Part 3 — Ocean Plastic Pollution (Ô nhiễm nhựa đại dương)
Bài giảng về ô nhiễm nhựa trong đại dương — chủ đề môi trường nóng hổi và thường xuyên xuất hiện trong VSTEP. Bài này đòi hỏi khả năng nắm bắt số liệu và hiểu chuỗi tác động.
"Good morning, class. Today we're going to discuss one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time: ocean plastic pollution.
Every year, approximately 8 million metric tons of plastic waste enters the world's oceans. To put that in perspective, that's equivalent to dumping a garbage truck full of plastic into the ocean every single minute. And this number is expected to double by 2030 if current trends continue.
Where does all this plastic come from? The main sources are land-based: packaging waste, plastic bags, bottles, and single-use items that are not properly disposed of. Rivers carry this waste from cities and towns into the sea. In fact, just ten rivers — mostly in Asia and Africa — are responsible for roughly 90 percent of the plastic that flows into the oceans.
Once in the ocean, plastic doesn't simply disappear. It breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics — fragments less than five millimeters in size. These microplastics are eaten by fish and other marine animals, entering the food chain. When we eat seafood, we may actually be consuming tiny plastic particles without knowing it.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch — a massive area of floating debris between Hawaii and California — is now estimated to be twice the size of Texas. It contains an estimated 80,000 tons of plastic.
What can we do? Reducing single-use plastics, improving waste management systems, and supporting clean-up initiatives are all essential steps. Several countries have already banned plastic bags and straws, and many companies are developing biodegradable alternatives."
5 câu hỏi trắc nghiệm
Câu 26: How much plastic enters the oceans each year?
A. 8 thousand tons
B. 8 million metric tons
C. 80 million tons
D. 800 thousand tons
Câu 27: Where does most ocean plastic come from?
A. Ships and boats
B. Underwater factories
C. Land-based sources carried by rivers
D. Fishing nets only
Câu 28: What are microplastics?
A. A type of marine animal
B. Plastic fragments less than 5mm in size
C. Biodegradable packaging
D. A brand of plastic bags
Câu 29: What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?
A. A landfill in California
B. A massive area of floating plastic debris in the Pacific
C. A recycling center in Hawaii
D. A beach clean-up project
Câu 30: What solution does the speaker suggest?
A. Stopping all fishing activities
B. Moving plastic to other planets
C. Reducing single-use plastics and improving waste management
D. Building walls around the oceans
Đáp án và giải thích
Câu 26: B — 8 million metric tons
Transcript nói: "approximately 8 million metric tons of plastic waste enters the world's oceans."
Câu 27: C — Land-based sources carried by rivers
Transcript: "The main sources are land-based... Rivers carry this waste from cities and towns into the sea."
Câu 28: B — Plastic fragments less than 5mm in size
Transcript định nghĩa: "microplastics — fragments less than five millimeters in size."
Câu 29: B — A massive area of floating plastic debris in the Pacific
Transcript mô tả: "a massive area of floating debris between Hawaii and California."
Câu 30: C — Reducing single-use plastics and improving waste management
Kết luận: "Reducing single-use plastics, improving waste management systems, and supporting clean-up initiatives are all essential steps."
Từ vựng quan trọng
| Từ | Nghĩa | Ngữ cảnh trong bài |
|---|---|---|
| metric ton | tấn | 8 million metric tons of plastic |
| single-use | dùng một lần | single-use items not properly disposed of |
| microplastic | vi nhựa | fragments less than 5mm |
| food chain | chuỗi thức ăn | entering the food chain |
| debris | mảnh vụn, rác | massive area of floating debris |
| biodegradable | phân hủy sinh học | biodegradable alternatives |