The light of Our great master will be eternal and it will show us the way in this world of darkness. It is already one year ago when Dr. Neil McLaren passed away and many generations of teachers still miss him, but he is surely present in our classes if we still try to take after him.
Here's my musical hint in honour of such an example for so many: Eternal flame by The Bangles, and this is a version with lyrics for you to sing along!
All those people who have been paramount in our lives are so alive in our hearts and they are kind of eternal flames that warm us up all along this tough cold day-to-day life.
So
what's, in your opinion, the best thing that has happened this year?
And what thing could we have done better? What has been the best song in
2023, in your opinion?
Here are some activities for you to do:
- Learn how to speak English naturally: How to get back on topic (BBC Learning English)
Listening exercise for you to do: Our love of pets (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)
Pronunciation: When can 't' sound like 'p' (BBC Learning English)
The English We Speak: I'm out (BBC Learning English)
English with Lucy: How to order coffee in English (Advanced English C1-C2)
Activities for my students in Bachillerato.....
Getting ready for Bachillerato.....
203. READING & COMPREHENSION. Read the text below about how liquor companies advertise their products.
Death by advertising
In many countries, young people have a more active social life than any other group in society. This means that they spend a lot of time in pubs, bars, discotheques and clubs. Therefore, young people are a natural target for advertisers, especially the advertisers who work for liquor companies. Promotions and advertising campaigns aim at introducing young people to different brands of liquor. The idea is to attract as many young people as possible into a club or a bar. In this way, they create a new generation of drinkers, who will go on drinking for the rest of their lives. Companies advertise drinks at cheaper prices together with free T-shirts, caps and posters in order to encourage teenagers to try new "tastes" in hard liquor. One vodka company actually held a competition at a university. The prize was free vodka for a whole term.
Health experts have strongly criticized this form of advertising. They argue that young people are unaware of the dangers of alcohol. The main danger, they say, is the serious risk to life when young people drink large amounts of liquor and then try to drive home. Drunken driving involving teenagers is a serious problem in many European countries, where drinking in bars is becoming more popular among teenagers. Drunken driving often leads to injury and death because young people are unaware of how drinking affects their judgement and reaction time. An unfortunate example of the effects of alcohol is the case of a young girl who collapsed in her home after drinking 17 tequilas at a liquor promotion. Later, when she was leaning out of her window to get some fresh air, she fell to her death.
Experts on alcoholism believe that the only way to prevent this disturbing trend is to teach teenagers the facts about the effects of alcohol on the body and to make them aware of the risks they take when they drink and drive.
Perhaps they should also show teenagers how they are manipulated by advertisers who are not concerned about the consequences, but only about making a profit.
UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
1. Which two types of liquor are mentioned in the text? ____________________________________
2. Give two examples of free gifts the liquor companies give to teenagers. _____________________
3. Try to find the words in the text for the following definitions (one clue: they are in order) :
a. something that you want to reach; aim, objective. ______________________________
b. a product of a particular company. ______________________________
c. to give active approval to. ______________________________
d. to have no knowledge of. ______________________________
e. to be worried about. ______________________________
4. Say whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE according to the text.
a. Young people spend a lot of their time in pubs and discotheques ________
b. Liquor companies are not interested in selling to teenagers. ________
c. Free gifts are used to persuade teenagers to try new drinks. ________
d. The drinks sold as promotions are very expensive. ________
e. The most serious consequence of teenage drinking is drunken driving. ________
f. Teenagers are not aware of the effects of alcohol on the body. ________
g. Liquor companies only care about making a profit on alcohol. ________
5. Define the following words from the text:
Advertising (l. 3) , Prize (l. 7) , Expert (l. 9)
204. COMPOSITION. Write a composition about anything you have just read in the text or your personal opinion about the problem of drinking among teenagers. (80 - 100 words)
"All work and no play makes Jack/Jill a dull boy/girl"
