Consumers are being confused and misled by the hodge-podge (大雜燴) of environmental claims made by household products, according to a “green labeling” study published by Consumers International Friday.
Among the report’s more outrageous (令人無法容忍的) 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 Consumer 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 there is a long way to go in ensuring shoppers are adequately informed about the environmental impact of products 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 (洗滌劑), insect sprays and by some garden products.It did not test the 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 unclear 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 tested.“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 outrageous that ____.
A.a(chǎn)ll the products surveyed claim to meet ISO standards
B.the claims made by products are often unclear or misleading
C.consumers would believe many of the manufactures’claim
D.few products actually prove to be environmentally friendly
2.A study was carried out by Britain’s NCC to ____.
A.find out how many claims made by products fail to meet environmental standards
B.inform the consumers of the environmental impact of the products they buy
C.examine claims made by products against ISO standards
D.test the guidelines set by the International Standards Organization
3.What is one of the consequences caused by the many claims of household products?
A.They are likely to lead to serious environmental problems
B.Consumers find it difficult to tell the true from the false
C.They could arouse widespread anger among consumer
D.Consumers will tend to buy products they don’t need
4.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.prove the efforts of non-polluting products
科目:高中英語 來源:2013-2014學年浙江省高三上學期期末考試英語試卷(解析版) 題型:閱讀理解
It was reported last week that developers could take photos from Apple mobile and Google Android devices without the phone owners knowing that the images were being taken. In Apple’s case, developers can also obtain the location information for each photo.
Senator(參議員) Charles Schumer said in a telephone interview that his office had spoken with officials at both Apple and Google on Monday.
“We asked them if they could find a way on their own to prevent Apple from having access to private information,” Mr. Schumer said. “They were friendly and open to the idea that this ought to be changed.”
On Sunday, Mr. Schumer said that he planned to send a letter to the Federal Trade Commission asking the agency to investigate Apple and Google after the privacy concerns came to light. Claudia Bourne Farrell, an F.T.C. spokeswoman, said the agency had received the letter but she could not comment further.
“It worries people to think that one’s personal photos, address book, and who knows what else can be obtained and even posted online without permission,” Mr. Schumer wrote in his letter to the F.T.C. “If the technology exists to open the door to this kind of privacy invasion, then surely technology exists to close it, and that’s exactly what must happen.”
Mr. Schumer said if Apple and Google could not come to an agreement to fix the problem, then he would be forced to take the issue further.
He said other companies had been willing to work with his office to fix issues. “I’m optimistic that we can get this changed without any regulation,” he said. “If it’s not changed, then we’ll turn to the F.T.C., and if that doesn’t work then we’ll consider legislative approach.”
The F.T.C. has warned companies to try to be more vigilant(警醒的) in their efforts to protect consumers when it comes to privacy.
1.The senators spoke with officials at both Apple and Google___________.
A. to urge them not to invade consumers’ privacy
B. to discuss whether it is illegal to have access to private information
C. to stop them from developing the technology of taking photos
D. to keep them from obtaining the location information for each photo
2.Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Privacy invasion from Apple has existed for a long time.
B. Mr. Schumer takes the privacy concerns caused by Apple and Google seriously.
C. Privacy invasion from Google has existed for a long time.
D. Apple and Google have decided to make a change.
3.Mr. Schumer’s letter to the F.T.C. mainly shows that the technology to open the door to privacy invasion___________.
A. causes privacy invasion to happen frequently????????
B. can be used if permitted
C. causes people to worry about the safety of their personal information
D. causes personal information to be posted online without permission
4.If the privacy concerns can’t be solved with the help of the F.T.C., ___________.
A. The senators will force the companies not to invade privacy
B. The companies will be closed
C. The companies will be fined
D. The senators will turn to legislation
5.Where can we read about the passage?
A. In a newspaper.??????????????????? B. In a travel brochure.
C. In a science report.???????????????? D. In a textbook.
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科目:高中英語 來源:2012-2013學年福建廈門高三3月質(zhì)量檢查英語卷(解析版) 題型:閱讀理解
There is no doubt that Apple is well aware of the increased competition in the market and could be in a hurry to put another device out there, said Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst at IDC Mobile Devices Technology and Trends. Given its history with product launches and business policy, though, Apple probably isn’t going to rush an iPhone release simply to put it on shelves, he said.
“If you’re Tim Cook (CEO of Apple), you’re thinking if you want to pay more attention to how to keep growing that bottom line and keep investors happy, or continue with the same approach from Apple, which is do what we can do and manage products and releases in the best way they can work for us. Apple usually does things in their own time ,and I’m having a hard time buying this May or June timeline.” Llamas told Mac News World.
While it,s probable that Apple is definitely in a testing stage for its next smartphone , consumers likely have a standard wait for the finished product, said Colin Gibbs, analyst at GigaOm Pro.
