Are you hooked?

1. 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 - such as picking your spots! 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?

2. 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?’

3.Addiction to exercise can ruin your life, Janine learnt to her cost. ‘I was swimming at least fifty lengths a day, I jogging to the gym and doing three j 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.’ Well-known 4.Member of Parliament, Tony Benn, just can’t live without his favourite drink. He has on average t eighteen pints of tea a day and his I addiction has raised concern about his health. When he collapsed recently, j some people blamed his excessive tea drinking. Mr Benn has calculated that, j. over the years, he has drunk enough tea (around 300,000gallons) to displace an [ ocean-going liner. If he ever tried to I stop, he would find it agonising.

5 .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 realise I’d become so addicted.’ Anne’s family have now removed her satellite receiver.from Best magazine.

(First Certificate Gold coursebook Richard Alkham).

Ex 5. Discuss the following questions.

1. What advice would you give to the four addicts (and their families) in the article?

2. Would you say you were addicted to anything?

Lesson 6.1.3. Health and fitness

How

are you?

Ex 1. Answer the questions and see where you are on the fit-o-meter.Part1.

1. When do you get up?

I get up before seven o'clock./ Late. I get up ten minutes before school starts.

2. What's your favourite sport?

I like most sports./ I like most sports (on TV).

3. What do you have for breakfast?

I don't have time for breakfast. I have a coffee and a cake at eleven o'clock./ Eggs, muesli and a glass of orange juice.

4. How do you get to school?

I go by bus or car. /I go by bike or on foot.

5.What do you eat at break time?

A packet of crisps and a chocolate bar./ An apple and some mineral water.

6.When you play sports at school, do you:

hire in the clinging rooms? / stay for extra practice?

7.How much fruit do you eat?

I eat five pieces of fruit a day. / Sometimes I eat fruit sweets.

8.What do you do in your free time?

I sit in front of the TV and eat chocolate./ Free time? Never! I am always busy.

Ex 2. Now add up your points. where are you on the fit-o-meter? draw an arrow.

1 a=6 b=1 2 a=1 b=6 3 a=2 b=7

4 a=2 b=6 5 a=2 b=6 6 a=1 b=5

7 a=6 b=2 8 a=6 b=2

Ex 3. Answer the questions below. Part 2

When people call "help" do you run towards them or run away from them?

1. A wasp stings your friend. You quickly go and get some

a) cold water. b) butter. c) vinegar.

2. Your friend's nose is bleeding. You quickly

a) put his head back (so he is looking at the ceiling). b) put his head down (so he is looking at the floor). c) wash his face.

3. Help! Your friend has swallowed something poisonous. Stop! Don't

a) give her a drink of water! b) make her sick! c) call the doctor!

4. Your friend has fainted. You put his body

a) in this position:

5. Your friend has burned his arm, but not badly.

a) You call the ambulance. b) You hold it under the cold water tap for ten minutes. c) You put a loose bandage on it.

6. What is a safe body temperature?

a) 36°C-38°C b) 30°C-43°C c) 35°C. More or less is dangerous.

Give three marks for each correct answer. 1c 2b 3b 4a 5b 6a

14-18 marks: Brilliant! Are you a doctor?

8-13 marks: Good! Your friends are lucky.

3-7 marks: It's time to learn some first aid.

0-2 marks: Aaagghh!.

Ex 4. HEALTH AND FITNESS part 3.Answer the questions.

Your bus passes you as you are walking to the bus stop. What do you do?

a) I run for the bus stop and arrive there at the same time as the bus. All the passengers are looking at me in amazement and cheering.

b) I run for the bus stop and arrive there panting and sweating just as the bus is leaving.

c) I continue walking. There'll be another bus in half an hour and I don't want to get all sweaty and out of breath.

ARE YOU FIT ENOUGH TO RUN A MARATHON? TRY OUR QUIZ TO FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF bl FITNESS PERSONALITY YOU ARE.

What's your attitude towards sport?

a) I'm good at sport and I'm in several teams.

b) I enjoy playing sport at school.

c) I hate all sport and I don't do sport if possible.

The analysis

Mostly a: You are extremely fit and with a little training you probably could run a marathon.

Mostly b: You are an active person so you are quite fit. To become really fit, you need more dedication. Mostly c: You are very lazy and you aren't fit at all. Get out of your chair and start exercising.

(Mary Glasgow magazine)