Strong Drinks

The attitude to alcohol in Britain is ambivalent. On the one hand, it is accepted and welcomed as an integral part of British culture. The local pub plays an important role in almost every neighbour - hood – and pubs, it should be noted are predominantly for the drinking of beer and spirits. The nearest pub is commonly referred to as " the local" and people who go there often are known as " regulars". The action in both the country's most popular television soaps revolves around a pub. Even a certain level of drunkenness is acceptable. Provided this does not lead to violence, there is no shame attached to it.

On the other hand the puritan tradition has led to the widespread view that drinking is something potentially dangerous which should there fore be restricted, in terms of both who can do it and where it can be done. Most people, including regular drinkers, consider that it would be wrong to give a child even half a glass of beer. When, in 1993, research was published showing that nearly 70 % of fifteen – year – old children in the country drank some alcohol in an average week, it was generally agreed that this was a serious " social problem". People cannot be served in pubs until the age of eighteen and they are not even allowed inside one (unless it has a special children's certificate) until they are fourteen.

Ex.3 Make up questions for these answers:

- A sweetened fruit concentrate which has to b diluted with water;

- Before the 1960;

- the beer which is draught, has no gas and drunk at room temperature;

- During the 1980s;

- They became known as " lager louts";

- This drink is half beer and half fizzy lemonade;

- Nearly 70 % of fifteen–year old children in the country.

Ex.4 Match the world in column A with the explanation in column B:

A B

" Ale" is half beer and half fizzy lemonade

" lager" a sweetened fruit concentrate that

that has to be diluted with water.

Squash beer which is draught (from the barrel)

Shandy a kind of bottled beer

Beer beer most has gas in it.

" bitter" the most popular alcoholic drink

Ex. 6 Complete the dialogues below. Make a good use of expressing agreement or disagreement.

1) – Drinking is more dangerous than smoking, I think.

- …………………………………………

2) – What do you think of drinking and driving?

- Well, people who drive shouldn't drink.

- ……………………………………….

3) – Instant coffee is good for you heart.

- ……………………………………..

4) – No food is bad in itself. Chocolate is fine in moderation and so are chips. I think you could fill yourself with any " health" food if you ate enough of it.

- … … … … … … ….... ….. …

Ex. 7 Write down three of your opinions about healthy eating and did with which you are sure your partner:

a) will agree;

b) will disagree.

Try them on him / her. Work in pairs. Use your active vocabulary and conversational phrases expressing agreement is disagreement.

1. Make up short stories to prove the following proverbs.

1) Eat at pleasure, drink with measure.

2) An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

3) Too many cooks spoil the broth.

4) The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Ex. 8 Read the text Coca Cola (see the supplement) twice and be ready to fulfill the exercises to check your comprehension.

A. Write complete answers to these questions.

1. How was Coca-Cola first used?
2. What did Asa Candler sell Coca-Cola as?
3. When did Coca-Cola begin to become popular around the world?

B. Number the sentences 1 through 8 to show the correct order.

Today, there are Coca-Cola factories around the world.

Few people bought John Pemberton’s syrup.

Asa Candler made Coca-Cola into a soda.

That was how Coca-Cola became so popular in the United States.

John Pemberton sold Coca-Cola to Asa Candler.

During World War I, the Coca-Cola Company sent Coca-Cola to U.S. soldiers in Europe.

But two other businessmen put Coca-Cola into bottles.

A druggist, John Pemberton, invented Coca-Cola in 1886.

C. Choose the correct word.

1. A person who sells medicines is a ___.

a) druggist b) millionaire c) businessman

2. ___ is a sweet, heavy liquid that tastes good.

a) Syrup b) Coca c) Soda

3. Pemberton sold Coca-Cola to make people well and ___ their problems.

a) keep b) cure c) mix

5. The different things that are mixed together to make Coca-Cola are its ____.

a) ingredients b) ideas c) sodas

6.____ of ingredients is the amount you put in.

a) The factory b) The quantity c) The permission

7. Not many people knew about Pemberton’s syrup. ___ bought it.

a) A lot b) Few c) All

8. The way Coca-Cola’s ingredients are put together is its ___.

a) ingredients b) soda fountain c) recipe