The Reading / Listening - Level 5

A businessman has created a product for people to test drinks they think might have been drugged. This happens if one person slips drugs into someone's glass. The drinker then loses self-control and is often the victim of rape or theft. The product is called Test Your Drink and was invented by entrepreneur Gary Bates. It is a small kit with six sheets of test paper to dip into your glass to test for drugs that are often used to spike drinks, like Ketamine. Such substances are also known as 'date rape drugs'. They put the drinker into an unconscious state and disrupt their memory.

Drink spiking is now a worldwide problem. It is a lot more common than people think. It is a worry for young women, although up to 20 per cent of victims are men. Studies show that between 10 and 25 per cent of female college students have had a drink that someone spiked. Mr Bates' advice for anyone concerned about these predatory drugs is: "Don't leave your drinks unattended. If you are worried that something might have happened, [the Test Your Drink kit] will give you peace of mind." The product will soon be available online at a price of around $1.65 per pack.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 4 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3606715/The-real-dangers-drink-spiking-Nearly-10-students-claim-fallen-victim-MEN-risk-too.html
  • http://health.usnews.com/health-care/articles/2016-05-24/drink-spiking-a-problem-on-us-campuses
  • http://testyourdrink.com


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. test drinks they think might
  2. The drinker then loses
  3. the victim of
  4. It is a small kit with
  5. drugs that are often
  6. Such substances are also known
  7. put the drinker into an
  8. disrupt their
  1. as 'date rape drugs'
  2. have been drugged
  3. unconscious state
  4. self-control
  5. six sheets of test paper
  6. memory
  7. rape or theft
  8. used to spike drinks

Paragraph 2

  1. Drink spiking is now a
  2. It is a lot more common
  3. It is a worry
  4. up to 20 per cent
  5. had a drink that
  6. concerned about these
  7. Don't leave your drinks
  8. The product will soon be
  1. of victims are men
  2. predatory drugs
  3. available online
  4. unattended
  5. than people think
  6. for young women
  7. someone spiked
  8. worldwide problem

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A businessman has created a product (1) ___________________ test drinks they think might have been drugged. This (2) ___________________ person slips drugs into someone's glass. The drinker then loses self-control and is (3) ___________________ rape or theft. The product is called Test Your Drink and was invented (4) ___________________ Gary Bates. It is a small kit with six sheets of test paper (5) ___________________ glass to test for drugs that are often used to spike drinks, like Ketamine. (6) ___________________ are also known as 'date rape drugs'. They put the drinker into an unconscious state and disrupt their memory.

Drink spiking is now a worldwide problem. It is (7) ___________________ than people think. It (8) ___________________ young women, although up to 20 per (9) ___________________ men. Studies show that between 10 and 25 per cent of female college students have had a drink that someone spiked. Mr Bates' (10) ___________________ concerned about these predatory drugs is: "Don't leave your (11) ___________________. If you are worried that something might have happened, [the Test Your Drink kit] will give you peace of mind." The product will (12) ___________________ online at a price of around $1.65 per pack.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Abusinessmanhascreatedaproductforpeopletotestdrinkstheythink
mighthavebeendrugged.Thishappensifonepersonslipsdrugsintoso
meone'sglass.Thedrinkerthenlosesself-controlandisoftenthevicti
mofrapeortheft.TheproductiscalledTestYourDrinkandwasinventedb
yentrepreneurGaryBates.Itisasmallkitwithsixsheetsoftestpapertodi
pintoyourglasstotestfordrugsthatareoftenusedtospikedrinks,likeKe
tamine.Suchsubstancesarealsoknownas'daterapedrugs'.Theyputth
edrinkerintoanunconsciousstateanddisrupttheirmemory.Drinkspiki
ngisnowaworldwideproblem.Itisalotmorecommonthanpeoplethink.
Itisaworryforyoungwomen,althoughupto20percentofvictimsareme
n.Studiesshowthatbetween10and25percentoffemalecollegestudent
shavehadadrinkthatsomeonespiked.MrBates'adviceforanyoneconc
ernedaboutthesepredatorydrugsis:"Don'tleaveyourdrinksunattend
ed.Ifyouareworriedthatsomethingmighthavehappened,[theTestYo
urDrinkkit]willgiveyoupeaceofmind."Theproductwillsoonbeavailabl
eonlineatapriceofaround$1.65perpack.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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