Plastic pollution has long been a problem, but now it has got to a new height.
Micro-plastics, plastic particles (颗粒) less than 5 millimeters, have been found on Mount Qomolangma as high as 8,440 meters above sea level, according to a recent study in One Earth, “These are the highest micro-plastics ever discovered so far,” lead writer Imogen Napper from the University of Plymouth, UK, said.
Scientists collected snow and water samples from 19 different locations from 4,200 meters above sea level all the way up to the top of Mount Qomolangma. They found micro-plastics in all the water samples and part of the snow samples. The most polluted sample was from the Base Camp in Nepal, where there are many human activities. It had 79 particles of micro-plastics per liter (升) of snow.
But how can they get there? The answer is human activities. It is climbers who bring plastic products to the mountain. Even if they don’t litter, just walking for 20 minutes or opening a bottle of water can send micro plastics into the environment.
The plastic pollution has reached the most distant places on Earth. Researchers even found a plastic bag at the deepest point in the world’s oceans—the Mariana Tench (里业纳海沟). The bag is the same as the ones commonly used in stores.
Even covered in ice, the Arctic is still polluted by plastic. A 2020 report in Nature suggests that there are 2,000 to 17,000 plastic particles per cubic meter in Arctic ice (冰芯), and between 0 to 18 plastic particles per cubic meter from the water under the ice. Experts think micro-plastics may be transported by air and then reach the North Pole in snowfall.
We don’t know the potential (潜在的) problems these plastic particles would bring to the environment and our health, said a scientist. Then what can we do? We need to turn to high technology, like using new environment-friendly materials instead of plastic when possible.
【小题1】What does Paragraph 3 mainly talk about?| A．The plastic pollution has reached the most distant places. |
| B．It is human activities that bring plastic products to the mountain. |
| C．Micro plastics were found in all the water samples and part of the snow samples. |
| D．The water samples and the snow samples show that Mount Qomolangma is polluted by plastic. |
① Mount Qomolangma ② the Base Camp ③ the Mariana Trench ④ the Arctic
a. At the deepest point in the world’s oceans, a plastic bag was found.
b. Covered in ice, it is still polluted by plastic.
c. The sample from there had 79 particles of micro-plastics per liter of snow.
d. The highest micro-plastics ever have been found there.
| A．①-a ②-b ③-c ④-d | B．①-d ②-a ③-c ④-b | C．①-d ②-c ③-a ④-b | D．①-a ②-d ③-c ④-b |
| A．The wind blew them there. |
| B．They dropped there with rain. |
| C．Climbers brought plastic products to the mountain. |
| D．Some people threw plastic products there on purpose. |
| A．Plastic particles can only be seen in the most distant places. |
| B．Plastic pollution problems may be solved with the help of technology. |
| C．With the development of technology, plastic particles will disappear soon. |
| D．Plastic pollution has long been a problem, but now it has been solved well. |
