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Passage 1 Consumer Recycling and Waste Reduction Tips
The following information provides simple tips on how to recycle and reduce waste as a consumer.
Grocery Stores
Many supermarkets sponsor redemption centers (回收中心) that will buy back California Redemption Value (CRV) containers for recycling and may accept other materials like steel cans, glass jars and newspapers. Some stores have reverse vending machines, which give you money back as CRV containers are fed into them.
Many grocery stores in the San Diego area also have a place to recycle used plastic grocery bags and film containers (plastic canisters that package the film):
Albertsons (also take newspaper wrappers, dry-cleaning bags, or any type of LDPE plastic bag) ·Ralphs ·Vons ·Wal-Mart
·Whole Foods Market
As for the question \"Paper or plastic?\" why not bring your own reusable cloth shopping bags instead. The cloth bags hold a lot more, so there are fewer trips back and forth from the car and the cloth carrying handles are more comfortable on your hands than paper or plastic handles. Some stores even give a small discount when you bring reusable cloth bags or reuse old shopping bags to carry out your new purchases.
Tip: If you bring your own canvas, plastic, or paper bags, be sure to ask the store to credit your bill. Many stores take 5 cents off each bag provided by the customer, even if the store does not recycle plastic bags.
And if you buy just one or two items, try going without a bag altogether. The store pays for its bags, which means so do you, and in the end, so does the environment. Dry Cleaners
Many dry cleaners take back their plastic clothes bags. When you get home and hang up your clothes, keep the plastic covers and recycle them on your next trip to the dry cleaners--rather than throw them away. Some stores will also reuse clean hangers. Reusing by Donating
There are many items that even the most active recycler may throw away because they are uncommon recyclables. Some of these items include mattresses, furniture, clothing, appliances, electronics or art materials. They can often be donated to local thrift stores and nonprofit groups to be repaired and reused. Visit www.bargainlink.com, San Diego's resource for thrift stores, second hand, rummage sales, recycling, retro, and more. Plus a calendar of events. Source Reduction--Make It Recyclable and Reusable
While shopping, you can help the environment by selecting products that use less packaging and are reusable or readily recyclable in your community. When buying a product, stop and think, \"Can this item be recycled or reused?\" If not, is there an alternative brand or product that you can buy? By making these choices, you are using your purchasing power to reward manufacturers that make recyclable and reusable products, not products that are only disposable. Try These Reusable Alternatives:
·Use a sponge instead of throwaway wipes ·Buy rechargeable batteries
·Buy cloth napkins that you can wash instead of paper you throw away ·Buy washable plates and cups for picnics instead of disposables ·Buy razors with replaceable blades
·Seek out reusable or refillable containers that hold shampoo, soap, etc.
·Use plastic containers with lids instead of aluminum foil, plastic bags or plastic wrap ·Rinse plastic bags and reuse them Buy Products Made of Recycled Materials
A phone directory featuring local recycled products is available by calling Environmental Services at (858)694-7000. No recycling program is truly successful unless recyclables collected are transformed into marketable products and then purchased by you! To create a demand for recycled products, make sure to purchase products that contain recycled materials. Ask store managers to stock
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products made with recycled materials and write to the manufacturers of the products you buy and tell them you prefer that they use recycled materials.
When shopping, buy those items that say, \"Made from recycled materials\" and have the highest percentage of post-consumer recycled content. (Post-consumer content means any material that the public has already used or recycled.) California law requires that any consumer goods labeled \"Recycled\" must contain at least 10% post-consumer content. And beware, claims such as \"environmentally friendly\\"eco-safe\\"safe for the environment\" or \"natural\" do not necessarily mean that the product can be recycled or contains recycled material!
Thanks to today's technology and manufacturing, these products are as high a quality as (if not higher than) products that don't contain recycled materials, and they look just as nice. Look for these items for your home or business in your community: · Clothing and shoes
· Children's toys and playground equipment · Garden tools · Carpet pads
· Plastic lumber for planters, decks and benches · Motor oil
· Floors and countertops · Rain gutters
· Packaging materials
· Paper products like tissue and towels · Cleaning supplies
· Writing or computer paper and envelopes
Your choices and efforts can make a significant difference in the success of San Diego and our nation's recycling programs!
