimated 6 million televisions and computers are stocked in California homes, and an additional 6,000 to 7,000 computers become outdated every day. The machines contain high levels of lead and other hazardous substances, and are already banned from California landfills.
Legislation by Senator Byron Sher would require consumers to pay a recycling fee of up to $30 on every new machine containing a cathode ray tube. Used in almost all video monitors and televisions, those devices contain four to eight pounds of lead each. The fees would go toward setting up recycling programs, providing grants to non-profit agencies that reuse the tubes and rewarding manufacturers that encourage recycling.
A separate bill by Los Angeles-area Senator Gloria Romero would require high-tech manufacturers to develop programs to recycle so-called e-waste.
If passed, the measures would put California at the forefront of national efforts to manage the refuse of the electronic age.
But high-tech groups, including the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group and the American Electronics Association, oppose the measures, arguing that fees of up to $30 will drive consumers to online, out-of-state retailers.
“What really needs to occur is consumer education. Most consumers are unaware they’re not supposed to throw computers in the trash,” said Roxanne Gould, vice president of government relations for the electronics association.
Computer recycling should be a local effort and part of residential waste collection programs, she added.
Recycling electronic waste is a dangerous and specialized matter, and environmentalists maintain the state must support recycling efforts and ensure that the job isn’t contracted to unscrupulous junk dealers who send the toxic parts overseas.
“The graveyard of the high-tech revolution is ending up in rural China,” said Ted Smith, director of the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition. His group is pushing for an amendment to Sher’s bill that would prevent the export of e-waste.
1. What step were Bay Area officials going to take regarding e-waste disposal?
2. The two bills stalled in the California Assembly both concern ____.
3. Consumers are not supposed to throw used computers in the trash because ____.
4. High-tech groups believe that if an extra $30 is charged on every TV or computer purchased in California, consumers will ____.
5. We learn from the passage that much of California’s electronic waste has been ____.
问题1选项
A.Exert pressure on manufacturers of electronic devices.
B.Lay down relevant local regulations themselves.
C.Lobby the lawmakers of the California Assembly.
D.Rally support to pass the stalled bills.
问题2选项
A.regulations on dumping hazardous substances into landfills
B.the sale of used electronic devices to foreign countries
C.the funding of local initiatives to reuse electronic trash
D.the reprocessing of the huge amounts of electronic waste in the state
问题3选项
A.they contain large amounts of harmful substances
B.this is banned by the California government
C.some parts may be recycled for use elsewhere
D.unscrupulous dealers will retrieve them for profit
问题4选项
A.abandon online shopping
B.buy them from other states
C.strongly protest against such a charge
D.hesitate to upgrade their computers
问题5选项
A.collected by non-profit agencies
B.dumped into local landfills
C.exported to foreign countries
D.recycled by computer manufacturers
第1题:B
第2题:D
第3题:A
第4题:B
第5题:C
第1题:
【选项释义】
What step were Bay Area officials going to take regarding e-waste disposal? 旧金山湾区的官员打算采取什么步骤处理电子垃圾?
A. Exert pressure on manufacturers of electronic devices. A. 对电子设备制造商施加压力。
B. Lay down relevant local regulations themselves. B. 自行制定有关地方规章制度。
