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I don’t really have any strong opinion …

E. WRITING. Project-work.

E1. Think of some things the government should ban (or allow) in your opinion. Write a short composition explaining your point of view. Here are some topics you can think over:

vegetarianism homelessness women in the military testing on animals embryo research

pornography on the Internet nuclear energy

zoos

genetically engineered food soap operas

LESSON 5

A. DISCUSSION

A1. Discuss the following:

1.What is the law in your country concerning both possession of drugs and drug dealing?

2.Do you know what soft drugs and hard drugs are?

B. READING

B1. Read the text. Define the main idea of each of the three parts, summarize it in a few words, and give a title for each part.

KEY VOCABULARY

Misuse (n) – злоупотребление possession (n) – владение,

обладание

supply (v) – поставлять, снабжать

harm (n) – вред imprisonment (n) – тюремное заключение

fine (n) – штраф

life sentence – пожизненное заключение

1. ________________________

Legal drugs like alcohol, cigarettes and solvents* are the most popular ones. But there are still rules about who can buy them and how they can be used. Certain drugs are controlled by the law. Illegal drugs like speed, cannabis, crack, ecstasy*, heroin, LSD, magic mushrooms, etc. are controlled under a law called the Misuse of Drugs Act. People who have these drugs in their possession, use them or supply them to other people are committing a criminal offence. The law puts illegal drugs into three classes: A,B, and C – according to the harm that they can do to you. Class A is the most harmful. Maximum penalty under the Misuse of Drugs Act for possession of class A drugs is seven-years’ imprisonment plus fine, for supply of these drugs – life sentence plus fine. Maximum penalty that can be given for possession of class C drugs is two-years-imprisonment plus fine, and 14 years plus fine for supply of such drugs.

2. _________________________

Some people including police officers and politicians, have recently been suggesting that the laws for some drugs like cannabis should be relaxed. The US government has made some changes to the law on cannabis, but it still remains an illegal drug.

In the Netherlands, for example, people are permitted to carry small amount of cannabis or other “soft” drugs, but only for their personal use. The Dutch government went further and allowed special cafes, but only those which are licensed by local authorities, to sell “soft” drugs. They believe that such approach may help to control the abuse of “hard” drugs.

In the USA some politicians also agree that some “soft” drugs, like marijuana, should be made legal. The reason for that they see in the fact, that cancer patients buy it for pain relief and, therefore, marijuana actually does some good in comparison with alcohol and cigarettes which are more addictive and more harmful but are legal. Some people think that legalizing drugs could make the job of law officers much easier. Other people strongly oppose legalizing drugs, they believe this would worsen the drug problem.

3. ________________________

Many private companies in United Kingdom and in the United States are adopting drug-testing practices and require workers to submit to random test, or even incorporate it into recruitment procedure. Civil liberties groups suggest it may be an infringement of human rights in cases where recreational drug use has no effect on work performance and safety.

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solvent – растворитель

speed, cannabis, crack, ecstasy – виды наркотиков (гашиш, крэк, экстази)

C. COMPREHENSION

C1. According to the text, which of these statements are true?

1.Alcohol, cigarettes and solvents are legal drugs. Anyone can buy them without restrictions.

2.Only hard drugs are controlled by law.

3.Drugs are divided into classes according to a harm they can do.

4.In the Netherlands anyone can use or sell cannabis.

5.Certain drugs can help people who are ill.

6.The US government has made cannabis legal drug.

7.Legalizing “soft” drugs will make the job of police officers easier.

8.Alcohol and cigarettes are less addictive and harmful than drugs.

9.Many British and American companies want their workers to pass drug tests.

D.VOCABULARY

D1. Find in the text the following expressions:

1)контролироваться законом

2)совершать уголовное преступление

3)максимальное наказание

4)законы должны стать менее строгими

5)контролировать злоупотребление сильных наркотиков

6)алкоголь и сигареты вызывают большую зависимость

7)включать тест на употребление наркотиков при приеме на работу

8)группы по защите гражданских свобод

9)нарушение прав человека

10)не оказывать влияния на выполнение работы

D2. Translate the sentences paying attention to the words in bold type.

