Question

【题目】“Sugar, alcohol and tobacco,” economist Adam Smith once wrote, “are commodities which are necessaries of life, which have become objects of almost universal consumption, and which are, therefore, extremely popular subjects of taxation.”

Two and a half centuries on, most countries impose sort of tax on alcohol and tobacco. With obesity levels putting increasing pressure on public health systems, governments around the world have begun to toy with the idea of taxing sugar as well.

Whether such taxes work is a matter of debate. A review of Mexico’s taxation found a fall in purchases of taxed drinks as well as a rise in sales of untaxed and healthier drinks. By contrast, a Danish tax on foods high in fats was abandoned a year after its introduction, during claims that consumers were avoiding it by crossing the border to Germany to satisfy their desire for cheaper, fattier foods.

The food industry has, in general, been firmly opposed to such direct government action. Nonetheless, the renewed focus on waistlines means that industry groups are under pressure to demonstrate their products are healthy as well as tasty.

Over the past three decades, the industry has made some efforts to improve the quality of its offerings. For example, some drink manufactures have cut the amount of sugar in their beverages.

Many of the reductions over the past 30 years have been achieved either by reducing the amount of sugar, salt or fat in a product, or by finding an alternative ingredient. More recently, however, some companies have been investing money in a more ambitious undertaking: learning how to adjust the fundamental make-up of the food they sell. For example, having salt on the outside, but none on the inside, reduces the salt content without changing the taste.

While reformulating recipes is one way to improve public health, it should be part of a multisided approach. The key is to remember that there is not just one solution. To deal with obesity, a mixture of approaches-including reformulation, taxation and adjusting portion sizes-will be needed. There is no silver bullet.

【1】According to Adam Smith, sugar, alcohol and tobacco were .

A. profitable to manufacture

B. in ever-increasing demand

C. no longer considered necessities of life

D. subjects of taxation almost everywhere

【2】What do we learn about Danish taxation on fat-rich foods?

A. It brought a lot of problems on the border.

B. It did not work out as well as it was expected.

C. It could not succeed without German cooperation.

D. It met with firm opposition from the food industry.

【3】What does the underlined part “silver bullet” in the last paragraph mean?

A. A successful but complex solution.

B. An effective and hopeful solution.

C. A single easy quick way.

D. A long way.

【4】What’s the main idea of the passage?

A. Efforts to make sugar healthy and tasty.

B. Approaches to adapting to consumers’ needs.

C. Different ways to cope with health problems.

D. Government taxation on sugar, alcohol and tobacco.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】D

【2】B

【3】C

【4】A

【解析】本文主要讲了为了使糖这种商品更健康和更美味，各个国家所作出的努力。

【1】细节理解题。由which have become objects of almost universal consumption, and which are, therefore, extremely popular subjects of taxation.可知按照Adam Smith的说法，糖、酒和烟基本上在每一个地方都是收税的商品，选D。

【2】细节理解题。由By contrast, a Danish tax on foods high in fats was abandoned a year after its introduction, during claims that consumers were avoiding it by crossing the border to Germany to satisfy their desire for cheaper, fattier foods.可知丹麦对于高脂肪食物的税收并没有像所期待的那样解决，选B。

【3】词义猜测题。To deal with obesity, a mixture of approaches-including reformulation, taxation and adjusting portion sizes-will be needed. There is no silver bullet. 可知这句话的意思是没有单一、容易和快速的方法，选C。

【4】主旨大意题。本文主要讲了为了使糖这种商品更健康和更美味，各个国家所作出的努力，选A。