Passage Eighteen (Strictly Ban smoking)

If you smoke and you still don’t believe that there’s a definite link between smoking and bronchial troubles, heart disease and lung cancer, then you are certainly deceiving yourself. No one will accuse you of hypocrisy. Let us just say that you are suffering from a bad case of wishful thinking. This needn’t make you too uncomfortable because you are in good company. Whenever the subject of smoking and health is raised, the governments of most countries hear no evil, see no evil and smell no evil. Admittedly, a few governments have taken timid measures. In Britain for instance, cigarette advertising has been banned on television. The conscience of the nation is appeased, while the population continues to puff its way to smoky, cancerous death.

You don’t have to look very far to find out why the official reactions to medical findings have been so lukewarm. The answer is simply money. Tobacco is a wonderful commodity to tax. It’s almost like a tax on our daily bread. In tax revenue alone, the government of Britain collects enough from smokers to pay for its entire educational facilities. So while the authorities point out ever so discreetly that smoking may, conceivable, be harmful, it doesn’t do to shout too loudly about it.

This is surely the most short-sighted policy you could imagine. While money is eagerly collected in vast sums with one hand, it is paid out in increasingly vaster sums with the other. Enormous amounts are spent on cancer research and on efforts to cure people suffering from the disease. Countless valuable lives are lost. In the long run, there is no doubt that everybody would be much better-off if smoking were banned altogether.

Of course, we are not ready for such a drastic action. But if the governments of the world were honestly concerned about the welfare of their peoples, you’d think they’d conduct aggressive anti-smoking campaigns. Far from it! The tobacco industry is allowed to spend staggering sums on advertising. Its advertising is as insidious as it is dishonest. We are never shown pictures of real smokers coughing up their lungs early in the morning. That would never do. The advertisement always depict virile, clean-shaven young men. They suggest it is manly to smoke, even positively healthy! Smoking is associated with the great open-air life, with beautiful girls, true love and togetherness. What utter nonsense!

For a start, governments could begin by banning all cigarette and tobacco advertising and should then conduct anti-smoking advertising campaigns of their own. Smoking should be banned in all public places like theatres, cinemas and restaurants. Great efforts should be made to inform young people especially of the dire consequences of taking up the habit. A horrific warning – say, a picture of a death’s head – should be included in every packet of cigarettes that is sold. As individuals, we are certainly weak, but if governments acted honestly and courageously, they could protect us from ourselves.

1.Why do a few governments take timid measures toward smoking?

A.because they are afraid of people.

B.Because diseases cost a lot.

C.Because they are afraid of the cutting down of their revenue.

D.Because they are afraid of manufacturers.

2.The tone of this passage is

A.critical.

B.ironical.

C.distaste.

D.amusing.

3.What does the sentence “because you are in good company” mean?

A.you are backed by the government.

B.You are not alone.

C.You have good colleagues.

D.Governments are blind to evils of smoking too.

4.What is the best title of this passage?

A.World Governments should conduct serious campaigns against smoking.

B.World governments take timid measures against smoking.

C.smoking is the most important source of income to many countries.

D.tobacco industry spends a large sum of money on medical research.

Strictly Ban smoking

       If you smoke and you still don’t believe that there’s a definite（一定的）link between smoking and bronchial（支氣管的）troubles, heart disease and lung cancer, then you are certainly deceiving yourself. No one will accuse you of hypocrisy. Let us just say that you are suffering from a bad case of wishful thinking. This needn’t make you too uncomfortable because you are in good company. Whenever the subject of smoking and health is raised, the governments of most countries hear no evil, see no evil and smell no evil. Admittedly, a few governments have taken timid measures. In Britain for instance, cigarette advertising has been banned on television. The conscience of the nation is appeased, while the population continues to puff its way to smoky, cancerous death.

       You don’t have to look very far to find out why the official reactions to medical findings have been so lukewarm. The answer is simply money. Tobacco is a wonderful commodity to tax. It’s almost like a tax on our daily bread. In tax revenue alone, the government of Britain collects enough from smokers to pay for its entire educational facilities. So while the authorities point out ever so discreetly that smoking may, conceivable, be harmful, it doesn’t do to shout too loudly about it.

