1,B,Things the Throw away Society
新编英语教程5Unit10Things,TheThrow-AwaySociety
Unit TEN: TEXT IWords and ExpressionsParagraph 1Eminently (l. 4) (Note 1): very; perfectly; elegantly 不寻常地,非常E.g.: The discussion is eminently practical. 讨论非常实际。
His articles are eminently comprehensible. 他的文章特别易于理解。
Little girls adore Barbie because she is highly realistic and eminently dress-upable (l. 4) (Note 1): The reason why Barbie appeals so much to little girls is that she looks just like a real-life person who can be dressed up in the way they wish.Paragraph 2humanoid (l. 10): (esp. of a machine) having human shape or qualities 似人的,有人类特点的-oid: like; in the form ofE.g.: metalloid (like a metal) Mongoloid (like Mongolian)trade-in allowance (l. 11) (Note 3):The amount of money a shop deducts from the price of a new thing which a customer buys when he turns in an old one to the shop 以旧换新打折价跳楼价cut-throat price; the lowest price疯狂甩卖crazy sale; crazy dropped price大减价price cutting冬季大减价Winter Crazy SaleMoreover, Mattel announced that, for the first time, any young lady wishing to purchase a new Barbie would receive a trade-in allowance for her old one. (ll. 10-11)Besides, Mattel made public that, for the first time, all girls desirous of buying a Barbie from its company were to be given the right of turning in their old dolls in exchange for new models at a reduced price.Paragraph 4texture (l. 18): the degree of roughness or smoothness, coarseness or fineness, of a surface, substance, or material, esp. as felt by touch 质地,纹理,结构iridescent (l. 18): showing changing colors as light falls on it 色彩斑斓的,彩虹般的E.g.: Soap bubbles are iridescent. 肥皂泡沫色彩斑斓。
Things:throw-away society
Things:The Throw-Away SocietyA few days ago, I cleaned up my room and found out many things like books, old clothes, and toys. Not knowing how to deal with them, I felt very upset. At last, I had no choice but to throw them away. However, I can’t help myself thinking about the things I threw away. I don’t dare to calculate how much loss we will cause, and how much rubbish we may make, if everyone throw things away like me. As a matter of fact, there are much more things are thrown away everyday. It is no wonder that our society was called the throw-away society.Maybe some people will say that the matter is much exaggerated. Unfortunately, it’s a truth which you may find out the answer by looking around you. The rubbish dump is always full, the street is always crowded with garbage, the rubbish even hides in the bushes.How could this terrible situation happen? First of all, there are so many one-off products in our society such as disposable chopsticks,plastic bags, throw-away lunchbox, etc. These one-off products are being used in a great deal owing to their cheapness and convenience. In addition, people do not pay much attention to the things they throw away.They just throw away the things which they think they don’t need, without thinking whether it is really not needed, without thinking whether it can be recycled or not. The most important point is people do not have the idea of share. On the one hand, people becomemuch selfish today. Some people are so afraid to be taken advantage of, so that, they would rather throw away their old things than share. It reminds me of my neighbour who often chucks away his leftover not willing to give them to the stray cats. On the other hand, people are too peacockish to receive others’ share. Some people say it is shame to use things being used by others before.In order to prevent the throw-away situation from being worse, some measures must be taken.At first, we should control both the production and the use of the disposable things. People should be encouraged to use the recycling products. What’s more, people’s awareness about sustainable development should be improved. For example, when you want to throw away something, think twice before you throw it. Don’t throw it before you are very sure that it is useless. Last but not least, learn to share and get share. If you have something you don’t want it anymore, give them to the one who need it. If you need something shared by others’,take it bravely, because there is no shame to be a environmentally friendly person.Many factors contribute to the throw-away society which is a great tragedy for us, however, we still have chance to change it,as long as we want.。
Throw away丢弃社会英语作文
Throw-away societyThe earth is the home we rely on for existence. Nowadays, the environme ntal pollution is becoming so serious that many people think that we have stepped into a "throw-away society". Because we are filling our environ ment with so many plastic bags and rubbish that we cannot fully dispose of. Recently, the problem of environment has drawn worldwide attention. Of course, this phenomenon involves several complicated factors .On the one hand, it is mainly caused by the waste products released from artificia l substances, industrial production and increased consumption of resource s. Besides, the use of chemical substances in agriculture also causes envir onmental pollution. I think environmental pollution is connected with peo ple’s environmental awareness. When shopping, we use plastic bags just f or the convenient. We ignore that the plastic bags discarded by us result i n white pollution. In fact, we should have avoided this unnecessary pollut ion by use environmental-friendly shopping bag as much as possible. At t he same time ,many people of all throw away rubbish freely,not only do t hey throw rubbish away while in the street but also put the trash everywh ere in the home .Even some people just dump their rubbish to the river. T his is why river pollution is increasingly serious and millions of tons of w aste products are heaping around us.How to change this condition? Our government is trying to work out so me effective means to bring it under control, but no great success has been made. In my opinion, if we want to have a good living environment, we should enhance our own awareness of environmental protection. Meanw hile, the affective ways must be taken by our government to protect the en vironment form being damaged even more. More laws about environment should be published in order to punish the people and originations which do the improper things to our beautiful earth. In a word, the throw-away s ociety must be changed for a better future of our human beings.The environmental pollution is becoming so serious that many people thi nk that we have stepped into a "throw-away society". Because we are fill ing our environment with so many plastic bags and rubbish.This phenomenon involves several factors. Initially, with the development of industrialization the products update quickly, so the pollution is mainly caused by the waste products which people don’t want anymore. Meanwhile the process of industrial manufacture makes a mess of waste.。
英语作文 throw-away society 造成过度浪费的社会的原因是什么,如何解决?
