ENGLISH WORKSHEET

Many young Americans regard a few drinks as a crucial part of a good night out, but the fact remains that alcohol is a drug and one which causes more problems than just about any other.
lcohol is an integral part of most Western cultures, yet it is one that many people think we would be better off without. Shockingly, alcohol was the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. in 1999. It can cause a range of problems such as addiction, liver damage, and risky behavior leading to accidents and unsafe sex. In high enough doses it can be fatal; and the link between alcohol use and violence is well established. Old enough to know better? At 21 years, the U.S. has one of the highest legal minimum drinking ages in the world. This high limit has saved thousands of lives through averted drink-driving accidents, and research has shown that delaying the onset of drinking reduces alcohol consumption for the rest of your life and reduces your likelihood of becoming an alcoholic. But American teenagers feel that the limit is unreasonably high. After all, they can vote, marry, buy a house, and join the armed forces before the age of 21. And so by obtaining alcohol from adults, using fake identification or buying from vendors who do not ask for ID American teenagers drink illegally, and without adult supervision. Even President Bushs twin teenage daughters have been repeatedly caught under-age drinking. Our culture promotes through advertising, the media, and individual behavior the idea that if you drink, you will have a good time. So of course teens want to join in the fun. But teenagers are often less capable of judging how much they can safely drink. They are also susceptible to peer pressure to drink large amounts, leading to frightening stories like the death of 19-year-old Daniel Reardon, a freshman at the University of Maryland. He was involved in a night of binge drinking in his fraternity in February 2002 and consumed so much alcohol that he effectively poisoned himself, and after he lost consciousness during the night, other students could not revive him. Binge drinking in college Binge drinking among university students has become such a problem that the U.S. Surgeon General has declared a national goal of halving college drinking by 2010. But with heavy alcohol use at university One reason I dont drink is that I want to know when Im having a good time.
NANCY ASTOR

being regarded as a rite of passage, such targets may be difficult to achieve. This is not helped by college bars such as the one at Georgetown University in Washington DC, running a promotion where the names of students who visit the bar for 100 consecutive days including exam periods are inscribed onto plaques on the bar wall for posterity. Another worrying trend is the dramatic increase in heavy drinking among women. Womens bodies cannot cope with as much alcohol as men can. Research shows that women experience alcohol-related liver damage at lower consumption levels than men, and women face other health risks for instance drinking while pregnant can harm your baby. A unified message Many alcohol experts worry that as alcohol companies generate huge revenues and employ vast numbers of people, they are a powerful lobbying force. When faced with such strong opposition, governments are not willing to raise awareness of the risks of alcohol use. President George W. Bush is himself a reformed alcoholic; his daughters have been caught under-age drinking , and his brother-in-law is chief lobbyist for the wine industry association so he doesnt want to talk about alcoholrelated problems. The U.S. has pledged nearly $180 million this year on national youth anti-drug campaigns, but none of this goes towards the most commonly used drug in the U.S. alcohol. Many non-profit groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving are campaigning to control alcohol use, but it seems likely that unless the government, alcohol industry and parents all unite and face their responsibility to inform and protect their children, binge drinking among American teens is a risk that is here to stay.
Rosie Milner, In Current, N 4, March-April 2003, Mary Glasgow Magazines People these days are thinking less and drinking more Eartha

ALCOHOL STATISTICS

44% of U.S. college students engaged in binge drinking during the two weeks before they were surveyed.
Source: College Alcohol Survey in 1999

Among young adults aged 18 to 25, 19,9 drove cars while under the influence of alcohol in 2000.
Source: National Household Survey on Drug Use

Teenagers who begin drinking alcohol before the age of 17 are 3 to 4 times more likely to be in a fight after consuming alcohol, when compared with adults who begin drinking over the age of 21.

Source: Dr Ralph Hingson, Boston University

50% of High School seniors report drinking in the last 30 days and 32% report becoming drunk during the same time.
Source: Schneider Institute for Healthy Policy

37% of 8th graders who drink

heavily attempt suicide, while 11% of non-drinking 8th graders attempt suicide.
Source: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse

More than 40% of individuals who begin drinking alcohol at age 13 or younger will develop alcohol dependence.
Source: National Longitudinal Study

GLOSSARY
to avert to prevent from occurring; binge short period of excessive indulgence: the Harvard School of Public Health defines binge drinking as 5 or more drinks in one sitting for men and 4 or more for women; fraternity select college club for male students; freshman first year student; to half to cut in two; to lobby to try to influence legislators; peer pressure influence from members of ones own age group; to reform to give up, to improve or change; rite of passage event marking an important stage in ones life (birth, marriage, etc.); Surgeon General person in charge of Public Health; susceptible likely to give in to; can be easily influenced;

A. Find words in the text which mean:

Paragraph 1

Paragraph 3 essential part of

1 1 an

11 awareness of oneself and ones

surroundings ____________________________________ Paragraph 4 1. announced __________________________

_____________________

1 1 surprisingly
__________________________

1 1 unprotected
__________________________

1 1 causing
_________________________

death

Paragraph 2 1. approved by law _______________________ 2. start _________________________________ 3. amount drunk _________________________ 4. possibility ____________________________

11 considered
______________________

to

be

11 aims
________________________________

1 1 unfairly
______________________________

11 carved

or ____________________

engraved

1 1 false
________________________________
B.

Paragraph 6 1. create _______________________________ 2. promised ____________________________

Reread the article and say whether these statements are True or False.

1. Experts havent been able to prove a direct link between alcohol and violence. 2. Alcohol was until recently the 4th leading cause of death in the U.S.A. 3. There is no link between alcohol and liver damage. 4. U.S. teens cant buy a house or join the army until they are 21 years old. 5. The legal age for drinking in the U.S.A. is 21. 6. You are less likely to become an alcoholic if you dont drink in your teens. 7. Peer pressure stops a lot of people drinking. 8. Levels of drinking amongst women have not risen so much as amongst men. 9. Womens bodies are better at coping with alcohol than mens. 10. George W. Bush doesnt like to talk about alcohol-related problems. 11. The U.S. has promised to spend $180 a year persuading people to give up alcohol. 12. Mothers Against Drunk driving has raised a lot of money campaigning against driving. C. Now complete these sentences with information from the article.

11 Liver damage and risky behaviour are some

______________________________________________

11 In most countries the legal minimum drinking age is _________________________________

U.S.A.

11 ____________________________________________________ are some of the factors which

contribute to alcohol consumption amongst teenagers.

11 Some traditions in college make it difficult to

_____________________________________________

11 Women should not ___________________________________________ because

_______________ _________________________________________________.

11 The government _______________________________________ anti-alcohol campaigns this

year.

1 1 Mothers Against Drunk Driving is a ______________________________ which

________________ ____________________________________________.