Question

【題目】 Roughly 8. 5 billion plastic straws are used in the United Kingdom each year, but as a new ban takes effect next April, that number will decrease to zero. One startup (初創(chuàng)企業(yè)) is hoping to capture the chance to make a kind of straws as an alternative by using an unlikely material: pasta (意大利面食).

“It has all the function of a plastic straw that everyone has been using,” says Maxim Gelmann, founder of Stroodles, the startup. The straws, made by an Italian company that also produces regular pasta, are the same shape and size as a standard plastic straw.

Unlike a paper straw, they don’t taste like wet paper; they don’t change the flavor of the drink. They last at least an hour, and longer in colder drinks. If you’re nursing a drink for hours and the pasta eventually softens, you can choose to eat it. The raw straw is also eatable, and Gelmann says that some people snack on them.

A handful of other pasta-straw startups also exist, though Stroodles is hoping to feature itself with a smoother, more plastic-like material and its branding.

It’s more expensive to make than a plastic straw, but at large volumes, it can compete with the cost of paper straws. Because of the coming ban, “No one really compares us with plastic anymore,” Gelmann says. “They compare us with paper straw prices, which makes my argument much easier and my expectation brighter.”

Other alternatives, like bamboo or stainless steel, are more expensive and a less elegant solution; some bars say that customers don’t trust the idea that stainless steel straws can be fully sanitized (消毒). Another option—a plastic-like eatable straw made from seaweed—may be more of a competitor.

【1】What’s the startup’s main purpose of producing the pasta straws?

A.To reduce the consumption of energy.

B.To take over the market.

C.To answer the call for the ban.

D.To compete with paper straws.

【2】What advantage do the pasta straws have compared with other straws?

A.They are cheaper.B.They can be used longer.

C.They can be treated as snacks.D.They are suitable for mass production.

【3】What attitude does Gelmann have towards the pasta straws’ future?

A.Controversial.B.Doubtful.

C.Cautious.D.Positive.

【4】What can be inferred from the text?

A.The government disagrees with Gelmann.

B.The startup will become a very big company.

C.The pasta straws face fierce competition.

D.The pasta straws can improve drinks’ flavor.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】B

【2】C

【3】D

【4】C

【解析】

這是一篇說明文。文章作者介紹了在明年4月禁令產(chǎn)生后，替代塑料吸管的以意大利面為材質(zhì)的吸管。

【1】

推理判斷題。根據(jù)第一段Roughly 8. 5 billion plastic straws are used in the United Kingdom each year, but as a new ban takes effect next April, that number will decrease to zero. One startup is hoping to capture the chance to make a kind of straws as an alternative by using an unlikely material: pasta（英國每年大約使用80.5億根塑料吸管，但隨著明年4月一項新禁令生效，這一數(shù)字將降至零。一家初創(chuàng)公司希望抓住這個機(jī)會，利用一種不太可能的材料——意大利面，制造一種吸管作為替代品）可知，明年4月禁令生效后就不能再使用塑料吸管了。所以一家初創(chuàng)公司想抓住這次機(jī)會生產(chǎn)意大利面為材料的吸管占領(lǐng)市場。故選B項。

【2】

細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)文章第三段They last at least an hour, and longer in colder drinks. If you’re nursing a drink for hours and the pasta eventually softens, you can choose to eat it. The raw straw is also eatable, and Gelmann says that some people snack on them(它們至少能維持一個小時，在較冷的飲料中可以維持更長時間。如果你喝了幾個小時的飲料，最終意大利面變軟了，你可以選擇吃它。這種吸管也是可以吃的，Gelmann說有些人把它們當(dāng)零食吃)可知，由意大利面做成的吸管可以被當(dāng)作零食吃。故選C項。

【3】

推理判斷題。根據(jù)文章倒數(shù)第二段It’s more expensive to make than a plastic straw, but at large volumes, it can compete with the cost of paper straws. Because of the coming ban, “No one really compares us with plastic anymore,” Gelmann says. “They compare us with paper straw prices, which makes my argument much easier and my expectation brighter.”（它比塑料吸管更貴，但批量生產(chǎn)的話，它可以與紙吸管的成本競爭。由于即將出臺的禁令，“沒有人真的把我們和塑料相提并論，” Gelmann說�！八麄儼盐覀兒图埼�管的價格作比較，這使我的觀點更容易理解，我的預(yù)期也更光明）可知，Gelmann覺得這種新型吸管它具有競爭力，前途是很光明的。因此可推斷，Gelmann對意大利面吸管的態(tài)度是積極的。A. Controversial 有爭議的；B. Doubtful 值得懷疑的；C. Cautious 小心的；D. Positive 積極的。故選D項。

【4】

推理判斷題。根據(jù)文章最后一段Another option—a plastic-like eatable straw made from seaweed—may be more of a competitor（另一種選擇——一種用海藻制成的類似塑料的可食用吸管——可能更有競爭力）可知，一種用海藻制成的類似塑料的可食用吸管會是意大利面吸管的比較大競爭者。故選C項。