Avoid Excess Packaging and Buy in BULK
While it's true that some packaging is necessary for health and shelf-life considerations, all too many manufacturers over-package their products. This excess packaging costs consumers more money, costs our environment more resources and energy, and costs our landfills valuable space. So take a little extra care before you buy. Look for an alternative product without packaging or the least amount of packaging and send a message that you don't like waste. Also, avoid single-serving items that are overly wrapped.
When it makes sense, buy in bulk, but only purchase the amount you will use within a reasonable time. You will avoid over-packaging and save money, since larger quantities are generally discounted. Try these alternatives next time you shop:
·Large box of cereal vs. individually wrapped snack pack of mini boxes of cereal
·Pudding in a box vs. pudding in plastic cups which are then held together by a cardboard carton ·Fresh vegetables you buy by the pound vs. shrink-wrapped vegetables in Styrofoam containers ·l-gallon water jugs vs. 6-pack of individual 12-ounce plastic bottles ·Condensed can of soup vs. microwavable single-portion soups 1. This passage is aimed at giving tips on ______ .
A) how to save money in shopping and recycling B) how to recycle and reduce waste
C) how to buy things in grocery stores D) how to buy things made of recycled materials 2. According to the passage, many supermarkets ______ .
A) will buy back all the containers
B) will buy reusable cloth shopping bags for customers C) will buy back CRV containers D) will not sell CRV containers
3. According to the passage, many dry cleaners ______ .
A) take back their plastic clothes bags B) take back their clothes hangers
C) pay the customers when they send back their plastic clothes bags D) pay the customers when they send back their clothes hangers
4. Uncommon recyclables such as mattresses, furniture, clothing, appliances, electronics or art materials can often be ______ .
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A) recycled by supermarkets
B) donated to local thrift stores and nonprofit groups to be repaired and reused C) sold to local thrift stores and nonprofit groups to be repaired and reused D) repaired and reused by people themselves
5. Customers can help the environment by selecting products that ______ .
A) do not have any packaging B) can not be recycled or reused
C) are made by famous manufacturers and widely available on the market D) use less packaging and are reusable or easily recyclable in their community
6. People are advised to buy those products made from recycled materials because their choices and efforts may ______ San Diego and the nation’s recycling programs..
A) enormously contribute to B) eventually get nowhere with
C) definitely slow down D) actually make no difference to
7. By writing \"buy in bulk\
A) people should buy as much as possible each time
B) it is a good idea because larger quantities are generally of better quality C) people should buy things in large containers or packages D) people should buy things that are not packaged at all
8. Some stores have reverse vending machines, which _______________________________ .
9. If you call Environmental Services at (858)694-7000, you can get information about _____________ . 10. Many grocery stores in the San Diego area, such as Albertsons, Ralphs, Vons, Wal-mart and Whole Foods Market, also have a place to recycle _________________________________________ .
Passage 2
Obesity in children and adolescents is rising at an alarming rate. Currently over 15% of young people over 6 years old are obese, and obesity is also increasing among children aged 5 and younger. Children are considered to be overweight if the BMI( Body Mass Index) is over 85% of the weight group in their age and sex categories. If it is 95% and over, they are considered to be obese. Adolescents are generally judged according to adult criteria for obesity, although there are other considerations in this population. Ethnic variations, timing of growth spurts, and higher normal fat levels around puberty can cause disparities in these measurements.
Causes and Risk Factors for Obesity in Children
Lifestyle Factors. Without educational or parental guidance, children are extremely vulnerable to the intense cultural pressures that are largely responsible for the obesity epidemic. Neither the media nor the educational system has strong well-financed programs that encourage healthy-alternatives, including exercise and healthy foods. The following are some specific problems created by the culture: * Excessive television watching plays a critical role in obesity in children. Not only is it a sedentary activity, but television also offers innumerable temptations with its advertisements for fast foods, sugar cereals, and unhealthy snacks. In one study obesity rates were lowest in children who watched television one hour or less a day and highest in those who watched four or more hours.
* Sugar, particularly from soda, other sweetened beverages, and fruit juice, may be major contributors to childhood obesity. One study reported that drinking soda regularly increases a child's risk for obesity by 60%.
* Less physical exercise and greater sedentary activities play another significant role in obesity in children. A high level of physical activity--not just using up energy--is important for weight control in young people.
