英语听力精选进阶版 7094

Background: 背景：苏格兰政府部长们说，他们计划开始实施酒类商品最低售价以对付该国日益严重的酗酒问题。目前苏格兰的酒销量占居世界第八位，也是全欧洲肝脏疾病死亡率最高的地区。

Scotland's had a close relationship with alcohol 酒/酒精 for hundreds of years.

Scotch¹ whisky 威士忌 generates vast export revenues 巨大的出口收入 and drink has long been a part of social occasions: dances, weddings and even funerals 葬礼.

Offering a drink is a gesture of hospitality 热情好客的一种表示.

Gaelic 盖尔语 speakers have a phrase for it: a wee deoch an dorus or one for the road. But other Northern European nations have also had a tradition of heavy drinking.

The trouble for Scotland is that our consumption 消费 now outstrips² 超过了 that of Norway, Finland and even Russia.

The Scottish government says one of the reasons is that drink has become 70% more affordable³ 有能力支付的 here over the last 30 years but shop-keepers who sell alcohol say they're not to blame.

"If people drink too much it is not up to shopkeepers to decide that. It needs to be tackled 对付，解决 from an educational and a social point of view rather than merely legislation 立法. It is not the shopkeeper's duty to police what people drink."

The evidence of Scotland's steadily⁴ worsening booze 酗酒 habit is clear.

It plays a big part in all crime and especially violent crime, and drink places a huge strain 沉重的负担 on the health service.

40,000 people are taken to hospital every year with alcohol-related illness 和酗酒有关的疾病.

Scottish pubs can be lively, friendly places, but alcohol has come to play a central role in the lives of too many Scots.

GLOSSARY⁵ 词汇表

alcohol 酒/酒精

whisky 威士忌

vast export revenues 巨大的出口收入

funerals 葬礼

gesture of hospitality 热情好客的一种表示

Gaelic 盖尔语

consumption 消费

outstrips 超过了

affordable 有能力支付的

tackled 对付，解决

legislation立法

booze 酗酒

huge strain 沉重的负担

alcohol-related illness 和酗酒有关的疾病

Questions and Answers

1. What alcoholic⁶ drink from Scotland is sold all over the world?

Scotch whisky is exported globally.

2. What language other than English is spoken in Scotland?

Gaelic.

3. Why are people in Scotland drinking more now than in the past?

Alcohol has become 70% cheaper in recent years.

4. What are the social consequences of drinking too much according to the report?

Alcohol abuse increases crime and illness.

1 scotch   

n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的

参考例句：

• Facts will eventually scotch these rumours.这种谣言在事实面前将不攻自破。
• Italy was full of fine views and virtually empty of Scotch whiskey.意大利多的是美景，真正缺的是苏格兰威士忌。

2 outstrips   

v.做得比…更好，（在赛跑等中）超过( outstrip的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Technology daily outstrips the ability of our institutions to cope with its fruits. 技术发展的速度超过了我们的制度所能应付其成果的程度。 来自辞典例句
• The significance of the foreign exchange market outstrips its impressive size. 外汇市场的意义超出了它给人的印象尺度。 来自互联网

3 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

4 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

5 glossary   

n.注释词表；术语汇编

参考例句：

• The text is supplemented by an adequate glossary.正文附有一个详细的词汇表。
• For convenience,we have also provided a glossary in an appendix.为了方便，我们在附录中也提供了术语表。

6 alcoholic   

adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者

参考例句：

• The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
• Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。