The Reading / Listening - Skin-Lightening Cream - Level 4

Officials in the UK warned people about some skin-lightening creams. Some of the creams have banned ingredients and are illegal. They are on sale in UK stores. The creams could pose a serious threat to people's health. There has been an increase in the number of people with health problems after using the creams. These include rashes, burns and scars. The creams could increase the risk of skin cancer, and liver and kidney damage.

The global skin-lightening industry is worth $4.8 billion. It could double to around $8.9 billion in ten years. There are "rogue retailers" selling illegal skin-lightening lotions. They do not put the illegal substances on the labels. Some of the ingredients are like paint stripper. It can burn off the top layer of skin. Some cream is very dangerous and could seriously damage people's health. It could scar you for life or even kill people.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Skin-Lightening Cream - Level 5 or  Skin-Lightening Cream - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/skin-lightening-creams-dangerous-health-scar-ingredients-illegal-banned-a9124071.html
  • https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/28/illegal-skin-lightening-creams-on-sale-england-wales
  • https://inews.co.uk/news/consumer/public-warned-to-avoid-rogue-skin-lightening-creams-at-all-costs-which-act-like-paint-stripper-638100


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. banned
  2. They are on
  3. pose a serious threat
  4. an increase in the number
  5. health problems after using
  6. rashes, burns
  7. increase the risk
  8. liver and kidney
  1. and scars
  2. to people's health
  3. damage
  4. sale in UK stores
  5. of skin cancer
  6. ingredients
  7. the creams
  8. of people

Paragraph 2

  1. The global skin-lightening
  2. It could double to around
  3. rogue
  4. put the illegal substances
  5. paint
  6. burn off the top
  7. seriously damage
  8. It could scar you
  1. stripper
  2. for life
  3. industry
  4. people's health
  5. $8.9 billion
  6. on the labels
  7. retailers
  8. layer

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Officials in the UK warned (1) ___________________ skin-lightening creams. Some of the (2) ___________________ ingredients and are illegal. They are (3) ___________________ UK stores. The creams could pose a serious threat to people's health. There has been an increase (4) ___________________ of people with health (5) ___________________ the creams. These include rashes, burns and scars. The creams could increase the risk of skin cancer, and (6) ___________________ damage.

The global skin-lightening (7) ___________________ $4.8 billion. It could double to around $8.9 billion in ten years. There (8) ___________________ selling illegal skin-lightening lotions. They do not (9) ___________________ substances on the labels. Some of the ingredients are (10) ___________________. It can burn off the top layer of skin. Some cream is very dangerous and (11) ___________________ people's health. It could scar you for life or (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

OfficialsintheUKwarnedpeopleaboutsomeskin-lighteningcreams.So
meofthecreamshavebannedingredientsandareillegal.Theyareonsal
einUKstores.Thecreamscouldposeaseriousthreattopeople'shealth.T
herehasbeenanincreaseinthenumberofpeoplewithhealthproblemsaf
terusingthecreams.Theseincluderashes,burnsandscars.Thecreams
couldincreasetheriskofskincancer,andliverandkidneydamage.Thegl
obalskin-lighteningindustryisworth$4.8billion.Itcoulddoubletoarou
nd$8.9billionintenyears.Thereare"rogueretailers"sellingillegalskin-
lighteninglotions.Theydonotputtheillegalsubstancesonthelabels.So
meoftheingredientsarelikepaintstripper.Itcanburnoffthetoplayerofs
kin.Somecreamisverydangerousandcouldseriouslydamagepeople's
health.Itcouldscaryouforlifeorevenkillpeople.

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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