①In the quest for the perfect lawn, homeowners across the country are taking a shortcut — and it is the environment that is paying the price. About eight million square metres of plastic grass is sold each year but opposition has now spread to the highest gardening circles. The Chelsea Flower Show has banned fake grass from this year’s event, declaring it to be not part of its ethos. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), which runs the annual show in west London, says it has introduced the ban because of the damage plastic grass does to the environment and biodiversity.

②Ed Home, of the RHS, said: “We launched our sustainability strategy last year and fake grass is just not in line with our ethos and views on plastic. We recommend using real grass because of its environmental benefits, which include supporting wildlife, alleviating flooding and cooling the environment.”

③The RHS’s decision comes as campaigners try to raise awareness of the problems fake grass causes. A Twitter account, which claims to “cut through the greenwash” of artificial grass, already has more than 20,000 followers. It is trying to encourage people to sign two petitions, one calling for a ban on the sale of plastic grass and another  calling for an “ecological damage” tax on such lawns. They have gathered 7,276 and 11,282 signatures.

④However, supporters of fake grass point out that there is also an environmental impact with natural lawns, which need mowing and therefore usually consume electricity or petrol. The industry also points out that real grass requires considerable amounts of water, weed killer or other treatments and that people who lay fake grass tend to use their garden more. The industry also claims that people who lay fake grass spend an average of £500 on trees or shrubs for their garden, which provides habitat for insects.

⑤In response to another petition last year about banning fake lawns, which gathered 30,000 signatures, the government responded that it has “no plans to ban the use of artificial grass”.

⑥It added: “We prefer to help people and organisations make the right choice rather than legislating on such matters. However, the use of artificial grass must comply with the legal and policy safeguards in place to protect biodiversity and ensure sustainable drainage, while measures such as the strengthened biodiversity duty should serve to encourage public authorities to consider sustainable alternatives.”

1. 1. The RHS thinks that plastic grass ________.

A    is harmful to the environment

B    is a hot topic in gardening circles

C    is overpraised in the annual show

D    is ruining the view of west London

2. 2. The petitions mentioned in Paragraph 3 reveal the campaigners’ ________.

A    disappointment with the RHS

B    resistance to fake grass use

C    anger over the proposed tax

D    concern about real grass supply

3. 3. In Paragraph 4, supporters of fake grass point out ________.

A    the necessity to lower the costs of fake grass

B    the disadvantages of growing real grass

C    the way to take care of artificial lawns

D    the challenges of insect habitat protection

4. 4. What would the government do with regard to artificial grass?

A    Urge legislation to restrict its use.

B    Take measures to guarantee its quality.

C    Remind its users to obey existing rules.

D    Replace it with sustainable alternatives.

5. 5. It can be learned from the text that fake grass ________.

A    is being improved continuously

B    has seen a market share decline

C    is becoming increasingly affordable

D    has been a controversial product