【文摘】女人和烟

More and more women have began smoking in the last few decades. One of the reasons is savvy¹ marketing² as Don explains to Yael in this Moment of Science.  
D: Yael, what's that in your hand?

Y: Come on, Don. Haven't you seen a cigarette before? Every day in the United States, about 1500 girls begin smoking, and I figured, why not do my share?

D: But Yael, don't you know that tobacco kills more than 140,000 women each year, and that half of those women are between the ages of thirty-five and sixty-nine?

Y: Yeah, but that's why I smoke a brand with low nicotine³ and tar⁴ content.

D: Although tobacco companies advertise some cigarettes as "light," this is just an advertising⁵ ploy⁶ to obscure the risks associated with smoking--smoking a light cigarette is just as risky⁷ as smoking a regular one. In fact, research shows that people who smoke light cigarettes actually smoke differently in order to get higher levels of nicotine.

Y: I didn't know that.

D: The one thing you can say about tobacco companies is that they are really savvy about marketing. While tobacco ads that target men focus on cigarettes as macho or cool, tobacco ads that target women focus on social and political themes important to women. For example, ads will say that you've come a long way, or that you've found your voice, or encourage you to just be yourself, as if smoking has anything to do with progress and self-expression. Young women are especially vulnerable to these ads because addiction⁸, disease, and premature⁹ death seem so remote to them.  And the thing is, people who have smoked as few as one hundred cigarettes report having difficulty quitting.

Y: So, Don, can you pass me that ashtray¹⁰?

D: With pleasure, Yael, as long as you put it out.

1 savvy   

v.知道，了解；n.理解能力，机智，悟性；adj.有见识的，懂实际知识的，通情达理的

参考例句：

• She was a pretty savvy woman.她是个见过世面的漂亮女人。
• Where's your savvy?你的常识到哪里去了？

2 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

3 nicotine   

n.(化)尼古丁，烟碱

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。
• 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。

4 tar   

n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于

参考例句：

• The roof was covered with tar.屋顶涂抹了一层沥青。
• We use tar to make roads.我们用沥青铺路。

5 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

6 ploy   

n.花招，手段

参考例句：

• I think this is just a government ploy to deceive the public.我认为这只是政府欺骗公众的手段。
• Christmas should be a time of excitement and wonder,not a cynical marketing ploy.圣诞节应该是兴奋和美妙的时刻，而不该是一种肆无忌惮的营销策略。

7 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

8 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。

9 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

10 ashtray   

n.烟灰缸

参考例句：

• He knocked out his pipe in the big glass ashtray.他在大玻璃烟灰缸里磕净烟斗。
• She threw the cigarette butt into the ashtray.她把烟头扔进烟灰缸。