英语演讲原文：The Family Smoking Prevention

The Family Smoking Prevention

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AT THE SIGNING OF THE FAMILY SMOKING PREVENTION AND TOBACCO CONTROL ACT

THE PRESIDENT: Please, everybody, have a seat -- have a seat. I am thrilled to be here for what is I think an extraordinary accomplishment 1 by this Congress, a bill

we're about to sign into law.

I want to acknowledge a few of our special guests. First of all we've got the crew from the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids: Eamon, Christopher, Sarah, and Hoai-Nam. (Applause.) We have our FDA Commissioner 2 , Dr. Peggy Hamburg. (Applause.) We have our CDC Director, Tom Frieden. (Applause.) And we have just some extraordinary members of Congress here on stage: Senator Dodd, Senator Durbin, Senator Enzi, Senator Harkin, Senator Lautenberg, Representative Waxman, Representative Dingell, Representative Christensen, Representative Pallone, and Representative Platts -- all of whom did extraordinary work in helping 3 to move this legislation forward. Please give them a big round of applause. (Applause.) I want to thank all of them.

Now, there are three members of Congress that I have to especially thank: Representative Waxman, Representative Dodd, and -- excuse me -- (laughter) -- Senator Dodd --

SENATOR DODD: Things are tough enough. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: -- and most importantly, Senator Ted 4 Kennedy -- (applause) -- who can't be here today.

You know, the legislation I'm signing today represents change that's been decades in the making. Since at least the middle of the last century, we've known about the harmful and often deadly effects of tobacco products. More than 400,000 Americans now die of tobacco-related illnesses each year, making it the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. More than 8 million Americans suffer from at least one serious illness caused by smoking. And these health problems cost us all more than $100 billion a year.

What's even worse are the effects on our children. One out of every five children in our country are now current smokers 5 by the time they leave high school. Think about that statistic 6 : One out of every five children in our country are now current smokers by the time they leave high school. Each

day, 1,000 young people under the age of 18 become new, regular, daily smokers. And almost 90 percent of all smokers began at or before their 18th birthday.

I know -- I was one of these teenagers, and so I know how difficult it can be to break this habit when it's been with you for a long time. And I also know that kids today don't just start smoking for no reason. They're aggressively targeted as customers by the tobacco industry. They're exposed to a constant and insidious 7 barrage 8 of advertising 9 where they live, where they learn, and where they play. Most insidiously 10 , they are offered products with flavorings that mask the taste of tobacco and make it even more tempting 11 .

We've known about this for decades, but despite the best efforts and good progress made by so many leaders and advocates with us today, the tobacco industry and its special interest lobbying have generally won the day up on the Hill. When Henry Waxman first brought tobacco CEOs before Congress in 1994, they famously denied that tobacco was deadly, nicotine 12 was addictive 13 , or that their companies marketed to children. And they spent millions upon millions in lobbying and advertising to fight back every attempt to expose these denials as lies.

Fifteen years later, their campaign has finally failed. Today, thanks to the work of Democrats 14 and Republicans, health care and consumer advocates, the decades-long effort to protect our children from the harmful effects of tobacco has emerged victorious 15 . Today, change has come to Washington.

This legislation will not ban all tobacco products, and it will allow adults to make their own choices. But it will also ban tobacco advertising within a thousand feet of schools and playgrounds. It will curb 16 the ability of tobacco companies to market products to our children by using appealing flavors. It will force these companies to more clearly and publicly acknowledge the harmful and deadly effects of the products they sell. And it will allow the scientists at the FDA to take other common-sense steps to reduce the harmful effects of smoking.

This legislation is a victory for bipartisanship, and it was passed overwhelmingly in both Houses of Congress. It's a victory for health care reform, as it will reduce some of the billions we spend on tobacco-related health care costs in this country. It's a law that will reduce the number of American children who pick up a cigarette and become adult smokers.

And most importantly, it is a law that will save American lives and make Americans healthier.

We know that even with the passage of this legislation, our work to protect our children and improve the public's health is not complete. Today, tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death not just in America, but also in the world. If current trends continue, 1 billion people will die from tobacco-related illnesses this century. And so the United States will continue to work with the World Health Organization and other nations to fight this epidemic 17 on a global basis.

But no matter how long or how hard this fight may be, what's happening today gives us hope. When I ran for President, I did so because I believed that despite the power of the status quo and the influence of special interests, it was possible for us to bring change to Washington. And the progress we've made these past five months has only reinforced my faith in this belief.

Despite the influence of the credit card industry, we passed a law to protect consumers from unfair rate hikes and abusive fees. Despite the influence of banks and lenders, we passed a law to protect homeowners from mortgage fraud. Despite the

influence of the defense 18 industry, we passed a law to protect taxpayers 19 from waste and abuse in defense contracting. And today, despite decades of lobbying and advertising by the tobacco industry, we've passed a law to help protect the next generation of Americans from growing up with a deadly habit that so many of our generation have lived with.

When Henry Waxman opened that first hearing back in '94 on tobacco with the industry CEOs, he began by quoting an ancient proverb: "A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step."

Our journey for change is far from over. But with the package of -- passage of the kids tobacco legislation that I'm about to sign, we're taking another big and very important step -- a step that will save lives and dollars. So I want to thank not only the members of Congress who are up on stage, but also all the members of Congress in the audience and all the health advocates that fought so long for this to happen. We hope you feel good about the extraordinary service that you've rendered this country. Thank you very much. Let's go sign the bill. (Applause.)

(The bill is signed.)

■文章重点单词注释：

1

accomplishment

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。

Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

2

commissioner

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。

He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

3

helping

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。

By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这

样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

4

ted

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。

She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

5

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。

6

statistic

n.统计量；adj.统计的，统计学的

参考例句：

Official statistics show real wages declining by 24%.官方统计数字表明实际工资下降了24%。

There are no reliable statistics for the number of deaths in the battle.关于阵亡人数没有可靠的统计数字。

7

insidious

adj.阴险的，隐匿的，暗中为害的，（疾病）不知不觉之间加剧

参考例句：

That insidious man bad-mouthed me to almost everyone else.那个阴险的家伙几乎见人便说我的坏话。

Organized crime has an insidious influence on all who come into contact with it.所有和集团犯罪有关的人都会不知不觉地受坏影响。

8

barrage

n.火力网，弹幕

参考例句：

The attack jumped off under cover of a barrage.进攻在炮火的掩护下开始了。

The fierce artillery barrage destroyed the most part of the city in a few minutes.猛烈的炮火几分钟内便毁灭了这座城市的大部分地区。

9

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。

10

insidiously

潜在地，隐伏地，阴险地

参考例句：

This disease may develop insidiously, with fever as the only clinical manifestation. 这种病可能隐袭发生，仅有发热为其唯一的临床表现。Actinobacillosis develops insidiously in soft tissues. 放线杆菌病是在软组织中呈隐袭性发生的。

11

tempting

a.诱人的, 吸引人的

参考例句：

It is tempting to idealize the past. 人都爱把过去的日子说得那么美好。

It was a tempting offer. 这是个诱人的提议。

12

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。

13

addictive

adj.(吸毒等)使成瘾的，成为习惯的

参考例句：

The problem with video game is that they're addictive.电子游戏机的问题在于它们会使人上瘾。

Cigarettes are highly addictive.香烟很容易使人上瘾。

14

democrats

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。

The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。来自《简明英汉词典》

15

victorious

adj.胜利的，得胜的

参考例句：

We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。

The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。

16

curb

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。

You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

17

epidemic

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。

The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

18

defense

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。

The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

19

taxpayers

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。

She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。