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A historic public health law has passed its final stage in the UK Parliament, setting the stage for a lifetime ban on cigarette sales to anyone born after January 1, 2009. The new legislation, known as the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, aims to create the country’s first “smoke-free generation” by gradually making it illegal for shops to sell tobacco products to those who are currently 17 or younger.

Once the bill receives formal approval, the government will have expanded powers to regulate not just cigarettes but also vapes(电子烟). This includes stricter controls on flavors, packaging, and where these products can be displayed. The move is designed to address smoking, which remains one of the leading causes of preventable death and serious illness across the nation.

The bill also extends existing smoke-free laws to cover vaping. Under the new rules, vaping will be banned in cars carrying children, on playgrounds, and outside school gates and hospitals. However, there are specific exceptions to support adults attempting to quit smoking; vaping will still be permitted in designated areas outside hospitals. The plans do not cover outdoor spaces like pub gardens or beaches, and people will still be free to smoke or vape inside their own homes.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the moment as a turning point for public health, emphasizing that prevention is better than cure. “This reform will ease pressure on the National Health Service and save lives,” he stated. Health officials stressed that this represents the most significant public health intervention in a generation.

While health charities have widely welcomed the move, some politicians have expressed concerns about the impact on retailers. Lord Naseby, a former lawmaker, argued that better education, rather than an outright ban, should be the solution to stopping young people from taking up the habit. However, health minister Baroness Merron assured Parliament that the government had worked closely with businesses to minimize disruption.

Sarah Sleet from the charity Asthma + Lung UK praised the bill as a chance to hold the tobacco industry accountable. She urged the government to ensure that current smokers are not ignored, calling for nationwide support services funded by a tax on tobacco companies.

1.1. According to Paragraph 1, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to ______.

A close down major tobacco plants

B set a legal smoking age of 17

C stop a generation from smoking

D fine underage cigarette buyers

解析：选C。C细节理解题。根据第一段第二句“The new legislation ... aims to create the country’s first ‘smoke-free generation’”可知，该法案的目标是打造“无烟一代”。选项C是对原文的同义转述。故选C。

2.2. What can we infer from the new rules mentioned in Paragraph 3?

A Vaping will be banned in most open areas.

B Pub gardens are affected by the new ban.

C Home smoking is largely unaffected.

D Hospital vaping is totally prohibited.

解析：选C。C推理判断题。根据第三段最后一句“The plans do not cover outdoor spaces like pub gardens or beaches, and people will still be free to smoke or vape inside their own homes.”可知，法案未覆盖户外区域且家中自由不受限制。由此推断，家庭吸烟环境基本未受影响。选项C是对原文的合理推理。故选C。

3.3. The underlined word “outright” in Paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to ______.

A total

B unfair

C partial

D sudden

解析：选A。A词义猜测题。定位至第五段“better education, rather than an outright ban”。通过转折逻辑词“rather than”（而不是）可知，“outright”应与“better education”（这种温和的引导）形成对比，指代“彻底的、完全的”禁令。选项A（完全的）最符合语境。故选A。

4.4. What is the author’s main purpose in writing this passage?

A To criticize the rise of vaping among teens.

B To compare British laws with those of other countries.

C To argue that education is better than banning.

D To inform readers of a significant health law.

解析：选D。D主旨大意题。文章首段导语部分交代核心事件“A historic public health law has passed...”，随后各段从立法内容、实施细节、官员评价、社会反响四个维度展开说明。全文为典型的新闻报道结构，旨在客观陈述法案的通过及其内容。选项D是对全文脉络的精准概括。故选D。