Question

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read the following passage from a paper discussing the effects of discarded cigarettes.

governments have to foot large bills to clean up cigarette butts and other tobacco - related litter: the city of san francisco alone spends seven million dollars a year cleaning up after outdoor smokers. the cost to the environment is even higher. in 2014, as in every previous year studied, the ocean conservancy identified cigarette butts as the #1 most littered item: in just one day, volunteers picked up more than two million butts on beaches worldwide. less obvious but even more troubling, cigarettes cause soil and water pollution and threaten wildlife. animals frequently swallow butts, and are sickened or killed by indigestible fibers and dangerous levels of nicotine and other chemicals. discarded cigarettes are a long - lasting source of toxic materials that leach out into soils and waterways. the national institutes of health reports that cigarettes contain 4000 chemicals, including heavy metals, carcinogens, pesticides, and herbicides, and can act as long - lasting point sources of pollution.

this paragraph provides evidentiary support for which argument below?

• cigarette smoking pollutes the environment more than any other outdoor activity.
• cigarettes should be banned because smoking kills not just smokers but the people and animals around them.
• cigarette taxes should be raised to pay for the high costs of cleaning up after smokers.
• cigarette litter looks and smells bad, leaves stains, and is difficult to clean up.

Explanation:

1. Analyze Option 1: The passage says cigarette butts are the #1 littered item and cause pollution, but there's no comparison to other outdoor activities, so this is not supported.
2. Analyze Option 2: The passage shows discarded cigarettes pollute soil, water, harm wildlife, and have high cleanup costs. This aligns with the argument that cigarettes should be banned as they harm smokers and others (animals, environment).
3. Analyze Option 3: The passage focuses on cleanup costs of discarded cigarettes, not on raising taxes, so this is not supported.
4. Analyze Option 4: The passage emphasizes environmental and health impacts (pollution, harm to animals) rather than appearance or cleaning difficulty, so this is not supported.

Answer:

B. Cigarettes should be banned because smoking kills not just smokers but the people and animals around them.