Want to help fight global warming? Take off your tie, says the Italian health ministry. It has urged employers to let their staff dress casually at work in the summer so that the air conditioning can be turned down.
“Taking your tie off immediately lowers the body temperature by 2 or 3 degrees centigrade,” the ministry said in a statement.“Allowing a more sensible use of air conditioning brings about electricity savings and protects the environment.”
It called on all public and private offices to let employees wear no tie during heat waves like the one that has brought Africa-like temperatures to many parts of Italy this week.
The move echoes（回应）a similar action from Italy’s biggest oil group, ENI, which told its staff earlier this month they need not wear a tie at work. The tie makers, however, were left hot under the collar.
“Italy confirms that it is a strange country,” Flavio Cima said angrily in a letter to financial daily IL SOLE 24 ORE under the headline: “I, tie maker, am responsible for global warming”
“We can now happily continue with our lifestyle, using cars, consuming fuel, heating and cooling our homes at leisure. On one condition: we should not wear a tie while we do so,” he wrote.
“I should have listened to my friends and become an oil producer instead.”
Italy is one of the European Union’s worst performers on the pollution front and is among the EU countries expected to exceed（超出）their greenhouse gas emission（排放）targets
28.What’s the purpose of the move of taking off ties?
A. To dress casually. B. To fight global warming.
C. To keep the body temperature. D. To improve working conditions.
29. Who first encouraged employees to take off ties?
A. ENI. B. Flavio Cima.
C. A financial daily. D. The Italian health ministry.
30. What does the underlined part “hot under the collar” in Paragraph 6 probably mean?
A. Angry. B. Speechless. C. Delighted. D. Puzzled.
31. Which of the following is TRUE about Flavio Cima?
A. He stands by the oil group. B. He agrees with the ministry.
C. He admits his responsibility. D. He argues against taking off ties.