Passage 2
The massive $206 billion settlement between the states and cigarette makers may accomplish many things, but preventing people——especially teens——from smoking is not likely to be among them.The deal contains few fresh approaches to solving one of the nation's most uncontrollable health care dilemmas.Just how uncontrollable the problem is became clear last week in a new study that surprised even the most experienced public health experts: It showed a sharp rise in smoking among college students, the one group of teens that in the past had resisted tobacco's temptations.
Despite that plain reminder of tobacco's temptation, few chapters in the history of America's smoking wars were more important than a four-day stretch last week.On Monday, a group of state attorneys general at a crowded Washington press conference released details of the deal they had negotiated with cigarette makers to settle state lawsuits to recover the health costs of treating smokers.
State officials, President Clinton, and even tobacco industry representatives enthusiastically acknowledged the agreement as a decisive achievement for fighting teen smoking.But the rhetoric(华丽的辞藻)that this was all for the kids was belied by what the deal left out.Unlike the $368.5 billion settlement between states and tobacco——which fell apart in June when Congress failed to approve——the new pact is softer on tobacco.There's no federal regulation of nicotine(尼古丁), as the original bargain stated firmly as a requirement.(As a result, Congress won't have a say in this deal.)Also missing this time: penalties for tobacco companies if teen smoking rates do not drop, and an end to cigarette vending machines(自动售货机), the easiest place for kids to buy cigarettes.Public health groups pledged to ask Congress for such tools to fight tobacco.The American Heart Association's Cass Wheeler summed up the public health community's mixed reaction to the settlement: Perfect? No.A beginning? Yes.
46. was theplain reminder(Par.2, sentence 1)。
A.That the problem became clear
B.The study that surprised many
C.The sharp rise in smoking among college students
D.That college students had resisted tobacco's temptations
47.Cigarette makers would pay $206 billion to .
A.smokers B.college students who smoke
C.the federal government D.the state governments
48.All of the following EXCEPT considered the agreement a great achievement.
A.President Clinton
B.the public health community
C.state officials
D.representatives of cigarette makers
49.What is belied(Par.3, sentence 2)most likely to mean?
A.Contradicted. B.Revealed. C.Changed. D.Concealed.
50.Which of the following statements is true?
A.The agreement would prevent teenagers from smoking.
B.The agreement contains a few new approaches to smoking fighting.
C.Congress was not asked to approve the agreement.
D.The deal put an end to cigarette vending machines.