Questão 13

(AFA - 2008)

A throw-away world

A lot of people feel that pollution has become one of the biggest problems in the world today. But when we talk about pollution, what do we really mean? Well, when you pollute something, you make it dirty or dangerous for other people or animals. If you put engine oil in water, you will pollute it; nobody will be able to drink it or wash in it. All over the world, there are people polluting the land, the sea and the air.

The main reason for pollution is waste – something which is no longer needed. Waste can be many things. It can be yesterday’s newspaper, an old car, your dirty bath water, or smoke from a factory chimney. Some waste is dangerous because it contains poisons. This kind of waste is called toxic waste, and it is the problem of toxic waste which is worrying many people – and governments – today.

All living things, especially people, make waste. There are more than six billion people in the world. They all need to eat, dress and travel about. Most of them need to heat their homes as well. They buy things, they use them and they throw their old things away. Nowadays, we live in a ‘throw away’ world.

(Adapted from Recycling – Factfiles, Oxford.)

Mark the option that justifies the tittle of the text above.