C. Lobby the lawmakers of the California Assembly. C. 游说加州议会的立法者。
D. Rally support to pass the stalled bills. D. 争取支持通过停滞不前的法案。
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干信息可定位到第一段“湾区官员周四表示,他们计划自己动手来管理该地区日益增多的电子垃圾。”以及第二段“他们将提出旨在控制电子垃圾的地方倡议”由此可知他们将自行制定关于处理电子垃圾的地方制度。因此选B。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“对电子设备制造商施加压力。”,文章没有提及,该选项属于无中生有;
C选项“游说加州议会的立法者。”,文章没有提及,该选项属于无中生有;
D选项“争取支持通过停滞不前的法案。”,文章第二段提到“如果加州立法机构未能就两项在议会搁置的法案采取行动,他们将提出旨在控制电子垃圾的地方倡议。”只是说会提出地方倡议,并没有说争取支持通过停滞不前的法案,该选项属于过度推断。
第2题:
【选项释义】
The two bills stalled in the California Assembly both concern ____. 加州议会搁置的两项法案都涉及____。
A. regulations on dumping hazardous substances into landfills A. 关于向垃圾填埋场倾倒有害物质的规定
B. the sale of used electronic devices to foreign countries B. 向外国出售二手电子设备
C. the funding of local initiatives to reuse electronic trash C. 为当地的电子垃圾再利用计划提供资金
D. the reprocessing of the huge amounts of electronic waste in the state D. 对该州大量电子垃圾的再处理
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干信息可定位到第四段最后一句“这些费用将用于建立回收项目,为重新利用这些管子的非盈利机构提供资助,并奖励鼓励回收的制造商。”以及第五段“要求高科技制造商开发回收所谓电子垃圾的项目”由此可知,两项法案都涉及要制造商再回收,也就是对电子垃圾的再处理。因此选D。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“关于向垃圾填埋场倾倒有害物质的规定”,两项法案均未涉及,该选项属于反向干扰;
B选项“向外国出售二手电子设备”,两项法案均未涉及,该选项属于反向干扰;
C选项“为当地的电子垃圾再利用计划提供资金”,参议员拜伦•谢尔的法案提到“这些费用将用于建立回收项目,为重新利用这些管子的非盈利机构提供资助,并奖励鼓励回收的制造商。”但是洛杉矶地区参议员罗梅罗的法案并没有涉及提供资金,该选项属于以偏概全。
第3题:
【选项释义】
Consumers are not supposed to throw used computers in the trash because ____. 消费者不应该把用过的电脑扔进垃圾桶,因为____。
A. they contain large amounts of harmful substances A. 它们含有大量有害物质
B. this is banned by the California government
B. 这是加州政府禁止的
C. some parts may be recycled for use elsewhere C. 有些部件可能会被回收到其他地方使用
D. unscrupulous dealers will retrieve them for profit D. 不择手段的商人会为了利润而收回它们
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干信息可定位到倒数第四段“大多数消费者并不知道他们不应该把电脑扔进垃圾桶。”以及第三段“据估计,加州家庭中储存着600万台电视机和电脑,每天还有6000到7000台电脑过时。这些机器含有高浓度的铅和其他有害物质,”由此可推断,因为这些机器含有大量有害物质所以不应该把它们扔进垃圾桶。因此选A。
【干扰项排除】
B选项“这是加州政府禁止的”,文中第三段提到“这些机器含有高浓度的铅和其他有害物质,已经被禁止进入加州的垃圾填埋场。”由此可知加州政府禁止将它们填埋但是没有禁止人们丢到垃圾桶,该选项属于偷换概念;
C选项“有些部件可能会被回收到其他地方使用”,文中倒数第二段提到“并确保这项工作不会被无道德的垃圾经销商承包,然后将有毒部件运往海外。”但是这并不是消费者不应该将其扔进垃圾桶的根本原因,该选项属于本末倒置;
D选项“不择手段的商人会为了利润而收回它们”,文中倒数第二段提到“并确保这项工作不会被无道德的垃圾经销商承包,然后将有毒部件运往海外。”只是说他们会把有毒部件运到海外,并没有说是为了利润而回收,该选项属于过度推断。
第4题:
【选项释义】
High-tech groups believe that if an extra $30 is charged on every TV or computer purchased in California, consumers will ____. 高科技集团认为,如果在加州购买的每台电视或电脑多收30美元,消费者将会____。
A. abandon online shopping A. 放弃网上购物
B. buy them from other states B. 从其他州买
C. strongly protest against such a charge C. 强烈抗议这样的收费
D. hesitate to upgrade their computers D. 犹豫是否升级他们的电脑
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干信息可定位到倒数第五段“高科技集团反对这些措施,认为高达30美元的费用将促使消费者转向在线的州外零售商。”也就是说多收30美元会让消费者去其他州购买。因此选B。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“放弃网上购物”,文中只是说会促使消费者线上去其他州购买,并不会导致放弃网上购物,该选项属于曲解原文;
C选项“强烈抗议这样的指控”,文中只是说高科技公司会反对,没有说消费者的态度,该选项属于无中生有;
D选项“犹豫是否升级他们的电脑”,文中没有提及,该选项属于无中生有。
第5题:
【选项释义】
We learn from the passage that much of California’s electronic waste has been ____. 从这篇文章中可以了解到,加州大部分的电子垃圾____。
A. collected by non-profit agencies A. 是由非营利机构收集的
B. dumped into local landfills B. 被倾倒进了当地的垃圾填埋场
C. exported to foreign countries C. 已经出口到国外
D. recycled by computer manufacturers D. 被电脑制造商回收利用
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干信息可定位到最后一段“他的组织正在推动对谢尔的法案进行修正,以阻止电子垃圾的出口。”由此可推断加州的电子垃圾已经出口到海外。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“是由非营利机构收集的”,文中第四段提到“这些费用将用于建立回收项目,为重新利用这些管子的非营利机构提供资助,并奖励鼓励回收的制造商。”这只是一项没有通过的法案的内容,并不是已经发生的事情,该选项属于反向干扰;
B选项“被倾倒进了当地的垃圾填埋场”,文中第三段提到“这些机器含有高浓度的铅和其他有害物质,已经被禁止进入加州的垃圾填埋场。”由此可知,加州禁止电子垃圾倾倒进垃圾填埋场,该选项属于反向干扰;
D选项“被电脑制造商回收利用”,文中只是说提倡电脑制造商回收利用,该选项属于过度推断。