VOA标准英语2010年-African Farmers say Report on Reductio

Delegates from 171 countries and several hundred civic¹ groups are meeting next week in Uruguay to discuss ways to reduce tobacco consumption around the world. A controversial report published on the eve of the meeting says some of the proposed measures would devastate² tobacco growers in several African countries. But the report is coming under heavy fire from anti-tobacco activists³.
The report says draft proposals for the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control meeting in Uruguay would seriously affect the lives of nearly four million people who depend on tobacco farming in Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The report, which was compiled by a South African research organization (NKC), adds that an additional 12 million people in neighboring countries would also be affected⁴ by the measures.
The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and has been ratified⁵ by 171 governments. It seeks to reduce the effects of tobacco use through education, advertising⁶ bans, package warnings, higher taxes and non-smoking zones.
But the director of the International Tobacco Growers Association, Antonio Abrunhosa, says tobacco farming contributes considerably⁷ to export earnings⁸ in certain African countries.
"The governments in Africa should be very attentive⁹ and everyone who has investments in Africa [and] everyone interested in the development of Africa, because it is by far the area which will be more hit by this," said Abrunhosa.
The Growers Association official said especially damaging would be a proposal to ban certain ingredients traditionally used with the Burley variety of tobacco that is grown extensively in African countries.
Burley tobacco is a high-yield variety that is extensively used in American-style cigarettes that are popular worldwide.
The report says regional economic groups in southern Africa and the Caribbean have expressed concerns about the economic effect of the measures.
But members of the Framework Convention Alliance, whose 350 member groups support the Tobacco Control Convention, say the draft proposal aims to limit additives¹⁰ - such as chocolate, licorice and sugar - because these aim primarily to attract new, usually young, people to tobacco use.
But the Director of the Tanzania Tobacco Control Forum¹¹, Lutgard Kagaruki, said the proposal does not target Burley tobacco itself.
"Restricting flavorings has nothing to do with Burley tobacco," said Kagaruki. "And actually the guidelines do not mention anything about specific types of tobacco."She notes that several popular brands of American cigarettes still use the Burley variety of tobacco, but without additives and says the Growers Association is looking for a way to defeat the proposed ban.
The report says another proposal would call on governments to consider limiting the amount of land used for tobacco cultivation¹².
Abranhosa of the Growers Association says this would not work because governments that have not ratified the Convention would increase their production to satisfy demand.
"So this will just impact negatively on the countries which have ratified the FCTC with no impact whatsoever¹³ on health," added Abranhosa. "As a matter of fact even the idea that smokers¹⁴ will smoke less if you reduce the production of tobacco is a completely crazy idea. The only thing that will happen is the prices will go up for tobacco."But Rob Cunningham of the Canadian Cancer Society says there are no proposals before the Convention to restrict the quantity of tobacco grown by countries.
He says tobacco consumption and production is declining in the developed world, but demand in the developing world is increasing because of rising consumption and growing populations.
"Any decrease in smoking that we see in developed countries is being offset¹⁵ by a growth in the developing countries and the worldwide demand for leaf tobacco from farmers is not going down. In fact, it is going up," said Cunningham.
And he says demand is expected to continue to grow for at least 10 years, a projection¹⁶ he says is not mentioned in the report.
Kagaruki of the Tanzania Tobacco Control Forum, says many African tobacco growers continue to live in poverty and the use of wood fires to cure the leaf has contributed to de-forestation in certain areas.
"The change to alternative crops would do [be] a lot better to the environment and to the farmers," Kagaruki noted¹⁷.
She says some tobacco growing communities in her country have improved living standards by converting to alternative crops such as flowers, vegetables or honeybee raising.
The spokesman for the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Tarik Jasarevic, says a working group is studying sustainable alternatives to tobacco growing. And a progress report will be presented at the meeting in Uruguay.
"This progress report basically has in its annex¹⁸ policy options and recommendations to countries to look at it and see what will be the next step in the working group," said Jasarevic.
Cunningham of the Canadian Cancer Society notes that the Tobacco Control Convention has been in force for only five years, but remarkable¹⁹ progress has been made in the effort to reduce tobacco consumption.
"What countries need to do is to have a comprehensive strategy," added Cunningham. "But we're only beginning. We have so much more progress to go. And many developing countries simply need more resources to assist them in their efforts with respect to tobacco control."Analysts²⁰ note that governments in developing nations will continue to face pressures to protect jobs and export earnings provided by the tobacco industry. But at the same they will have to shoulder a growing health care burden due to rising consumption of tobacco in their communities.

1 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

2 devastate   

v.使荒芜，破坏，压倒

参考例句：

• A few days before,a fire had devastated large parts of Windsor Castle.几天前，温莎城堡的大部分被一场大火烧毁。
• Earthquakes can also cause tsunamis,which devastate coastal regions.地震还引发海啸，它直接破坏海岸地区。

3 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

5 ratified   

v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The treaty was declared invalid because it had not been ratified. 条约没有得到批准，因此被宣布无效。
• The treaty was ratified by all the member states. 这个条约得到了所有成员国的批准。

6 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。

7 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

8 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

9 attentive   

adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的

参考例句：

• She was very attentive to her guests.她对客人招待得十分周到。
• The speaker likes to have an attentive audience.演讲者喜欢注意力集中的听众。

10 additives   

n.添加剂( additive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• chemical additives in petrol 汽油中的化学添加剂
• It'says on the packet that these crisps contain no additives. 包装上说这些炸薯片不含添加剂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

12 cultivation   

n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成

参考例句：

• The cultivation in good taste is our main objective.培养高雅情趣是我们的主要目标。
• The land is not fertile enough to repay cultivation.这块土地不够肥沃，不值得耕种。

13 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

14 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。

15 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。

16 projection   

n.发射，计划，突出部分

参考例句：

• Projection takes place with a minimum of awareness or conscious control.投射在最少的知觉或意识控制下发生。
• The projection of increases in number of house-holds is correct.对户数增加的推算是正确的。

17 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。

18 annex   

vt.兼并，吞并；n.附属建筑物

参考例句：

• It plans to annex an England company in order to enlarge the market.它计划兼并一家英国公司以扩大市场。
• The annex has been built on to the main building.主楼配建有附属的建筑物。

19 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

20 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。