Sustainable Supermarkets

Many of the major supermarket chains have come under fire with accusations of various unethical
acts over the past decade. They've wasted tons of food, they've underpaid their suppliers and
they've contributed to excessive plastic waste in their packaging, which has had its impact on our
environment.

But supermarkets and grocers are starting to sit up and take notice. In response to growing
consumer backlash against the huge amounts of plastic waste generated by plastic packaging, some
of the largest UK supermarkets have signed up to a pact promising to transform packaging and cut
plastic wastage. In a pledge to reuse, recycle or compost all plastic wastage by 2025, supermarkets
are now beginning to take some responsibility for the part they play in contributing to the damage
to our environment, with one major supermarket announcing their plan to eliminate all plastic
packaging in their own-brand products by 2023.

In response to criticisms over food waste, some supermarkets are donating some of their food
surplus. However, charities estimate that they are only accessing two per cent of supermarkets'
total food surplus, so this hardly seems to be solving the problem. Some say that supermarkets are
simply not doing enough. Most supermarkets operate under a veil of secrecy when asked for exact
figures of food wastage, and without more transparency it is hard to come up with a systematic
approach to avoiding waste and to redistributing surplus food.

Some smaller companies are now taking matters into their own hands and offering consumers a
greener, more environmentally friendly option. Shops like Berlin's Original Unverpakt and
London's Bulk Market are plastic-free shops that have opened in recent years, encouraging
customers to use their own containers or compostable bags. Online grocer Farmdrop eliminates the
need for large warehouses and the risk of huge food surplus by delivering fresh produce from local
farmers to its customers on a daily basis via electric cars, offering farmers the lion's share of the
retail price.

There is no doubt that we still have a long way to go in reducing food waste and plastic waste. But
perhaps the major supermarkets might take inspiration from these smaller grocers and gradually
move towards a more sustainable future for us all.

(Retirado de https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/reading/advanced-c1/sustainable-supermarkets)

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 Part I

A. Choose the correct evidence for the following statements. Quotes were selected from the text.

1 . All things considered, sellers have been aware and getting prompt to act.
a) “Many of the major supermarket chains have come under fire with accusations of
various unethical acts over the past decade.”
b) “In response to criticisms over food waste, some supermarkets are donating some of
their food surplus.”
c) “Most supermarkets operate under a veil of secrecy when asked for exact figures of
food wastage (…)”
d) “But supermarkets and grocers are starting to sit up and take notice.”

2 . Offering unbought and unconsumed products has become the main answer to a
growing cry of discontentment towards supermarkets’ attitude.
a) ”In response to criticisms over food waste, some supermarkets are donating some of
their food surplus.”
b) “Some smaller companies are now taking matters into their own hands and offering
consumers a greener, more environmentally friendly option.”
c) “In a pledge to reuse, recycle or compost all plastic wastage by 2025, supermarkets are
now beginning to take some responsibility for the part they play in contributing to the
damage to our environment (…)”
d) “However, charities estimate that they are only accessing two per cent of supermarkets'
total food surplus (...)”

3 . It appears that a few shops conceal from the public opinion the statistics regarding
leftover sustenance goods.
a) ”Some smaller companies are now taking matters into their own hands and offering
consumers a greener, more environmentally friendly option.”
b) “Shops like Berlin's Original Unverpakt and London's Bulk Market are plastic-free
shops that have opened in recent years.”
c) “Online grocer Farmdrop eliminates the need for large warehouses and the risk of huge
food surplus by delivering fresh produce from local farmers to its customers on a daily
basis via electric cars.”
d) “Most supermarkets operate under a veil of secrecy when asked for exact figures of
food wastage (...)”

4 . Petty business owners are independently embracing strategies that make available to
costumers ecological possibilities.
a) ”However, charities estimate that they are only accessing two per cent of supermarkets'
total food surplus, so this hardly seems to be solving the problem.”
b) “Online grocer Farmdrop eliminates the need for large warehouses and the risk of huge
food surplus by delivering fresh produce from local farmers to its customers on a daily
basis via electric cars (…)”
c) “Some smaller companies are now taking matters into their own hands and offering
consumers a greener, more environmentally friendly option.”
d) “There is no doubt that we still have a long way to go in reducing food waste and
plastic waste.”

