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Trash Rules

Marion tells Todd how to take care of the trash.
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Todd: Marion, can you tell me about the trash? How do I take out the trash?

Marion: OK, let's see. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, you can leave your burnable trash outside.

Todd: What is burnable trash?

Marion: Burnable trash is for example, milk cartons, other paper things, and food as well. You can put all the remains of your food in the burnable bin.

Todd: OK, so burnable trash is Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

Marion: That's right.

Todd: OK, what about the other trash?

Marion: OK, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, you can leave your unburnable trash outside your door.

Todd: OK, what is unburnable trash?

Marion: Unburnable trash is for example, plastic. So you can't burn plastic, so non burnable, or unburnable. So plastic for example, other things that would harm the environment, if you were to burn them.

Todd: OK, what about plastic bottles?

Marion: That's on Saturday, as well, so you can leave plastic PET bottles and also glass bottles, but in a separate bin. You can leave all those bottles on Saturday, as well.

Todd: OK, anything else, like batteries, or clothing?

Marion: Yes, for batteries and clothing there are special days every month, so you have to keep them until maybe one day, or two days in the month when you can leave out things like batteries or clothes, or bigger things.

Todd: OK, and where do I put the trash?

Marion: You have to put all the trash in clear plastic bags and leave them just outside your apartment. Just over there, on the left.

Todd: OK. Thanks Marion.

Marion: You're welcome.

Todd: I might have to ask you again, but thanks.

Marion: Don't worry. That's fine.

Learn vocabulary from the lesson!

take out the trash

Can you tell about how to take out the trash?

When you 'take out the trash' you remove it from your house and put it in a place where it will be collected or where you can't smell it. Notice the following:

  1. If you don't take out the trash before you go on vacation your house will smell when you come home.
  2. We have to take out the trash at our house every Wednesday.

burnable trash

Burnable trash are things like milk cartons, other paper things, and food as well.

'Burnable trash' is garbage that can be burned without causing a lot of problems for the environment. Some things will burn, but you shouldn't burn them because of the chemicals they will put in the air. Notice the following:

  1. There is a huge pile of burnable trash that needs to be taken away.
  2. Bring all of your burnable trash here tomorrow.

remains of your food

You can put all the remains of your food in the burnable bin.

The parts of your food that you don't eat are the 'remains.' Notice the following:

  1. After every meal we have some remains of food.
  2. Over time the remains of your food will disintegrate.

things that would harm the environment

You can't burn plastic or other things that would harm the environment.

To 'harm' something means to hurt it in some way. Something that would 'harm the environment' would cause problems for nature. Notice the following:

  1. The modern world is full of things that harm the environment.
  2. People are angry because the factory is harming the environment.

in a separate bin

You can leave the plastic bottles on that day, and also the glass bottles, but in a separate bin.

A 'bin' is a large container where you put many little objects. In the example it talks about having many different bins for different kinds of material. Notice the following:

  1. Remember to put the food remains in a separate bin.
  2. To encourage people to recycle, the government has to put separate recycling bins around the city.

Vocabulary Quiz

take • burnable • food remains
separate bin • harm
  1. Old batteries can really the environment.
  2. We save all of the garbage and then have a big fire on the last day.
  3. There is now a for plastic and glass.
  4. When you are camping you have to bury your away from the camp so it doesn't attract animals.
  5. I forgot to out the trash and now there are ants all over the kitchen.
Answer the following questions about the interview.

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