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Time to Stop Traveling by Air
Twenty-five years ago a young British man called Mark Ellingham decided that he wanted a change of scenery. So he went to Australia, stopping off in many countries between. He also decided to write about the experience and produced a guide for other travelers making similar journeys.
In 1970, British airports were used by 32million people. In 2004, the figure was 216 million. In 2030, according to government forecasts, it will be around 500 million. It's a growth driven by the emergence of low cost airlines, offering access to all parts of the world for less than £100.
This has made a huge contribution to global warming. One return flight from Britain to the US produces the same carbon dioxide(二氧化碳)as a year's motoring(驾车). A return flight to Australia equals the emissions(排放)of three average cars for a year. And the pollution is released at a height where its effect on climate change is more than double that on the ground.
Mark Ellingham built his business on helping people travel. Now he wants to help people stop – at least by air.
He is calling for a £100 green tax on all flights to Europe and Africa, and £250 on flights to the rest of the world. He also wants investment to create a low-carbon economy, as well as a halt to airport expansion.
Mark Ellingham's commitment is important because his readers aren't just the sort of young and adventurous people who would happily jump on a plane to spend a weekend exploring a foreign culture. They are also the sort of people who say they care about the environment. It's a debate that splits people down the middle.
The tourist industry has responded by offering offsetting(补偿)schemes. A small increase in the price of a ticket is used to plant trees.
But critics say that it is not enough to just be carbon neutral. We should be actively cutting back on putting green house gases into the atmosphere. And for the average person, making a plane journey will be his or her largest contribution to global warming. It maybe good to repair the damage we do. But surely it is better not to do the damage in the first place.
16.【题干】Mark Ellingham spent quite a few days in China on his way to Australia 25 years ago.
A.Right
B.Wrong
C.Not mentioned
17.【题干】Traveling from Britain to any other part of the world may cost you less than £100.
A.Right
B.Wrong
C.Not mentioned
18.【题干】A round trip flight from Britain to Australia produces the same amount of carbon dioxide as three average cars do in a year.
A.Right
B.Wrong
C.Not mentioned
19.【题干】Mark Ellingham has never hesitated to encourage people to travel by air.
A.Right
B.Wrong
C.Not mentioned
20.【题干】Mark Ellingham's readers are not interested in environmental protection.
A.Right
B.Wrong
C.Not mentioned
21.【题干】Critics argue that the best way to protect our environment is not to do any damage to it.
A.Right
B.Wrong
C.Not mentioned
22.【题干】Mark Ellingham will collaborate with the critics in his efforts to fight global warming.
A.Right
B.Wrong
C.Not mentioned
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