The price of a perfect holiday?
Cruises are becoming more and more popular, with around 20 million passengers per year now enjoying holidays on board luxury ships. Many people see a cruise as the perfect way to sit back and do nothing, and enjoy time off work. But what is the effect on the environment of this trend?
Although it usually takes less energy for a vehicle to move through water than over land, cruise ships are often huge, with the biggest ones carrying up to 6,000 passengers. Moving such large vehicles requires enormous engines which burn as much as 300,000 litres of fuel a day. One scientist has calculated that cruise ships create as much pollution as 5 million cars going over the same distance. Because they are out at sea, they also burn dirtier fuel that isn’t allowed on land. Unfortunately, no government has control over the amount of air pollution out at sea.
Cruises also produce huge amounts of rubbish, and cruise ships aren’t usually good at recycling. Waste water from showers and toilets is usually poured directly into the sea – as much per day as from a small town. Waste food from restaurants isn’t put into the sea, but still causes problems when brought back to the land.
Cruise ships also cause difficulties in the cities where they stop. Popular destinations can get five or six ships per day, with thousands of tourists at a time. Good for restaurants? No. Restaurant owners complain that the visitors look around for a few hours and then return to their ship to eat. What’s more, the crowds can put off other tourists, who complain that the streets are too busy. Some towns have banned cruise ships or put a limit on the number that can stop at the same time. People who care about the environment worry that as the cruise industry continues to grow, so too will the issues for our planet.
1. The purpose of the text is to
A persuade people that a cruise is a wonderful holiday.
B criticise people who go on cruise ships.
C explain some of the problems that cruise ships cause.
D persuade governments to ban cruise ships.
2. One reason cruise ships cause a lot of air pollution is because
A they carry large numbers of cars as well as passengers.
B their engines are not as efficient as those of other ships.
C it takes more energy to move through water than over land.
D they use types of fuel that are not permitted on land.
3. What do we learn about the waste products on cruise ships?
A All the waste products are carried back to shore.
B Waste food is often thrown away at sea.
C Most cruise ships recycle their waste products.
D An enormous amount of the waste water isn’t recycled.
4. Why are cruise ship passengers not popular in some cities?
A They are sometimes rude to other tourists.
B They don’t spend money on meals.
C They fill up the restaurants, so other tourists can’t get in.
D They complain when the city is too crowded.
5. Which best describes large cruise ships?
A They seem to offer ideal relaxing holidays, but they aren’t environmentally friendly.
B They are becoming very popular, and they bring a lot of benefits, in spite of their problems.
C They used to cause a lot of pollution, but things are improving now.
D They cause pollution in the sea and on land, so cities are planning to ban them in the future.
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