英语100篇精读荟萃(基础篇)18
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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)

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 hypocrisy1. 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 advertising2 has been banned on television. The conscience of the nation is appeased3, while the population continues to puff4 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 smokers5 to pay for its entire educational facilities. So while the authorities point out ever so discreetly6 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. Countless7 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 insidious8 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 depict9 virile10, clean-shaven young men. They suggest it is manly11 to smoke, even positively12 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 dire13 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 courageously14, 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] ironical15.
[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

Vocabulary
1.    a wishful thinking        根据愿望的想法,2.    不3.    顾事实的想法
4.    puff                    喷
puff its way to 一路吞云吐雾走向(指5.    抽烟抽到死)
6.    lukewarm                冷淡/漠然
7.    insidious                阴险的,8.    狡猾的
9.    virile                    年富力强的

写作方法与文章大意
    这是一篇“要求政府禁烟”的论说文,采用因果对比手法。先以讽刺口吻指出政府对禁烟的态度――软弱无力。然后点明软弱的原因――大量税收。再以抽烟大严重后果,机器所花去的钱说明得不偿失。而烟草工业广告泛滥,毒化人们。从而提出政府应从禁止烟广告作起。

答案详解
1.    C 因为他们害怕收入减少。答案见第二段。“你不2.    用看得很远就能发现为什么官方对医学成果的反应如此冷淡,3.    答案就是钱。烟草是征税的最奇妙的商品,4.    几乎就像日用面包的税收。光烟草税收一项,5.    英国政府就从抽烟人身上征到足以支付整个教育措施的费用。所以在当局那么谨慎地指6.    出吸烟有害时,7.    可以想象,8.    喊叫得太响时不9.    行的。”
A.他们害怕人民。D.他们害怕厂商。文中没有。B.疾病花费很大和软弱无力的禁烟措施有关。不10.    是花费大而11.    采取弱政策。
12.    B 讽刺语气。特别表现在第一段、第四段。
A.批评语气,13.    整篇文章都在批评,14.    这不15.    是什么语气问题。这里时以讽刺的口吻加以批评政府软弱的禁烟政策。C.厌恶。D.有趣。
16.    D 政府对吸烟的恶果也是视而17.    不18.    见。
A. 政府支持。太明朗化。B.你不19.    是单独一人。和C.你有好同20.    事,21.    都是似是而22.    非的答案。这可以上下文说明,23.    第一段:“假如你吸烟,24.    依然认为吸烟和支气管炎、心脏病、肺癌等毫无关系,25.    那你是自欺欺人。可没有人会说你虚伪。我们可以说你是患有一厢情愿病。这你无需太难受,26.    因为你有好伙伴。每当提出吸烟和健康有关的问题时,27.    大多数国家的政府对其恶果视而28.    不29.    见、听而30.    不31.    闻、嗅而32.    不33.    觉。”
34.    A 世界各国政府应该开展眼里的禁烟运动。因为前面四段都是现象:⑴政策软弱。如英国政府只在电视上禁止烟草广告以高位人们的良知。另一方面人民继续一路吞云吐雾走到癌症死亡。⑵讲烟草的税收高,35.    所以不36.    严禁。⑶这项政策的后果是疾病花费大于烟草税收。⑷烟草广告泛滥毒害人。唯一解救的办法就是禁烟。最后一段是结论,37.    也是画龙点睛的主题和标38.    题。“作为起步,39.    政府可以从禁止烟草广告开始, 40.    然后应开展抵制吸烟的广告运动。一切41.    公共场合,42.    如戏院、电影院、返点等应禁止吸烟。应竭尽全力告诫青年, 43.    尤其是告诫他们染上恶习的严重后果。在零卖的每包烟盒上应有一令人胆战心惊的警告:例如,44.    一幅骷髅头画像。作为个人, 45.    我们力量薄弱,46.    可是如果政府真诚地鼓舞人心的行动起来,47.    他们可以保护我们。”
B.世界各国政府采取禁烟政策软弱无力。C.吸烟是许多国家重要收入。这两项是不48.    分具体内容。D.烟草工厂在医疗研究上花了大笔费用



