Ask someone what they have done to help the environment recently and they will almost mention recycling, which is the process (过程) of treating used things, such as paper or steel so that they can be used again. Recycling in the home is very important of course. However, being forced to recycle often means we already have more things than we need. We are now dealing with the results of that over-consumption in the possible greenest way, but it would be far better if we did not bring so many things home in the first place.

Here is an example. In the UK, the total of packaging increased by 12% between 1999 and 2005. It now makes up a third of a household’s waste. In many supermarkets, foods are packaged twice with plastic and cardboard.

Too much packaging causes serious environmental problems. The UK is running out of different kinds of ways for dealing with this unnecessary waste. If such packaging is burnt, it gives off greenhouse gases which go on to cause the greenhouse effect (效果). Recycling helps, but the process itself uses energy. The best way of avoiding this problem is to stop producing such unnecessary things in the first place. Food waste is another serious problem, too. Too many supermarkets encourage customers (消费者) to buy more than they need. They seldom encourage customers to reuse their plastic bags, for example. However, a few of them are coming round to the idea that this cannot continue.

But this is not just about supermarkets. It is about all of us. We have learned to connect packaging with quality (质量). We have learned to think that something unpackaged is of poor quality. Is it true for all the products? In fact, more and more companies realized the importance of protecting the environment. They try to package what really should be packaged, including products in good quality.

As more of us recycle, we are beginning to realize how many unnecessary things are being collected. We need to face the waste of our daily life. Although many people have taken action to recycle, we have a high mountain to climb.

1.What does the underlined word “over-consumption” mean?

2.What is the main purpose of the second paragraph?

3.What can be inferred from the fourth paragraph?

4.What does the passage mainly talk about?

请阅读短文，掌握其大意，然后根据短文内容从下面方框中的七个选项中选出五个还原到短文中，使短文意思通顺、结构完整。（每小题2分）

Newspapers are not nearly as popular today as they were in the past. ? 1.?? Most people read only the sports pages, the advice or the gossip（闲话，绯闻）columns, the comics, and perhaps the classified advertisements.

Most people don't take the time to read the real news. ??? 2.?? These techniques（技术，手段）are used on the front page because it is the first thing you see when you pick up the paper. The first page attracts attention and encourages the reader to look through the rest of the paper. ??? 3.??? If the headline is horrible（恐惧的）enough or frightening enough or wild enough, perhaps they will go on to read the front page anymore. They may read the headlines, but that is all, then they turn to the sports page, or comics, or advertisements. It seems that people do not want the news from a newspaper anymore.? ? 4.?

More people watch television news because it is easier and more interesting than reading a newspaper. What about you? Do you read news from a newspaper??? 5. Or do you care about news at all? Would you mind if there were no news?

A. They say they get the news on the television now.

B. There are not very many people who seriously read a newspaper every day.

C. More and more people read newspapers every day.

D. They attempt（试图）to catch the reader's interest with pictures and exciting headlines（大字标题，新闻提要）

E. Do you think it is easier to get the news from television?

F. They like reading stories.

G. This is why editors always look for a good first page story and headline to make them stop and look.

Ask someone what they have done to help the environment recently and they will almost mention recycling, which is the process (过程) of treating used things, such as paper or steel so that they can be used again. Recycling in the home is very important of course. However, being forced to recycle often means we already have more things than we need. We are now dealing with the results of that over-consumption in the possible greenest way, but it would be far better if we did not bring so many things home in the first place.
Here is an example. In the UK, the total of packaging increased by 12% between 1999 and 2005. It now makes up a third of a household’s waste. In many supermarkets, foods are packaged twice with plastic and cardboard.
Too much packaging causes serious environmental problems. The UK is running out of different kinds of ways for dealing with this unnecessary waste. If such packaging is burnt, it gives off greenhouse gases which go on to cause the greenhouse effect (效果). Recycling helps, but the process itself uses energy. The best way of avoiding this problem is to stop producing such unnecessary things in the first place. Food waste is another serious problem, too. Too many supermarkets encourage customers (消费者) to buy more than they need. They seldom encourage customers to reuse their plastic bags, for example. However, a few of them are coming round to the idea that this cannot continue.
But this is not just about supermarkets. It is about all of us. We have learned to connect packaging with quality (质量). We have learned to think that something unpackaged is of poor quality. Is it true for all the products? In fact, more and more companies realized the importance of protecting the environment. They try to package what really should be packaged, including products in good quality.
As more of us recycle, we are beginning to realize how many unnecessary things are being collected. We need to face the waste of our daily life. Although many people have taken action to recycle, we have a high mountain to climb.
【小题1】What does the underlined word “over-consumption” mean?