Another morning, another hangover. Sarah Watson does not enjoy the experience. Its not very nice being drunk, she says. You get full of yourself and then you get a headache.
But Sarah is not an adult recovering from a heavy night in the pub. She is 12 and one of a growing number of young children who know the taste and the effects of alcohol.
Sarah is one of the lucky ones. She says her experience is really limited. But by the time they reach 14, most children have tried alcoholic drinks, according to a nationwide survey on young people and drinking.
Seventy-three per cent of 13- to 14-year-old children interviewed said they had had an alcoholic drink. As many as 55% of 10- to 12-year-olds said they had tried alcohol, and 45% of seven to nine-year-olds.
Experimentation with alcohol begins at an early age, typically in the form of a glass of wine shared with parents.
Drinkline, the national helpline for people with drink problems, said the dangers of alcohol were being overlooked because of concerns about drugs.
Sarah Watson said: Many people act as though cigarettes can do more damage, and they take time to talk about drugs, but never about alcohol. When adults do talk about it, they just say its really bad, and thats the end of the conversation.
I could live without alcohol, said Sharon ODea, 15. But if you go to a party, it is better than taking drugs.
More English teenagers drink alcohol than their contemporaries in France and Spain, according to a report last month.
From The Observer / Childrens Express
drunks people who get drunk often
hangover headache and tiredness a few hours after drinking too much
full of yourself very self-confident
survey a statistical study
helpline a telephone number for people with problems hot line
overlook miss, not notice
concern worries, important considerations
contemporaries people of the same age
VI. You work for an advertising agency, and you have to create a campaign against Drinking and Driving (driving a car after you have drunk alcohol). In groups, prepare a poster with a picture and a slogan, present it to the class.
VII. Think about heroin it is derived from opium and is in the same family of drugs as morphine. What is the medical use of such drugs? Do you know anything about heroin addiction?
VIII. Addictive means very difficult to give up. Do you think nicotine (in cigarettes) is addictive? Why is tobacco legal, when most of other drugs are illegal? Would it be a good idea to make tobacco illegal?
IX. Some people say that it would be better to legalize all drugs. In that case, you could buy cannabis and other drugs from shops. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of such a change?
X. What do todays fashion models look like? Do you like that look? Why / why not? Are you influenced by fashion? Read about it and ask at least 5 questions to its content.
Are Todays Teenagers Victims of Fashion?
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A survey among the 1,300 pupils at Caldicot Comprehensive School, near Newport, Wales shows that teenage girls and boys are deeply affected by the images presented by the fashion industry in magazines.
When we asked whether super-slim fashion models influence anorexia the eating disorder in which people go without food 100 per cent of our sample replied Yes.
Its not just our schoolmates who hold these views. We interviewed psychologist Dr Glenn Waller of Londons Royal Holloway College, an expert on the influence of fashion on adolescents. He told us that fashion photographs in magazines make a huge impact on young peoples self-image, particularly females aged 13-19.
Young people are guided by media standards while they are looking around for an identity, he said. Magazines provide ideas and these can affect vulnerable people.
If women look at supermodels who are beanpoles, they may imagine that they themselves are fatter than they really are. If the media used a wider range of female shapes it would be better.
Fortunately, many Caldicot students are not victims of the image-makers. Heres what some of them said:
If youre constantly dieting, you cant enjoy life.
Fashion is something kids can control. It is a path many teenagers take to break free and have fun.
I find nothing attractive about six-foot models who are two stone underweight; they just look ill.
Friends shouldnt write you off for wearing unfashionable clothes; if they do, they arent very good friends.
From The Daily Telegraph
sample the people who were interviewed
self-image the opinion people have of their own looks
looking around for identity trying to decide what sort of style to have
vulnerable sensitive
beanpoles very thin
six-foot 1,83 metre
two stone about 13 kilos
write you off decide you are a failure
XI. Do you follow fashion? Why / why not?
XII. Which of these factors are most important when you choose your clothes? Do a survey to find out the top three factors in the class / among your friends. Comment on it.
Comfort
What your friends are wearing
Colour
Cost
Whats available in the shops
Material
Originality
If the clothes suit you
What pop / TV stars are wearing
Fashion magazines
Vocabulary tasks
I. What does it mean to be fashionable nowadays?
