Part Ⅵ Writing (45 min)
Some supermarkets are considering charging for plasticshopping bags instead of giving them free. It is claimed to aim atthe reduction of environmental pollution caused by randomlydisposed plastic bags. What's your opinion on it from aconsumer’s viewpoint? Write a composition of about 400 wordsto state your view.
In the first part of your essay you should state clearly your main argument, and in the second partyou should support your argument with appropriate details. In the last part you should bring whatyou have written to a natural conclusion or make a summary.
You should supply an appropriate title for your essay.
Marks will be awarded for content, organization, grammar and appropriateness. Failure to follow theabove instructions may result in a loss of marks.
It Is Not Effective to Charge for Plastic Bags
One day when waiting for your groceries to be packed into free plastic bags, you may be surprisedif the cashier at the check-out tells you the bags are extra, and you’d better believe it. Today, thepollution resulting from plastic bags has become a big threat to urban environment. Though dailyuse of free bags in supermarkets is tremendous in number, I don’t think consumers’ paying forplastic bags can take effect in controlling pollution.
To begin with, it is unfair that only consumers should shoulder the responsibility of environmentalpollution caused by supermarket plastic bags, providing free plastic shopping bags to customers isa marketing strategy adopted by supermarkets. Although supermarkets have to pay for the plasticbags, customers bring them far greater economic rewards in comparison to this minimal cost.From this point of view, it is the supermarkets that have gained the hidden profits through freeplastic bags while consumers only get shopping conveniences they should have had.
In addition, it is over-optimistic and a bit simple-minded to contend that charging for plasticshopping bags can help ease pollution problem. My own observation tells me that in mostsupermarkets plastic bags are offered by salespeople according to customers’ actual needs. Sincethe need for shopping bags does exist, charging for those bags is not so effective and it isimpossible to resolve the current waste and pollution problems thoroughly. After all, with theimprovement in people’s living standards, it is unrealistic to expect people to bring their ownshopping baskets to the supermarket. Moreover, many people usually go to the supermarket afterwork for convenience, how call they take what they need home without using the plastic shoppingbags? Pollution is attributed to various causes and abolition of shopping bags merely addresses thevery tip of the iceberg.
In short, it is not a wise policy to charge shopping bags just on the ground that it is likely tobecome a pollutant. Joint efforts should be made to deal with the pollution by various means,which include promoting the application of degradable plastic bags, seeking environmentallyfriendly substitutes, and strengthening supermarkets’ management over free plastic bags.