题型:阅读选择 题类: 难易度:普通
浙江省杭州市上城区2024年九年级中考二模英语试卷
Plastic straws (吸管) are a modern invention, although people have been using different types of things for drinking water for centuries. By the 1960s, plastic straws have become common. It is said that 500 million straws are used just in the United States each day.
So what's the problem? The problem is that plastics, including plastic straws that are usually thrown away after one use, end up in the the world's oceans. As many as 8.3 billion plastic straws pollute the world's beaches and oceans.
There are many choices for people who need or want a straw. Paper straws are becoming popular. Straws made from a new kind of plastic, which is biodegradable (可生物降解的) and made from plants, are also a good choice. Companies are also marketing reusable straws made of glass or metal. People can carry these straws with them to use when they go to a restaurant. However, paper straws are about 6 cents each, and reusable glass straws are about 50 to 60 cents each, while a regular plastic straw only costs about a cent. That adds up for restaurants and food sellers that offer straws.
Because the use of plastic straws is getting a lot of attention these days, many businesses have decided not to use them. Starbucks has said that it will stop using plastic straws. McDonald's announced that it will start banning (禁止) straws at its restaurants in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Hotel chains such as Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt plan to stop using them. Even the whole cities, like Seattle, are banning the use of plastic straws. California now has a law in place that customers will only be given a straw if they ask for one.
The next time you're buying something to drink, think about your straw choices. Reuse, reduce, and recycle.
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