Creating a World Without Smoking

Smoking will be banned in all pubs, clubs and workplaces from next year after historic votes in the Commons last night.After last-minutes appeals from health campaigners, MPs opted for a blanket prohibition which will start in summer 2007, ending months of argument over whether smokers should be barred in pubs and restaurants only.They voted to ban smoking in all pubs and clubs by 384 to 184, a surprisingly large majority of 200.

Smoking will still be allowed in the home and in places considered to be homes, such as prisons, care hornes and hotels.

Smokers lighting up in banned areas will face a fixed penality notice of ￡1,000.

Carpline Flint, the Public Health Minister, also announced that the fine for failing to stop people smoking in banned areas would be increased to ￡2,500— more than ten times the￡200 originally proposed.

The bill also allows the Government to increase the age for buying cigarettes.Ministers will consult on raising it from 16 to 18.

The Bill now goes to the Lords but will be through by the summer recess.

Even a plan to allow smoking to continue in private clubs was thrown out as MPs on all sides were given permission to vote with their conscience rather than on a party line.

Patricia Hewitt, the Health Secretary, said the Health Bill would ban smoking in"virtually every enclosed public place and workplace"in England and save thousands of lives a year.Smoke-free workplaces and public places"will become the norm".

She said:"An additional 600,000 people will give up smoking as a result of this law and millions more will be protected from second-hand smoke."

Peter Hollins, director –general of the British Heart Foundation, said:"The vote is a landmark victory for the public health of this country and will save the lives of many people."

1.A ban on smoking in all pubs, clubs and workplaces will begin in summer 2007.

A.right B.wrong C.not mentioned

2.The law doesn’t seem to apply to officials.

A.right B.wrong C.not mentioned

3.One can nevertheless smoke at home.

A.right B.wrong C.not mentioned

4.There is a possibility for the Government to raise the age for buying cigarettes.

A.right B.wrong C.not mentioned

5.The Government will shut down cigarette factories in large numbers.

A.right B.wrong C.not mentioned

6.The Government will definitely impose a much heavier tax on tobacco.

A.right B.wrong C.not mentioned

7.The Government will take necessary measures to help smokers give up smoking.

A.right B.wrong C.not mentioned

參考答案：A B A A C C C

答案解析：

1.A 本題的答案在文章的第一和第二句里講得十分明確。

2.B 本句的意思是：這條法律似乎不適用于官員。文章里沒有說過官員可以不受這條法律的約束，從該法律實施的范圍來看，可以判斷不論是官還是普通百姓均受該法律的約束，所以這句話是錯誤的。

3.A 文章第二段說了在家里和可以被看做是家的場所，吸煙是允許的。

4.A 文中這一句話 the Bill also allows the Government to increase the age for buying cigarettes 表明政府很可能把允許購買香煙的年齡提高。

5.C 文中沒有提到政府打算大量關閉煙廠這一回事。

6.C 文中沒有談到政府將對煙草課以重稅。

7.C 文中沒有談到政府準備如何幫助吸煙者戒煙。