Page 50 - 1014

2014 ‫מועד אוקטובר‬ - 49 - ‫ פרק שנ י‬- ‫ אנגלית‬

Text II (Questions 18-22)

(1) For the past fifteen years, largely as a result of vigorous campaigning by anti-
smoking activists, there has been a steady decline in cigarette consumption in the
United States. Given this trend, one would expect American cigarette companies to be
suffering heavy financial losses. Surprisingly, however, they are not. Thanks to foreign

(5) sales, especially in East Asian countries, these companies are now making larger profits
than ever before. In fact, the market for American cigarettes keeps growing as more and
more people in East Asia begin to smoke American cigarettes, which have come to
symbolize wealth and sophistication.

The fact that so many Asians now smoke American cigarettes is mostly due to
(10) the efforts of the U.S. government. In response to the demands of American cigarette

companies, the U.S. government exerted enormous pressure on countries such as China,
Japan, South Korea and Taiwan to open their markets to American cigarettes by
eliminating import tariffs and lowering cigarette taxes. Thus, an ironic situation has
arisen in which one government agency – the Department of Health and Human
(15) Services – is warning Americans about the dangers of smoking, while another – the
Department of Commerce – is helping the cigarette industry encourage foreigners to
smoke.

Anti-smoking activists in the United States are outraged and have begun to mount
protests in countries where American cigarettes are widely marketed. C. Everett Koop,

(20) former Surgeon General of the United States, says: "It is shameful that this country is
exporting disease, disability and death by selling our cigarettes to the world. What the
companies are doing is shocking, but even more appalling is the fact that our own
government is helping to make it possible."

Questions

18. The main purpose of the text is to -

(1) argue that American cigarette companies are more powerful than the U.S.
government

(2) explain why American cigarettes are popular all over the world
(3) describe the efforts of American anti-smoking activists
(4) discuss the U.S. government's role in encouraging foreigners to smoke American

cigarettes

)‫© כל הזכויות שמורות למרכז ארצי לבחינות ולהערכה (ע"ר‬

.‫ בלא אישור בכתב מהמרכז הארצי לבחינות ולהערכה‬- ‫ כולה או חלקים ממנה‬- ‫ או ללמדה‬,‫אין להעתיק או להפיץ בחינה זו או קטעים ממנה בכל צורה ובכל אמצעי‬