Should Plastic Bags Be Banned?


Should Washington Ban Plastic Bags?
Imagine you are walking along a beautiful beach near Puget Sound. You see birds flying, seals swimming, and…plastic bags floating in the water? Plastic bags are a big problem for our environment, especially places like Puget Sound. Many people think that Washington State should ban single-use plastic bags. But is that the right thing to do?
What's the Problem?
Single-use plastic bags are the kind you get at the grocery store. They seem handy, but they can cause a lot of trouble. First, they often end up as litter. The wind blows them into our streets, parks, and waterways. This litter is ugly and pollutes our environment.
Second, plastic bags can hurt animals. Sea turtles, for example, might think a plastic bag is a jellyfish and eat it. This can make them very sick or even cause them to die. Other animals can get tangled in plastic bags, making it hard for them to move or find food.
Why Ban Them?
- Single-use:
- Made to be used only once and then thrown away.
- Pollute:
- To make something dirty or harmful.
- Reusable:
- Able to be used again and again.
- environment:
- Everything in nature around us, including the air, water, land, plants, and animals.
- litter:
- Trash or garbage that is left lying on the ground in public places instead of being put in a trash can.
- effective:
- Working well to get the result that was planned or wanted.
One passage, many ways to practice
Reading-skill questions, word work and writing prompts — all built from this text.
Main Idea
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Context Clues
Use clues in the passage to work out what words mean. A separate printable Vocabulary worksheet is also available.
Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Purpose
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Structure
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Fact & Opinion
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Claims & Evidence
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Vocabulary
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Writing Prompts
Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Why are plastic bags a problem for the environment?
- 2How do plastic bags hurt sea turtles?
Where this passage belongs
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About this opinion / argumentative passage for Upper Elementary
“Should Plastic Bags Be Banned?” is a opinion / argumentative reading passage about Environmental Protection, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 2 minutes to read (349 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.

