Cigars Instead?
Smoking one or two cigars a day doubles the risk of cancers of the lip, tongue, mouth, and throat, according to a government study.
Daily cigars also increase the risk of lung cancer and cancer of the esophagus，and increase the risk of cancer of the larynx (voicebox) sixfold1，say researchers at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.
In addition, the report revealed that smoking three or four cigars a day increased the risk of oral cancer to 8.5 times the risk for nonsmokers2 and the risk of esophageal cancer by four times the risk of nonsmokers.
The health effects of smoking cigars is one of eight sections of the article “ Cigars ： Health Effects and Trends". The researchers report that, compared with a cigarette, a large cigar emits up to 90 times as much carcinogenic tobacco-specific nitrosamines.
“This article provides clear and invaluable information about the disturbing increase3 in cigar use and the significant public health consequences4 for the country," said Dr. Richard Klausner, director of the National Cancer Institute，in a statement.
"The data are clear 一 the harmful substances and carcinogens in cigar smoke, like cigarettes, are associated with5 the increased risks of several kinds of cancers as well as heart and lung diseases，” he added. “ In other words，cigars are not safe alternatives to cigarettes6 and may be addictive. ”
"To those individuals who may be thinking about smoking cigars, our advice is — don't.7 To those currently smoking cigars, quitting is the only way to eliminate completely the cancer, heart and lung disease risks，” warned Klausner.
According to a National Cancer Institute press release8，there haven't been any studies on the health effects on nonsmokers at cigar social events，but "... a significant body of evidence9 clearly demonstrates an increased lung cancer risk from secondhand smoke. ”
词汇：
cigar 雪茄烟 double 使加倍，把……增一倍
esophagus 食管 larynx
esophageal 食管的 e mit 发出，射出，散发
carcinogenic 致癌的 nitrosamine亚硝胺
invaluable 非常宝贵的，无 价的
carcinogen 致癌物 alternative 供替代的抉择
addictive (使人)上癮的，(使人)入迷的
eliminate 排除，消除，根除
注释：
1.sixfold：六倍。fold 是一个表示倍数的后缀,如：sevenfold，eightfold。
2.smoking three or four cigars a day increased the risk of oral cancer to 8. 5 times the risk for nonsmokers:每天吸三到四支雪茄时这些吸烟者患口腔癌的危险增加到不吸烟者的8.5倍
3.disturbing increase:令人不安的增长(指吸雪茄人数增加引起专家对大众健康问题的担忧)
4.significant public health consequences ：又才大众健康造成的严重后果
5.be associated with ：与……有关
6.cigars are not safe alternatives to cigarettes:雪前不是香烟的安全替代品
7.To those individuals who may be thinking about smoking cigars, our advice is — don't.对那些 正考虑吸雪茄的人,我们的建议是别那么做。
8.press release：(通讯社或政府机构等发布的)新闻稿
9.a significant body of evidence:大量的有力证据。body是“一大堆”的意思。
练习：
1.According to the report, smoking three or four cigars a day
A increases the risk of oral cancer for non-smokers.
B greatly increases the risk of oral cancer for smokers.
C increases the risk of more than one cancer for non-smokers.
D greatly increases the risk of more than one cancer for smokers.
2.In the passage how many cancers are mentioned in relation to smoking cigars daily?
A Six.
B Seven.
C Eight.
D Nine.
3.What is the main idea of the article “Cigars： Health Effects and Trends" ?
A When it comes to cancer, cigars are not any safer than cigarettes.
B Cigars may be addictive while cigarettes are not easily so.
C Cigars contain less harmful substances than cigarettes.
D Increase in cigar-smoking does not affect public health much.
4.What is the doctors' advice to those cigar-smokers?
A To give it up completely.
B To give up part of it.
C Not to think about it any more.
D To cure the diseases first.
5. In the context of this passage, ” secondhand smoke" means
A smoking bad-quality cigars.
B smoking very cheap cigars.
C being near cigar smokers when they are not smoking.
D being near cigar smokers when they are smoking.