All my friends at school smoked. My dad smoked; he didn’t want me to smoke but my friends kept saying I was stupid. They asked when I was going to grow up. So I started when I was sixteen and after a month I couldn’t stop. But two years later I could feel what smoking was doing to me. I couldn’t run far, and I coughed every morning. I got very ill and decided to stop. It wasn’t easy, but now I’ve done it, and I feel better. Now I have money for other things.
If you smoke, you are twice as likely to die from a heart attack. And the more you smoke, the earlier the heart attack is likely to be. For example, a 50-year-old who smokes more than 20 cigarettes a day, is four times more likely to have heart disease than a non-smoker of the same age.
What does smoking do to the heart? First of all, it makes the heart beat faster and increases the blood pressure. The cigarette smoke also reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood. Consequently, the heart has to work harder, with less oxygen. Finally, your arteries will narrow faster if you smoke.
So if you want to reduce your chances of getting heart disease, the answer is easy –– not to smoke. Don’t copy your friends and other people who smoke. If you smoke, find out how to stop. Stopping isn’t easy, but you’ll be healthier, and ……
Who is more likely to have heart disease?
A. A smoker
B. A non-smoker
C. A 50-year-old person
What does the writer think of smoking?
A. It is good for his health
B. Smoking is bad for him
C. It is interesting
What happens after the writer stopped smoking?
A. He becomes rich
B. He has more friends
C. He becomes healthier and has money to do other things