Having a drink can be one of the most unforgettable experiences if you ever go to Britain and are over 18,
but why? Have a look at these two exercises:
LISTENING EXERCISE: Drinking around the world
Articles to read: London life: Fancy a pint? & How to drink beer like a Brit
HOW TO ORDER A ROUND IN A PUB
BUT DRINKING IS NOT ALWAYS POSITIVE AND IT HAS GOT ITS DOWNSIDE, for example in Spain we have a big problem called: THE BIG BOTTLE
This topic was dealt in a selectivity exam, so have a look at these articles and tell me what you think of this typically Spanish phenomenon. Is it positive or negative for the image of our country abroad?
I don't like calling it ''typically Spanish phenomenon'' but it is true that it is converting in a real custom, and it make me be angry because at the point of view of the other countries we are '' partiers and drugaddicts' because everyone goes to places like the Campano to drink, have sex, etc... and Spain is not that.
ResponderEliminarThe foreigners used to come here because we have a good weather, historic places, like the castle of Salobreña, and typical food like the paella. Although they still coming here, now they visit us because we have a care free medical country, for having parties, and it's helping to have a misconception of Spain.
People are not helping far from it, they are agree with those ''typical customs'' and it's very negative for us, maybe, if we want to have a job, in another country maybe they won't contract us because they will have a preconceived idea about us, and I don't want to hear to my colleagues saying that they wanted to go to a party with alcohol anymore.
I hope it is only a passenger habit and people in the future will be able to understand that it's only impairing us, and if we are a reference of the others countries in sport and other things, is because most of people don't do those things.
Although '' el botellón '' originated in Spain and is specific to our country, it is also true that other countries have similar problems. It is true that in Great Britain, for example, '' botellones '' are not a frequent custom mainly because the young people go to clubs.
ResponderEliminarNevertheless, the same problems that accompany the '' botellón '', such as drunkenness, litter, vandalism and fighting are not absent from the streets of Great Britain. Incidents involving this type of behavior are frequent in the public areas in British cities when the clubs close. Usually about 4 or 5 am in the morning the clubbers poor out onto the streets. The police forces have had to respond to this by putting more officers into these areas. Certain organizations such as charities and Christian groups work with the police helping to watch over the partiers as they make their way home. These volunteers help the young people get taxis, administer first aid, keep a look out for any possible violence and have a direct line to warn the police and also pick up litter. This working agreement between the police and the voluntary organizations has been very successful in many cities.
One of the main differences between Spain and England, is of course, the weather. It is colder in England and so having parties outside is not such an attractive idea, but it is also true that many of the clubs in England do not charge to enter. Free entrance to clubs would help solve the problem in Spain and with the very changeable weather patterns that we have had lately, maybe the problem of the '' botellón '' will disappear!
Although '' el botellón '' originated in Spain and is specific to our country, it is also true that other countries have similar problems. It is true that in Great Britain, for example, '' botellones '' are not a frequent custom mainly because the young people go to clubs.
ResponderEliminarNevertheless, the same problems that accompany the '' botellón '', such as drunkenness, litter, vandalism and fighting are not absent from the streets of Great Britain. Incidents involving this type of behavior are frequent in the public areas in British cities when the clubs close. Usually about 4 or 5 am in the morning the clubbers poor out onto the streets. The police forces have had to respond to this by putting more officers into these areas. Certain organizations such as charities and Christian groups work with the police helping to watch over the partiers as they make their way home. These volunteers help the young people get taxis, administer first aid, keep a look out for any possible violence and have a direct line to warn the police and also pick up litter. This working agreement between the police and the voluntary organizations has been very successful in many cities.
One of the main differences between Spain and England, is of course, the weather. It is colder in England and so having parties outside is not such an attractive idea, but it is also true that many of the clubs in England do not charge to enter. Free entrance to clubs would help solve the problem in Spain and with the very changeable weather patterns that we have had lately, maybe the problem of the '' botellón '' will disappear!
ELENA 1ºA
In my opinion, the big bottle is one of the most important problems of Spanish young people. Nowadays, all young people look forward to the weekend to go drinking with friends. I don't like to drink, and I've never been in a big bottle. In Salobreña, there are many people who do big bottle in winter but, in Summer it's worse! All young people on holidays make an enormous big bottle around the "peñón" (a big rock on the beach).
ResponderEliminarThe worst thing of big bottle is the noise produced by the young who carry cars with powerful speakers and put the music very loud. Many neighbors can not sleep and that causes them anxiety, stress, moodiness...