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5 . Developing methods to prevent excess and channel it to those who may need it is
impeded by the opaque data conveyed.
a) “(…) some of the largest UK supermarkets have signed up to a pact promising to
transform packaging and cut plastic wastage.”
b) “Some say that supermarkets are simply not doing enough.”
c) “However, charities estimate that they are only accessing two per cent of supermarkets'
total food surplus, so this hardly seems to be solving the problem.”
d) ” (…) without more transparency it is hard to come up with a systematic approach to
avoiding waste and to redistributing surplus food.”

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B. Choose the equivalents/synonyms for the following words or expressions in bold.

1 . “(…) are starting to sit up and take notice.” (line 5)

a) look around
b) exercise
c) stand up
d) be concerned

2 . “(…) are starting to sit up and take notice.” (line 5)

a) write notes
b) watch carefully
c) pay attention
d) remove news

3 . “(…)use their own containers or compostable bags.“ (line 21)

a) decomposable
b) recyclable
c) assembled
d) rotten

4 . “(…) by delivering fresh produce (...)” (line 27)

a) products
b) greengrocery
c) vegetables
d) dairy

5 . “(…) offering farmers the lion's share of the retail price.” (line 28)
a) the most dangerous
b) the most friendly
c) the most edible
d) the bigger part

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C. Choose the most suitable way to complete the sentences according to the ideas expressed in
the text.

1 . The growing complaints against big supermarket companies over the last ten years is
due to…
a) the rise on the prices of essential goods.
b) shady and amoral business acts.
c) selling food surplus to other supermarkets.
d) their refuse to opt for environmentally friendly policies.

2 . Supermarkets have approached new types of packaging…

a) as an answer to their clients’ criticism of plastic usage.
b) as a better way of sheltering the donated food.
c) as an attempt to save money.
d) as part of a signed agreement.

3 . Supermarkets have been giving away the excess food because…

a) they are concerned about the needs of the less fortunate.
b) they made a pledge with charities.
c) they intend to protect the environment.
d) they are trying to answer public opinion’s disapproval of the food waste.

4 . Some stores that opened recently…

a) are plastic-free, but allow customers to use bags.
b) don’t use plastic for packaging, and encourage customers to use paper or biodegradable
bags.
c) package compostable items in paper bags.
d) are trying to ban plastic, encouraged by customers with compostable bags.

5 . Farmdrop cuts down storage and food waste…

a) by selling small amounts to local farmers.
b) by using electric means of transportation.
c) by being the intermediate between small farmers and consumers.
d) by selling frozen food.

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D. Choose the most suitable word to complete the sentences below.

Think back to everything you ate yesterday.

How much food did you actually eat and how much of your 1.____ ended up in the garbage? For
me, I fully 2._____ all of the food I ate yesterday, but I went through my refrigerator and threw out
old food takeout containers, 3.____ mashed potatoes, and rotten bananas.
Food waste is not a new problem, and our 4.____ are only getting worse. One-third of the food that
is produced for human 5._____ is lost or wasted from farm to kitchen. What’s even worse is that
food 6._____ is a huge problem in this country and we are 7._____ enough food to be able to feed
those people for an entire year. In 2012, we wasted 35 million tons of food, which is enough to
feed 70 percent of the 8.____ people in the United States for an entire year. This is 9.____. We
have the power to feed the hungry with all of the food we waste and yet we just 10._____ it into
the garbage.
(adapted from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/food/the-plate/2015/01/06/stop-food-waste/)

1. 6.
a) plate a) safety
b) bill b) insecurity
c) refection c) poisoning
d) meal d) decay

2. 7.
a) rejected a) burning
b) chewed b) giving away
c) consumed c) producing
d) wasted d) wasting