Nowadays, we are living in a throw-away society. What are its causes and what are its problems?What could be done to address this issue?Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.Model Answer:Nowadays, we have adopted the throw-away lifestyle and over-consumption and excessive production of short-lived or disposable items is a global phenomenon which is making the condition even worse. Consumerism, rapid advancement of technology, changing lifestyleand globalisation are some of the main reasons which are contributing to this phenomenon even more. The effect of this trend is so extraordinary and deep that it will someday challenge our own existence and implementation of effective measures should be immediately taken.Consumerism is a social and economic ideology that encourages people to acquire more products and services in an ever-increasing amount. Our materialistic lifestyle fuels this habit and we change our cell phones, cars and other household equipment more frequently than ever. Advertising plays a majorrole in creating a consumerist society and we are never contented with the things we have and want to acquire more than we need. Shopping is no longer a necessity and has turned out to be an activity for many. Thus we are producing an overwhelming amount of wastages and a little effort has been in place to recycle many of our used items.The rapid advancement of technology often forces us to buy latest products as new products have better features than the one we own. The rise of the middle-income people globally and their desire to mimic rich people and adopt atechnology centric lifestyle also the reasons for the increasing waste productions as a result of our throw-away lifestyle. Our traditional lifestyle and skills are almost gone and we want to buy everything rather than creating them.For instance, the number of people who rely on canned and packet food rather than cooking at home is a great example that shows the paradigm shift towards a busy and ready-made social lifestyle.Finally, the globalisation has immensely contributed towards our inclination to a throw-away society we are living in. The problems thatthe throw-away society and consumerism tendency create are overwhelming. This is a degradation of human moral as a massive number of poor people are starving, on one hand, million tonnes of foods are being wasted in few countries on the other hand. The toxic waste and chemical garbage are polluting our environment while we are remaining busy to buy more electronic products. The global warming, temperature rise, extinction of many species are just the beginning and if we fail to take effective measures to stop this heinous trend, we will be destroying our future.There are many steps that should be immediately in place to address this issue. Non-recyclable packets, bags and goods should be restricted as much as possible. The environment friendly goods should be manufactured and used by people and elements like plastic bags should be totally banned. Every household wastes should be classified as recyclable and non-recyclable and recyclable waste should be used to produce new products rather than throwing them away. The government, as well as individuals' cumulative efforts to reduce the wastage production and to save the environment, should be in place.To conclude, no doubt our ignorance and desire to have more have contributed towards the creation of a throwaway society. Advancement of technology, globalisation, social and economic structure have all fueled this trend even faster. But the time has come for us to step forward and think about the future of the mother planet and take steps to revert the damage.。
things-the-throw-away-society
Barbie
• A fashion doll manufactured by the American toycompany Mattel, Inc.
• Barbie was one of the first toys to have a marketing strategy based extensively on television advertising, which has been copied widely by other toys.
• Toffler writes:
• “The Second Wave Society is industrial and based on mass production, mass distribution, mass consumption, mass education, mass media, mass recreation, mass entertainment, and weapons of mass destruction. You combine those things with standardization, centralization, concentration, and synchronization, and you wind up with a style of organization we call bureaucracy.”
1. Los Angeles: Los Angeles is the largest city in California and the second-largest urban area in the U.S. Its population is 3,694,820 (in 2009).
Unit Ten Things The Throw-Away Society
Text I Things: The Throw-Away Society I. Library Work 1. Los Angeles: Los Angeles is the largest city in California and the secondlargest urban area in the U.S. Its population is 10,103,000 (in 2004).
II. Organization of the Text
1. Introduction of the thesis by illustration (Paragraphs 1 – 3) 1). The popularity of Barbie (which stands for the traditional relationship with our personal belongings) (1)
I. Library Work
discovered Lilli while shopping in Switzerland and brought the doll home for her daughter to play with. Ruth was inspired to create an adult doll for little girls. Handler had Jack Ryan, executive of Mattel, purchase the rights for Lilli and negotiate with a company from Tokyo to create a doll like Lilli. The reason for
I. Library Work
throw-away分析
For
For
Very
Conclusion 1: Future shock is no longer a distant potential danger, but a real sickness from which an increasingly large numbers suffer.
2: People know very little about adaptivity: In the most rapidly changing environment to which man has been exposed, we remain pitifully ignorant of how the human copes.
