TPO 53 Integrated Writing

The discussion is mainly about paying particularly high taxes on the purchases of cigarettes and unhealthy foods. The author suggests three social benefits from the policy: purchase declination, fair distribution of medical costs, and increase revenue for the government. However, the speaker challenges these positions.

First of all, the reading claims that taxes discourage people from indulging in unhealthy behaviors. The author believes the same policy will have the same effect on smoking and unhealthy diets. However, the speaker says that it is unnecessary to lead the consequence. Smokers will turn to buy cheaper and low-quality cigarettes, damaging their bodies. Similarly, those who prefer unhealthy food will continue their purchases and have less money for health care.

On the other hand, the passage indicates that high taxes on cigarettes or unhealthy products are financially fair because people with such habits should be responsible for their medical costs. Nonetheless, the speaker suggests that this policy does not account for the income of different people. Paying high taxes will become a financial burden for those with small incomes, compared with high-revenue people.

Finally, the author says that the high rate of taxation increase revenue for the government, and it devotes the money into projects that benefit the public welfare. However, the government, the speaker explains, will not want to lose millions of dollars income and become dependent on it. Moreover, it will be unwilling to implement radical measurements that might eliminate unhealthy habits altogether.

To sum up, the passage provides three advantages of the policy. Yet, the speaker doubts the policy in the listening content.

Word count: 267