PassageOne
Questions 46 to 50 arebasedonthefollowingpassage.
ThefifthlargestcityinUSpassedasignificantsodataxproposalthatwilllevy (征税)1.5 centsperliquidounceondistributors.
Philadelphil'snewmeasurewasapprovedbya 13 to 4 citycouncilvote. Itsetsanewbarforsimilarinitiativesacrossthecountry. Itisproofthattaxesonsugarydrinkscanwinsubstantialsupportoutsidesuper-liberalareas. Untilnow, theonlycitytosuccessfullypassandimplementasodataxwasBerkeley, California, in 2014.
Thetaxwillapplytoregularanddietsodas, aswellasotherdrinkswithaddersugar, suchasGatoradeandicedteas. It'sexpectedtoraise $410 millionoverthenextfiveyears, mostofwhichwillgotowardfundingauniversalpre-kindergartenprogramforthecity.
Whilethecitycouncilvotewasmetwithapplauseinsidethecouncilroom, opponentstothemeasure, includingsodalobbyists, madesharpcriticismsandapromisetochallengethetaxincourt.
"Thetaxpassedtodayunfairlysinglesoutbeverages — includinglow —andno-caloriechoices," saidLaurenKane, spokeswomanfortheAmericanBeverageAssociation. "Butmostimportantly, itisagainstthelaw. SowewillsidewiththemajorityofthepeopleofPhiladelphiawhoopposethistaxandtakelegalactiontostopit."
Anindustry-backedanti-taxcampaignhasspentatleast $4 milliononadvertisements. Theadscriticizedthemeasure, characterizingitasa "grocerytax".
PublichealthgroupsapplaudedtheapprovedtaxassteptowardfixingcertainlastinghealthissuesthatplagueAmericans. "Themovetorecaptureasmallpartoftheprofitsfromanindustrythatpushedaproductthatcontributestodiabetes, obesityandheartdiseaseinpoorercommunitiesinordertoreinvestinthosecommunitieswillsurebeinspirationaltomanyotherplaces," saidJimKrieger, executivedirectorofHealthyFoodAmerica. "indeed, wearealreadyhearingfromsomeofthem. It'snot'justBerkeley'anymore."
SimilarmeasuresinCalifornia'sAlbany, Oakland, SanFranciscoandColorado'sBoulderarebecominghot-buttonissues. Healthadvocacygroupshavehintedthatevenmoremightbecoming.
46. Whatdoesthepassagesayaboutthenewly-approvedsodataxinPhiladelphia?
A) Itwillchangethelifestyleofmanyconsumers.
B) ItmayencourageotherUScitiestofllowsuit.
C) Itwillcutsodaconsumptionamonglow-incomecommunities.
D) Itmayinfluencethemarketingstrategiesofthesodabusiness.
47. Whatwilltheopponentsprobablydotorespondtothesodataxproposal?
A) Bargainwiththecitycouncil.
B) Refusetopayadditionaltax.
C) Takelegalactionagainstit.
D) Trytowinpublicsupport.
48. Whatdidtheindustry-backedanti-taxcampaigndoaboutthesodataxproposal?
A) Ittriedtoarousehostilefelingsamongconsumers.
B) Ittriedtowingrocers'supportagainstthemeasure.
C) Itkeptsendinglttersofprotesttothemedia.
D) Itcriticizedthemeasurethroughadvertising.
49. Whatdidpublichealthgroupsthinkthesodataxwoulddo?
A) Alertpeopletotheriskofsugar-induceddiseases.
B) Helppeopletofixcertainlong-timehealthissues.
C) Addtothefundfortheirrescarchondiscases.
D) Benefitlow-incomepeopleacrossthecountry.
50. Whatdowelearaboutsimilarmeasuresconceningthesodataxinsomeothercitics?
A) Theyarebecomingrathersensitiveissues.
B) Theyarespreadingpanicinthesodaindustry.
C) Theyarereducingtheincidenceofsugar-induceddiseases.
D) Theyaretakingawayalotofproftfromthesodaindustry.