新西兰将对含糖饮料征税?

 　　WELLINGTON, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- New Zealanders are rapidly developing a taste for a tax on sugary drinks to offset¹ the public health costs of obesity², according to research out Friday.

　　The findings from two large-scale, nationwide surveys indicated most New Zealanders now supported a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages³ (SSBs), said Dr. Gerhard Sundborn, of the University of Auckland's School of Population Health.

　　"A significant shift has occurred in New Zealanders' appetite for a tax on SSBs, if the funds collected [from the tax] are to be used to prevent childhood obesity," Sundborn said in a statement.

　　In the first of two polls, 18 months apart, in February last year, 44 percent of respondents supported a tax on sugary drinks, and in the second poll in June this year support was up to 52 percent -- provided the funds from the tax were used to address childhood obesity.

　　Tax on sugary drinks favored by most New Zealanders

　　"That's an 18-percent relative rise in favor of a tax," Sundborn said.

　　"Interestingly, there was an even stronger drop in people who opposed a tax on SSBs. Opposition⁴ to a SSB tax decreased relatively⁵ by 35 percent from 49 percent in February 2014 to 32 percent in June 2015," he said.

　　"This indicates a significant shift in public attitude towards the taxation⁶ of SSBs, because a quarter of respondents moved to a more supportive, or less opposed, stance about the introduction of an SSB tax."

　　The speed at which public opinion has shifted in favor of an SSB tax indicated that New Zealanders were increasingly aware of the harms SSBs posed to health, especially for children.

　　"Strong media attention around SSBs may have facilitated this change as over the last two years, the harm that SSB intake⁷ poses to health, and the notion of a tax on SSBs, has been profiled regularly in mainstream⁸ media," he said.

1 offset   

n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿

参考例句：

• Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
• He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。

2 obesity   

n.肥胖，肥大

参考例句：

• One effect of overeating may be obesity.吃得过多能导致肥胖。
• Sugar and fat can more easily lead to obesity than some other foods.糖和脂肪比其他食物更容易导致肥胖。

3 beverages   

n.饮料( beverage的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• laws governing the sale of alcoholic beverages 控制酒类销售的法规
• regulations governing the sale of alcoholic beverages 含酒精饮料的销售管理条例

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

6 taxation   

n.征税，税收，税金

参考例句：

• He made a number of simplifications in the taxation system.他在税制上作了一些简化。
• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。

7 intake   

n.吸入，纳入；进气口，入口

参考例句：

• Reduce your salt intake.减少盐的摄入量。
• There was a horrified intake of breath from every child.所有的孩子都害怕地倒抽了一口凉气。

8 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。