Family History. In most cases, obese children tend to have parents suffering obesity. Parental obesity more than doubles the risk that a young child, whether thin or overweight, will become obese as an adult. In older children and teenagers, obesity in parents starts to count less as a predictor for body weight than their own weight. The risk may be due to environmental or genetic factors, or both.
Ethnic and Socioeconomic Factors. As in adult populations, children from lower socioeconomic groups and minority populations are at higher risk for obesity. For example, among young Mexican Americans and African Americans, there has been an increase in overweight prevalence of about 13% to over 23%.
Factors Surrounding Birth. The following factors surrounding birth are associated with a
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child's weight:
* Low birth weight is a risk factor for later obesity and diabetes. One theory is that humans have a \"thrifty gene\" that produces metabolic changes in infants with low birth weight. Such changes affect insulin and fat accumulation in order to produce a “catch-up” weight in these young children as quickly as possible. This rapid weight gain in infancy increases the gain risk far obesity in children and also in young adulthood.
* In a study of African American children, having an overweight pregnant mother increased the risk for later weight gain, but low birth weight did not.
Although some small studies have reported protection against obesity from breastfeeding, evidence is weak. In a 2003 study, for example, children who were breast fed for three to five months had a lower risk for obesity, but prolonged breastfeeding had no effect. Nevertheless, given the healthful effect of breastfeeding and the possibility that it may have even a slight impact on childhood obesity, it is highly recommended.
Health Consequences of Childhood Obesity
Children and adolescents who are obese have poorer health than other children. Studies are reporting unhealthy cholesterol levels and high blood pressure in obese children and adolescents. Of great concern is the dramatic increase in type 2 diabetes in young people, which is most certainly largely due to the increase in obesity. Obesity in children is also linked to asthma, gallbladder problems, sleep apnea, and liver abnormalities. Childhood obesity may be partly responsible for the declining age for onset of puberty in girls, with subsequent risks for breast cancer.
It is not clear yet how many of these childhood problems persist in people who, achieve normal weight as adults. Staying overweight into adulthood certainly confers health risks.
Managing Overweight and Obese Children
Childhood obesity is best treated by a non-drug, multidisciplinary approach including diet, behavior modification, and exercise. Some evidence suggests that reducing calories by only 200 to 260 per day would prevent weight gain in most overweight children. Here some tips for children who are overweight:
* Limit or avoid if possible takeout, fast foods, high-sugar snacks, commercial packaged snacks, soda and sugar sweetened beverages (including too much juice).
* Let children snack but make sure the snacks are healthy. Eating small frequent healthy meals (instead of two or three large ones) has been associated with being thinner and having a better cholesterol profile.
* Let children choose their own food portions. One study indicated that children naturally ate 25% less than they chose their own portion size. When they were given larger portions their bite sizes were larger and they ate more.
* Don't criticize a child for being overweight. It does not help and such attitudes could put children at risk for eating disorders, which are equal or even greater dangers to health.
* Limit television, video games, and computer use to a few hours a week. This can contribute significantly to weight control, regardless of diet and physical activity.
* For young children, try the traffic-light diet. Food is designated with stoplight colors depending on their high caloric content: Green for go (low calories); yellow for \"eat with caution\" (medium calories); red for \"stop\" (high calories).
* Try a low-glycemic index diet. This may be as beneficial and possibly more than a standard reduced-fat diet in obese children. Such a diet focuses on carbohydrates, such as dried beans and soy, that raise blood sugar more slowly than others. This diet is sometimes used in diabetes and as a dietary approach in overweight adults.
1. Overweight children are those whose BMI is ______ of the weight group in their age and sex categories.
A) over 90% B) over 85% C) over 60% D) over 23%
2. Which of the following is NOT the specific problem created by the culture?
A) Excessive television watching.
B) Sugar from soda and other sweetened beverages. C) Over spoiled children.
D) Less physical exercise and greater sedentary activities.
3. It is observed that children ______ tend to be less likely to suffer from obesity.
A) watching television one hour or less a day
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B) watching television one hour to five hours a day C) watching four or more hours D) watching no television
4. ______ among children is a major contributor to childhood obesity. A) Watching television long time
B) Less physical exercise
C) Greater sedentary activities
D) The intake of sugar
5. What can we learn from \"in most cases, obese children tend to have parents suffering obesity”? A) Obese children are fed much more by their overweight parents.
