100-days: twenty-one

Title: Not so fantastic(<口>极好的，棒的): can Japan end its love affair(喜爱，热爱) with plastic(塑料)?

　　A :  B　B 对 A 进行补充说明

　　fantastic　　adj.极好的;很大的；怪诞的；不切实际的　　<口> you look so fantastic.　　你看起来挺好的<买衣服时>

　　　　not so fantastic　没那么棒

　　love affait　挚爱，热爱；风流韵事，出轨　　　　Someone has a love affair.　某人出轨

From bento boxes(便当盒) to individually wrapped bananas, plastic reigns supreme in Japan. But amid global(修饰concern，表示全球范围的) concern about single-use waste(n.废料，垃圾), new legislation could help end the country's love affair with plastic.

　　bento　n.便当，盒饭

　　individually　adv.分别地，单独地　　　　individual　n./adj.　　个人，个体

　　wrap　v.（用纸、布或其他材料）包，裹

　　form … to …　从什么到什么

　　reign supreme　主宰，占统治地位；盛行　　　　reign　v.主宰；盛行　　supreme　adj.至高无上的

　　amid　prep.在…当中　　　近义词　　=>　　among

　　single-use　adj.一次性的　　　　single-use chopsticks　　一次性筷子

　　legislation　n.法律；立法　　legislate　v.

The push(文中指新的立法) comes ahead of the G20 summit(G20峰会), which Japan will host(主办，主持) in Osaka(大阪市) in June(六月). Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's(安倍) government wants to use the meeting to push for an agreement on reducing marine plastic waste.

　　push　v.推动，促使；　　n.推动，

　　ahead of　在…之前

　　push for sth　努力争取某事

　　marine　adj.海的；海产的；海军的； 海事的；　n.　水兵; 海军陆战队士兵; 海事，海运业;

But the country's own record on single-use plastic is hardly exemplary: Japan generates(生产) more plastic packaging(打包) waste per capita than any other country except the United States, according to the UN(联合国).

　　exemplary　adj.优异的；（可作）楷模的　　　　example　例子　　　exemplar　n.范本，范例

　　more than…　比…有更多的

　　per capita　人均（地）　　the per capita income in the country is very high.　这个国家的人均收入挺高。

In 2018, Japan's government unveiled a proposal(提案) to start tackling(应对，解决) the issue(问题), with the goal of reducing the country's 9.4 million tonnes of plastic waste a year by 25 percent by 2030. A key part of the proposal is to require businesses(可数名词，企业，公司) to charge for plastic bags—a measure(措施) that has already been widely adopted(采用) around the world.

　　unveil　v.（首次）公开；将…公之于众　　un- 否定　veil　n.面纱；v.遮盖　　　unveil a test version　公布测试版

　　charge for sth　向…要价，收费

　　

With(表原因) the national government moving(行动) slowly, local governments and businesses in Japan have in some cases taken up the mantle themselves. The town of Kamikatsu(上胜町，日本的一个小镇) near Kyoto has set a goal of zero plastic waste by 2020, while Kyoto city has long(副词，很长时间的) required large retailers to charge for plastic bags.

　　in some cases　在某些情况下

　　mantle　n.（前任留给继任者的）责任，衣钵　　take up / on the mantle　接过责任

　　retailer　零售商；零售店　　　a fashion retailer　时装零售店

Greenpeace(绿色和平) and other environmental NGOs want Japan to commit to the bolder goal of reducing plastic waste by 50 percent by 2030 and more concrete measures(措施) including bans on single-use plastics.

　　“绿色和平”是一个全球性环保组织，致力于以实际行动推动积极改变，保护地球环境与世界和平。国际总部设在荷兰阿姆斯特丹，并在全球超过五十几个国家和地区设有分部。

　　NGO　非政府组织（non-governmental organization）

　　want sb to do sth　想某人做某事

　　commit　　v.承诺（投入时间或金钱）　　commit  sth　承诺投身于…，致力于…

　　　　commit to a conversation　　投入一场交流

　　　　commit oneself to doing sth　　

　　bold　adj.勇敢的，无谓的　　近义词　　=>　　brave

　　concrete　adj.具体的，实在的　　n.混凝土　　concrete evidence　　确凿的证据

"The Japanese government needs more ambitious(雄心勃勃的) goals if they truly want to lead the G20 summit, " said Kenji Ishihara, a campaigner with Greenpeace Japan.

　　campaigner　n.活动家，活动推广者　　　　campaign　n.政治或商业上的推广活动