Are You Hooked?

No one likes to admit they're an addict. They are sad creatures ruled by deadly substances such as tobacco or alcohol. But there are others less damaging to the health. Like it or not, large numbers of us are addicts. Addictions can be chemical (caffeine), emotional (shopping), physical (exercise) or downright strange. You're the odd one out if you don't have at least one everyday addiction. What do you do when you feel under pressure, bored or depressed? Get lost in the world of TV? Go shopping? Eat one bar of chocolate after another?

Becci has been a chocaholic for ten years. 'I just get an urge for it— a need,' says Becci. 'I really don't know why, it's just so delicious. People say that chocolate can make up for lost passion—I don't know about that, but I love the way it melts in my mouth.' Every day, Becci gets through several bars of her favourite Cadbury's chocolate (the one with the soft caramel centre is the best). But it's not only the bars she goes for— hot chocolate drinks and chocolate cakes are also essentials. Towards exam time, Becci feels she has to increase her intake to cope with all the work. 'If I get up late, I'll have chocolate for breakfast, then more and more during the day. I am addicted. It's like smoking, I suppose, but I have no plans to give it up. If I like it so much, why should I?'

Addiction to exercise can ruin your life, Janine learnt to her cost. 'I was swimming at least fifty lengths a day, jogging to the gym and doing three aerobic classes a week. At home, I used an exercise bike and keep-fit videos. My husband said that I didn't have time for him, and he was right. But I couldn't believe it when he left me. Finally, I came to my senses, I wanted to get fit but it all got out of hand and my addiction ruined my marriage. Now, I'm seeing a counsellor and gradually reducing the amount of exercise I do.'

One Member of Parliament just couldn't live without his favourite drink. He had on average eighteen pints of tea a day and his addiction raised concern about his health. When he collapsed, some people blamed his excessive tea drinking. This man has calculated that, over the years, he had drunk enough tea (around 300,000 gallons) to displace an ocean-going liner. If he ever tied to stop, he would find it agonising.

Anne shopped for thirteen hours a day without leaving her living room— she was addicted to TV shopping. When she got home from her job as a nightcare worker at 8.30 a.m., Anne would immediately tune into a satellite TV shopping channel and buy everything in sight. Her home was soon an Aladdin's cave of household goods and trendy clothes she didn't need. When her cash ran out, she stole money from the elderly patients in her care and was charged with theft. 'It seemed so easy,' she says. I didn't realize I'd become so addicted.' Anne's family have now removed her satellite receiver.

to hook	набути пристрасті до чого-н.
addict	людина, яка має пристрасть до чого-н.
downright	просто
essentials	речі першої потреби
intake	споживання
to her cost	на своє лихо
come to one’s senses	схаменутися
get out of hand	повністю оволодіти
concern	тривога, занепокоєння
to collapse	звалитися
agonising	болісний
trendy	модний
run out	кінчатися
to charge	звинувачувати

Task 4. Read the following dialogue.

Waiter:	Good evening. Welcome to the restaurant for vegetarians!
David:	Good evening. I have a table booked for two under the name of Malforns.
Waiter:	Yes, sir. Would you like to come this way? Can I take you coat, madam?
Joanna:	Thank you.
Waiter:	Would you like this table by the window?
David:	That will be fine, thanks.
Waiter:	Would you like a drink before your meal?
Joanna:	Yes. A glass of mineral water, please.
David:	Could we see the menu?
Waiter:	Certainly. Here it is.
Waiter:	What would you like, madam?
Joanna:	I’d like some salad which is the specialty of the house.
David:	I’d like boiled potatoes and asparagus.
Joanna:	No asparagus for me. I’ll have carrots and cauliflower. And do you have new potatoes?
Waiter:	I’m very sorry, madam, but we’ve run out of new potatoes. They’ve been very popular this evening.
Joanna:	Oh, dear…Well, I’ll have mashed potatoes then.
Waiter:	Fine. Have you chosen your wine, sir?
David:	Yes. We’ll have a half bottle of white wine.
Waiter:	Certainly, sir. Will you want dessert?
Joanna:	Frozen strawberry juice for me, please.
David:	And I’d like some fresh pine-apple.
Waiter:	Will you have tea to follow?
David:	Tea, Joanna? Yes, two.

Task 5. Make up dialogues using active vocabulary of the lesson on the topics:

a) “Are you addicted?”

b) “My own diet”

c) “Fasting is the best diet”