Environmental protection is an important issue for people all over the world. To protect the common home of mankind, we are committed to environmental protection so as to contribute to social development. Making our living environment beautiful and comfortable depends on our care and attention.

White pollution

While enjoying the benefits of modern technology, mankind is also paying a high price. One example of this concerns the plastic bag, which has not only brought great convenience to people but has also done huge environmental damage. Made from polythene, plastic bags in landfill sites last between a conservative 200 years to an estimated 1 million years.

Like other countries, China is suffering from “white pollution”, a term coined to describe the overuse of plastic bags. “White pollution” results from a combination of factors, including China’s fast industrialization, the rising living standards of Chinese people, and dramatic changes in consumption patterns. Promoting people’s environmental consciousness should, as always, be given importance.

Unit 2 Text A New Words & Expressions

A Special Taxi

My friend, Jack, was a taxi driver. We became friends quite by accident. Five years ago, I made a trip to Chicago. After I got out of O’Hare International Airport, I took a taxi to the Sears Tower.

The moment I stepped into the cab, I realized it was different. The floor was covered with a rug.    There were small reproductions of paintings by van Gogh and Gauguin inside the cab. And the windows were spotless. I told the driver I had never ridden in a more attractive taxi.

“I like to hear my passengers say that,” he replied.   “How long have you been decorating your cab?” I asked.

“It’s not mine,” he said. “It’s a company cab.    I got the idea years ago when I had a job as a clean-up man for the taxi company.    Each car that came in at the end of the day was like a garbage pit. Cigarette butts and matches covered the floor. Sticky stuff like peanut butter was on the seats or door handles.   I thought that if the company and the drivers would give people a car worth keeping clean, they might be more considerate.”

“As soon as I got my taxi license, I tried out my ideas.    I put a lot of extra decorations into the cab they gave me to drive. I got a nice light rug and some flowers.  When each passenger got out, I checked to make sure that everything was in order for the next fare.  After about a month of my bringing in a spotless cab, the boss reserved the same car for me each day.   That was when I put up the reproductions of great paintings.

“How many years have you been a taxi driver?” I asked.

“I started driving ten years ago, and I’ve never been disappointed by people in all that time. I’ve never had to pick up a single cigarette butt. No peanut butter or ends of icecream cones. No garbage.   Like I say, people appreciate beautiful things. If we planted more flowers and trees in the city and make the buildings more attractive, more people would be inclined to keep the city clean.”

Later, we became good friends. I was impressed by the taxi-driver, who had hit on a great truth, I thought. A sense of beauty comes with the gift of life. Most people don’t have to be instructed about the rarity of beauty. They respond when they find it. And, if they are made to feel a part of it, they will try to add to it.

我的朋友杰克是位出租车司机。我们成为朋友非常偶然。五年前，我去了一趟芝加哥。走出奥哈尔国际机场后我打了一辆出租车去希尔斯大厦。

坐上出租车的那一刻，我就感到这辆车与众不同。脚下铺着小地毯，车里挂着凡高和高更的小仿制画，玻璃窗一尘不染。我对司机说这是我坐过的最漂亮的出租车。“我喜欢听乘客们这么说，”他回答道。“你的出租车这样装饰有多长时间了？” 我问道。   

“这不是我的出租车，”他说道，“这是公司的车。几年前我在出租车公司做清洁工的时候有了这个想法。每天收工时，开回来的每辆出租车就像一个垃圾坑。满地都是烟蒂和火柴。像花生酱之类粘糊的东西粘在座位或门把手上。我想如果公司和司机们能给人们一辆值得保持干净的汽车，人们也许会更爱护车内环境。”

“一拿到出租车驾驶执照，我就这么做了。我在他们让我驾驶的出租车内加了一些装饰。我放了条好看的薄毯和一些花。每位乘客下车后，我会检查以下，以确保下一次载客时每件东西都整齐。大约一个月，我的车都保持得一尘不染，此后，老板每天预留同一辆车给我开。从那个时候开始我就挂上了这些名画的仿制品。”

“你开出租车有多少年了？”我问道。

“我十年前开始开出租车，人们从来没有令我失望过。我从来连个烟头都没捡过，没有花生酱和冰淇淋残渣，也没有垃圾。正如我说的，人们喜欢美丽的事物。如果我们在城市里种植更多的花草树木，并且使建筑物更漂亮，那么会有越来越多的人愿意保持城市整洁。”

后来我们成为好朋友，这位出租车司机给我留下了深刻的印象，我认为他发现了一个伟大的真理。美感与生俱来，大部分人生来就懂得美的珍贵，不会对美无动于衷。并且，只要让他们感受到一点点美，他们就会努力去锦上添花。