A new study, conducted by scientists from Oxford University, the Chinese Academy of Medical 
Sciences and the Chinese Center for Disease Control, has warned that a third of all men 
currently under the age of 20 in China will eventually die prematurely if they do not give up 
smoking.
The research, published in The Lancet medical journal, says two-thirds of men in China now 
start to smoke before 20.Around half of those men will die from the habit, it concludes.
In 2010, around one million people in China died from tobacco usage. But researchers say that if
current trends continue, that will double to two million people - mostly men - dying every year 
by 2030, making it a "growing epidemic of premature death".
But co-author Richard Peto said there was hope - if people can be persuaded to quit. "The key 
to avoid this huge wave of deaths is cessation, and if you are a young man, don't start," he said.
In many parts of China, meals often fit a comfortable pattern. After putting down their 
chopsticks, men commonly push their chairs back from the table and light cigarettes. No 
wonder China has struggled to impose a smoking ban in public places. Here, relationships are 
often built amid clouds of smoke.
Expensive brands of cigarettes, often decorated with gold detailing on the cartons, are given as 
gifts. And ordinary brands are affordable to all but the very poor, costing just 2.5 yuan ($0.4; 
£0.25) a pack.
In a country where smoking is so ingrained in daily life, few understand the harmful effects of 
tobacco use. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), only 25% of Chinese adults 
can list the specific health hazards of smoking, from lung cancer to heart disease.
Perhaps it should come as no surprise, then, that only 10% of Chinese smokers quit by choice. 
Instead, most are forced to give up their cigarettes because they're too sick to continue.
 
While smoking rates have fallen in developed countries - to less than one in five in the US - they 
have risen in China, as cigarettes have become more available and consumers richer.
Authorities have shown concern over the rise, with Beijing even introducing a public smoking 
ban. But efforts have been hampered by the habit's popularity, and its usefulness as a source of 
tax - the government collects about 428 billion yuan (£44billion, $67billion) in tobacco taxes 
each year.
Globally, tobacco kills up to half of its users, according to the World Health Organization.

1. How many Chinese men start to smoke before the age of 20? 
A. one-third B two-thirds C. half D. all of them

2. What does the word “those men” in paragraph 2 refer to?
A. Men who smoke under the age of 20 B. Men who smoke above the age of 20
C. Men who give up smoking D. Men who smoke in public

3. By 2030, how many men in China may die from smoking every year?
A. one million B. two million C. three million D. four million
4. In many areas of China, when do men usually smoke?

A. Before a meal B. After a meal
C. Before they go to sleep D. When they get up

5. According to WHO, only_______ of Chinese adults can list bad effects of smoking.
A. one-third B. one-fourth C. one-fifth D. a half

6. “Beijing” refers to ……….
A. China B. The city of Beijing
C. The Chinese government  D. People who live in Beijing

7. What is Richard Peto’s attitude toward smoking in China?
A. He doesn’t believe that people will give up smoking
B. He is disappointed with the Chinese government.
C. He thinks that people possibly stop smoking if they see reasons. 
D. He is sure about the rise of future deaths in China.

8. Which of the following words does the word “hamper” have closest meaning to?
A. basket B. assist C. prohibit D. restrict

9. What is the writer’s purpose?
A. To argue over smoking policy in China B. To support smoking in China
C. To warn and prevent smoking in China   D. To report the result of a research paper 

10. What does the writer imply about Chinese government?
 
A. They do not want to stop people from smoking.
B. They have tried to stop people from smoking in public but with little success.
C. They have tried to close tobacco companies.
D. They do not care about smoking.
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