問題詳情

(47~50)     Does your house smell pine fresh? If so, you might want toopen a window. This week, the country’s biggest household cleaningmanufacturer began publishing every ingredient it uses, in responseto fears that the chemicals we use in our homes could be harmingus.    Fragrances such as limonene (which smells like lemon) andpinene (which smells of – yes, you’ve guessed it – pine) are used inan increasing number of products. But they create small amounts offormaldehyde – a carcinogen. While this might not be a problem inthe majority of homes, for clean-freaks living in modern, energy-
efficient homes, there can be a serious buildup.    Household chemicals' 'cocktail effect' raises cancer concernsfor watchdog Alastair Lewis, professor of atmospheric chemistry atYork University, says the decision by SC Johnson to publish a list ofingredients in products such as Mr Muscle and Glade air fresheners,was helpful for scientists trying to track why high concentrations offormaldehyde are found in some homes. Lewis points out that whilepinene is naturally occurring, and cleaning products are heavilytested and regulated, there has been little research on the effects ofthe secondary chemicals they produce, because it was alwaysassumed they would disperse quickly.    But according to the charity Chem Trust, which looks at thedamage caused by manmade chemicals, there are many morehidden pollutants in our homes. Michael Warhurst, anenvironmental chemist at the organisation, says: “When peoplethink of the dangers of chemicals, it is often cleaning products or cosmetics that spring to mind, but actually the biggest worries are chemicals in things such as packaging or furniture.” So what otherdangers are lurking in our homes?Pizza boxesWhile the chemicals in plastic packaging are regulated, cardboardpackaging is not. A Danish NGO randomly tested three pizza boxesand found chemicals from the recycled material they were madefrom, alongside chemicals suspected of being carcinogenic.Till receiptsThermal receipt paper can contaminate your hands with hormone-
disrupting bisphenol A (BPA), which can then be absorbed into yourbody. BPA is a hormone that has been linked to a wide range of
medical problems, from cancer to diabetes, says Warhurst. Receiptscan also be recycled, and then turn up in packaging such as pizza boxes.CarpetsCarpets can be covered in brominated flame retardants to makethem less flammable, some of which can be hormone disrupters,according to Warhurst.Microwave popcornDenmark’s largest retailer, Coop, stopped selling this because itcouldn’t find a way to get rid of the fluorinated chemicals in thepackaging. The chemicals are linked to certain cancers, hormonedisruption, organ problems and lower birth weights.PastaThe German NGO Foodwatch found mineral oils in rice, pasta andcornflakes thanks to cardboard packaging. Mineral oils canaccumulate in the body, and are saidto damage the liver, heart valvesand lymph nodes.
47. “Does your house smell pine fresh? If so, you might want toopen a window.” What is NOT the reasoning behind thisstatement?
(A) To enjoy more fresh pine smell, you might want to openyour window.
(B) You might want to open a window so that the fragrancecould disperse quickly.
(C) The manmade smell of pine creates small amounts offormaldehyde.
(D) Chemicals might build up at home, which is a concern.

參考答案

答案：A
難度：適中0.5
統計：A(0),B(0),C(0),D(0),E(0)

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