Barbie Doll
中文名:芭比·密里森·罗伯兹
别 名:芭比娃娃
外文名:Barbie Millicent Roberts
出生地:美国威斯康星州 职 年 出生日期:1959年3月9日
业:教师,工程师,兽医等80多种 龄:永远16岁 衣服:10亿件
原创者:露丝·汉德勒(Ruth Handler)(1916-2002) 第一年销售35万个,十年销售额5亿美金
芭比家族:
1964年 妹妹--Skipper 1966-76 表亲--Francie 1966-71 双胞弟妹--Tutti & Todd 1989年 表妹--Jazzie 1992年 小妹妹--Stacie 1995年 小小妹妹--Kelly
Unit10The Throw-Away Society
Trade-in ; trade-ins (n.): a business deal like this
• eg. What’s the car’s trade-in value?
Language Points
price.
• Stagger (verb): an event that staggers (astounded) the world
Language Points
• 4.It is the technologically produced environment that matters for the individual. • —Man-made or produced products form a very important role in people’s daily life.
Unit Ten Text I Things: The Throw-Away Society
Before Reading: Background
Alvin Toffler
(born October 3, 1928) is an American writer and futurist, known for his works discussing the digital revolution, communications revolution, corporate revolution and technological singularity. A former associate editor of Fortune magazine, his early work focused on technology and its impact (through effects like information overload). Then he moved to examining the reaction of and changes in society. His later focus has been on the increasing power of 21st century military hardware, weapons and technology proliferation, and capitalism. He is married to Heidi Toffler, also a writer and futurist.
Hit the nail on the head、Things The Throw-away Society等12篇英语散文中英对译
Unit 1Text AHit the nail on the head恰到好处Alan Warner1)Have you ever watched a clumsy man hammering a nail into a box? He hits it first to one side, then to another, perhaps knocking it over completely, so that in the end he only gets half of it into the wood. A skillful carpenter, on the other hand, will drive the nail with a few firm, deft blows, hitting it each time squarely on the head. So with language; the good craftsman will choose words that drive home his point firmly and exactly. A word that is more or less right, a loose phrase, an ambiguous expression, a vague adjective, will not satisfy a writer who aims at clean English. He will try always to get the word that is completely right for his purpose.你见过一个笨手笨脚的男人往箱子上钉钉子吗?他先是左敲敲,然后右敲敲,有时还会将整个钉子锤翻,结果钉子只敲进一半。
而一个娴熟的木匠,只需坚实巧妙地正对钉头敲几下,就能一钉到底。
语言也是如此。
新编英语教程5UnitT
• E.g.: The new type engines feature high speed, small size and economical operating costs.
• 这种新型发动机以高速、小型和操作费用低为特色。
• Round-the-clock service features this store. • 日夜服务是这家商店的特色。
• 近似的公正
a
22
Paragraph 10
• sumptuous: grand and expensive • 豪华的;华丽的;奢侈的
• E.g.: sumptuous furniture / meal / evening dress
a
23eature: advertise as a special feature • 以…为特色;是…的特色
a
6
Paraphrase 1
Moreover, Mattel announce…for her old one. (para. 2)
Moreover, Mattel made public that, for the first time, all girls desire to buy a Barbie from its company were to be given the right of turning in their old dolls in exchange for new models at a reduced price.
• b. give one’s whole attention to and esp. learn about (sth)
• E.g.: I have a talk to give on the famous writer next month, so first I must steep myself in his books.
Unit10 the throw-away society
What are the meanings of ‘things’ and ‘the throw-away society’ in the title of throwthis text? What’s Alvin Toffler’s attitude towards the throw-away society? throw-
Para. 4–6: How do you understand the 4– phrase intimate realities of his existence? existence? Can you give some examples of the intimate realities? What does the last sentence in Para.4 imply: This will be even more true in supersuperindustrial society than it is today.? Does Toffler agree or disagree with antiantimaterialists? Why or why not? What are the different ways in which little girls and their elder generations deal with Barbies?
Things: The Throw-Away ThrowSociety
Warming up questions: Suppose you have an old quartz watch which is out of order. Would you have it repaired or would you buy a new one and throw the old one away? If it is not you but your grandmother who has the quartz watch, what is she most likely to do with them? What do you think is the tendency of dealing with old or used things in dern society?
