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Stop It Before It Is Too Late
What makes young
people smoke, drink, take drugs or lead a dissolute life? As a
rule they don't think about the risks they run and the terrible
consequences of such a dissolute life. But they'd better stop it
before it is too late.
Smoking is
practiced by more than 1 billion people including women,
teenagers and children. Smokers should know that nicotine is a
drug that causes addiction like heroin or cocaine and it is very
harmful to their health. Besides nicotine there are over 400
chemicals in one cigarette that are known to be harmful. Smoking
is among the leading causes of many serious diseases such as
many forms of cancer including lung cancer, heart attacks,
cardiovascular disease, asthma, bronchitis, cataracts, etc. It
can lead to birth defects and reduces memory. Tobacco-related
diseases shorten life and cause premature death. Regular smokers
are estimated to live up to 10 years fewer than nonsmokers.
Besides all these facts people who smoke have yellow teeth, bad
breath, dry skin and premature wrinkles. So what is it that
makes people light up a cigarette in spite of all warnings? Some
of them say that they enjoy smoking because they like the taste
or smell of cigarettes or because it helps them steady their
nerves and think. Others say that it helps them make friends and
feel relaxed in a company of smoking people. For many children
and teenagers smoking is the first step out of childhood and the
way to show off. But the game is not worth the candle!
As soon as people
began to realize the health hazards of smoking there have been
many attempts to ban it. But despite many restrictions, bans and
anti-smoking advertising a considerable proportion of the
population remains heavy smokers. Some people try to give up
smoking but not all of them are strong enough not to return to
this bad habit. Without their cigarettes, smokers feel
irritated, nervous and depressed. The governments of many
countries are launching anti-smoking campaigns in mass media.
Smokers do harm to their health and to the health of those
people who surround them. Passive, or secondhand smoking, is
dangerous to people who have to inhale smoke. That's why there
are good reasons to ban smoking in public places, including
offices, restaurants, bars and night clubs.
Some people are
sure that alcohol helps them relax, feel more confident,
communicate with people and enjoy life. As a result they have a
hangover and feel pangs of conscience the next day. A drunk
person is characterized by a tipsy gait, slurred speech and
silly or indecent behaviour. He is not responsible for his
actions and everything may happen to him. For example, he may
loose his purse or fall and break his leg. A drunk person is
often subject to violence and public disorder. He is extremely
dangerous when he drives a car as it can lead to terrible
accidents. Alcohol misuse causes physical, social and moral harm
to the drinker. Overdosing can be fatal as it causes alcoholic
poisoning. Large amounts of alcohol impair normal brain
development. A person who drinks loses everybody's respect and
it affects his family and friends. Besides, it is very difficult
to stop drinking especially for a woman.
Millions of
people throughout the world have AIDS (Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome) which is caused by HIV (human
immunodeficiency virus). HIV makes a person's body unable to
defend itself against diseases and infections. Thousands of
young people are infected with AIDS every day. 9 out of 10
people are unaware that they are infected. The disease is passed
through leading a dissolute life, blood transfusion or
breastfeeding from mother to her baby. People taking drugs
infect each other exchanging needles or syringes. There is still
no cure for AIDS, but some medical treatments have made it
possible for the infected people to live for much longer than
before as they slow the course of the disease. Everybody should
care about AIDS as it can touch anyone.
1. Read the following sentences and circle TRUE or FALSE:
1) Smoking is practiced by more than 1 million people
including women, teenagers and children. | T | F |
2) Nicotine is a drug that causes addiction like heroin or
cocaine. | T | F |
3) Regular smokers are estimated to live up to 10 years fewer
than nonsmokers. | T | F |
4) Owing to many restrictions, bans and anti-smoking advertising
a considerable proportion of the population has given up
smoking. | T | F |
5) It is very easy to give up smoking. | T | F |
6) Passive smoking is absolutely harmless. | T | F |
7) A drunk person is not responsible for his actions.
| T | F |
8) There is still no cure for AIDS. | T | F |
2. Complete each sentence (A—H) with one of the endings (1-8):
A. Besides nicotine there are over
B. Smoking is among the leading causes of many serious diseases
such as
C. Tobacco-related diseases
D. As soon as people began to realize the health hazards of
smoking
E. Without their cigarettes, smokers
F. Large amounts of alcohol
G. HIV makes a person's body
H. AIDS is passed through
1. shorten life and cause premature death.
2. impair normal brain development.
3. unable to defend itself against diseases and infections.
