【英語多益通】學會8個單字一起環保愛地球

▲▼ 格陵蘭,地球暖化。(圖/路透)

▲ 格陵蘭冰山。(圖/路透)

文/Buffy Kao

環保議題在21世紀持續受到關注,當環境的變化對於人類生存造成許多負面影響與威脅時,有越來越多人關心環境議題。大自然的反撲還是會不停帶給人們警惕,我們也必須持續吸收環保新知,今天就來看看國外如何介紹保護環境的作法。

1. Use Eco-Cleaning Products to Clean the House 採用環保清潔劑做居家清潔

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Chemicals such as detergents, preservatives, or foaming agents are the ones that cause the most harm to nature. Switching to products that contain sustainably grown or raised ingredients that do not deplete the ecosystem, nor harm it when expelled back out.
(化學物質諸如清潔劑、防腐劑、起泡劑會造成環境傷害。改成包含可永續使用卻不會耗費生態系統、就算淘汰了也不會傷害環境的產品。)

● detergent (n.) 清潔劑
detergent的意思是清潔劑,也包含了洗衣精、洗碗精等,狀態可以是粉狀或是濃縮液。不過一般在家庭情境中,大多指的是laundry detergent(洗衣精)或是dish detergent(洗碗精)。

● foaming agent 起泡劑
foam指的是泡沫,foamy是形容詞,有泡泡的。foam還能當作動詞使用,意思是起泡,to foam at the mouth(口吐白沫)則是常用的說法。

agent則是指作用劑,或許大家較熟悉的是仲介,多益(www.toeic.com.tw)情境常見如travel agent旅行社專員和real estate agent 房屋仲介,指的都是業務性的代理人,用於此處則表示一種化學物質,可以協助其他物質產生作用。

● deplete (v.) 耗費;消費
deplete大多用在(自然)資源、金錢、精力等方面的消耗,多有消耗光、大量耗費的意思,和consume的用法有些不同,後者單純意指使用。

If we continue to deplete the earth's natural resources, we will cause serious damage to the environment.
(如果我們持續消耗地球的自然資源,我們將會對環境造成嚴重的傷害。)

Our high living standards cause our current population to consume 25 percent of the world's oil.
(我們的高生活水平使得目前世界人口須消耗地球25%的原油。)

● expel (v.) 淘汰;驅逐;退學
expel在過去式和進行式時符合「子-母-子」的拼音規則,而必須要重複字尾才能加「-ed/-ing」。在中美貿易戰的當下,這個單字經常出現在驅逐的情境中,另外也有吐出(氣)的意思。

The new government has expelled all foreign diplomats.
(新政府已經驅逐了所有的外籍外交人士。)

When you breathe out, you expel air from your lungs.
(當你吐氣時,你從肺部吐出空氣。)

2. Use Environmentally Friendly Shampoo (使用環保洗髮精)

Opt for non-synthetic ingredients when shopping for shampoo. As the shampoo bottles will ultimately be treated the same as other plastic objects, consumers can opt for soap bars that are suitable for hair. It's a great alternative, as these soap bars are often made from natural, biodegradable ingredients.
(購買洗髮精時,選擇非合成的原料。由於洗髮精的瓶罐最終會和其他塑膠製品一起處理,消費者可以選擇適合洗髮的肥皂(洗髮皂)。因為肥皂通常都是使用自然且可生物分解的物質製作,是個不錯的替換選擇。)

● opt for 選擇
opt的名詞是大家常見的option,但是動詞大部分台灣學習者較不知道,另外形容詞變化optional也常見,如optional courses(選修課)相對於required courses(必修課)。

● synthetic (adj.) 人工合成的
synthesize是字尾「-ize」的動詞變化,synthesis則是字尾「-sis」的名詞變化,複數變化將「-sis」改成「-ses」即可,為不規則名詞變化,多益常見單字如crisis-crises危機,也是同樣變化。

● consumer (n.) 消費者
前面提到的consume的名詞變化,字尾「-er」指的是人,另外一個名詞變化consumption,指的是「消耗」此相對抽象概念的名詞。

● biodegradable (adj.) 可生物分解的
biodegradable是個複合字,結合「bio-」(生物的),biology指的是生物學,有很多「-gy」字尾的單字指的是某學科。degradable來自於degrade表示劣化、分解,grade有層級的意思,「de-」字首指的是往下降,這邊「-able」就是「可…的」形容詞字尾變化。

【多益模擬試題】

Cotton World, a popular fashion chain, was founded in 1990 when Samuel Twain opened his first store selling ready-to-wear clothing in a small shopping mall in Atlanta. In 1995 Twain went into partnership with a natural dye company and switched to cotton-only products. Demand for his cotton clothing with all natural colors became widespread and the company has made good profits since then. Twain has pointed out that his success has always depended on attention to consumer wants and social trends: He was quick to recognize the large potential demand for natural products and has promoted the health and natural aspects of his merchandise. Today the Cotton World label has become a nationally known brand with a bright future.

1. What is Cotton World?
(A) A clothing store chain
(B) An international product
(C) A natural dye company
(D) A shopping mall

2. What has Twain’s success depended on?
(A) Demanding natural colors
(B) Providing what customers ask for
(C) Recognizing a bright future
(D) Switching to cotton products

解析:

1. 正解為(A)。題目問「Cotton World(棉花世界)指的是什麼?」很明顯就是要問主旨,通常第一句就會很明確指出主旨:「Cotton World, a popular fashion chain, was founded in 1990…」(棉花世界是一家服飾連鎖品牌,創立於1990年代……)這裡採用同位語來表達棉花世界,fashion chain是服飾公司的意思,chain則是連鎖店。因此應該要選和fashion chain同義的(A) clothing store。

2. 正解為(B)。題目問「Twain的成功主要歸功於什麼?」在文章中間部分提到Twain對於成功原因的說明提到「his success has always depended on attention to consumer wants and social trends.」(他的成功主要歸功於對於消費者需求和社會流行趨勢的掌握注重。)wants用作名詞就是慾望、需求的意思,因此答案必須選擇(B)提供顧客所要求的物品,customer和consumer也是同義詞的用法。

延伸閱讀》學英文/2021聲音經濟元年,您今天「開房間」了嗎?

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