HK smokers fuming over new ban; old habits die hard

时间：2007-01-02 00:44:01

（单词翻译:单击）


A man walks past a no smoking sign in a shopping mall in Hong Kong. The year 2006 will end in a puff1 of smoke across Hong Kong when a ban on smoking in bars, restaurants and offices comes into effect.
 
Dec. 30 - The year 2006 will end in a puff of smoke across Hong Kong when a ban on smoking in bars, restaurants and offices comes into effect -- and the new law has left many fuming2.

 

Tobacco police will be out in force on New Year's Eve, ready to stub out offenders3 after the clock strikes midnight, as Hong Kong becomes the latest major city to embrace the anti-smoking movement.

 

But in a place where the fat-cats of finance celebrate mega-deals with cigars over dinner, and the smoky haze4 of karaoke bars never seems quite bad as the air pollution outside, the drive to go smoke-free has plenty of critics.

 

"I've been smoking since I was 14 and I'm still alive. How can they say smoking will kill me?" said Lam Kin-shing, a 70-year-old retired5 construction worker who pledged to ignore the law.

 

Hong Kong approved the anti-smoking legislation in October and launched a public relations campaign to rally support for the ban, warning of the dangers of second-hand6 smoke and calling for clean and fresh air.

 

It was an appeal that got little sympathy from many in this southern Chinese city, where health authorities have to provide daily alerts on air quality because of the choking smog created by the mainland's enormous factories.

 

Hong Kong had long been mulling a ban in a bid to protect the more than 200,000 people employed in the hospitality trade, and the law brings the city in line with New York and other major cities where indoor smoking is taboo7.

 

In an attempt to appease8 the city's legions of diehard smokers9, the government has designated 255 areas in public parks and playgrounds across the territory where lighting10 up will still be allowed.

 

Outside some office buildings, yellow lines have been painted to outline smoking areas. Those who fail to abide11 by the new regulations can be fined up to 5,000 Hong Kong (US$640) dollars.

 

But authorities allowed nightclubs, bathhouses, and massage12 and mahjong parlours to apply for a delay that would keep them from having to become smoke-free until July 2009.

 

Anthony Lock, managing director of California Red Karaoke, a chain of bars, said he estimated that 70 percent of the clientele were smokers -- and that he expected to drop off by 20 percent at first.

 

He said the company started a non-smoking campaign more than a year ago to raise the awareness13 of staff and customers.

 

"We are doing our best to reduce the health risks and hope that the impact on our business can also be reduced," he said.

 

Still, old habits die hard, and many Hong Kongers say the law could help them muster14 up the willpower to cut down -- which is just what the government wants, after all.

 

"I've been smoking for years," said 45-year-old Leung Ping-hung, puffing15 away outside his downtown office building. "At least it would force me to smoke less or quit."

分享到：


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 puff y0cz8     
n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气
参考例句：
  • He took a puff at his cigarette.他吸了一口香烟。
  • They tried their best to puff the book they published.他们尽力吹捧他们出版的书。
2 fuming 742478903447fcd48a40e62f9540a430     
愤怒( fume的现在分词 )； 大怒； 发怒； 冒烟
参考例句：
  • She sat in the car, silently fuming at the traffic jam. 她坐在汽车里，心中对交通堵塞感到十分恼火。
  • I was fuming at their inefficiency. 我正因为他们效率低而发火。
3 offenders dee5aee0bcfb96f370137cdbb4b5cc8d     
n.冒犯者( offender的名词复数 )；犯规者；罪犯；妨害…的人（或事物）
参考例句：
  • Long prison sentences can be a very effective deterrent for offenders. 判处长期徒刑可对违法者起到强有力的威慑作用。
  • Purposeful work is an important part of the regime for young offenders. 使从事有意义的劳动是管理少年犯的重要方法。
4 haze O5wyb     
n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊
参考例句：
  • I couldn't see her through the haze of smoke.在烟雾弥漫中，我看不见她。
  • He often lives in a haze of whisky.他常常是在威士忌的懵懂醉意中度过的。
5 retired Njhzyv     
adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的
参考例句：
  • The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
  • Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
6 second-hand second-hand     
adj.用过的，旧的，二手的
参考例句：
  • I got this book by chance at a second-hand bookshop.我赶巧在一家旧书店里买到这本书。
  • They will put all these second-hand goods up for sale.他们将把这些旧货全部公开出售。
7 taboo aqBwg     
n.禁忌，禁止接近，禁止使用；adj.禁忌的；v.禁忌，禁制，禁止
参考例句：
  • The rude words are taboo in ordinary conversation.这些粗野的字眼在日常谈话中是禁忌的。
  • Is there a taboo against sex before marriage in your society?在你们的社会里，婚前的性行为犯禁吗？
8 appease uVhzM     
v.安抚，缓和，平息，满足
参考例句：
  • He tried to appease the crying child by giving him candy.他试图给那个啼哭的孩子糖果使他不哭。
  • The government tried to appease discontented workers.政府试图安抚不满的工人们。
9 smokers d3e72c6ca3bac844ba5aa381bd66edba     
吸烟者( smoker的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily. 许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。
  • Chain smokers don't care about the dangers of smoking. 烟鬼似乎不在乎吸烟带来的种种危害。
10 lighting CpszPL     
n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光
参考例句：
  • The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
  • The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。
11 abide UfVyk     
vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受
参考例句：
  • You must abide by the results of your mistakes.你必须承担你的错误所造成的后果。
  • If you join the club,you have to abide by its rules.如果你参加俱乐部，你就得遵守它的规章。
12 massage 6ouz43     
n.按摩，揉；vt.按摩，揉，美化，奉承，篡改数据
参考例句：
  • He is really quite skilled in doing massage.他的按摩技术确实不错。
  • Massage helps relieve the tension in one's muscles.按摩可使僵硬的肌肉松弛。
13 awareness 4yWzdW     
n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智
参考例句：
  • There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
  • Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。
14 muster i6czT     
v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册
参考例句：
  • Go and muster all the men you can find.去集合所有你能找到的人。
  • I had to muster my courage up to ask him that question.我必须鼓起勇气向他问那个问题。
15 puffing b3a737211571a681caa80669a39d25d3     
v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧
参考例句：
  • He was puffing hard when he jumped on to the bus. 他跳上公共汽车时喘息不已。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • My father sat puffing contentedly on his pipe. 父亲坐着心满意足地抽着烟斗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

©2005-2010英文阅读网