(完整word版)高级英语 新编英语教程5 课文+翻译 unit10
Unit10 Things: The Throw-away Society by Alvin Toffler“Barbie,” a twelve-inch plastic teen-ager, is the best known and best-selling doll in history. Since its introduction in 1959, the Barbie doll population of the world has grown to 12,000,000—more than the human population of Los Angeles or London or Paris. Little girls adore Barbie because she is highly realistic and eminently dress-upable. Mattel, Inc., maker of Barbie, also sells a complete wardrobe for her, including clothes for ordinary daytime wear, clothes for formal party wear, clothes for swimming and skiing.十二英寸高的塑料小人“芭比”曾是历史上最著名最畅销的洋娃娃,自从1959年问世以来,全世界的芭比娃娃的数量增长到1200,0000人—比洛杉矶,伦敦和巴黎任何一个城市的人口还要多。
小女孩热衷芭比娃娃是因为他很像真的而且可以任意更换衣服,作为芭比娃娃的生产厂家,Mattel公司还出售芭比的整体衣柜,包括日常便装,正式晚装,泳装和滑雪衫。
Recently Mattel announced a new improved Barbie doll. The new version has a slimmer figure, “real”eyelashes and a twist-and turn waist that makes her more humanoid than ever. Moreover, Mattel announced that, for the first time, any young lady wishing to purchase a new Barbie would receive a trade-in allowance for her old one.最近Mattel公司推出一款更高级的芭比娃娃,这个新产品身材更苗条,有仿真睫毛,又可以扭转弯曲的腰肢,所有这些特点使其更加人性化。
Throw-awaysocietytext
Throw-awaysocietytextThings: The Throw-away Society[1] "Barbie," a twelve-inch plastic teen-ager, is the best-known and best-selling doll in history. Since its introduction in 1959, the Barbie doll population of the world has grown to 12,000.000 --- more than the human population of Los Angeles or London or Paris. Little girls adore Barbie because she is highly realistic and 1eminently dress-upable. Mattel, Inc., maker of Barbie, also sells a complete wardrobe for her, including clothes for ordinary daytime wear, clothes for formal party wear, clothes for swimming and skiing.[2] Recently Mattel announced a new improved Barbie doll. The new version has a slimmer figure, "real" eyelashes, and a 2twist-and-turn waist that makes her more humanoid than ever. Moreover, Mattel announced that, for the first time, any young lady wishing to purchase a new Barbie would receive a trade-in allowance for her old one.[3] 3What Mattel did not announce was that by trading in her old doll for a technologically improved model, the little girl of today, citizen of tomorrow's super-industrial world, would learn a fundamental lesson about the new society: that man's relationships with things are increasingly temporary.[4] The ocean of man-made physical objects that surrounds us is set within a larger ocean of natural objects. But increasingly, it is the technologically produced environment that matters for the individual. The texture of plastic or concrete, the 3iridescent glisten of an automobile under a streetlight, the 4staggering vision of a cityscape seen from the window of a jet --- these are the intimate realities of his existence. Man-made things enterinto and color his consciousness. Their number is expanding with explosive force, both absolutely and relative to the natural environment. This will be even more true in super-industrial society than it is today.[5] Anti-materialists tend to deride the importance of "things." Yet things are highly significant, not merely because of their functional utility, but also because of their psychological impact. 5We develop relationships with things. 6Things affect our sense of continuity or discontinuity. 7They play a role in the structure of situations and the foreshortening of our relationships with things accelerates the pace of life.[6] Moreover, our attitudes toward things reflect basic value judgments. Nothing could be more dramatic than the difference between the new breed of little girls who cheerfully turn in their Barbies for the new improved model and those who, like their mothers and grandmothers before them, 8clutch lingeringly and lovingly to the same doll until it disintegrates from sheer age. In this difference lies the contrast between past and future, between societies based on permanence, and the new, fast-forming society based on transience.[7] That man-thing relationships are growing more and more temporary may be i1lustrated by examining the culture surrounding the little girl who trades in her doll. This child soon learns that Barbie dolls are by no means the only physical objects that pass into and out of her young life 9at a rapid clip. Diapers, bibs, paper napkins, Kleenex, towels, non-returnable soda bottles --- all are used up quickly in her home and ruthlessly eliminated. Corn muffins come in baking tins that are thrown away after one use. Spinach is encased in plastic sacks that can be dropped into a pan of boiling water for heating, and then thrownaway. TV dinners are cooked and often served on throw- away trays. Her home is a large processing machine through which objects flow, entering and leaving, at a faster and faster rate of speed. From birth on, she is10inextricably embedded in a throwaway culture.[8] The idea of using a product once or for a brief period and then replacing it, runs counter to the grain of societies or individuals steeped in a heritage of poverty. Not long ago Uriel Rone, a market researcher for the French advertising agency Publicis, told me: "The French housewife is not used to disposable products. She likes to keep things, even old things, rather than throw them away. We represented one company that wanted to introduce a kind of plastic throw- away curtain. We did a marketing study for them and found the resistance too strong." This resistance, however, is dying all over the developed world.