“It typically takes a year or longer to create a state-of-the-art smartphone, so no one should be surprised Apple is in the testing stages with the next iPhone. And while it’s possible that Apple could launch the next iPhone this spring or summer, I’m not expecting to see it until a little later in the year,” he told Mac News World.
When it does launch, though, it could be in a variety of colors, said Gibbs. “Apple has already tested the waters with releasing colored devices when it revamped(更新,翻新)its iPod line last fall, so it’s not too much of a stretch to believe it would want the new twist with its smartphone, as well”.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the new iPhone becomes available in some new colors,’’ he said. “That could be done pretty cheaply ,and it would give Apple a new marketing angle.”
1.According to Ramon Llamas, Apple always______.
A.tries to pleases its investors
B. does things as planned
C.ignores the fierce market competition
D. rushes to put new products to market
2.As for the next iPhone, Colin Gibbs didn’t mention______
A.the stage of its being tested
B.the rough time of its being released
C.the wide variety of its color
D.the function to be improved
3.What’s Colin Gibbs ,attitude towards the next iPhone?
A. Disapproving. B. Casual
C. Objective. D. Doubtful.
4.This passage is presented in the form of______.
A.stories B.comments C.advertisements D.debates
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科目:高中英語 來源:2011-2012學年江蘇漣水中學高三階段性檢測英語卷(解析版) 題型:閱讀理解
In 1991, Kentucky Fried Chicken announced that it was officially changing its name to “KFC” as well as updating its packaging and logo(標識)with a more modern look. The public relations reason was that health-conscious consumers associated the word “fried” with “unhealthy”, causing some of them to completely avoid the wide variety of “healthy” menu items. The new title and image were designed to attract customers to a restaurant now offering foods branded as “better for you”.
It sounded good, but the real reason behind the shift to KFC had nothing to do with critical consumers. In 1990, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, trapped in debt, took the unusual step of trade marking its name. Therefore, anyone using the word “Kentucky” for business reasons would have to obtain permission and pay licensing fees to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It was an unusual and brilliant scheme to lighten government debt, but it was also one that alienated (疏遠)one of the most famous companies ever associated with Kentucky. The Kentucky Fried Chicken chain refused as a matter of principle to pay royalties on a name they had been using for four decades. After a year of fruitless talks, Kentucky Fried Chicken changed their name instead, introducing new packaging and products to hide the real reasons behind the change of the name.
Kentucky fried Chicken was not the only one who bravely refused to give in. The name of the most famous horse race in North America, held every year at Churchill Downs, was changed to “The Run for the Roses” for similar reasons.
In November 2006, KFC and the State of Kentucky finally reached a settlement over the use of the trademarked word “Kentucky”, and the restaurant chain announced it would be reusing its former name of “Kentucky Fried Chicken”.
1.The public relations reason for Kentucky Fried Chicken’s updating its packaging and logo was that .
A.it was losing money
B.most customers didn’t like the old logo
C.it wanted to get involved in other businesses
D.it decided to offer better foods to customers
2.The Commonwealth of Kentucky trademarked its name to .
A.develop American culture
B.be alienated from the famous companies
C.raise money to pay the government debt
D.make Kentucky known throughout the world
3.The real reason why “Kentucky Fried Chicken” changed its name was related to .
A.health B.money C.package D.product
4.It can be inferred from the passage that .
A.KFC is still not allowed to use the name of “Kentucky Fried Chicken”
B.“Kentucky Fried Chicken” changed its name after several years of talks
C.the name “Kentucky Fried Chicken” had only been used for a short time
D.the original name of the horse race “The Run for the Roses” contained the word “Kentucky”
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科目:高中英語 來源:2015屆江蘇省高一3月月考英語試卷(解析版) 題型:閱讀理解
Did Steve Jobs kill the music industry? That’s the question on many people’s lips since rock star Jon Bon Jovi accused the Apple boss of personally destroying the music industry.Bon Jovi centers his criticism on how he believes music downloading has robbed young people of what he calls the “beauty of buying an album”. “Kids today have missed the beauty of taking your pocket money and making a decision based on the jacket (封面), not knowing what the record sounded like,” he said.
But far from killing the industry, many young people today think Jobs has been a blessing (帶來幸運的人), offering you instant, and selective access to a whole world of music.
Keith Staskiewicz at Enthertainment Weekly speaks for the feelings of many music lovers. He believes listening to MP3s rather than records or CDs “just save money” and doesn’t “remove the sense of discovery they get from new music”. Staskiewicz also argues that it’s wrong to blame Jobs and Apple for destroying anything. “Change is just part of the business,” Staskiewicz said. “No doubt in 50 years, Justin Bieber will complain about how kids don’t listen to ipods anymore.”
For now, though, it appears that music downloading is set to continue for the near future.
According to Summer Redstone, chairman of media company Viacom, iTunes has “resurrected(復(fù)興) the music industry by creating a legal, affordable purchasing system for fans”.
