VOA慢速英语 2007 1002b

VOICE ONE:

This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.  I’m Bob Doughty¹.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Faith Lapidus.  On our program this week, some new information about tobacco smoke -- and it’s not good news.    

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VOICE ONE:

 
On October 1, 2002, a local law, the first of its kind in Japan, banned smoking on the streets of Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward²
Few people would argue that tobacco smoke is good for you.  For more than forty years, scientists have said cigarette smoking can cause serious health problems.  But today, smokers⁴ and people who do not smoke often argue about smoking in the workplace.

Many non-smokers would like to have smoking banned where they work.  They fear harmful effects from other people's tobacco smoke, also known as secondhand smoke.  Business owners often say a ban on smoking would harm their profits.  And, smokers say such a ban would interfere⁵ with their rights. 

In the United States, secondhand smoke causes about three thousand non-smoking adults to die of lung cancer each year.  That information comes from a private group, the American Cancer Society.

VOICE TWO:

Recently, the American Journal⁶ of Public Health published two reports about secondhand smoke.  The Multnomah County⁷ Health Department in Oregon and the Oregon Department of Human Services organized one study.  The University of Minnesota Cancer Center in Minneapolis assisted⁸ them. 

The study involved eighty-four non-smokers who worked at restaurants and drinking places in Oregon.  Thirty-two worked in businesses that banned smoking.  Fifty-two others worked in businesses that permitted smoking.  Most worked as servers or prepared drinks.  Two thirds of those studied were women. 

The researchers asked the non-smokers about how much time they had spent around smokers while away from work.  The breath of the workers was tested to make sure they had not been smoking.

VOICE ONE:

Then the researchers tested liquid wastes from the workers.  They found a substance called NNAL in the urine.  NNAL is a byproduct of NNK, a chemical found only in tobacco products.  Other studies have linked NNK to lung cancer.  Over time, scientists have identified more than sixty chemicals in tobacco smoke that cause cancer in people and animals.

The researchers tested the urine of the workers before they started their jobs and again as they finished.  Those working where smoking was permitted were more likely to have NNK in their urine.The study did not deal with whether secondhand smoke caused health problems in nonsmokers.  But last year, the evidence against secondhand smoke caused America's top medical officer to advise banning smoking in buildings.

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VOICE TWO:

The second report in the American Journal of Public Health came from the Public Health Institute in California.  The Public Health Institute is a nonprofit organization that says businesses should be free of smoke.

The Institute says employers¹⁰ must keep workplaces safe for employees.  It tells employers that they are open to legal action if their environment harms workers.

Margaret Chan is director-general of the World Health Organization.  She has urged all countries to pass laws banning smoking in workplaces. 

Businesses are not the only places where secondhand smoke is a threat.  People who smoke at home should think about the health of others living with them.  The American Cancer Society says secondhand smoke causes lung infections in as many as three hundred thousand young children each year. 

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VOICE ONE:

The W.H.O. estimates¹¹ that smoking is responsible for the deaths of five million people each year.  At current rates, it says tobacco use could kill ten million people a year by two thousand twenty.  Smoking by pregnant¹² women can threaten the unborn.  Expectant mothers are more likely to have babies with health problems and low birth weight.  Babies with low weight at birth have an increased risk of dying¹³ young.  They may also suffer health problems. 

VOICE TWO:

Older smokers are also at risk.  A study in the publication¹⁴ Neurology showed that older adults who smoke face an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease¹⁵.  Decreased mental health also was more likely in persons who smoked than in non-smokers. 

Alzheimer’s patients lose ability to think, plan and organize.  After a time they become unable to care for themselves. 

Researchers in the Netherlands studied almost seven thousand adults aged¹⁶ fifty-five years or older.  Seven hundred six of the adults developed dementia during the seven years of the study.  Dementia is a condition that causes a decrease in a person's thinking ability. 

Persons who smoked during the study were fifty percent more likely to develop dementia than those who never smoked or had stopped. 

VOICE ONE:

Most people know that smoking causes lung cancer.  But it also has been proven to be a major cause of cancers of the mouth, esophagus, kidney¹⁷, bladder and pancreas.  Cigarettes are not the only danger.  Smokeless tobacco and cigars also have been linked to cancer.  But these facts are not enough to prevent people from smoking. 

The American Cancer Society says there is no safe way to smoke.  It says smoking begins to cause damage immediately.  All cigarettes can damage the body.  Smoking even a few cigarettes is dangerous.

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VOICE TWO:

Nicotine¹⁸ is a substance in tobacco that gives pleasure to smokers.  Nicotine is a poison.  The American Cancer Society says nicotine can kill a person when taken in large amounts.  It does this by stopping the muscles used for breathing. 

The body grows to depend on nicotine.  When a former smoker³ smokes a cigarette, the nicotine reaction may start again.  This forces the person to keep smoking.

Studies have found that nicotine can be as difficult to resist as alcohol¹⁹ or the drug cocaine²⁰.  So experts say it is better never to start smoking than it is to smoke with the idea of stopping later.

VOICE ONE:

Experts say menthol cigarettes are no safer than other tobacco products.  Menthol cigarettes produce a cool feeling in the smoker’s throat.  So people can hold the smoke in their lungs longer than smokers of other products.  As a result, experts say menthol cigarettes may be even more dangerous than other cigarettes. 

Other smokers believe that cigarettes with low tar⁹ levels are safer.  Tar is a substance produced when tobacco leaves are burned.  It is known to cause cancer. 