Another example is the Costa Brava of Catalonia. Young British and German tourists consider cities like Salou as the "alcohol paradise". German television invites young people to visit Salou only for drinking and go out at night. this is outrageous, and the city mayor has already taken some measures...
From my point of view “Bottellón” shouldn’t be neither positive nor negative for the image of our country abroad because I think that this phenomenon, typically in young people, don’t affect to the foreigners.
ResponderEliminarOn the one hand, I have seen in the news many times that young foreign people come to Spain to go to this nighttime activity because this party is celebrate in public areas where you can socialize while you’re drinking alcohol. Furthermore, “Botellón” is cheaper than drinking alcohol in bars or discos. Therefore, this is positive because young foreign people come to Spain in holiday.
But, on the other hand, “Botellón” has many problems because when people spend all night in the street at public areas they make a lot of noise, produce a lot of rubbish… Moreover, after drink alcohol people become careless and irresponsible and there are a lot of fights.
In my opinion this activity shouldn’t be prohibited because although authorities forbade it, people would continue participating. I think that people who participate in this activity must be responsible and not to destroy the place where they meet friends and drink alcohol.
Elena de la O López 2ºA Bach.
Nowadays this phenomenon, big bottle or how it is said in Spain: “El botellón” has been increasing in our country. More and more people, specially young people, involve in this big party. Firstly, I´m a teenager who enjoy with this event. My opinion on this is that it allows both young people and adults people to meet new friends, talk with them…On the one hand, the greatest advantage of big bottle is saving money; for instance, in bars and discos the price of drinks is too expensive and furthermore we must add the price of the ticket. Therefore the youth do use big bottle as a form of saving and because it isn´t need neither time or place to do it. But, on the other hand, big bottle has some drawbacks, and some people say it is a very serious problema for young people. One disadvantage of this is the noise produced by young: loud music, shouting, laughter and even fights. An other disadvantage is the rubbish, when the party has just finished, people leave bottles, glasses, bags…throw in the place where we celebrated big bottle. Finally, if all the people pick up the rubbish, not make noise and drink alcohol in moderation, the big bottle would be better and would have a more positive image.
ResponderEliminarI can understand when people complain about the "big bottle". It is true that it can be very noisy at night and it generates a lot of pollution. It must be very annoying if someone couldn’t sleep one night and the next day when he stands up, he see all the rubbish: plastic cups, bottles, plastic bags, etc… But I also can understand the youth. The "big bottle" doesn’t have to mean that everybody is going to be drunk, in fact, some people who doesn’t drink any alcohol go to the “botellón” because they know that they can meet many people there. In addition, young people don’t have much money and drinking at a "big bottle" is much cheaper than in a pub and there is no other place for them to meet.
ResponderEliminarIn my opnion, wherever you go, you will find young people together talking and drinking alcohol. I think that "El Botellón" is a typically Spanish phenomenon only because of the weather. For example, we usually see English football fans who are completely drunk when there is a match. Needless to say that in Spain alcohol is cheaper than in other countries. For this reason, when foreigners come here drink a lot of it.
ResponderEliminarI would say that we should learn how to drink with moderation. It is a pity when young people join in a place and leave it in a total mess. Not only do we have to throw out the litter, but we also should be careful with the noise we make. In other words, we must go to places where we don't bother other people, because youngsters are scandalous by nature.
But, from my point of view, it is not necessary to drink for having fun and, in that case, we could drink another kind of drinking which doesn't contain alcohol. Society has taught us that we socialize by drinking and that is what we learn and practice.
The practice of the big bottle is made in Spain for some years. Many young people meet in some remote places to drink alcohol. In stores minors buy alcohol and anybody asks their age. I think it should be prohibited because it is harmful to health and also disturb neighbours with noise and all the rubish that they left.
ResponderEliminarPaola Ruiz Fernández 2º ESO A
I think the practice of "BIG BOTTLE" is very bad , because cause problems related with young people, And the people sheds all to street.This causes a lot of pollution and many fights.
ResponderEliminarDaniel Martín Sánchez 3ºC
Alcohol is the principal health problem in the country. It is the drug of choice among youth. Many of them are experiencing the consequences of drinking too much, at too early an age. A lot of people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking.
ResponderEliminarBig Bottle is typically a nighttime Spanish activity.
People congregate in public areas to socialize while drinking alcohol.The activity is popular among teenagers, in consequence of the high price of drinks in bars, clubs ...