But recent surveys suggested that, despite the “l(fā)egalizing(合法化)” of music downloading through sites like iTunes, young people are still choosing to download music illegally. A report by Jupiter Research suggested that illegal downloading sites are used three times as much as legal ones. The problem, according to its analyst Mark Mulligan, is how today’s youth grow up viewing music as something they can get for free.
He said, “Unless the musci industry can shift these consumers while they are young away from free consumption to paid music formats(格式), they may never develop music purchasing behavior and the recording industry could suffer long-term harm.”
1.Which one is TRUE about young people nowadays?
A.They are music lovers and are willing to save money to enjoy music.
B.The majority of them download music through legal sites like iTunes.
C.They are most likely to go back to the store to buy albums in the near future.
D.They are robbed of the change of enjoying music by Apple.
2.According to Mark Mulligan, the best solution to the problem of illegal music downloading is to_______.
A.legalize music downloading through sites like iTunes
B.help young people get used to paying for music
C.offer young people instant and selective access to a variety of music
D.create an affordable purchasing system for fans
3.What is the main point of the article?
A.How Steve Jobs and Apple destroyed the music industry.
B.Why young people prefer downloading music to buying albums.
C.The problem of illegal downloading of music.
D.Different opinions on effects of music downloading.
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科目:高中英語 來源:2012-2013學年浙江省嘉興市高三上學期基礎(chǔ)測試英語試卷(解析版) 題型:閱讀理解
You are careful with your money: you collect all kinds of coupons; look for group-buy deals if you eat out; you don't buy clothes unless in a sale. Does all this make you a wise consumer?
Let's do the math first: you walk into a coffee shop and see two deals for a cup of coffee. The first deal offers 33 percent extra coffee. The second takes 33 percent off the regular price. What's the better deal? Well, they are about the same, you'd think. And you'd be wrong. The deals appear to be equal, but in fact, they are different. Here's the math: Let's say the standard coffee is 10 yuan and let's divide the amount of coffee into three portions(部分). That makes about 3.3 yuan per portion, The first deal gets you 4 portions for 10 yuan (2.5 yuan per portion) and the second gets you 3 portions of coffee for 6.6 yuan (2.2 yuan per portion) and is therefore a better deal.
In a new study published by the Journal of Marketing, participants were asked the same question, and most of them chose the first deal, the Atlantic website reported. Why? Because getting something extra for free feels better than getting the same for less. The applications of this view into consumer psychology(心理) are huge. Instead of offering direct discounts, shops offer larger sizes or free samples.
According to the study, the reason why these marketing tricks work is that consumers don't really know how much anything should cost, so we rely on parts of our brains that aren't strictly quantitative.
There are some traps we should be aware of when shopping. First of all, we are heavily influenced by the first number. Suppose you are shopping in Hong Kong. You walk into Hermes, and you see a 100,000 yuan bag. "That's crazy." You shake your head and leave. The next shop is Gucci, a handbag here costs 25,000 yuan. The price is still high, but compared to the 100,000 yuan price tag you just committed to your memory, this is a steal. Stores often use the price difference to set consumers' expectation. zxxk
Another trap we often fall to Is that we are not really sure what things are worth. And so we use clues(暗示) to tell us what we ought to pay for them. US economist Dan Ariely has done an experiment to prove this. According to the Atlantic, Ariely pretended he was giving a lecture on poetry. He told one group of students that the tickets cost money and another group that they would be paid to attend. Then he informed both groups that thelecture was free. The first group was anxious to attend, believing they were getting something of value for free. The second group mostly declined, believing they were being forced to volunteer for the same event without reward.
What's a lecture on poetry by an economist worth? The students had no idea. That's the point. Do we really know what a shirt is worth ? What about a cup of coffee? What's the worth of a life insurance.policy? Who knows? Most of us don't. As a result, our shopping brain uses only what is knowable: visual(祝覺的) clues, invited emotions, comparisons, and a sense of bargain. We are not stupid. We are just easily influenced.
1.The first paragraph of the passage is intended to
A.a(chǎn)sk a question B.introduce a topic
C.give some examples D.describe a phenomenon
2.The writer takes the math for example in Paragraph 2 to show . _.
A.consumers usually fall into marketing traps
B.consumers' expectation is difficult to predict
C.consumers' purchasing power is always changing
D.consumers rely on their own judgment when shopping
3.What consumer psychology is mentioned in the passage?
A.The first number has little influence on which item should be bought.
B.Consumers never use visual clues to decide how much should be paid.
C.Getting something extra for free is better than getting the same for less.
D.Consumers never rely on parts of the brains that aren't strictly quantitative.
4.According to the passage, shops use the following tricks to make more profits EXCEPT .
A.showing price differences B.offering larger sizes
C.providing free samples D.giving direct discounts
5.What can we know from US economist Dan Ariely's experiment?
A.Ariely's free lecture enjoyed popularity among students.
B.The students actually didn't know what the lecture was worth.
C.The second group was willing to be volunteers without reward.
D.The first group was eager to find out the value of Ariely's lecture.
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