       This is surely the most short-sighted policy you could imagine. While money is eagerly collected in vast sums with one hand, it is paid out in increasingly vaster sums with the other. Enormous amounts are spent on cancer research and on efforts to cure people suffering from the disease. Countless valuable lives are lost. In the long run, there is no doubt that everybody would be much better-off if smoking were banned altogether.

       Of course, we are not ready for such a drastic action. But if the governments of the world were honestly concerned about the welfare of their peoples, you’d think they’d conduct aggressive anti-smoking campaigns. Far from it! The tobacco industry is allowed to spend staggering sums on advertising. Its advertising is as insidious as it is dishonest. We are never shown pictures of real smokers coughing up their lungs early in the morning. That would never do. The advertisement always depict virile, clean-shaven young men. They suggest it is manly to smoke, even positively healthy! Smoking is associated with the great open-air life, with beautiful girls, true love and togetherness. What utter nonsense!

       For a start, governments could begin by banning all cigarette and tobacco advertising and should then conduct anti-smoking advertising campaigns of their own. Smoking should be banned in all public places like theatres, cinemas and restaurants. Great efforts should be made to inform young people especially of the dire consequences of taking up the habit. A horrific warning – say, a picture of a death’s head – should be included in every packet of cigarettes that is sold. As individuals, we are certainly weak, but if governments acted honestly and courageously, they could protect us from ourselves.

Why do a few governments take timid measures toward smoking?

A because they are afraid of people.  B Because diseases cost a lot.

C Because they are afraid of the cutting down of their revenue.

D Because they are afraid of manufacturers.

The tone of this passage is________________.

A critical.  B ironical（諷刺的用反語的）.  C distaste（不喜歡）.    D amusing.

What does the sentence “because you are in good company” mean?

A you are backed by the government. B You are not alone.

C You have good colleagues.       D Governments are blind to evils of smoking too.

What is the best title of this passage?

A World Governments should conduct serious campaigns against smoking.

B World governments take timid measures against smoking.

C smoking is the most important source of income to many countries.

D tobacco industry spends a large sum of money on medical research.

根據(jù)下列句子及所給單詞的首字母，寫出各單詞正確的完全形式(每空限寫一詞)。
【小題1】In Ireland there are two o______________ languages: English and Irish.
【小題2】He i______________ all the “No Smoking” signs and lit up a cigarette.
【小題3】Internet makes it possible for us to c______________ with our friends from all over the world.
【小題4】As a result of the severe earthquake in Wenchuan, people s______________ great losses.
【小題5】This atlas (地圖集) contains fifty maps, i______________ six of North America.
【小題6】He looks honest, but a______________ he is a rogue (a man who is dishonest and immoral).
【小題7】After so many years, I still r______________ him as soon as he came in the room.
【小題8】Two hours later, I f______________ came up with a good idea to solve the problems.
【小題9】If you want to pass your exams, you’d better change your a______________ towards study.
【小題10】You won’t get well unless you follow your doctor’s a______________.

短文改錯（共10小題；每小題1分，滿分10分）

It is bad manners in the classroom to look for what our          66. __________

neighbor had written, or try to see what mark he has received        67. __________

without being permitted. It is good manners for them to help        68. __________

each other if we have the same desire and the teacher allows to it.     69. __________

In examinations and in certain kinds of written work, it is dishonest    70. __________

and foolishly to help or to ask help from others. When one student     71. __________

does so, much larger values are destroying. One may not agree        72. __________

to examination system, but at present it is basically the only          73. __________

measure that the teacher and the rest of the world can depend to       74. __________

decide if or not each of us meets the requirement.                   75. __________

根據(jù)下列句子及所給單詞的首字母，寫出各單詞正確的完全形式(每空限寫一詞)。

1.In Ireland there are two o______________ languages: English and Irish.

2.He i______________ all the “No Smoking” signs and lit up a cigarette.

3.Internet makes it possible for us to c______________ with our friends from all over the world.

4.As a result of the severe earthquake in Wenchuan, people s______________ great losses.

5.This atlas (地圖集) contains fifty maps, i______________ six of North America.

6.He looks honest, but a______________ he is a rogue (a man who is dishonest and immoral).

7.After so many years, I still r______________ him as soon as he came in the room.

8.Two hours later, I f______________ came up with a good idea to solve the problems.

9.If you want to pass your exams, you’d better change your a______________ towards study.

10.You won’t get well unless you follow your doctor’s a______________.