[9] Thus a writer, Edward Maze, has pointed out that many Americans visiting Sweden in the early 1950's were astounded by its cleanliness. "We were almost awed by the fact that there were no beer and soft drink bottles by the roadsides, as, much to our shame, there were in America. But by the 1960's, 11lo and behold, bottles were suddenly blooming along Swedish highways ... What happened? Sweden had become a buy, use and throw-away society, following the American pattern." In Japan today throwaway tissues are so universal that cloth handkerchiefs are regarded as old fashioned, not to say unsanitary. In England for sixpence one may buy a "Dentamatic throw-away toothbrush" which comes already coated with toothpaste for its one-time use. And even in France, disposable cigarette lighters are commonplace. From cardboard milk containers to the rockets that power space vehicles, products created for short-term orone-time use are becoming more numerous and crucial to our way of life.[10] The recent introduction of paper and quasi-paper clothing carried the trend toward disposability a step further. Fashionable boutiques and working-class 12clothing stores have sprouted whole departmentsdevoted to gaily colored and imaginatively designed paper apparel. Fashion magazines display breathtakingly sumptuous gowns, coats, pajamas, even wedding dresses made of paper. The bride pictured in one of these wears a long white train of lace-like paper that, the caption writer notes, will make "great kitchen curtains" after the ceremony.[11] Paper clothes are particularly suitable for children. Writes one fashion expert: "Little girls will soon be able to spill ice cream, draw pictures and make 13cutouts on their clothes while their mothers smile14benignly at their creativity." And for adults who want to express their own creativity, there is even a "paint-yourself-dress" 15complete with brushes. Price: $ 2.00.[12] Price, of course, is a critical factor behind the 16paper explosion. Thus a department store features simple A-line dresses made of what it calls "devil-may-care cellulose fiber and nylon." At S 1.29 each, it is almost cheaper for the consumer to buy and discard a new one than to send an ordinary dress to the cleaners. Soon it will be. But more than economics is involved, for the extension of the throw-away culture has important psychological consequences.[13] We develop a 17throw-away mentality to match our throw-away products. This mentality produces, among other things, a set of radically altered 18values with respect to property. But the spread of disposability through the society also implies decreased durationsin man- thing relationships. Instead of being linked with a single object over a relatively long span of time, 19we are linked for brief periods with the succession of objects that supplant it.。
thethrowawaysociety课文解析
thethrowawaysociety课文解析题目变体1 :Nowadays people always throw old things away and buy news things, whereas in the past old things were repaired and used again. What causes this problem? What effects does the phenomenon lead to? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.题目变体2People now throw things away and buy new ones instead of repairing and using them again. What are the causes of this problem? What measures should be taken to deal with this issue? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.题目变体3We have developed a "throw-away" society and are filling the environment with many plastic bags and rubbish that we cannot fully dispose of. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? What measures should be taken to combat the problem?Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.题目变体4People buy things and use them for a limited period of time and then, instead of repairing and using them again, throw them away to be replaced by new things. What are the causes of this phenomenon? What measures should be taken to solve the problem? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.题目变体5Nowadays we are said to have a "throw-away society" where we use things once and throw them away. Outline the problems that are caused by this lifestyle and what might happen if we continue to dump large quantities of thrash. Propose some solutions to the issue. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.全面回答 Example Writing:Ours is a throw-away society strongly influenced byconsumerism as we value convenience overenvironmental protection.Even though we are environmentally conscious to some extent, we do not appear to be serious enough in taking measures to reduce consumption, let alone repairing and re-using old things instead of buying new ones. Much is known aboutwhat is happening whereas littleis being done to effectively prevent the serious situation from becoming worse.The causes of the development of the "throw-away society" are clear, so are its effects onthe environment. Wethrow away out of convenience because societal conventions have us constantly move on to the next new fad or technology. For example, we are dumping large quantities of thrash, such as plastic bags and diapers that can pollute the environment.Likewise, we are discarding televisions, cell phones, computers and other plastics in exchange of new ones that unsurprisingly will become