英语听力精选进阶版 6268（在线收听）

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

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

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

Medicaid, the organisation 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, incentives 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 obese 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'? 

Incentive.

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