America's National Cancer Institute has said people who smoke low-tar cigarettes do not reduce their risk of getting diseases²¹ linked to smoking.  Scientists found no evidence of improvements²² to public health from changes in cigarette design and production in the past fifty years. 

VOICE TWO:

Is there no way to smoke without harming your health?

The American Cancer Society does not think so.  The group wants people to stop or at least reduce smoking.  For this reason it organizes the Great American Smokeout every year.  The event takes place in November.  Local volunteers support the efforts of individuals who want to stop smoking.

The American Cancer Society says blood pressure returns to normal twenty minutes after the last cigarette.  Carbon monoxide gas levels in the blood return to normal after eight hours.  The chance of heart attack decreases after one day.  After one year, the risk of heart disease for a non-smoker is half that of a smoker.

VOICE ONE:
There are products designed to help people reduce their dependence²³ on cigarettes.  Several kinds of nicotine replacement²⁴ products provide small amounts of the chemical.  These can help people stop smoking.

Experts also say a drug used to treat depression has helped smokers.  The drug is called Zyban.  It does not contain nicotine.  It works²⁵ by increasing levels of dopamine in the brain.  Dopamine is a chemical that produces pleasure.

VOICE TWO:

Here is some advice from people who have stopped smoking: Stay away from alcoholic²⁶ drinks.  Take a walk instead of smoking a cigarette.  Avoid people who are smoking.  If possible, stay away from situations that trouble you.

It is not easy to stop smoking.  And people never can completely control their own health.  But as one doctor advises her patients, becoming a non-smoker is one way to gain control of your life. 

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS was written by Jerilyn Watson.  Brianna Blake was our producer.  I’m Bob Doughty.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Faith Lapidus.

1 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

2 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

3 smoker   

n.吸烟者，吸烟车厢，吸烟室

参考例句：

• His wife dislikes him to be a smoker.他妻子不喜欢他当烟民。
• He is a moderate smoker.他是一个有节制的烟民。

4 smokers   

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。

5 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

6 journal   

n.日志，日记；议事录；日记帐；杂志，定期刊物

参考例句：

• He kept a journal during his visit to Japan.他在访问日本期间坚持记日记。
• He got a job as editor of a trade journal.他找到了一份当商业杂志编辑的工作。

7 county   

n.县，郡

参考例句：

• When the good news reached there,the whole county rejoiced.喜讯传到那里时，全县的人都欢欣鼓舞起来。
• In that year county after county fell to the enemy.那一年一个又一个的县城沦入敌人手中。

8 assisted   

adj.[计]辅助的v.帮助，促进( assist的过去式和过去分词 )；为…的助手；为…当帮手；辅助

参考例句：

• We were ably assisted by a team of volunteers. 我们得到一批志愿者的大力协助。
• The nurse assisted with the preparation of the medicine. 护士帮助准备药品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 tar   

n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于

参考例句：

• The roof was covered with tar.屋顶涂抹了一层沥青。
• We use tar to make roads.我们用沥青铺路。

10 employers   

雇主( employer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Employers must consider all candidates impartially and without bias. 雇主必须公平而毫无成见地考虑所有求职者。
• The onus is on employers to follow health and safety laws. 雇主有义务遵行健康安全法。

11 estimates   

估计

参考例句：

• Unofficial estimates put the figure at over two million. 非官方的估计数字为200万以上。
• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 pregnant   

adj.怀孕的，怀胎的

参考例句：

• She is a pregnant woman.她是一名孕妇。
• She is pregnant with her first child.她怀了第一胎。

13 dying   

adj.垂死的，临终的

参考例句：

• He was put in charge of the group by the dying leader.他被临终的领导人任命为集团负责人。
• She was shown into a small room,where there was a dying man.她被领进了一间小屋子，那里有一个垂死的人。

14 publication   

n.出版，发行；出版；公布，发表

参考例句：

• They don't think this article is suitable for publication.他们认为这篇文章不宜发表。
• The government has delayed publication of the trade figures.政府已将贸易统计数字延后公布。

15 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

16 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

17 kidney   

n.肾，腰子，类型

参考例句：

• Several of the patients had received kidney transplant.病人中有几位已接受了肾移植手术。
• The operation to transplant a kidney is now fairly routine.肾脏移植手术如今已相当常见。

18 nicotine   

n.(化)尼古丁，烟碱

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。
• 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。

19 alcohol   

n.酒精，乙醇；含酒精的饮料

参考例句：

• The law forbids shops to sell alcohol to minors.法律禁止商店向未成年者出售含酒精的饮料。
• The alcohol is industrial.这些酒精是供工业用的。

20 cocaine   

n.可卡因，古柯碱（用作局部麻醉剂）

参考例句：

• That young man is a cocaine addict.那个年轻人吸食可卡因成瘾。
• Don't have cocaine abusively.不可滥服古柯碱。

21 diseases   

n.疾病( disease的名词复数 )；弊端；恶疾；痼疾

参考例句：

• Smoking is a causative factor in several major diseases. 抽烟是引起几种严重疾病的病因。
• The illness frequently coexists with other chronic diseases. 这种病往往与其他慢性病同时存在。

22 improvements   

增加或修改( improvement的名词复数 )； 改进； 改善； 改良

参考例句：

• improvements in efficiency at the factory 工厂效率的提高
• They've spent a lot of money on home improvements. 他们花了很多钱装修家居。

23 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

24 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

25 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

26 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。