our future garbage. It is as if a product were designedor intended on purpose to fail or become less desirable over time, only to be thrown away after a certain amount of use.So much so,we are filling theenvironment with more rubbish than we can possibly dispose of, and as a result pollution is the price we are paying for the popular culture of consumerism in the age of mass production.Nevertheless, there are no ready solutions to consumerism-related problems due mainly to the fact that the "throw-away" habits die hard, especially when often it could be more costly to repair old products than to buy new ones.Consequently,although many people have a critical view of over-consumption and excessive production of short-lived items, few people are actually abletoresist the systematic attempts of business to make us wasteful as well asdebt-ridden and permanently discontented individuals. To relieve the environmental impacts, we pretend to believe that one ideal solution should rest on educating consumers to voluntarily do "positive" buying--recycled and re-used.Without a doubt, this might be nothing but wishful thinking since such a measure is easier said than done in a well-to-do society, imagining that only extreme poverty could perhaps stop the "throw-away" trend.Fortunately, the good news is that there exist some kinds of technological know-how that may kindle the hope of finding a "green" solution, commonlycalled Waste-To-Energy (WTE) plants.Of course, it remains to be seen how efficiently those WTE plants can reduce waste volume and also contribute to resource recovery,therebyprotecting the environment.What with education and what with technology, itis expected that more could be done to combat the key problems in the "throw-away society".To be sure, environmental awareness alone is not enough to spare our planet from being further damaged if we do not change that consumer lifestyle which is not doing any favor to the environment.In a society gradually being used to obsessive consumerism, the cruel reality is that too many people now prefer convenience to environmental protection, while too few measures are likely to become effective anytime soon.。
英语作文我们正处在扔掉的社会
英语作文我们正处在扔掉的社会The Throwaway Society We Live InOur modern world is often described as a "throwaway society" where the culture of consumerism and planned obsolescence has led to an unprecedented level of waste and environmental degradation. This term reflects the alarming trend of treating many products as disposable rather than durable and repairable. From single-use plastics to electronics with short lifespans the scale of waste generated by our current patterns of production and consumption is simply unsustainableAt the heart of the throwaway society is a economic model that prioritizes profits over sustainability. Manufacturers have increasingly designed products with built-in obsolescence knowing that consumers will have to replace them after a relatively short period of use. This could mean electronics that become unusable due to proprietary software updates or household appliances that are prohibitively expensive to repair. The proliferation of cheap disposable goods has also led to a shift in consumer behavior wheremany people see little value in maintaining and repairing their possessions.The environmental impact of this throwaway culture is severe. Vast amounts of natural resources are extracted to produce goods that often end up in landfills or incinerators after minimal use. The pollution and greenhouse gas emissions associated with this linear "take-make-waste" model are devastating. Electronic waste in particular is a growing crisis with millions of tons of discarded phones computers and other devices ending up in developing countries where the toxic materials they contain can contaminate soil and water. Even supposedly recyclable materials like plastic are often shipped overseas where recycling infrastructure is lacking leading to further environmental damage.Beyond the toll on the planet the throwaway society also has detrimental effects on human wellbeing. The mental health impacts of living in a culture that devalues durability and encourages constant consumption should not be underestimated. Studies have linked the rapid turnover of material goods to increased feelings of anxiety depression and dissatisfaction. When our self-worth becomes tied to owning the latest products it can be psychologically damaging when those products quickly become obsolete.There are also significant social and economic consequences to thethrowaway paradigm. Small repair businesses are struggling to stay afloat as consumers opt to replace rather than fix their belongings. This loss of local repair capacity reduces employment opportunities and weakens community resilience. On a global scale the planned obsolescence business model exploits workers in developing countries who assemble these short-lived products for low wages.Fortunately there is a growing awareness of the urgent need to transition away from a throwaway economy towards a more circular model of production and consumption. The principles of the circular economy - reduce reuse recycle - offer a framework for transforming our relationship with material goods. This involves designing products to be durable repairable and recyclable rethinking packaging and delivery systems and incentivizing consumers to