TOEFL ITP Reading set 025
Reading Comprehension practice — read the passage and choose the best answer.
วัสดุบรรจุภัณฑ์จากเส้นใยเห็ดรา
- Line numbers appear every 5 lines.
- Answer all 10 questions, then choose ตรวจคำตอบ to see the Thai translation, score summary, and explanation.
- Use Previous / Next to open the previous or next practice set.
Mycelium, the branching network of fungal threads that grows beneath
soil and wood, has become a practical feedstock for biodegradable
packaging. Engineers inoculate agricultural residues such as corn
husks or hemp hurd with selected fungal strains, then mold the
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mixture into trays, panels, or protective inserts. Within days the
hyphae bind the plant fibers into a lightweight composite that can
be dried and heat-treated to halt further growth. The finished
material cushions electronics and fragile goods nearly as well as
expanded polystyrene, yet it breaks down in industrial compost
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rather than persisting for centuries in landfills.
Unlike petroleum-based foams, mycelium packaging relies on local
farm waste and relatively low energy during incubation. Factories
can operate at ambient humidity in sealed molds, reducing the need
for high-temperature extrusion. Early commercial trials report that
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shipping damage rates remain comparable to foam when designers
match density to product weight. Still, moisture sensitivity remains
a constraint: untreated mycelium can soften if stored in damp
warehouses, so coatings or laminated paper layers are often added
for humid climates. Scale-up also depends on consistent fungal
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performance; contamination by unwanted molds can ruin batches and
raise costs for firms racing to meet retail delivery schedules.
Policy makers watch the sector because packaging waste is a visible
share of municipal refuse. Some regions already tax single-use
plastics or require producers to fund recovery systems, which makes
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compostable alternatives more competitive on store shelves.
Researchers caution, however, that biodegradable labels mean little
without verified composting infrastructure nearby. If municipalities
lack industrial facilities, mycelium products may end up in ordinary
trash and decompose only slowly under mixed landfill conditions.
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The technology therefore succeeds only when material science,
logistics, and waste policy advance together—turning fungal growth
from a laboratory curiosity into a reliable substitute for
conventional foam across regional supply chains worldwide.