阅读理解。
In a world with limited land, water and other natural resources (资源), the harm from the traditional
business model is on the rise. Actually, the past decades has seen more and more forests disappearing
and globe becoming increasingly warm. People now realize that this unhealthy situation must be changed,
and that we must be able to develop in sustainable (可持续的) ways. That means growth with low
carbon or development of sustainable products. In other words, we should keep the earth healthy while
using its supply of natural resources.
Today, sustainable development is a proper trend in many countries. According to a recent study, the
global market for low-carbon energy will become three times bigger over the next decades. China, for
example, has set its mind on leading that market, hoping to seize chances in the new round of the global
energy revolution. It is now trying hard to make full use of wind and solar energy, and is spending a huge
amount of money making electric cars and high-speed trains. In addition, we are also seeing great growth
in the global markets for sustainable products such as palm oil (棕榈油), which is produced without
cutting down valuable rainforest. In recent years the markets for sustainable products have grown by
more than 50%.
Governments can fully develop the potential of these new markets. First, they can set high targets for
reducing carbon emissions (排放) and targets for saving and reusing energy. Besides, stronger
arrangement of public resources like forests can also help to speed up the development. Finally,
governments can avoid the huge expenses that are taking us in the wrong direction, and redirecting some
of those expenses can accelerate the change from traditional model to a sustainable one.
The major challenge of this century is to find ways to meet the needs of growing population within the
limits if this single planet. That is no small task, but it offers abundant new chances for sustainable product
industries.
1. The traditional business model is harmful because of all the following EXCEPT that ______.
A. It makes the world warmer
B. it consumes natural resources
C. it brings severe damage to forests
D. it makes growth hard to continue
2. What can we infer from Paragraph 2?
A. China lacks wind and solar energy.
B. China is the leader of the low-carbon market.
C. High-speed trains are a low-carbon development.
D. Palm oil is made at the cost of valuable forests.
3. To full develop the low-carbon markets, government can ______.
A. cut public expenses
B. forbid carbon emission
C. develop public resources
D. encourage energy conservation
4. We can learn from the last paragraph that businesses have many chances to ______.
A. develop sustainable products
B. explore new natural resources
C. make full use of natural resources
D. deal with the major challenge
5. What is the main purpose of the passage?
A. To introduce a new business model.
B. To compare two business models.
C. To predict a change of the global market.
D. To advocate sustainable development.
