VOA慢速英语20060719a

HEALTH REPORT - Surgeon General Says Secondhand Smoke Unsafe at Any LevelBy Caty Weaver¹

Broadcast: Wednesday, July 19, 2006

This is the VOA Special English Health Report.


Smoking

Scientific evidence has been building about the dangers to people who do not smoke from those who do. Now the top doctor in the United States says the evidence cannot be argued: secondhand tobacco smoke is a serious public health risk.

Recently Surgeon General Richard Carmona released the government's largest report ever on secondhand smoke. For example, it says nonsmokers increase their risk of lung cancer by up to thirty percent if they live with a smoker².

Doctor Carmona noted⁴ the added dangers faced by children who have to breathe secondhand smoke. These children are at increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome⁵, severe breathing problems and ear infections. The report says smoking by parents also slows lung growth in their children.

Children are especially at risk from the poisonous chemicals in tobacco smoke because their bodies are still developing.

Smoking during pregnancy⁶ can lead to babies with low birth weight. And low birth weight can lead to many health problems.

The surgeon general says there is no safe level of secondhand smoke. Effects in the blood can be seen after even a short time in a smoky room.

Scientists have estimated that secondhand smoke kills about fifty thousand adults in the United States each year. Most of these nonsmokers die from heart disease, the others from lung cancer. Also, an estimated four hundred thirty newborn babies die from sudden infant death syndrome as a result of secondhand smoke.

Scientists have identified more than fifty cancer-causing substances in secondhand smoke. Tobacco smoke also damages blood passages. And it reduces the ability of the heart to correct abnormal⁷ heartbeats.

The report says separating smokers³ from nonsmokers or trying to clean the air in buildings is not enough protection. Doctor Carmona noted the progress in establishing smoke-free public places in the United States. Blood tests show that Americans are being exposed to secondhand smoke in fewer numbers and at lower levels since the late nineteen eighties.

But the surgeon general says almost half of all nonsmokers in the United States are still breathing tobacco smoke at home, work or both.

The first surgeon general's report warning about the dangers of cigarettes came out in nineteen sixty-four.

And that's the VOA Special English Health Report for this week, written by Caty Weaver. Transcripts⁸ and archives are at www.unsv.com. I'm Shep O'Neal.

1 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

2 smoker   

n.吸烟者，吸烟车厢，吸烟室

参考例句：

• His wife dislikes him to be a smoker.他妻子不喜欢他当烟民。
• He is a moderate smoker.他是一个有节制的烟民。

3 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。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 syndrome   

n.综合病症；并存特性

参考例句：

• The Institute says that an unidentified virus is to blame for the syndrome. 该研究所表示,引起这种综合症的是一种尚未确认的病毒。
• Results indicated that 11 fetuses had Down syndrome. 结果表明有11个胎儿患有唐氏综合征。

6 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

7 abnormal   

adj.反常的，不正常的，不规则的

参考例句：

• This warm weather is abnormal for February.二月里这种温暖的天气不太正常。
• That is simply abnormal.那简直是反常的。

8 transcripts   

n.抄本（ transcript的名词复数 ）；转写本；文字本；副本

参考例句：

• Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
• You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书，你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句