VOA慢速英语2012 HEALTH REPORT - Tobacco Forces Still Strong

 

 

HEALTH REPORT - Tobacco Forces Still Strong

健康报道 - 烟草实力仍然强大 控制烟草任重道远

This is the VOA Special English HEALTH REPORT.

这里是美国之音慢速英语健康报道。

This month, the Australian High Court ruled in support of a law that bars tobacco companies from putting their logos or colors on cigarette packages. The European Union is considering a similar ban. But a recent international study showed that some countries do little to control tobacco use. It found that the tobacco industry still has a strong influence on tobacco use around the world.

本月，澳大利亚高等法院裁定支持一项禁止烟草公司在香烟包装上印刷商标与颜色的法律（即烟草平装法）。欧盟也正在考虑类似的禁令。但最近的一项国际研究表明，一些国家在控制烟草使用上所做甚少。研究发现，烟草业对全球烟草使用仍然具有很强的影响力。

Study organizers examined information about three billion tobacco users¹ worldwide. They looked closely² at tobacco use in fourteen low- and middle-income countries. They compared this information with tobacco use in two developed countries – the United States and Britain.

该研究主办单位审查了全球约30亿烟民的信息。他们认真研究了14个中低收入国家的烟草使用情况，并将此信息与美国、英国这两个发达国家进行了对比。

Gary Giovino is with the University of Buffalo³ School of Public Health and Professions in New York State. He also was the lead researcher in the study.

Gary Giovino就职于纽约州立大学布法罗分校的公共卫生学院，他也是这项研究的首席研究员。

GARY GIOVINO: “Tobacco contributes an enormous⁴ burden to the health care system in developed countries, and that scenario⁵ will play out in the not-too-distant future in low- and middle-income countries. It already has in many countries -- in India, for example.”

他说：“烟草对发达国家的医疗体系造成了巨大的负担，这种情况不久也会在中低收入国家也会出现，而且这已经在很多国家出现，例如印度。”

The study found that China has three hundred million tobacco users -- more than any other country. India was second, with almost two hundred seventy-five million tobacco users. Dr. Giovino says the researchers found powerful pro-tobacco forces were active even in elementary schools.

研究发现中国有三亿烟民，比任何国家都多。印度以近2.75亿烟民位居第二。Giovino博士表示，研究人员甚至在小学中发现了强大的亲烟草势力。

GARY GIOVINO: “The China National Tobacco Company has supported elementary schools in China – dozens and dozens of them. And they use their support to promote propaganda⁶ about tobacco use, and they are basically⁷ telling students that genius comes from hard work and tobacco helps them to be successful. That to me is mind-boggling, that a government would tell its children to use tobacco to be successful when tobacco will addict⁸ them and shorten⁹ their lives.”

他说：“中国国家烟草公司赞助了许多国内的小学。他们利用这种赞助促进烟草使用的宣传，基本上他们会告诉学生，天才来自勤奋，烟草助其成功。这对我来说是令人难以置信的，政府竟然会告诉其儿童使用烟草来获取成功，而烟草会让他们上瘾并短命。

The study showed that governments and social traditions in many countries are open to influence from pro-tobacco forces. So the Australian court decision is considered important in supporting those fighting to control tobacco use. Jonathan Lieberman directs the McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer in Australia.

研究发现，许多国家的政府和社会传统对亲烟草势力的影响保持开放姿态。所以澳大利亚法院的裁定被认为在支持控制烟草使用的这些斗争中极其重要。乔纳森·利伯曼（Jonathan Lieberman）是澳大利亚麦凯布法律和癌症中心负责人。

JONATHAN LIEBERMAN: “It shows to everybody that the only way to deal with the tobacco industry’s claims, sabre rattling¹⁰, legal threats, is to stare them down in court. It’s a fantastic decision for public health in Australia and globally.”

利伯曼：“这让大家看到，应对烟草行业的主张，张牙舞爪，法律威胁的唯一办法就是在法庭上震慑住它。这对澳大利亚和全球公共卫生来说是一个梦幻般的裁决。”

The study found that, unless urgent¹¹ action is taken, about a billion people will die early in this century as a result of tobacco use. On average, each of them will lose fifteen years of life.

研究发现，除非采取紧急行动，否则本世纪该国会有大约10亿人因为吸烟早逝，平均而言每人会失去15年寿命。

And that’s the VOA Special English HEALTH REPORT. You can find a link to the tobacco study – and a video of Dr. Giovino explaining it – on our website, www.voanews.cn. I’m Steve Ember.

_____

Contributing: Vidushi Sinha

 

1 users   

用户，使用者( user的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The new software will prove a boon to Internet users. 这种新软件将会对互联网用户大有益处。
• Ramps should be provided for wheelchair users. 应该给轮椅使用者提供坡道。

2 closely   

adv.紧密地；严密地，密切地

参考例句：

• We shall follow closely the development of the situation.我们将密切注意形势的发展。
• The two companies are closely tied up with each other.这两家公司之间有密切联系。

3 buffalo   

n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛

参考例句：

• Asian buffalo isn't as wild as that of America's. 亚洲水牛比美洲水牛温顺些。
• The boots are made of buffalo hide. 这双靴子是由水牛皮制成的。

4 enormous   

adj.巨大的；庞大的

参考例句：

• An enormous sum of money is injected each year into teaching.每年都有大量资金投入到教学中。
• They wield enormous political power.他们行使巨大的政治权力。

5 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

6 propaganda   

n.宣传，宣传机构

参考例句：

• A lot of propaganda has painted him as bad.大量宣传把他说得很坏。
• Art may be used as a vehicle for propaganda.艺术可以用作为宣传的媒介。

7 basically   

adv.基本上，从根本上说

参考例句：

• His heart is basically sound.他的心脏基本上健康。
• Basically I agree with your plan.我基本上同意你的计划。

8 addict   

v.使沉溺；使上瘾；n.沉溺于不良嗜好的人

参考例句：

• He became gambling addict,and lost all his possessions.他习染上了赌博，最终输掉了全部家产。
• He assisted a drug addict to escape from drug but failed firstly.一开始他帮助一个吸毒者戒毒但失败了。

9 shorten   

vt.弄短，缩小，减少

参考例句：

• Minor accidents can shorten the life of a car.小事故会缩短汽车寿命。
• My dress is too long I must shorten it.我的连衣裙太长了，我得把它截短些。

10 rattling   

adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词

参考例句：

• This book is a rattling good read. 这是一本非常好的读物。
• At that same instant,a deafening explosion set the windows rattling. 正在这时，一声震耳欲聋的爆炸突然袭来，把窗玻璃震得当当地响。

11 urgent   

a.紧急的，急迫的，紧要的

参考例句：

• He asked to see the manager for something urgent. 他有急事求见经理。
• A part of this urgent task was allotted to us. 这项紧急任务的一部分分给了我们。