Maria Jose Garcia Gutiérrez 2ºA
In our country is normal to see this. All young people like it. Big Bottle is the prefer activity in young people.This activity takes place in public places such parks. The old people don't like Big Bottle because it is noisy. Big Bottle is at night therefore in the morning there is a lot of trash. Because of social problems generated this activity the Minister of Interior of Spain proposed in february 2002 law "Don't Big Bottle". A lot of young people have died to cause Big Bottle.
ResponderEliminarIrene Ramón Arellano 2ºAl.
The bottle was born in Spain, our country. When a group of young people or friends meet in a place to drink alcoholic drinks. They usually buy the drinks and glasses in nearby stores. I think it should be banned because the old persons say it is ugly and because I don't like it.
ResponderEliminarJoaquin Alejandro España Sánchez 2B
Alcohol is the principal health problem in the country. It is the most consumed drug among teenagers. Many of them are experiencing the consequences of drinking too much, at too early an age. A lot of people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking.
ResponderEliminarBig Bottle is typically a nighttime Spanish activity.
People congregate in public areas to socialize while drinking alcohol.The activity is popular among teenagers, it is mainly due to the high price of drinks in bars, clubs...
Maria Jose Garcia Gutiérrez 2º
Alcohol is the main problem of the country because people take it in and borachan and coducen without precaucion.los cosumen children under 18 years and the drug also things that are mortales.La drug is a very dangerous substance there are people who have killed by shots that matter.
ResponderEliminarJosé Manuel Ortiz Jiménez 2 DE ESO A
ResponderEliminarI think that is a concern especially for young people and children. Since what is consumed alcohol, which is a drug legalized for adults in Spain. Thus becomes a problem for young people, their families and neighbors living near the big botle.
I think it is negative because it is not nice, go down the street and see people lying on the floor surrounded by bottles and trash, and the danger that alcohol has on health. It's a big social problem and hope the authorities and laws get more education that this scourge disappears from the Spanish society.
Alba Arenas López 2ºA
I think that is a concern especially for young people and children. Since what is consumed alcohol, which is a drug legalized for adults in Spain. Thus becomes a problem for young people, their families and neighbors living near the big botle.
I think it is negative because it is not nice, go down the street and see people lying on the floor surrounded by bottles and trash, and the danger that alcohol has on health. It's a big social problem and hope the authorities and laws get more education that this scourge disappears from the Spanish society.
I think that is a concern especially for young people and children. Since what is consumed alcohol, which is a drug legalized for adults in Spain. Thus becomes a problem for young people, their families and neighbors living near the big botle.
I think it is negative because it is not nice, go down the street and see people lying on the floor surrounded by bottles and trash, and the danger that alcohol has on health. It's a big social problem and hope the authorities and laws get more education that this scourge disappears from the Spanish society.
Alba Arenas López 2ºA
Drinking alcohol is very easy in Spain. There are a lot of young people who are not over 18 years old who buy alcohol in small shops of my town.They drink all weekends and when it is a special holiday, but we know it´s very bad for our health. Stop drinking alcohol if you are under 18!
ResponderEliminarMargarita LLanes Venegas 2ºA
Drinking alcohol is very bad for the body. The "bottles" look much in Spain. The minimum age to consume and buy alcohol is 18 years. Minors also consume alcohol. Stores or supermarkets can not offer alcohol to minors. Some people end consuming alcohol every day and can not stop. Diseases affecting the brain. Drinking too much alcohol destroys the body inside and enters the blood. I do not advise drinking alcohol, alone at parties or occasions.
ResponderEliminarCarlos Bacas Ortega 3ºC
Alcohol is the principal health problem in the country. It is the drug of choice among youth. Thus becomes a problem for young people, their families and neighbors living near the big bottle. La drug is a very dangerous substance there are people who have killed by shots that matter. Although they still coming here, now they visit us because we have a care free medical country, for having parties, and it's helping to have a misconception of Spain. Drinking too much alcohol destroys the body inside and enters the blood. I do not advise drinking alcohol, alone at parties or occasions.
ResponderEliminarALBERTO ANTEQUERA GONZÁLEZ 2ºB
In the last year, it has become fashionable a phenomenon which is called big bottle. It is a social meeting where young people drink, talk , dance and they can know other people. The big bottle has advantages and disadvantages and you can find some of them.
ResponderEliminarOn the one hand, young people, who is studying, don't have enough money to go to the disc. Making a big bottle is cheaper than drink in a bar. Moreover, they can know a lot of different people. For this reason, they enjoy doing it.
On the other hand, there are some disadvantages of making a big bottle. For exmaple, some people drink too much alcohol and they can do a lot of noise. In adiction to this, when the big bottle finish there are rubbish everywhere. Consequently, the residents don't sleep very well and they are annoying.
