Passage Based Questions: English - 23 | Passage Based Questions for CLAT Preparation PDF Download

Directions: Study the following l information carefully and answer the questions given below:
Plastic bags have a wide range of usability in our day to day lives. For instance, we use them to carry our foodstuffs from groceries shops, we also use them as gloves to do dirty chores or as knee pads while gardening. We also cover our plants with plastic bags to prevent them from frosting at night. Basically, plastic bags can be improvised to do so many things and are therefore very handy at home. The reason why plastic bags are so popular is because they are cheaper than eco-friendly bags. Furthermore, plastic bags are waterproof and very convenient during rainy days. Whilst, there are many advantages we can accrue from using plastic bags, the reality of the matter is that they pose serious threats to us and the environment. One of the reasons why plastic bags are bad for the environment is that they practically take forever to decay. Plastics have a very low rate of degradation that it may take thousands of years for a small piece to disintegrate. It goes without saying therefore that since the first modern plastic bags were designed in 1965 by the Swedish company, Celloplast, virtually all the plastic bags are still in existence today. Manufactured from polyethylene- a high density plastic, these bags can withstand all weather conditions. Secondly, they contribute to climate change. All the polymers and compounds used in the creation of plastic bags such as polypropylene and polyethylene are derived from petroleum and natural gas. The process of extracting fossil fuel and then processing it to produce plastics releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This has resulted to the degradation of the ozone layer, which has subsequently led to global warming. It is also not economically viable to use nonrenewable resources like petroleum and natural gas to produce a commodity that has a very short lifespan.
Moreover, plastic bags pollute the environment. They pollute our lands making them look ugly and untidy. And since they are very light, they are easily carried by wind and water to various places on earth. They litter our pathways, fences, houses and trees and make them look ugly. They also pollute water bodies. All the plastic bags eventually end up in the oceans and other water bodies. Look at the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is located between Hawaii and California. The place has the world’s largest accumulation of plastic waste on a water body. With so much plastic floating on water, the marine life is put into too much risk. The situation is even worse if the plastic waste finds its way to the bottom of the ocean, where many sea creatures live and lay eggs. Apart from eating the plastic bags, the sea creatures may also get entangled or trapped by them. Marine animals often mistake plastic pieces and bags for food. For instance, sea turtles cannot differentiate plastic bags from jelly fish and they therefore consume them. Since they are not biologically designed to digest plastics, the consumed plastic gets trapped into their digestive tracts. The marine animals eventually die from suffocation, infections or inability to feed and excrete waste. Creatures that prey on fish, such as humans, birds, terrestrial animals and other marine animals also get sucked into the equation through the ocean food web when they feed on contaminated fish meat. When humans consume contaminated fish, they are at a higher risk of getting serious health complications. For example, if they were to ingest PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyl), then they have a higher chance of getting cancer.