3. 8.
a) cold a) unemployed
b) greasy b) hungry
c) spoiled c) indigent
d) fat d) wasting

4. 9.
a) actions a) amazing
b) habits b) irrelevant
c) dishes c) frightening
d) problem d) dangerous
5.
a) consumption 10 .
b) storage a) throw
c) cooking b) place
d) people c) save
d) waste

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Prova de Avaliação de Conhecimentos – Inglês Elementar CFS/QP – 2020

Part II

A. Choose from the given options the correct verb tense/ form to fill in the blanks:

1 . Newly installed gypsum board walls ________ before they are painted.
a) with a sealant coated
b) should coat with a sealant
c) should be coated with a sealant
d) coating with a sealant

2 . Temperatures ______ above 110 degrees Fahrenheit are common in the America southwest.
a) they climb
b) climb
c) that they climb
d) climbing

3 . Freezing, drying, and canning have long been used ______ nutrients and freshness in foods.
a) for preservation
b) to preserve
c) preserved
d) preserve

4 . Lately, _______ nobody using the library.

a) there has been
b) it has been
c) has been
d) been

5 . _______ several weeks for a person to starve to death, but without sleep the human body dies
in about 10 days.
a) Usually taking it
b) Usually takes it
c) It usually takes
d) To take it usually

6 . _________ its rigid home on its back, the land tortoise is well protected from predators.
a) Carried
b) It carries
c) Carrying
d) To carry
7 . Animals are classified as either cold-blooded ___________.
a) or they have warm blood
b) or warm-blooded
c) nor warm-blooded
d) or being warm-blooded.

8 . The fairy slipper orchid ______ in relatively inaccessible mountain forest regions of North
America.
a) can only finding
b) only to be find
c) found only
d) can only be found

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Prova de Avaliação de Conhecimentos – Inglês Elementar CFS/QP – 2020

9 . I would like to see you tomorrow because ________ several things we need to discuss.
a) there have
b) they are
c) it is
d) there are

10 . New England winters ______ among the coldest in the United States.
a) may be considering
b) in consideration
c) may be considered
d) being considered

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Prova de Avaliação de Conhecimentos – Inglês Elementar CFS/QP – 2020

Part III

A. Identify and mark the word or expression that is incorrect.

1 . In 1890, A) while staying B) of her parents, Rebecca Harding Davis wrote “Life in the Iron
Mills” C) her first, and possibly her D) greatest, short story.
a) A
b) B
c) C
d) D

2 . A) Emotionally stable people seem B) to have about C) the same number of nightmares as
highly D) anxiously individuals.
a) A
b) B
c) C
d) D

3 . In 1640, A) colonist Roger Williams B) has applied for a charter C) for D) the colony of
Rhode Island.
a) A
b) B
c) C
d) D

4 . A) As long the United States government supports space exploration, astronauts B) will have
the opportunity to probe C) the universe for information about D) its origins.
a) A
b) B
c) C
d) D

5 . Scientists feel that A) it is not healthy for people B) to live in a state which they C) chronically
D) reactor to excessive stress.
a) A
b) B
c) C
d) D

6 . Paul Revere A) designed the first B) officially seal of the thirteen C) colonies D) as well as the
state seal now used by Massachusetts.
a) A
b) B
c) C
d) D

7 . During the early 1970s, the American public A) collectively B) has become health conscious,
C) turning away from the highly processed foods that D) had been so popular in the past.
a) A
b) B
c) C
d) D

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Prova de Avaliação de Conhecimentos – Inglês Elementar CFS/QP – 2020

8 . A) According my science professor, the atmosphere B) of the earth is being populated C) by

humans D) at an ever-increasing rate.
a) A
b) B
c) C
d) D

9 . A) Even though the B) parking car was locked, someone C) was able to steal the tape player
D) from inside.
a) A
b) B
c) C
d) D

10 . The house cat, one of people’s A) favorite pets, B) enjoy human attention C) and D)
company.
a) A
b) B
c) C
d) D

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