1、Take Away English 18 May 2011 随身英语随身英语 British Broadcasting Corporation 2011 1/3 A Fat Tax for America?向胖人征税？向胖人征税？英语学习点英语学习点:Fines Vocabulary and Conditionals 有关罚款的词汇和条件句有关罚款的词汇和条件句 If a new idea in America becomes a law,people who suffer from obesity could suffer financially too.The US state of Ar
2、izona wants to charge overweight citizens$50(325 Yuan)annually if they fail to follow their doctors advice.People with children or who are overweight because they suffer from a medical condition would be exempt.The proposal aims to encourage people to be healthy If the idea is approved by Congress,s
3、mokers and diabetics who fail to stick to a healthy lifestyle will also have to pay.Medicaid,the organisation which provides healthcare to the poor in the USA,costs the government$339bn(2.2 trillion Yuan)a year.Monica Coury,assistant director at Arizonas Medicaid programme,said that this proposal wo
4、uld ask people to give something back.She said that Arizona would take a carrot and stick approach to the problem.As well as penalising people who go against their doctors wishes,incentives would be offered for following advice,possibly a keep-fit video.Arizonas senator Kyrsten Sinema has not backed
5、 the plans,saying that there isnt a system to decide whether someone is or isnt following medical advice.Other critics claim that people dont need the government to look after them;if they want to be fat and smoke,the nanny state shouldnt try to stop them.Wes Benedict of the Libertarian Party said:I
6、f you want to save the state money.cut Medicaid across the board,but dont single out overweight people and smokers.词汇表请参看答案与词汇部分 British Broadcasting Corporation 2011 2/3 Quiz 测验测验 阅读短文并回答问题。1.If the proposal gets approved,will all obese people have to pay the fine?2.Who receives money from Medicaid
7、?3.Is this statement true,false or not given?Medicaid costs a lot,so the proposal is likely to be approved.4.Is this statement true,false or not given?The proposed scheme is a mixture of rewards and punishments.5.Look at the article.Can you find a noun which means a reason for doing something?Exerci
8、se 练习练习 测试一下你对条件句的掌握。选择方框内正确的表达完成句子。1.If the proposal _ some obese people will have to pay a fifty dollar fine.was approved is approved approved will be approved 2.If the new law were passed,smokers who ignore their doctors _ pay a fine too.should will have to would have to wouldnt 3.If obesity wasn
9、t so costly,this scheme _ proposed.might have been might never have been might be might not be 4.Some people think:If I want to smoke,the government _ me.should let should have let will let shall let 5.Some say that if the government _ to cut Medicaid it should do so differently.has wanted will want
10、 wanted wants British Broadcasting Corporation 2011 3/3 Answers and Glossary 答案与词汇答案与词汇 Quiz 小测验小测验 1.If the proposal gets approved,will all obese people have to pay the fine?No,some people will be exempt,so they wont have to pay.2.Who receives money from Medicaid?Poor people.3.Is this statement tru
11、e,false or not given?Medicaid costs a lot,so the proposal is likely to be approved.Not given.There is no indication in the text of whether the proposal is likely to be approved.4.Is this statement true,false or not given?The proposed scheme is a mixture of rewards and punishments.True.This is the me
12、aning of the phrase carrot and stick.5.Look at the article.Can you find a noun which means a reason for doing something?Incentive.Exercise 练习练习 1.If the proposal is approved some obese people will have to pay a fifty dollar fine.2.If the new law were passed,smokers who ignore their doctors would hav
13、e to pay a fine too.3.If obesity wasnt so costly,this scheme might never have been proposed.4.Some people think:If I want to smoke,the government should let me.5.Some say that if the government wants to cut Medicaid it should do so differently.Glossary 词汇表词汇表 obesity 肥胖、肥胖症 to charge someone 向某人收费 exempt 被豁免的 to stick to something 坚持、遵守做某事 proposal 提议 to give something back 偿还某物 a carrot and stick approach“胡萝卜加大棒”政策（奖赏与惩罚的政策）to penalise someone 对某人予以惩罚 incentive 奖励 the nanny state“保姆国家”across the board 全盘地、所有人员都包括在内地 to single out 挑选、单独选出