Question

Few laws are so effective that you can see results just days after they take effect.But in the nine days since the federal cigarette tax more than doubled－to $1.01 per pack－smokers have jammed telephone “quit lines” across the country seeking to kick the habit.

This is not a surprise to public health advocates.They've studied the effect of state tax increases for years，finding that smokers，especially teens，are price sensitive.Nor is it a shock to the industry，which fiercely fights every tax increase.

The only wonder is that so many states insist on closing their ears to the message.Tobacco taxes improve public health，they raise money and most particularly，they deter people from taking up the habit as teens，which is when nearly all smokers are addicted.Yet the rate of taxation varies widely.

In Manhattan，for instance，which has the highest tax in the nation，a pack of Marlboro Light Kings，cost $10.06 at one drugstore Wednesday.In Charleston，S.C.，where the 7 cent a pack tax is the lowest in the nation，the price was $4.78.

The influence is obvious.

In New York，high school smoking hit a new low in the latest surveys－13.8%，far below the national average.By comparison,26% of high school students smoke in Kentucky.Other low tax states have similarly depressing teen smoking records.

Hal Rogers，Representative from Kentucky，like those who are against high tobacco taxes，argues that the burden of the tax falls on low?income Americans “who choose to smoke.”

That's true.But there is more reason in keeping future generations of low?income workers from getting hooked in the first place.As for today's adults，if the new tax drives them to quit，they will have more to spend on their families，cut their risk of cancer and heart disease and feel better.

1.The text is mainly about ________.

A．the price of cigarettes

B．the rate of teen smoking

C．the effect of tobacco tax increase

D．the differences in tobacco tax rate

2.What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．The new tax will be beneficial in the long run.

B．Low?income Americans are more likely to fall ill.

C．Future generations will be hooked on smoking.

D．Adults will depend more on their families.

3.Rogers' attitude towards the low?income smokers might be that of ________.

A．tolerance? ????????????? ????????????? ????????????? B．unconcern?

C．doubt? ????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ????????????? D．sympathy

4.What does the author think is a surprise?

A．Teen smokers are price sensitive.

B．Some states still keep the tobacco tax low.

C．Tobacco taxes improve public health.

D．Tobacco industry fiercely fights the tax rise.

 

Answer 1

【答案】

1.C

2.B

3.D

4.A

【解析】煙草稅增加后，取得了立竿見(jiàn)影的效果——許多煙民紛紛戒煙。然而有些地方卻對(duì)此充耳不聞，中學(xué)生吸煙的比例居高不下。本文讓我們意識(shí)到：從長(zhǎng)遠(yuǎn)看，通過(guò)增加煙草稅而使人們戒煙是澤被千家萬(wàn)戶的大事。

1.主旨大意題。本文主要談?wù)摰氖菬煵荻愒黾雍笕〉玫拿黠@效果以及給人們帶來(lái)的益處。A、B、D三項(xiàng)均為文章的某一方面。

答案　C

2.事實(shí)細(xì)節(jié)題。由第三段第一句可知，唯 一讓人吃驚的是，有些州對(duì)此充耳不聞，也就是繼續(xù)保持低煙草稅。

答案　B

3.推理判斷題。Roger認(rèn)為高煙草稅是把稅收負(fù)擔(dān)加到了低收入的煙民身上，故應(yīng)該持同情態(tài)度。

答案　D

4.推理判斷題。由全文最后一句可知，增加煙草稅促使煙民戒煙，可讓他們有更多的時(shí)間與家人團(tuán)聚，減少癌癥和心臟病的發(fā)病率，從長(zhǎng)遠(yuǎn)看，是一件有益的事情。

答案　A