B) The environmental or genetic factors are the major reasons for childhood obesity. C) Overweight parents hope that their children will be obese like them. D) Their parent will worry their children thin. 6. What conclusion can we get from the 2003 study?
A) Breast feeding has great influence on obese children.
B) There is no relationship between breast feeding and obesity. C) The evidence of the breast feeding and obesity is weak. D) Prolonged breastfeeding indeed had effect on obesity. 7. What is the best title for this passage? A) Obesity in Children.
B) Factor of Obesity.
C) Reasons of Obesity.
D) Managing Obesity.
8. Obese children and adolescents have poorer health, as they are reported to have unhealthy _______________________________ .
9. It is suggested that reducing calories ______ would prevent weight gain in most overweight children. 10. The author believes that it does not help to criticize children for being overweight, as this may increase the risk for _______________.
Passage 3
A prenuptial agreement (or \"prenup\") is a contract between two people who are about to get married that dictates how assets will be divided if the marriage ends in divorce or death. When properly handled, a prenuptial agreement can help a couple sort out important issues prior to marriage, and many successful marriages have prenuptial agreements but don't end in divorce. On the other hand, nearly 50 percent of new marriages end in divorce, so unfortunately, getting a prenuptial agreement may be wise simply because of the odds.
Why Get a Prenuptial Agreement?
In the past, prenuptial agreements were looked down upon as something that \"encouraged\" divorce, a sign that a marriage was doomed from the start. Over the last two decades, however, prenuptial agreements have become more accepted by couples and by courts. They still have a long way to go though as only 5 percent to 10 percent of newlyweds have prenuptial agreements. Judges also take a critical eye to prenuptial agreements during divorce hearings, tossing out an agreement if it seems unfair to one partner.
Despite the stigma associated with them, there are many reasons to get a prenuptial agreement. First, you may want a prenuptial agreement if you are in any of the following categories: * A business owner
* Eligible (符合条件的, 合格的) for an. Inheritance (遗产) * Have significant assets like a home, stock or retirement fund * One partner is significantly wealthier than another
* One partner expects a significant increase in wealth or salary in the future * Either partner has children from a previous marriage * Have elderly family members to support and care for
* One partner is supporting the other through college or graduate school
As you can see, a prenuptial agreement does more than protect one's own assets. If you are engaged to be married and have children from a past relationship, a prenuptial agreement can contain language guaranteeing that, in the event of a divorce, money will be set aside to provide for those children, if one partner has past debts, a prenuptial agreement can dictate who will repay those debts or
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whether they will be paid off together. Perhaps you are also engaged but are worried about what might happen to family property ,or an heirloom in the event of a divorce--a prenuptial agreement can help with that as well.
A prenuptial agreement may allow you to have greater control over how assets are divided. It also can diminish stress and uncertainty in the event of a divorce. You will save money on lawyers and will have a clear understanding of how assets will be divided, assuming that a judge accepts the agreement as valid. And because both parties are familiar with the agreement, divorce proceedings should be more amicable than a bitter protracted conflict where both parties bicker over who gets what. How to Make a Prenuptial Agreement
Creating a prenuptial agreement requires open and honest discussion, but it's also a legal process, so you'll need lawyers as well. Each of you should hire a separate attorney who has experience writing prenuptial agreements and is familiar with all applicable state taws. The lawyers will write the agreement together with the interests of their respective clients in mind.
Each partner should create a list of the assets he or she owns, as well as any outstanding debts. In this part of the process, honesty is crucial. A judge can and will declare a prenuptial agreement invalid if it's proved that someone concealed or failed to disclose important information.
Once you are both satisfied with the prenuptial agreement, it should be signed well in advance of the wedding and in the presence of a lawyer. Ideally, you'll sign the agreement before the invitations go out, but a month or more before the wedding is considered by many to be the bare minimum. A key criterion for a valid prenuptial agreement is that it is signed voluntarily by both parties, without any coercion or under duress (强迫, 监禁). If the agreement is signed close to or even on the wedding day, a judge may throw it out, or it can be easier for a disgruntled (不满的, 不高兴地) spouse to claim that he or she didn't have time to look over the agreement or was pressured to sign.