choose long-lasting alternatives.Governments have a crucial role to play in driving this shift through policies that discourage waste and encourage repair reuse and recycling. Extended producer responsibility schemes that make manufacturers financially responsible for the end-of-life management of their products can create incentives for eco-design. Right-to-repair legislation that requires companies to provide spare parts and repair information can empower consumers and small businesses. And bans or taxes on single-use plastics can help reduce the flow of disposable packaging into the environment.Individuals can also make a significant difference by adopting more sustainable consumption habits. This might involve buying higher-quality durable goods repairing items when they break down and supporting local repair services. It could also mean renting or leasing products rather than owning them and choosing to buy second-hand when possible. Simple actions like bringing reusable bags shopping and opting for loose produce over pre-packaged goods can add up to make a real impact.Ultimately transitioning away from a throwaway society will require a fundamental rethinking of how we produce consume and dispose of material goods. It will mean valuing durability over disposability and recognizing that our current patterns of consumption are not only environmentally unsustainable but also socially and economically detrimental. By embracing the principles of the circular economy and taking individual and collective action we can build a more sustainable future where waste is designed out of the system. The road ahead may not be easy but the alternative - continuing down the path of the throwaway society - is simply unacceptable.。
Unit10The Throw-Away Society
Unit10The Throw-Away Societyppt of the throw away societyUnit Ten Text I Things: The Throw-Away SocietyBefore Reading: BackgroundAlvin Toffler(born October 3, 1928) is an American writer and futurist, known for his works discussing the digital revolution, communications revolution, corporate revolution and technological singularity. A former associate editor of Fortune magazine, his early work focused on technology and its impact (through effects like information overload). Then he moved to examining the reaction of and changes in society. His later focus has been on the increasing power of 21st century military hardware, weapons and technology proliferation, and capitalism. He is married to Heidi Toffler, also a writer and futurist.ppt of the throw away societyA few of his well-known works are: · Future Shock (1970) The Third Wave (1980) The Eco-Spasm Report (1981)Powershift: Knowledge, Wealth and Violence at the Edge of the 21st Century(1990)War and Anti-War (1995)ppt of the throw away societyBefore Reading: BackgroundBarbieppt of the throw away societyQuotes from Alvin Tofler Society needs people who take care of the elderly and who know how to be compassionate and honest. Society needs people who work in hospitals. Society needs all kinds of skill that are not just cognitive; they're emotional, they're affectional. You can't run the society on data and computers alone.ppt of the throw away societyQuotes from Alvin ToflerThe Second Wave Society isindustrial and based on mass production,mass distribution,mass consumption,mass education,massmedia,mass recreation,mass entertainment,and weapons of mass destruction. You combine those things with standardization, centralization, concentration, and synchronization, and you wind up with a style of organization, we call bureaucracy.ppt of the throw away societyGlobal Reading: Themethe discovery of a consumerist society a thorough analysis of new type products and its psychological influences on people’s mentalitydecreased durations in man-thing relationshipsppt of the throw away societyDetailed Reading: Language Points 1.trade-in―If you trade-in sth.such as an oldcar, you give it to a dealer when you buy a new one so that you get a reduction of the price eg. Now we can trade washing machines in for a new one.Trade-in ; trade-ins (n.): a business deal like this eg. What’s thecar’s trade-in value?ppt of the throw away societyLanguage Points 2. the new version―the new model, the new form Version has different meanings in different contexts. eg. 1)Several versions (styles) of clothes for outingare on display. 2)What he said is a completely different version (account) from what we read in the newspaper. 3)A modern version (rendering)of the Shaoxing Opera attracted a large audience. 4)I was onlyable to read the English version (translation ) of Goethe’s works.ppt of the throw away societyLanguage Points3.staggering vision―stunning scene eg. The cost has climbed to a staggeringprice.Stagger (verb): an event that staggers (astounded) the worldppt of the throw away societyLanguage Points4.It is the technologically produced environment that matters for the individual. ―Man-made or produced products form a very important role in people’s daily life.ppt of the throw away societyLanguage Points 5. Man-made things enter into and color ourconsciousness. ― His minds is filled with and influenced by artificial things. Consciousness ― (one’s) mind and thoughts. eg. Doubts about his trustworthiness never entered myconsciousness.ppt of the throw away societyLanguage Points 6.clutch lingeringly and lovingly to thesamedoll ―hold on to the same old dollfaithfully/devotedly/persistently/with devotion and with love.Lingering―The literal meaning of this word is �Dslow to disappear‖. eg. A lingering illness; a lingering hope; a lingeringsense of guiltIn this context, lingeringly means �Dclinging to with devotion or clasping with love.