英语口语话题17

Topic Seventeen: Anti-smoking

1. Why do some young people pick up smoking?

Personally, I think there are three reasons for young people picking up smoking. First, they want to follow the trend, to be in the crowd. Most of the young people don’t know what t hey should do. They just do what their peers do. Second, some youths want to show their identity, to attract attention of their peers and their parents, to show that they are not little children any more. They are already in their adulthood. They want to tell their parents they want to do things adults do. Third, for some young people, smoking is considered as a way to relax and get rid of bad feelings from work or family. They enjoy the process of smoking. Smoking helps them forget unhappy incidents.

2. How harmful is smoking to smokers?

Smoking may result in a lot of serious consequences. First, scientists have found that there exist a lot of dangerous chemical substances in cigarettes, which are contributing factors to various fatal diseases such as lung cancer and heart attacks.

Second, smoking also has a negative influence on the health of people working with or staying near smokers. There are many smokers' family members who are diagnosed with various respiratory diseases every year.

Third, smoking often results in addictive behaviors on the part of smokers. Smokers tend to get chronically addicted to cigarettes and once they have developed this bad habit, it would be extremely hard for them to shake off the shackles of cigarettes.

3. Is smoking also harmful to nonsmokers? In what way?

Yes, Cigarettes do not just harm the people who smoke. They also harm the people who are near cigarettes and breathe the smoke. Even if you don’t smoke but are exposed to second-hand smoke on a regular basis, your body will absorb nicotine and other harmful substances just as smokers’ bodies do. In addition, the longer you are around second-hand smoke, the greater the level of harmful substances in your body. As a result, you might have an increased risk of developing smoking-related disorders, including:Lung cancer,Heart disease and so on.

4. Do you think it is right to allow smokers to smoke on air-conditioned or enclosed area? Why or why not?

In my opinion,smoking should be prohibited in all public places like elevators and air-conditioned offices,restaurants and cafeterias. .Nonsmokers have the right to request smokers not to harm the interests and health of nonsmokers with their habit.If a smoker is not sensitive enough to other people’s needs,then there’s no other way than asking him or her to stop smoking.However,in making the request,I would try to be polite and make the smoker understand that I,as a nonsmoker,can’t stand second-hand smoke.

5. In what places has smoking already been banned? Are you in favor of this policy or not? Why?

Nowadays in China, smoking is banned in many public places, such as cinemas, threators , supermarkets, hospitals, meeting rooms and so on.

As far as I am concerned, I am strongly in favor of this policy. First of all, smoking is bad for health. And in public places it often leads to second-hand smoking, which is bad for the smoker as well as people around. Second, if you are talking with a person while you are smoking, what will happen? He or she will consider the necessity of whether to go on talking or not, because your behavior shows that you don’t care much about what you are talking. Smoking makes you lose

friends. Third, smoking costs lots of money, which will result in quarrels and tight budget at home. That’s not good for building up of a harmonious society. Thus, I am strongly in favor of this policy.

6. If you were a non-smoker, would you ask people to stop smoking in an enclosed area? Why or why not?

Yes,I would.Now that everybody knows how harmful second-hand smoke can be,I don’t think it’s offensive any more to remind smokers of non smokers’needs and worries,particularly where smoking in an enclosed area is concerned.Nonsmokers have the right to request smokers not to harm the interests and health of nonsmokers with their habit.If a smoker is not sensitive enough to other people’s needs,then there’s no other way than asking him or her to stop smoking.However,in making the request,I would try to be polite and make the smoker understand that I,as a nonsmoker,can’t stand second-hand smoke.

7. What do you suggest we should do to create a smoke-free working environment?

I suggest three things:education,counseling and legislation.First,education should be provided to raise public awareness of the importance of creating a smoke-free working environment.Second,counseling should be given to smoking employees in various organizations to help them control and gradually quit smoking.At the same time,designated smoking areas should be provided away from the working areas so that smokers can use ther areas without polluting the air in the workplace.Third,the People’s Congress should pass a law that bans smoking in all workplaces in this country,thus solving the problem once and for all.

8. If you were a smoker, would you ask people whether you could smoke or not before lighting up?

Yes,I would. I know very well that not everybody smokes and many people do not like the smell of the tobacoo smoke.Even when you are with people whom you know to be smokers,you never know whether they have decided to quit smoking and are in the process of kicking the habit.Besides,I don’t want people to think I’m an insensitive person who doesn’t care what others feel.So,to be on the safe side,I would try to make sure if it’s OK to smoke before I light up my cigarette.I guess that’s a sensible thing to do.