COVID — 19 has greatly affected the lives of people across the world. It has challenged and changed people’s lifestyles. It has also helped us think about our relationships with others.
Changing our lives
● COVID - 19 has made people think harder about their relationship with nature. It has also raised questions about urban lifestyles. The sharing economy, working in open offices, living in crowded apartments and the food industry’s use of reusable products have made the perfect storm for a pandemic.
● Although the sharing economy might be good — it’s cheaper to rent than to own — sharing spaces and objects are great ways to spread the virus. How does one do “social distancing” when they are expected to share cars, bikes, apartments and even the same offices?
● The trend of using open offices, which can save space, is working against us. In this type of office, workers don’t have their own desk — everything is shared. Sometimes, computers and chairs are also shared, which is not hygienic (卫生的). Fortunately, more workers are working from home during the pandemic, but that won’t last forever.
● Reusability is a common practice in the restaurant industry. Reusable cups and chopsticks are often used. Unfortunately, reusable products increase the chance of spreading disease. For example, Starbucks recently stopped refilling customers’ reusable cups in order to stop the spread of the virus.
●People like to be social. But the virus has made this more dangerous. We have to be careful about how we interact with others for now. Perhaps we need to rethink about our lifestyles to reduce the spread of future pandemics.
【小题1】According to the author, the strong point of the sharing economy is that ________.| A．it lasts longer | B．it costs less | C．it’s popular | D．it’s hygienic |
| A．how working at home won’t last long | B．how shared offices can save space |
| C．the hygienic problems of open offices | D．the sharing economy trend |
| A．everything is shared in many restaurants | B．they use too much disposable tableware |
| C．many restaurants have poor hygiene | D．cups and chopsticks are often reused |
| A．we need to change some of our lifestyles | B．the sharing economy won’t last forever |
| C．no one can stay out of the sharing economy | D．we shouldn’t stay away from shared products |