In my opinion, it isn't necessary to drink alcohol in order to enjoy with the friends. Normally, my friends and I meet on saturdays evening and we eat pipes and drink a soft drin while we are listening music and talking.
David Fausto Fajardo Garcia 1º Bach B
Drinking alcohol is very bad for the health body, but alcohol is the typical drink in summer's nights, at the weekends or in a lot of birthdays. There are a lot of young people who are under 18 years old who drinking alcohol and buy this type of drink because there are small shop that sell alcohol to children under eighteen years old but the small shops have a cartel that say: "No sales of alcohol to under eighteen years old"
ResponderEliminarI think that drinking alcohol isn't good because when you are get drunk, later you are more silly and study is more difficult. SO STOP DRINKING ALCOHOL!!!!!
Alberto Pineda Montoro 2ºB
In Spain it is true that it is converting in a custom, it's very negative for us.
ResponderEliminarThe people drink without restraint, it don't care littering and disturbing others.
On the one hand,I think the big bottle finish if pubs have cheap drinks.
On the other hand, some people still prefer to drink in the street and littering.
I respect all opinions, because I do bottle, but without disturbing others and picking up trash.
Claudia Rodriguez 2º bach
Este comentario ha sido eliminado por el autor.
ResponderEliminarIn Spain, young people start drinking from a very early age because they believe that if their friends drink, they should also drink, for fear of being separated from the group. And what they do not know is that drinking alcohol is bad for their health. We should not drink alcohol until we are 18 years old. Because if you start drinking very young it will be bad for you when you are older. Drinking alcohol a lot of is bad because when you have drunk a lot you are not aware of what you are doing and something bad can happen to you. When we go to drink in the street with our friends, we should try not to disturb the people who are sleeping and not leave everything full of bottles.
ResponderEliminarEste comentario ha sido eliminado por el autor.
ResponderEliminarIn Spain, alcohol is one of the biggest health problems among young people. From my point of view, getting drunk is not good fun because on many occasions you are not aware of what you do. As well, after having these parties, they leave all the places where they hold it dirty and they much such noise that disturbs the neighbourhood...many occasions you are not aware of what you do. As well, after having these parties, they leave all the places where they hold it dirty and they much such noise that disturbs the neighbourhood... That seems disrespectful to people who live in that place they have left all full of litter.
ResponderEliminarEverybody thinks that if you go to a party and you don't drink, you are a boring person and even your friends can reject you for that. But I think that to have fun it is not necessary to get drunk just have a good time with your friends, meet people and dance.
Nowadays, in Spain young people start drinking very soon. Many young people think that if they don't drink like their friends, they think they will be rejected from that group and that's why they drink.
ResponderEliminarDrinking alcohol is bad for your health. Drinking a lot of alcohol is bad, since you're not aware of what you're doing and something bad can happen to you.
At parties, teenagers make a bottle; a group of friends gather and everyone buys alcohol, they talk and dance.
The bottle has some advantages and disadvantages that are the following
Advantages: You save money, since alcohol is very expensive in bars and pads, and if you buy alcohol among your group of friends, you get more profitable and save money,
Disadvantages: The noise that young people make, the volume of lamusica very high ... annoy neighbors who live in that area; another disadvantage is the garbage left by young people when they finish, such as glasses, bottles, bags ...
If the teenagers did not make so much noise and did not leave the trash thrown away, it would not be bad to make a bottle, and they would not represent a negative image
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ResponderEliminarIn Sapin, most teenagers consume alcohol. It could be occasionally or even habitually.
ResponderEliminarYoung people start drinking alcohol with 15-16 years old. Many problems are related to alcohol consumption, but what about the alcohol consumption among teenagers under 18?
There are lots of problems related to alcohol. Teenagers can get it easily. In large supermarkets they cannot buy it because assistants ask them for an identity card but in a small supermarket teenagers can buy it without any problem. The shop assistant won't ask them for an identity card. Even if they couldn't buy alcohol themselves, this would not be a problem. They can ask a friend to buy it.
Spanish teenagers often start consuming alcohol with friends in a party. They don't know the risk to which they are submitted. They have to be conscious they are in the adolescence, their bodies are changing and they are not prepared enough. There is no a reason why teenagers start drnking. It is thought that they start doing it to integrate in social groups or by the influence of older people.
Teenagers are the most affected by the consumption of alcohol because their bodies are not formed yet. Alcohol produces many types of cancer in many parts of the body. The liver is one of the organs most affeced. It filters alcohol.
