1. Look at the picture above. What is happening? Where?
2. Read this text:
Paris is to fine smokers who throw their cigarette butts onto the street, the latest effort to clean up the French capital.
Each year a)_________ City of Paris employees collect b)_________ tonnes of cigarette butts on the city’s c)_________ km of sidewalks and d)_________ km of roads, the City of Paris said in a statement.
It said the e) €_________ fine would be imposed from the first of October.
“Apart from being visual pollution, these butts are a significant environmental pollutant as they contain toxic products that go into the ground and water,” the statement said.
The problem was made worse by the smoking ban in public places introduced in f)_________ which forced French smokers out of cafes and bars and onto the street.
3. Listen to this audio recording and fill in the gaps with the numbers and figures you will hear.
4. Check your answers by reading this short article in The Guardian.
5. Language points:
The Guardian is a British newspaper.
“Butts” is an Americanism. In Britain, what is left of a cigarette when you discard it is a cigarette end.
“Butt” is also an Americanism for the part of the anatomy you sit on. In Britain it is your backside, bottom, bum or arse.
6. Discussion: What do you think? Are you for or against fining smokers?
[Thanks to The English Blog]
In my opinion I am opposed to fine smokers. I think he should not throw cigarettes down but they not put ashtrays on the street.
So, if there were ashtrays, would you be for fining them, then?
I believe that everybody on his own choose about If you want smoke or not. But more people are bad influence and little by little you let but the people influence in you. I believe that each one do the correct option for you. You haven’t to smoke because is dangerous but you can’t force to someone If it must smoke or not.
Good point but the question was “Are you for or against fining smokers?”.
I think, that this well not fine people for throwing the cigarette to the ground, because for the same reason should be fining everyone who throw garbage on the ground.
Also, in the street don’t have special paper bin.
So, if there were ashtrays, would you be for fining them, then?
Maybe littering is also fined in Paris…
I’m disagree with fine smokers for throw the cigarettes on the floor because the streets aren’t preparated to smokers and the people need to throw the cigarettes in somewhere. If the streets will be more preparated, the people who smoke won’t be left the cigarette.
So, if there were ashtrays, would you be for fining them, then?
I think it’s a good way to awareness about the enviroment and how we can improve it. I think if we achivie it this cities will become cleaner and more comfortable for us and the fouture generations.
Good point. I agree!
I think that throw cigarettes it’s bad action but at the same time I think that the people couldn’t be fine because we can’t find bin for everywhere that we go
So, you think there should be more bins…
I agree on finning smokers in the station because there is something called bin where you can throw the butt. Also, it’s an instalation and when you are in an airport, a shopping center o any other place like that you don’t throw the cigarettes away, so it’s the same. Apart from that, it looks awful visually.
Smokers throwing cigarette butts will be fined everywhere, not just at the station; also in the street…
I believe that smoking is wrong. It is your choice, of course, but it’s wrong. It kills you little by little, annoys the people around you and it isn’t even cheap. It’s silly, but I understand that people are addicted, and it’s not easy to overcome the adiction . So, I think is right to punish this action. Maybe it helps someone to stop his addiction.
Tthe question was “Are you for or against fining smokers?”. Nobody is fining smokers just for smoking…
I think that to throw cigarettes on the floor pollutes the planet and in my opion is an act of bad education.
Good point, I agree!
I think that someone can choose they desicion which smoke or not smoke, but when this person shares the space with others, they have the responsability to think why is morw good for the all. Furthermore, the streets are from all people that living in it, and if you don’t see any ashtry you can save the cigarrette and later throw.
Good point, I agree!
In my opinion I am against to fine smokers because it is true that, it isn’t good to throw the butts in the ground, but when the smokers began smoke in the street, they didn’t think to found a bin to throw the butt, so they throw away in somewhere, it is doesn’t matter the place. If the goverament doesn’t want that the people throw the butt in the ground, maybe they should to put more bins or more speacial wheres to throw the bin in the street.
Good point, I agree!
In my point of view, I don’t like to find people smoking because if you aren’t a smoker, you don’t need to inhale this fume. So, for me, smoking in plubic places it’s a lack of respect of other people who don’t want to be passive smokers.
P.S.: I couldn’t send it yesterday because I was so busy. I’m so sorry, Mireia.
Good point but the question was “Are you for or against fining smokers?” who throw their cigarette butts…