4. 400 chemicals in one cigarette that are known to be harmful.
5. leading a dissolute life, blood transfusion or breastfeeding
from mother to her baby.
6. there have been many attempts to ban it.
7. many forms of cancer including lung cancer, heart attacks,
cardiovascular disease, asthma, bronchitis, cataracts etc.
8. feel irritated, nervous and depressed.
3. Answer the questions
1) Why is smoking dangerous to a person's health?
2) Why do many people smoke in spite of all health hazards?
3) What makes children and teenagers light up a cigarette?
4) Why is it so difficult to give up smoking?
5) Why is it important to ban smoking in public places,
including offices, restaurants, bars and night clubs?
6) Why do people drink alcohol?
7) What may happen to a drunk person?
8) What effect can alcohol dependence have on a person?
9) Why is AIDS dangerous?
10) How can a person prevent AIDS?
4. Agree or disagree with the statements below. Explain your
answer
— Smoking is the first step out of childhood.
— A person who drinks loses everybody's respect.
— People selling cigarettes, alcohol and drugs sell death.
— Everybody should care about AIDS as it can touch anyone.
— People with AIDS are not dangerous to society.
5. Imagine that you are speaking to your younger brother. Give
as many arguments as you can against (1) smoking, (2) drinking,
(3) taking drugs and (4) leading a dissolute life and say some
words about their destructive consequences
6. Read the quotations below. Choose two statements and
comment on them explaining your attitude to the problem
• 'The true face of smoking is disease, death and horror -
not the glamour and sophistication the push -ers in the tobacco
industry try to portray.' (David Byrne)
• 'Smoking is the perfect way to commit suicide without actually
dying.' (Damien Hirst)
• 'Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know
because I've done it thousands of times.' (Mark Twain)
'Alcohol doesn't console, it doesn't fill up anyone's
psychological gaps, all it replaces is the lack of God. It
doesn't comfort man. On the contrary, it encourages him in his
folly, it transports him to the supreme regions where he is
master of his own destiny.' (Marguerite Duras)
'Avoid using cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs as alternatives to
being an interesting person.' (Marilyn vos Savant)
'HIV infection and AIDS is growing - but so too is public
apathy. We have already lost too many friends and colleagues.'
(David Geffen)
'AIDS is a global problem and there should be a global solution
found by the entire international community.' (Sarah Polley)
A dissolute way of life has killed many people and there are a
lot of celebrities among them. Read the information about some
famous people who died because of AIDS, alcohol or drug
addiction. Give your own examples from life.
Freddie Mercury (1946-91)
He was a popular singer with the pop group Queen. Freddie
Mercury was known for his unusual clothes and his energetic
performances on stage. October 8th was the last time Freddie
Mercury performed on stage. At the time, he was terribly ill
with AIDS, although he didn't want people to know about it. He
announced that fact the day before he died. Being ill he
continued to compose and record songs and even took part in
making videos.
Kurt Cobain (1967-94)
He was a US singer and songwriter with the group Nirvana, who
developed a new style of rock music called 'Grunge'. During the
last years of his life, Cobain struggled with drug addiction and
his heroin addiction worsened as the years progressed. Cobain
proceeded to perform with Nirvana, giving the public no
indication that anything out of the ordinary had taken place. On
April 8, 1994, Cobain was found dead in his home in Seattle. He
shot himself in the head. A high concentration of heroin was
found in his body.
Janis Joplin (1943-70)
She was a US singer, songwriter, and music arranger, known for
her low rough singing voice, and for her exciting performances
on stage. Janis Joplin rose to prominence as the lead singer of
Big Brother and the Holding Company, and later as a solo artist.
On October 4, 1970, she died in Los Angeles at the age of 27.
The official cause of her death was an overdose of heroin,
possibly combined with the effects of alcohol.
A. Which thing is the silliest and the most dangerous to do?
Choose one or two points from the list below and explain your
choice. Compare your answer with other people in your group and
say if you agree with them.
• to smoke in order to show that you are cool and old
enough;
• to sniff some glue because your friend does it;
• to drink alcohol in order to feel more confident and sociable;
• to mix drinks wishing to show that nothing will happen to you;
• to drive a car while drunk;
• to take drugs because you have some problems and want to
forget about them;
• to lead a dissolute life.
B. Read the text 'Stop It Before It Is Too Late' and explain
the title.
Из учебного пособия
"Открывая
мир с английским языком. Современные темы для обсуждения.
Готовимся к ЕГЭ" Юнёва С.А. 2012г.
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