A prenuptial can help you protect assets, plan how finances will be managed and guard against a potentially nasty divorce. Here are some other things that can be discussed in a prenup: * Joint or separate tax returns
* Who will be responsible for household bills? * Joint or separate bank accounts
* How major purchases or projects--house, car, business-will be done * How credit cards will be managed * Savings accounts
* How to settle future disagreements
* How to provide for a spouse who survives the other
There are many things you can't or should not put in a prenuptial agreement. You shouldn't include rules about how the household will be run (beyond financial matters), the use of last names or responsibilities regarding children. You can't limit or waive (放弃) your rights to child support, visitation or custody (保管). Some states allow you to make stipulations (约定, 契约) about alimony (赡养费, 生活费), but others don' t.
Even if you have strict specifications in your prenup on how some financial matters will be handled, that does not mean you are bound to it for life. A will can be more generous than a prenuptial agreement in that it can leave more money to a spouse than is offered in the prenup. Exports also recommend that you review your prenuptial agreement every few years. After five or ten years of marriage, you might want to be more generous than your original prenuptial agreement, or you might find that the original document no longer satisfies your needs. You could also add a sunset clause to your prenuptial agreement that causes it to end after 10 or 20 years. Postnuptial Agreement
A postnuptial agreement is a contract made after a couple gets married. Like a prenuptial agreement, a postnuptial agreement requires each partner to obtain his or her own legal representation. These agreements are designed to help resolve outstanding issues in the marriage--finances, assets, kids, even home maintenance. Like a prenuptial agreement, this agreement must be drafted and signed in complete honesty with a full disclosure of assets, no coercion (强迫, 威胁) and a document that' s fair for both parties. Check on the validity of these types of agreements in your area before pursuing one. You may also want to consider some form of marital counseling either in place of or in addition to a postnuptial agreement.
1. In the past, people generally objected to prenuptial agreements because ______ .
A) it was a sign that encouraged divorce B) it was unfair to the bride
C) it was not a conventional practice
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D) it was unnecessary to sign it
2. Most prenuptial agreements are proposed for the purpose that _______ . A) the personal assets can be effectively protected B) money will be set aside to provide for their children
C) a prenuptial agreement can dictate who will repay those debts or whether they will be paid off
together
D) all above are right
3. A judge can declare a prenuptial agreement invalid if _______ .
A) there is no lawyers taking part in the prenuptial agreement writing B) it's proved that someone concealed important information C) each partner has any outstanding debts
D) it be not signed on the wedding and in the presence of a lawyer 4. Which of the following is NOT the advantage of a prenuptial agreement? A) It can help you protect assets.
B) It can plan how finances will be managed. C) It can avoid divorce.
D) It can guard against a potentially nasty divorce.
5. Which one is NOT mentioned in the passage as the thing you should not put in a prenuptial agreement?
A) Rules about how the household will be run. B) Who will be in charge of family income.
C) The use of last names. D) Responsibilities regarding children.
6. Concerning postnuptial Agreement, what similarity does it share with prenuptial agreement? A) They are both made before a couple gets married.
B) They are both aimed to solve outstanding issues in the marriage. C) They both need the partners gain their own legal representation. D) They are both nonsense in the law. 7. What is the main idea of the passage?
A) It discusses prenuptial agreements.
B) How to write a prenuptial agreements. C) Why get a-prenuptial agreement.
D) It is important to sign a postnuptial agreement.
8. Besides open and honest discussion, people are advised to hire separate lawyers when they decide to reach a prenuptial agreement, as the creation of such agreement is ____________________________ . 9. Either of the parties can not limit or waive their rights to _______________________________.
10. It is advisable to add ______________________ to a prenuptial agreement if the marriage ends after 10 or 20 years.
补充习题部分全部习题答案: Passage1 1B 2C 3A 4B 5D 6A 7C 8give you money 9local recycled Back as CRV containers Products/Products are fed into them Passage2 1B 2C 3A 4D 4C 5B 5B 6C 6C 7A 7A Made Of recycled materials 10used plastic Grocery bags and film containers 10 eating disorders 8cholesterol levels and 9by only 200 to 260 High blood pressure Per day 8a legal process Passage3 1A 2D 3B 9child support, 10a sunset clause Visitation or custody CET-4快速阅读 7
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