英语听力精选进阶版 6268

If a new idea in America becomes a law, people who suffer from obesity¹ could suffer financially too.

The US state of Arizona wants to charge overweight citizens $50 (325 Yuan) annually² if they fail to follow their doctors' advice. People with children or who are overweight because they suffer from a medical condition would be exempt³.

If the idea is approved by Congress, smokers⁴ and diabetics who fail to stick to a healthy lifestyle will also have to pay.

Medicaid, the organisation⁵ which provides healthcare to the poor in the USA, costs the government $339bn (2.2 trillion Yuan) a year. Monica Coury, assistant director at Arizona's Medicaid programme, said that this proposal would 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 doctor's wishes, incentives⁷ would be offered for following advice, possibly a keep-fit video.

Arizona's senator Kyrsten Sinema has not backed the plans, saying that there isn't a system to decide whether someone is or isn't following medical advice. Other critics claim that people don't need the government to look after them; if they want to be fat and smoke, the 'nanny state' shouldn't try to stop them. Wes Benedict of the Libertarian Party said:

"If you want to save the state money... cut Medicaid across the board, but don't single out overweight people and smokers."

Quiz

If the proposal gets approved, will all obese⁸ people have to pay the fine? 

No, some people will be exempt, so they won't have to pay.

Who receives money from Medicaid? 

Poor people.

Is this statement true, 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.

Is this statement true, false or not given? The proposed scheme is a mixture of rewards and punishments. 

True. This is the meaning of the phrase 'carrot and stick'.

Look at the article. Can you find a noun which means 'a reason for doing something'? 

Incentive⁶.

Glossary 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

1 obesity   

n.肥胖，肥大

参考例句：

• One effect of overeating may be obesity.吃得过多能导致肥胖。
• Sugar and fat can more easily lead to obesity than some other foods.糖和脂肪比其他食物更容易导致肥胖。

2 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

3 exempt   

adj.免除的；v.使免除；n.免税者，被免除义务者

参考例句：

• These goods are exempt from customs duties.这些货物免征关税。
• He is exempt from punishment about this thing.关于此事对他已免于处分。

4 smokers   

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。

5 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

6 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。

7 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

8 obese   

adj.过度肥胖的，肥大的

参考例句：

• The old man is really obese,it can't be healthy.那位老人确实过于肥胖了，不能算是健康。
• Being obese and lazy is dangerous to health.又胖又懒危害健康。