13. Comment on the following.

In recent years smoking has received a lot of bad publicity in Great Britain and other civilized countries. In both the US and the UK, there are more and more restrictions on people smoking in public places. Restaurants and most office buildings do not allow smoking at all. Most plane journeys are also non-smoking. Smoking is banned on the London Underground, in cinemas and theatres, and on most buses. There are special smokers’ carriages on trains.

The governments of the both countries demand that cigarette companies print a health warning on all cigarette packets. Cigarette advertising is banned on television and radio.

1) What measures are taken against smoking in Russia? Do you think they are effective enough?

2) What restrictions would you impose on smoking and selling tobacco?

3) What measures do you think can really prevent people (both adults and children) from smoking?

14. Read the text below and be ready to discuss it.

Good beer and good cheer top pubs list

A national survey on the public’s attitude to beer and pubs, has made the none-too-startling discovery that the pub is still the most popular place of entertainment for most people. The survey has found that half the men in the UK and a quarter of the women, visit a pub at least once a week. About half the pub-goers have a local which they prefer to any other. Women are as inclined as men to have a regular pub.

But the sexes diverge when it comes to what they expect from a pub. They all agree that cleanliness, comfort and friendliness are the most important criteria. But women put clean toilets at the top of the list, while men judge it by amiability of the bar staff, closely followed by whether it is frequented by their friends (the lads). The third key point among men is whether their favourite beer is on tap, whereas this hardly interests women at all. The fastidious woman puts clean glasses after clean loos, followed by comfortable seats and friendly bar staff.

The poll shows that younger men drink the most, but 55 % of beer drinkers say they drink no more than two pints per visit. Only 10 % of those questioned wanted a reduction in the age limit of 18 for drinkers, and 11 % wanted it raised.

Most men in the UK (88 %) normally drink beer¹ – a brown or dark-brown form of the drink, such as bitter or stout, though men under 24 prefer the clear yellow draught lager. Anyway, draught bitter still holds its own as the overall favourite tipple. However, 67 % of women drink other types of alcohol, particularly spirits.

Discuss the following questions.

1) Did the survey show high or low rates of alcohol consumption in the UK?

2) Is the culture of alcohol consumption in the UK different from that in Russia? In what way?

3) Nowadays many people are concerned about the growing problem of beer alcoholism which is especially widespread among the young, including women. Do you think their worry is justified? What effect does beer addiction have on human (esp. a woman’s/ teenager’s) health?

4) Do you think that the sale of alcohol should be restricted in any way? What other restrictions apart from the age limit should be imposed on selling and drinking alcohol?

While discussing the text make use of the additional vocabulary related to the problem:

alcohol abuse, alcoholic beverages, hard/ soft/ alcohol-free drinks, a drinks party, to drink socially, to drink one’s troubles away, to drink oneself into unconsciousness, to drive someone to drink, drink/ drunk-driving, legal age for drinking alcohol.