HELPFUL VOCABULARY

Criminal, fine, harm, imprisonment, infringement, life sentence, possession, recruitment, relax, require, sentence (v), submit, supply, violation

1)К сожалению, мы больше не имеем этих записей в нашем распоряжении.

2)Они использовали деньги, чтобы обеспечить школу новыми учебниками.

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3)Принятие этого закона может серьезно навредить репутации президента.

4)Многие школы смягчили правила касающиеся ношения школьной формы.

5)Я должен был заплатить большой штраф за нарушение правил парковки.

6)Ситуация требует того, чтобы я там присутствовал.

7)Одного из преступников приговорили к 10 годам лишения свободы, другому дали пожизненное заключение.

8)Во время приема на работу многие люди подвергаются

проверке на употребление наркотиков. Они считают это нарушением их гражданских свобод.

D3. Word study: MISUSE and ABUSE

Misuse (v) – to use something in the wrong way or for the wrong purpose. Misuse (n) – when something is used in the wrong way or for the wrong purpose.

Politicians misused public money on entertaining their business guests. Opponents of genetic engineering see it as a misuse of scientific knowledge. She was accused of misusing company funds.

This new computer system is completely unnecessary and a misuse of taxpayer’s money.

Abuse (v) – 1. to use something for a bad purpose, especially in a way that is unfair or that harms other people. – 2. to treat someone in a bad, dishonest or harmful way.

Abuse (n) – 1. when something is used in a bad, dishonest, or harmful way. – 2. cruel, violent, or unfair treatment.

Local politicians abused their privileges to make themselves rich. Don’t abuse the confidence they have placed in you.

There is wide spread abuse of power in many countries. Drugs and alcohol abuse contributed to his early death.

E. DISCUSSION

E1. Work in groups of 3-4. Find out how many of you agree or disagree with the following specific statements:

•Most crime is caused by drug use.

•Alcohol and cigarettes cause more problems than illegal drugs.

•Experimenting with drugs is not very dangerous. You just need to know when to stop.

•Students who bring drugs in college or university must be expelled.

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•Cannabis use should be made legal.

•Young people use drugs because their friends force them to do so.

•Once you are addicted to a drug it is almost impossible to stop using it.

•It’s embarrassing to refuse a drink.

•Drinking alcohol makes you look cool.

•Alcohol helps you socialize with others.

•Laws on alcohol consume should be stricter.

E2. Work in pairs. Discuss the following situations (they take place not in the Netherlands) to decide if these people are breaking the law. First say your opinion, then see the right answers in the end of the module.

1.Pete is having a party in his flat. There is a lot of booze and some people are smoking cannabis. Pete is not smoking himself but knows it is going on. Is Pete breaking the law?

2.David smokes cannabis but claims he can’t be punished by law because he is a Rastafarian*. His religion approves smoking of marijuana. Is he breaking a law?

3.Mary is 14 and she goes into her local shop to buy some cigarettes. Is she breaking the law?

4.Richard and his friends put their money together to buy some

cannabis. Richard takes the money and buys it from a man he knows. When he returns he shares the cannabis out with his friends Can Richard be arrested for being a drug dealer?

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Rastafarians – a religious group which originated in Jamaica. They gather to smoke marijuana and discuss ethical, social and religious matters.

F. WRITING. Project-work.

F1. Here is an opinion of a young American concerning drug laws. Read it and write to him an answer giving your vision of the problem.

“ Some politicians on Capital Hill want to deprive us Americans of our rights and freedoms. These politicians promote the fiction that drug laws help and more drug laws would help more. They all stand guilty of fostering public hysteria about drugs. In all and all, the drug laws are hurting more people than the drugs themselves. If drugs were legal, the average person could walk into a corner store and buy a bag of weed like it was a pack of cigarettes or a pack of chewing gum. They wouldn’t have to go to a dealer and purchase it illegally. If the government was smart it would see that it could profit a lot from the sale of drugs. Just like they have from the sale of