Moreover, alcohol damages parts of the brain that are crucial for decision-making and decreases the ability to concentrate. The possibility of having an accident on the road is multiplied if you have drunk alcohol because the reaction time behind the wheel decreases.
Ethyl coma is a very serious problem which can kill you. Some people have died because they haven't controlled the consumption of alcohol. They can lose memory and pass out. Everyone should be very careful whith alcohol.
From my point of view, consuming alcohol is a bad decision. Parents and teachers should warn teenagers about the consequences. Alcohol produces a lot of diseases and is harmful for you.
María Prados
Este comentario ha sido eliminado por el autor.
ResponderEliminar‘’The Big Bottle’’ is a typically Spanish phenomenon among teenagers and young adults. They meet up in public areas to socialize while drinking alcohol, smoking and listening to music. The activity usually begins around 11 p.m. and lasts until the next morning. But what could be the consequences of this activity?
ResponderEliminarOn the one hand, the main problem is that many young people experience drinking at very early ages. Researches show that many teenagers start drinking at the age of 14. As a result, underage drinking is a serious health problem worldwide. Every year, thousands of young people under the age of 20 die as a result of underage drinking. Young people who drink heavily may risk serious alcohol problems, such as alcoholism and important effects on their brain, their liver and their body growth and development, in general. In addition, they risk other adverse consequences, including risky sexual activity and poor performance at school.
On the other hand, ‘’the big bottle’’ participants leave public areas vandalized and full of rubbish. What’s more, the noise can disturb surrounding residents who get frustrated because they cannot take any action against drunken people, as these can turn very violent.
To sum up, ‘’the big bottle’’ phenomenon is a dangerous activity for both young drinkers and the society. Alcohol is widely available nowadays and it is the main cause of car crashes, homicides, suicides and sexual violence. Although drinking in the streets is prohibited in our country, I believe this phenomenon is a serious social problem because it is still very common among us.
In our country, drinking at very early ages, specially under 16 years old is something very actual nowadays. Sometimes people met in hided areas to drink alcohol, to play and sometimes to smoke for not being seen by the police, especially on holidays.
ResponderEliminarThis phenomenon only causes bad problems. One of them is that most of the people nowadays in our country start drinking at fifteen years old approximately, which causes lots of health, school and social problems. Sport is one of the best solutions to this problem, because avoids all of these situations; but there are particular cases in which sportive people drink anyway, which is a great stupidity because alcohol in young people makes that their physical performance gets worse and worse.
The other main problem is that when all this people meet together and they drink and practice other illegal activities, they break and leave everything messed up in their path. When they leave the streets and homes with bottles and rubbish everywhere, there is someone who has to tidy all up again, normally streets sweepers. When they celebrate parties and practice ‘The big bottle’ in houses, the property of the house has the responsibility to tidy all up and to pay everything which is broken. This normally generates conflicts between them.
From my point of view, I think that these activities are a very bad thing and I also think that people at our age could do much more things to have more fun than drinking and smoking. It’s a real shame that people start drinking and smoking so young and they could do more sport and meet their friends and do healthy things.
Álvaro Martín Moliz 1º BACH
Big bottle is the place where young people meet, it is usually outdoors; in this place young people listen to music, talk to each other, dance and drink alcoholic drinks that they have bought in supermarkets, so getting drunk is cheaper.
ResponderEliminarTo go to the big bottle you must be 18 years old, although people do not respect it, and there are children as young as 14 years old. I think that drinking alcohol so young is not good, on the contrary, it is bad for our organism, for our brain, it even creates addiction and it is also the cause of many fights between teenagers.
I have not tried alcohol yet, I only drink juices, coke, fanta ... I think it is the best for me because seeing 14-year-olds who get drunk is not a sign of maturity otherwise immaturity. I think a world without alcohol would be the best.
Francisco José Prados Espinosa 3º
Alcohol is a pretty big problem in our society when you don't drink responsibly. When you drink a little alcohol nothing happens but in large quantities it is dangerous and more so if you do it often.
ResponderEliminarIn Spain a very typical thing is the big bottle. The big bottles are meetings of people (normally young) to drink alcohol in the street. This is prohibited and if the police see you they can fine you.
I recently saw on the news a big big bottle in Barcelona attended by about 40,000. Then the police came and managed to catch some.
Big bottles are not only a problem for people who are drinking alcohol, they are also a problem for the environment. when they do
a big bottle usually do not pick up anything when they leave and leave bottles and plastic on the ground.