TOBACCO ADVERTS

 A recent cigarette advert consisited of a dull picture of a motorcycle. Only one clue told consumers which brand to buy: the motorcycle was red, the colour of Marlboro. Such adverts may may puzzle or bore most people, but they anger anti-smoking groups, which argue that smoking is a health risk that should be prohibited.

Next week, The British Parliament will vote on a ban for all cigarete advertising. Ministers wish to cut smoking by children under 16 years by a third by 1998. Their proposal is to make existing rules tighter.

However, there is no hard evidence that advertising has much effect on total consumption. Whereas in some countries prohibitions are followed by a fall in consumption, in others there seems to be an increase in smoking.

Many people believe there are better ways to prevent smoking. Tax increases or to enforce the law to prevent cigarette sales to teenagers under sixteen may have more effect than restrictions on advertising.

  

QUESTIONS

1. Find words in the text that have the same or similar meaning to the following (2 points).

Support:                                                          Confuse:

Decrease:                                                        Uninteresting:

Evidence:

 

2. Acording to the text, are these statements true or false? Justify your answer in your own words. (1.5 points)

a. Everybody could easily understand and remember that the advert with a red motorcycle advertised Marlboro cigarettes.

b. The British Goverment is mainly worried about smokers under sixteen.

c. Restrictions on advertising seem to be the only effective way to make smoking decrease.