新西兰年轻一代或将终身禁止购买香烟

Last Thursday, New Zealand announced a plan. Under the plan, the country would make it illegal for people born after 2008 to buy cigarettes(香烟). The plan is made to keep young people from ever starting to smoke. And it won’t make a difference to people who are currently smokers.

Starting in 2023, people under the age of 15 would be banned from buying cigarettes. After that, the age limit for buying tobacco products would be raised every year. By 2050, someone would have to be at least 42 years old to buy cigarettes. In short, the move will stop people born after 2008 from ever buying tobacco products.

Tobacco products contain a drug called nicotine(尼古丁). Though nicotine is a poison, when people have a little bit of it, it can give them an excited feeling. Over time, nicotine changes the body so people feel like they need more of it. They may feel sick if they don’t get more. Then people are unable to stop taking it. That’s why it’s so difficult for people to stop smoking.

   4   It’s one of the leading causes of deaths around the world. In New Zealand, about 5,000 people die every year from illnesses connected with smoking.

No country has ever tried an age limit-raising plan like New Zealand’s before. The government says studies show that cigarettes sales to young people drop when the age limit is raised. The new plan, which is expected to become a law next year, is the first of its kind in the world.

1.What’s the purpose of the new plan?

A To prevent people from smoking.

B To order the young not to start smoking.

C To stop people from buying cigarettes.

D To encourage young people to start smoking.

解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据第一段The plan is made to keep young people from ever starting to smoke.可知该计划的目的是阻止年轻人开始吸烟，故选B。

2.Which of the following words has the closest meaning to the underlined word “banned”?

A Stopped.

B Protected.

C Forced.

D Encouraged.

解析：选A。A 词义猜测题。根据第一段说到“这个计划是为了防止年轻人开始吸烟”并结合下文“...the move will stop people born after 2008 from ever buying tobacco products”可推断应该是“从2023年开始，15岁以下的人将被禁止购买香烟”。故A项的“stopped”与banned同义，故选A。

3.What can we know about nicotine according to paragraph 3?

A It is a kind of medicine.

B It’s good for some sick people.

C It can make people feel nervous.

D It can bring people excited feelings.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。根据第三段的“...it can give them an excited feeling”可知烟草能使人兴奋。故选D。

4.Which of the following sentences can be put into the blank?

A It is very expensive to buy cigarettes in New Zealand.

B But sometimes cigarettes can make people relaxed.

C Do you want to know more about cigarettes?

D Smoking tobacco is very dangerous to human health.

解析：选D。D 句子填充题。根据下文“It’s one of the leading causes of deaths around the world.”可知吸烟有害健康，故选D。

5.In which part of a newspaper may you read the passage?

A Health.

B Sports.

C Entertainment.

D School life.

解析：选A。A 文章出处题。本文主要讲新西兰的最新禁烟令，而禁烟也是为了人的身体健康着想，因此可以在有关于健康的栏目中读到本文。故选A。