点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 hypocrisy g4qyt     
n.伪善,虚伪
参考例句:
  • He railed against hypocrisy and greed.他痛斥伪善和贪婪的行为。
  • He accused newspapers of hypocrisy in their treatment of the story.他指责了报纸在报道该新闻时的虚伪。
2 advertising 1zjzi3     
n.广告业;广告活动 a.广告的;广告业务的
参考例句:
  • Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
  • The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。
3 appeased ef7dfbbdb157a2a29b5b2f039a3b80d6     
安抚,抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 ); 绥靖(满足另一国的要求以避免战争)
参考例句:
  • His hunger could only be appeased by his wife. 他的欲望只有他的妻子能满足。
  • They are the more readily appeased. 他们比较容易和解。
4 puff y0cz8     
n.一口(气);一阵(风);v.喷气,喘气
参考例句:
  • He took a puff at his cigarette.他吸了一口香烟。
  • They tried their best to puff the book they published.他们尽力吹捧他们出版的书。
5 smokers d3e72c6ca3bac844ba5aa381bd66edba     
吸烟者( smoker的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily. 许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。
  • Chain smokers don't care about the dangers of smoking. 烟鬼似乎不在乎吸烟带来的种种危害。
6 discreetly nuwz8C     
ad.(言行)审慎地,慎重地
参考例句:
  • He had only known the perennial widow, the discreetly expensive Frenchwoman. 他只知道她是个永远那么年轻的寡妇,一个很会讲排场的法国女人。
  • Sensing that Lilian wanted to be alone with Celia, Andrew discreetly disappeared. 安德鲁觉得莉莲想同西莉亚单独谈些什么,有意避开了。
7 countless 7vqz9L     
adj.无数的,多得不计其数的
参考例句:
  • In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
  • I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。
8 insidious fx6yh     
adj.阴险的,隐匿的,暗中为害的,(疾病)不知不觉之间加剧
参考例句:
  • That insidious man bad-mouthed me to almost everyone else.那个阴险的家伙几乎见人便说我的坏话。
  • Organized crime has an insidious influence on all who come into contact with it.所有和集团犯罪有关的人都会不知不觉地受坏影响。
9 depict Wmdz5     
vt.描画,描绘;描写,描述
参考例句:
  • I don't care to see plays or films that depict murders or violence.我不喜欢看描写谋杀或暴力的戏剧或电影。
  • Children's books often depict farmyard animals as gentle,lovable creatures.儿童图书常常把农场的动物描写得温和而可爱。
10 virile JUrzR     
adj.男性的;有男性生殖力的;有男子气概的;强有力的
参考例句:
  • She loved the virile young swimmer.她爱上了那个有男子气概的年轻游泳运动员。
  • He wanted his sons to become strong,virile,and athletic like himself.他希望他的儿子们能长得像他一样强壮、阳刚而又健美。
11 manly fBexr     
adj.有男子气概的;adv.男子般地,果断地
参考例句:
  • The boy walked with a confident manly stride.这男孩以自信的男人步伐行走。
  • He set himself manly tasks and expected others to follow his example.他给自己定下了男子汉的任务,并希望别人效之。
12 positively vPTxw     
adv.明确地,断然,坚决地;实在,确实
参考例句:
  • She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
  • The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。
13 dire llUz9     
adj.可怕的,悲惨的,阴惨的,极端的
参考例句:
  • There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
  • We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了,但是我们渡过了困难。
14 courageously wvzz8b     
ad.勇敢地,无畏地
参考例句:
  • Under the correct leadership of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, the army and civilians in flooded areas fought the floods courageously, reducing the losses to the minimum. 在中共中央、国务院的正确领导下,灾区广大军民奋勇抗洪,把灾害的损失减少到了最低限度。
  • He fought death courageously though his life was draining away. 他虽然生命垂危,但仍然勇敢地与死亡作斗争。
15 ironical F4QxJ     
adj.讽刺的,冷嘲的
参考例句:
  • That is a summary and ironical end.那是一个具有概括性和讽刺意味的结局。
  • From his general demeanour I didn't get the impression that he was being ironical.从他整体的行为来看,我不觉得他是在讲反话。
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