The Reading / Listening - Skin-Lightening Cream - Level 5

Local governments in the UK have warned consumers about the use of some skin-lightening creams. Some of the lightening creams they tested contained banned ingredients and so were illegal. However, they were on sale in UK stores. A spokesperson said the creams could pose a serious threat to consumers' health. He said there has been an increase in the number of users experiencing health problems after using the creams. These include rashes, burns and scars. The spokesperson said the creams could increase the risk of skin cancer, and liver and kidney damage.

The global skin-lightening industry is estimated at $4.8 billion. It is forecast to double to around $8.9 billion in ten years. The local governments warned that "rogue retailers" were selling illegal skin-lightening lotions and omitted to put the illegal substances on the labels. Some of the ingredients acted like paint stripper. It could burn off the top layer of skin. A spokesperson said: "Skin creams containing banned ingredients are very dangerous and could seriously damage your health, scar you for life and even kill you, so they should be avoided at all costs."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Skin-Lightening Cream - Level 4 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. governments in the UK have
  2. they were on
  3. creams could pose
  4. there has been an
  5. the number of users experiencing
  6. rashes, burns
  7. increase the risk of skin
  8. liver and
  1. cancer
  2. increase
  3. kidney damage
  4. health problems
  5. warned consumers
  6. a serious threat
  7. and scars
  8. sale in UK stores

Paragraph 2

  1. It is forecast to double to
  2. rogue
  3. Some of the ingredients acted
  4. It could burn off the top
  5. Skin creams containing banned
  6. seriously damage
  7. scar you for
  8. they should be avoided
  1. life
  2. like paint stripper
  3. at all costs
  4. around $8.9 billion
  5. your health
  6. layer of skin
  7. retailers
  8. ingredients

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Local governments in the UK (1) ___________________ about the use of some skin-lightening creams. Some of the lightening creams (2) ___________________ banned ingredients and so were illegal. However, they (3) ___________________ in UK stores. A spokesperson said the creams could pose (4) ___________________ to consumers' health. He said there has been an increase in the (5) ___________________ experiencing health problems after using the creams. These include rashes, burns and scars. The spokesperson said the creams could (6) ___________________ of skin cancer, and liver and kidney damage.

The global skin-lightening (7) ___________________ at $4.8 billion. It is forecast to double to around $8.9 billion in ten years. The local governments warned (8) ___________________ were selling illegal skin-lightening lotions and omitted to put the (9) ___________________ the labels. Some of the ingredients acted (10) ___________________. It could burn off the top layer of skin. A spokesperson said: "Skin creams containing banned ingredients are very dangerous and (11) ___________________ your health, scar you for life and even kill you, so they should (12) ___________________ all costs."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

LocalgovernmentsintheUKhavewarnedconsumersabouttheuseofso
meskin-lighteningcreams.Someofthelighteningcreamstheyteste
dcontainedbannedingredientsandsowereillegal.However,theywere
onsaleinUKstores.Aspokespersonsaidthecreamscouldposeaserioust
hreattoconsumers'health.Hesaidtherehasbeenanincreaseinthenum
berofusersexperiencinghealthproblemsafterusingthecreams.Thesei
ncluderashes,burnsandscars.Thespokespersonsaidthecreamscould
increasetheriskofskincancer,andliverandkidneydamage.Theglobals
kin-lighteningindustryisestimatedat$4.8billion.Itisforecasttodoubl
etoaround$8.9billionintenyears.Thelocalgovernmentswarnedthat"r
ogueretailers"weresellingillegalskin-lighteninglotionsandomittedto
puttheillegalsubstancesonthelabels.Someoftheingredientsactedlike
paintstripper.Itcouldburnoffthetoplayerofskin.Aspokespersonsaid:
"Skincreamscontainingbannedingredientsareverydangerousandco
uldseriouslydamageyourhealth,scaryouforlifeandevenkillyou,sothe
yshouldbeavoidedatallcosts."

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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