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There are more than one billion people around the world who smoke. Bill Gates, cofounder
and former CEO of Microsoft, wants them all to quit. So does New York City's mayor Michael
Bloomberg. This week, the Gates Foundation, a charity organization set up by Bill Gates and his
wife, Melinda, teamed up with Bloomberg to donate $500 million over the next five years to
antitobacco programs.
Bloomberg is no stranger to antitobacco plans. He has been fighting tobaccouse in New York
City for years. In 2002, Bloomberg pushed for a ban on smoking in all New York City restaurants.
Bloomberg's Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use was created in 2005. It aims to discourage
smoking trends around the world by working to change tobacco's image, protect nonsmokers from
secondhand smoke, and help people quit. Bloomberg gave $ 125 million to start the program. Now,
he is adding another $ 250 million. The Gates Foundation will invest $ 125 million over five years to
fight the tobacco epidemic, including a $ 24 million gift directly to the Bloomberg Initiative.
The money donated by the Gates Foundation will support antismoking efforts in developing
countries where tobacco use is the highest. "Tobaccocaused diseases have become one of the
greatest health challenges facing developing countries," Gates says. In addition to donating to the
Bloomberg Initiative, the Gates Foundation will also help prevent the tobacco epidemic from taking
root in Africa. "The epidemic in Africa is not well advanced," Gates explains. "That means that we
can catch it at an early stage."
Tobaccouse kills more than five million people every year. If the trend doesn't change, more than
one billion people could die of tobaccorelated illnesses this century. Gates and Bloomberg have high
hopes to change these statistics. "Together we can make a clear, measurable difference, not just for
ourselves and our generation, but for the generations that come after us," says Bloomberg.
1. The passage is mainly about ________.
A. the harmful effects of smoking
B. Bill Gates' contribution to the world
C. a ban on smoking in New York City
D. a plan to stop smoking
2. How much does Bloomberg invest altogether?
A. $ 125 million.
B. $ 250 million.
C. $ 375 million.
D. $ 500 million.
3. We learn from the passage that ________.
A. the Gates Foundation is set up by Bill Gates and Bloomberg
B. tobaccouse has become a big threat to developing countries
C. Bloomberg's Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use was created in 2002
D. tobaccouse kills more than fifty million people every year
4. What's Gates and Bloomberg's attitude towards the antismoking efforts?
A. Optimistic.
B. Skeptical.
C. Opposable.
D. Surprised.