In Egypt, smoke-filled offices are common along with taxi drivers who light one cigarette after another while stuck in Cairo’s heavy traffic. Non-smoking sections in restaurants are unheard of and water pipes which fill cafes often overflow onto sidewalks, leaving the sweet smell of fruit-flavored tobacco lingeringon the streets.
But some doctors and lawmakers here want to change this culture of Egypt’s. The country’s parliament recently passed laws banning smoking in some public places including government buildings, schools and hospitals. It also calls for health warnings to be put on cigarette packs and allows the government to increase the price of tobacco, according to parliament member Hamdiel-Sayyed, who proposed the new laws. If individuals break the law, they could be fined up to $17. Tobacco factories can be forced to pay about $3
,500, if they don’t follow the law and advertise their products.
Egypt’s laws are modest compared to other countries including Britain and some American cities where smoking in all indoor public places is banned. But they are a start, especially for a country where 80 billion cigarettes are smoked a year. “Part of the objective is to keep children and young people from becoming smoking addicts,” said el-Sayyed.
But in a country burdened by poverty and high unemployment, will the laws be able to force people not to smoke?
Mustafa Ahmed, 25, said laws to ban smoking are a good idea in principle but are not realistic. “Smoking is popular in Egypt. There is a lot of pressure on people here, especially because the economy is bad. People smoke because they think it will relax them.”
Sherif Omar, a parliament member, also has his doubts about the new laws. “Laws by themselves don’t work well unless you have education in schools and in the media,” he said.
59. What does the underlined part “this culture” in the second paragraph refer to?
A. Heavy traffic — a big headache for drivers. B. No non-smoking areas in buildings.
C. The wide-spread smoking habit in Egypt.
D. No effective measures taken to stop smoking.
60. Which of the following is NOT a part of the new laws passed by the parliament?
A. Not allowing tobacco advertising. B. Warning people of the danger of smoking.
C. Allowing the government to increase the price of tobacco.
D. People who break the law will be fined up to $3,500.
61. Compared with Britain, Egypt’s laws _______.
A. will be more effective in reducing smoking B. set stricter limits on smoking
C. do not set very strict limits on smoking D. will not be effective
62. According to Sherif Omar, the new laws are hard to carry out because _______.
A. Egyptians face high work pressure B. Egyptians are addicted to smoking
C. many people are strongly against these laws
D. people don’t receive anti-smoking education
63. What would be the best title of the passage?
A. Egypt starts to ban smoking everywhere.
B. Egypt attempts to control smoking in public places.
C. Egypt’s laws increase people’s sense of health.
D. Egypt’s laws aren’t supported by the common people.
