Businesses are witnessing a difficult time，which has in turn produced influence on consumers’ desire to go green.However，shoppers are still laying stress on environmental concerns.
Two thirds of customers say that environmental considerations inform their purchases to the same degree as they did a year ago，while more than a quarter say that they are now even better aware of the environmental effect on what they buy.
This may help to influence how shops store goods on their shelves.And the panies should still make efforts to bee more environmentally friendly.Two out of three people think it is important to buy from environmentally responsible panies，with about one in seven saying that they had even decided to take their custom elsewhere if they felt a pany’s environmental reputation was not good enough.
Harry Morrison，chief executive(主管)of the Carbon Trust，sympathizes：“I understand this situation where survival is very important now.But from environmental considerations，the clock is ticking—we don’t have much time.In addition，cutting carbon has an immediate effect as costs drop and a mediumterm benefit for the brand.”
Larger panies have an extra motivation to look at reducing their carbon footprint，as new rules next year will require businesses to buy carbon allowances to make up for their emissions(排放)．Those that have taken early action will have a head start.More than two thirds of consumers are not clear about which panies are environmentally responsible.This suggests that firms that are able to relay clearly their message to the public will be in a pole position to attract shoppers.
The Carbon Trust believes that it can help by informing customers about the good work panies are doing.“When panies are granted(授予) the standard，they can use a logo(标识) in all their marketing which makes it clear that they are working towards cutting emissions，” Mr.Morrison said. (2010·福建，C)
【小题1】What’s the main idea of the passage?A．Businesses are finding ways to send their message to the shoppers.B．Companies will soon get information about cutting carbon emissions.C．Firms are making efforts to encourage customers to keep goods at home.D．Firms are urged to cut carbon emissions by shoppers’ environmental awareness.【小题2】The underlined word “inform” in Paragraph 2 probably means “ ”．A．affectB．changeC．disturbD．reject【小题3】According to Harry Morrison，businesses .A．will benefit from cutting carbon emissionsB．should buy carbon allowances for shoppersC．are required to make up for their carbon emissionsD．have encouraged shoppers to take their custom elsewhere【小题4】We can learn from the passage that businesses will .A．have a strong desire to reduce costsB．use the same logo in their marketingC．gain advantages by taking early actionD．attract more shoppers by storing goodsD
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(答案→)D
解析：
【小题1】 D
解析 主旨大意题。环保意识的进一步提高促使公司去减排。
【小题2】 A
解析 词义猜测题。由第二段“Two thirds of customers say that environmental consideration inform their purchases to the same degree as they did a year ago...三分之二的顾客说环境方面的考虑影响着他们的购买力，和一年前达到相同的程度……”可以推出，inform意为“影响”。change“改变”；disturb“打扰，妨碍”；reject“拒绝”，约不符合句意。
【小题3】 A
解析 细节理解题。由第四段最后一句“In addition，cutting carbon has an immediate effect...”可知，Harry Morrison认为企业会从减排中获益，故A项正确。
【小题4】 C
解析 细节理解题。从第五段第二句“Those that have taken early action will have a head start.”可知，C项正确。