‖ppt of the throw away societyLanguage Points 7. the new breed of little girls ―the new type oflittle girls. The word breed has different meanings in the following contexts: breed horses―rear In a breeding season, animals breed offspring.―reproduce Thieves breed t hieves. �Cgenerate He was American born and bred.―brought upppt of the throw away societyLanguage Points 8. she is inextricably embedded in a throw-away culture. ―She becomes a part of the throw-away society from which she cannot break away. inextricably―inseparably eg. High birth rate and lowlife expectancy used to beinextricably linked In our country, but it is no longer so today.embed―fix firmly and surrounding substance.deeply in a mass ofeg. He exerted so much strength that his knife got embedded in the chopping block.ppt of the throw away societyLanguage Points9. run counter to the grain �C be contrary to one’s inclination or disposition. eg.run counter to the traditional ideologyppt of the throw away societyLanguage Points10. individuals steeped in a heritage of poverty ―people who have long suffered from poverty steep―submerge; eg. The subway in New York is steepedin violence.ppt of the throw away societyLanguage Points11. lo and behold ―expression to draw attention in a literary or humorous way to a surprising or an interesting event lo: an archaic way of expression. eg. The man from East stick needles inyou and, lo and behold, you feel no pain and are healed.ppt of the throw away societyLanguage Points 12. disposable products --things to be used once andthen thrown away eg. disposable paper-cups, disposable bib dispose of: throw away eg.Nowadays people tend to use paper cups whichthey can dispose of after one use.ppt of the throw away societyLanguage Points13. breathtaking ―stunning,overwhelming,unbelievable eg. breathtaking scenery 14. sumptuous ―grand and expensive eg. Sumptuous furniture/ meal/evening dressingppt of the throw away societyLanguage Points15. with respect to ―concerning (used especially to introduce a new subject of one that has been mentioned earlier.eg. With respect to you’re application for the job, we’ll soon let you know our decision.ppt of the throw away societyGlobal Reading: Organization and DevelopmentThe thesis of the essay is: the relationship between man and things are temporary. In order to explain his thesis, the writer employs the method of illustration and example. In the first three paragraphs, he mentions the production of Barbies.In para.7 he provides a list of throw-away objects for daily use to illustrate the throw-away culture in which the younger generation are embedded. In para.9 he gives examples of other industrialized countries in which the throw-away culture has been gradually fostered since the late 1950’s. In para.10-12 he gives the example of the introduction of paper clothes products to show people’s psychological need for throw-away things and the trend to maintain a transient relationship between man and man-made objects.感谢您的阅读,祝您生活愉快。
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1,B,NThings: The Throw-away Society by Alvin Toffler
十二英寸高的塑料小人“芭比”曾是历史上最著名最畅销的洋娃娃,自从1959年问世以来,全世界的芭比娃娃的数量增长到1200,0000人—比洛杉矶,伦敦和巴黎任何一个城市的人口还要多。
小女孩热衷芭比娃娃是因为他很像真的而且可以任意更换衣服,作为芭比娃娃的生产厂家,Mattel公司还出售芭比的整体衣柜,包括日常便装,正式晚装,泳装和滑雪衫。
最近Mattel公司推出一款更高级的芭比娃娃,这个新产品身材更苗条,有仿真睫毛,又可以扭转弯曲的腰肢,所有这些特点使其更加人性化。
此外,M公司还首次宣布,任何一个购买芭比娃娃的女士都可以获得旧芭比娃娃的折价优惠。
M公司所没有宣布的是,通过折旧芭比娃娃来销售新款芭比娃娃,今天的小女孩,明天工业化社会的公民就会得出这样一个对社会的基本认识:人类和物品的关系越来越短暂。
我们周围人造物品的海洋外围还有更广阔的自燃物品的海洋。
但是这个技术制造的环境逐渐影响着人类。
塑料或混凝土结构,街灯下霓虹闪烁的汽车,从飞机窗口俯瞰到的缓慢移动的城市—这些人类的亲密伙伴。
人造物品进入并影响了人类意识,其数量急剧增长,无论是就绝对而言还是相对而言。
这种现象在将来的超级工业化社会会更加突出。
唯心主义者试图否认物品的重要性,但是物品是非常重要的,不仅因为它有实用功能,还因为其对精神的影响,我们发展和物品的关系,物品影响我们对关联和断联的意识。
他们在情景结构中的作用,我们和物品关系的缩短加快了生活的节奏。
此外,我们对物品的态度反映了基本的价值评判。
有的小女孩兴高采烈的把她们的芭比娃娃换成新款高级的娃娃,有的小女孩象她们的母亲和祖母年少时一样,终日抱着同一个娃娃,形影不离,爱不释手,直到长大后娃娃从生活中消失,没有什么比这更具有戏剧性的对比了。
这种不同在于过去和未来的对比,对于永久的社会和新的变幻无常的社会的对比。
观察一下旧芭比换新芭比的小女孩身后的文化就可以看出人类和物品间的关系越来越短暂,这些孩子很快会知道有很多物品以极快的速度进入并离开他们的生活,不只是芭比娃娃。
纸尿裤,围裙,纸巾,手绢,非循环使用的苏打汽水瓶—所有这些在她家被迅速使用,
有的被无情的丢弃。
玉米松饼放进一次性的烤罐,菠菜放进塑料袋中,这种塑料袋可以一起放进沸水锅中加热然后丢弃。
电视上的烹饪节目也经常使用一次性的碟子。
她的家就是一个大型处理机器,通过这个机器,物品以越来越快的速度不断流动,进入又离开,从出生开始,她就被包围在一次性的文化中。
对一次性物品的使用让人想到了粮食问题和祖祖辈辈生活在贫困中的人,不久前,法国广告代理公司P的一位市场调查员U R 告诉我:“法国的家庭主妇并不习惯于使用一次性的产品,她们喜欢把东西留着,即使是旧物品也不会丢。
我们代表公司宣传一种一次性的塑料窗帘。
我们队她们作市场调查,却发现她们的抵制情绪很强。
”这种抵制在其他发达国家越来越少了。
因此,作家E M 指出在十二世纪五十年代初期,很多区瑞典观光的美国人都被瑞典的干净所震惊“让我们敬佩的是路边没有一个啤酒瓶和软饮料瓶,而自惭形秽的是,美国到处都是。
但是到二十世纪六十年代,看看吧,各种瓶瓶罐罐凸现在瑞典的高速公路上……怎么了?跟美国一样,瑞典已经变成一个购买,使用一次性物品的国家了。
在当今的日本,一次性的纸巾非常普遍,手绢已经老土了,而且也不卫生。
在英国,花七便士就可以买到已经挤好牙膏,一次性使用的牙刷。
即使在法国,一次性的打火机也很普遍,从牛奶只喝到为太空提供动力的火箭,它们对我们的生活起着越来越重要的作用。
刚上市的纸衣服或者类似纸的衣服将一次性文化更推进了一步。
时尚饰品店和工薪阶层服装店已经陆续出现一个全新的部门,这个部门专门负责那些色彩艳丽设计特别的纸衣服。
时尚杂志展示了价格惊人的纸长袍,纸外套,纸睡袍,甚至纸婚纱和礼服。
图中的新娘穿着仿蕾丝纸做成的白色长袍裙,标题写道:这条裙子在婚礼结束后可以做成“不错的厨房窗帘”。
纸衣服是最适合孩子的。
一位时尚专家写道:“小孩子会乱溅冰激凌,而且他可以在纸衣服上画画,或者贴剪纸画,而母亲在一旁微笑的赞许其创造力。
”对于想展示创造力的成年人,可以买一种配有刷子的“自助衣服”,价格两美元。
当然,价格是纸用品猛增的重要原因。
因此有一家百货商店很有特色,店内全是清一色的
衣服,这些衣服都是用被称作“魔鬼也会留意的纤维和尼龙”做成的。
每件事1.29美元,对于消费者来说,一次性要比普通衣服送进洗衣店要便宜的多。
但不仅仅是经济问题,一次性文化的蔓延还带来了不容忽视的精神影响。
我们已经形成了一种一次性的心态,来适应一次性的产品。
这种心态使得我们对于物品的价值观产生了巨大的改变。
然而社会中的一次性文化的蔓延也预示着人类和物品的关系持续的时间越来越短。
我们只是和一系列马上将被代替的物品保持短期的联系,而不是和某一物品保持长期的联系。