These days it's cheaper to throw that broken DVD player, cell-phone or TV out and buy a new one. This " replace-rather-than-repair" mentality is polluting the planet with electronic waste. According to the UN Environment Program, we are throwing away an estimated 50 million metric tonnes of electronics waste (e-waste) per year. But this is not ordinary garbage. Our electronics leak harmful heavy metals -- such as mercury and arsenic -- along with equally poisonous chemicals that end up in our soil and eventually our water. You've probably participated in a community recycling event and left feeling good about shipping off that old computer to be recycled. Chances are it was shipped overseas where it's polluting someone else'community. Guiyu city in Southeastern China has become known as the e-waste city where low-paid workers use whatever means available to remove electronics in hopes of recovering the copper, microchips, aluminum, gold and silver and plastic that can be resold. Any leftover waste is simply thrown into the nearby river or piled up high in the streets, poisoning the children growing up here. So what can you do with your e-waste? Robert Houghton, President and founder of Redemtech, an asset management and recovery firm, recommends you vote with your dollar. Buy from companies who have a take-back program that guarantees your discarde electronics are handled proper. " Consumers want to do business with companies who are demonstrably good with corporate responsibility and dealing with e-waste, " said Houghton. There are plenty of charitable organizations that will take your used electronics and donate them for charitable causes: * Electronic Recycling Association (Canada) (ERA) collects old computers for donation to libraries and other organizations across Canada. * eBay's Rethink Initiative pairs up consumers with businesses that refurbish old computers for donation. * TechSoup has a thorough listing of resources for those who would like to donate or recycle... In the writer's opinion, who can first shoulder the great responsibility to guarantee e-waste is handled proper in the future? A) The UN Environment Program. B) Consumers who buy electronics. C) President and founder of Redemtech. D) Guiyu city in Southeastern China.
B
(Question)
I have heard having a good sense of humour often helps in breaking the ice. Also people remember you because of your humour. But I think I don't have a very good sense of humour. Could you suggest how to build on this? ----Radha Karnik This is a great question that is unfortunately difficult to answer. I can only give you my views on this topic, which may or may not be correct. I know that my sense of humour developed over time. When I was younger I was not funny at all, now I can easily make people laugh. At the same time, sometimes I say things that I think are very funny but others do not. Improving wit and humour, I believe, is an ongoing process. Now, there are various forms of humour and everyone has their individual style. Overall, I believe being fluent in a language is very important for being witty or funny. The way we play around with words adds the "funny" tag to an otherwise normal sentence. Also, seeing irony is very important. I think humour is often the link between two unrelated things. In my experience, laughing frequently and appreciating other people's jokes and wit are very important. Within these, finding humour in everyday normal situations is the key. I often notice what is going on around me and say funny things in my head and laugh to myself. That serves almost as practice for when I am in a group. I watch comedy shows and movies and I am sure that has some effect on helping me improve my sense of humour. And last, having confidence that you are witty is important. There will always be someone wittier or funnier than you, which is fine. Just work on building your own style. Remember, if you are trying to be funny and witty in order to break the ice at a business function, be careful. In those situations, humour has to be mild and politically correct. Yours, Brad Which of the following would Brad agree with? A) Everyone knows how to appreciate others' jokes. B) Everyone is as funny and witty as others. C) Everyone needs to laugh to themselves each day. D) Everyone has their individual style of humour.
(Answer)
D
It was once unheard-of to be a businessman in China. Nowadays, though, it's quite common to become your own boss. Let's say you have an idea. Maybe you want to open an English school or sell Japanese comics. First, you need a business plan. It sets out what you'll sell and how much everything will cost. Most businesses that fail didn't have this. If you need to borrow money at the start, banks will ask for a detailed plan. The best starting place for a business plan is the 4Ps: product, place, price and promotion. All these must be strong to be successful. #Product Your product must have something unique. What makes it special compared to other similar products? If you want to start a noodle shop that has nothing new, don't expect people to show much interest. You can research your product. For food, let people try it for free. For toys, let a few children play with them to see if they like them. #Place There's no point having a product that people want to buy if your shop is in an empty mall. Think about which type of person is going to buy what you sell. Where do they usually go shopping? When looking at possible places, spend the day there. See how many people pass by. Also, are there other shops nearby selling similar products? _ , how can you be better than them? #Price Work out how much it costs to make or provide your product. As a general rule, your price will be double the cost. After all, you're also paying for rent, staff and you need to eat too! #Promotion How can you attract people to your shop? Advertising in newspapers and on TV is expensive. Perhaps you can get free advertising by getting a newspaper to write about your business. What's the best title for the passage? A) How to start a business. B) Starting a business soon. C) Starting your own business. D) Preparations for starting a business.
C