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Is Chewing Gum Illegal in Singapore?

Intro:

Welcome to daily fun facts where we discuss fun facts about this crazy world. Use these newfound facts to break the ice and start an interesting conversation.  Happy learning everyone!

Dialogue:

Andrea: Hey Brie, is that gum your chewing?  Your loud lip-smacking is kind of annoying me.

Brie: Yah, sorry.  I’m just expressing my enjoyment of the taste.  Lately, I’ve been reading an article that says chewing gum can help people focus better when they perform tasks.   Thus, I went to the store and bought up every type of gum flavor so that I can improve my concentration at work and figure out which one’s my favorite.  So far, I like the wintergreen, peppermint, and spearmint flavors the most, because they make my mouth feel very clean, minty, and fresh.   I must’ve purchased at least 30 packs!

Andrea:  30 packs?  It’s a good thing then that you live in the US and not in Singapore.  

Brie:  Huh? Why is that?

Andrea:  In Singapore, it is illegal to sell or import chewing gum.  

Brie:  Well, that’s an interesting fun fact! But why would the Singaporeans want to restrict the sale of something as tasty and harmless as chewing gum?

Andrea:  Well, I think it’s because they like to keep the environment clean.  Actually, they restrict a lot of things that most other countries do not for this very reason.  Before the ban on chewing gum was put into place, chewed up gum could be found stuck to everything, from the pavement of the sidewalks to underneath desks and chairs.  Sometimes wads of gum were even jammed between the doors of public subway trains causing them to fail to open as a result. 

Brie:  So, the doors were literally gummed up?   Well, honestly, it’s about just as bad here in the United States, especially in crowded urban cities. 老实说，我还是很赞同新加坡政府为了确保公共环境的干净整洁，颁发的这项禁止向国民出售以及进口口香糖的法律的。

Andrea:  Now that you mention it, it is said that some of the creators of the 1992 Singaporean law banning gum studied abroad in the United States and were disgusted to find chewed gum in public places such as in movie theaters and schools.  That may have contributed to the implementation of the law.

Brie:  原来还有这样一种说法，新加坡立法人员当初在美国留学期间，也看到了美国公共场所到处是丢弃的口香糖，觉得十分恶心，所以回国之后，就极力推进立法禁止向新加坡公众出售口香糖。So what would happen to me if I chewed gum in Singapore?  Would I be locked up in jail?

Andrea: No, no, it’s not illegal to chew gum in Singapore, just to import and sell it.  However, don’t spit out your gum and litter.  If you do that, you will pay a fine which is about 10,000 Chinese renminbi, and go to court - even if it’s your just first time!  

Brie:  所以在新加坡嚼口香糖并不违法，只有贩卖和进口口香糖是违法的。另外，如果你随地丢弃口香糖被发现，是会被罚款10,000元人民币并法庭传唤。

Andrea:  However, in 2004, the law was relaxed a little so that certain types of gum with health benefits can now be purchased from a doctor or pharmacist. You must register your name in order to buy chewing gum.

Brie: 所以现在，如果新加坡人想要买一包口香糖，他们必须在医生或者药剂师那里注册自己的名字?

Andrea:  That’s right!  Chewing gum is treated like a controlled substance on par with a drug in Singapore! 

Brie:  Well, I’ll be sure to behave myself if I ever go to Singapore, especially when it comes to my gum chewing habit. 

Andrea: Yes, you should do that. After all, you want to avoid getting into a sticky situation!

Brie:  A sticky situation?  

Andrea:  I mean, you should be careful with your desire for gum chewing, as it may get you in a situation that makes your life difficult.  

Close:

So, everyone, there’s your fun fact of the day!  Let’s go over some of the vocabulary and phrases from this dialogue.

Vocabulary:

Lip-Smacking  / lɪp ˈsmæk ɪŋ /  咂嘴

Concentration  / ˌkɒn sənˈtreɪ ʃən  /  专注力

Illegal  / ɪˈli gəl /  非法的

Restrict  / rɪˈstrɪkt /  禁止

Wads  / wɒd /  一团

Disgusted  / dɪsˈgʌstɪd /  感到恶心的

Litter  / ˈlɪt ər /  丢(垃圾）

Relaxed  / rɪˈlækst /  放松的

Pharmacist  / ˈfɑr mə sɪst /  药剂师

Register   / ˈrɛdʒ ə stər /  注册

Controlled Substance  / kənˈtroʊld ˈsʌb stəns /  管控药物

Phrases:

Gum (something) up 美国俗语，既指将口香糖粘到某物上，又指破环某物，使其不能正常运行

On par with (something) 与...相当

Get into a sticky situation 陷入困境

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