COMPULSION

Work in pairs and small groups. Look at the photographs and discuss these questions.
a) What are the people doing? b) Which of these things do you do?
c) What is your main reason for doing them? d) Which things would you never do?

Discuss the questions.

a) Do you think that some people become addicted more quickly or easily than others? Do you think something in
a person’s character causes this to happen? If so, what?
b) How can addictions affect people’s lives?
c) What can or should be done to help young people to avoid becoming addicted?

CONFESSIONS OF A CHOCOHOLIC

I’m a chocoholic. Don’t laugh – it’s serious. At the moment my addiction isn’t too bad. I’ve cut down my intake to one block a day,
and some days I get by on a chocolate biscuit or two. But at its worst it’s a complete obsession – the sweeter, the stickier, the richer
it is the better. My eyes light up just thinking about it.

I can eat any kind, even the cheap cooking chocolate that turns most people off. And fortunately I can eat as much sugar as I like
without putting on weight. Like other addicts, most chocoholics deny they have a problem. I know I’m hooked on chocolate, but
certainly don’t intend to give up eating it.

How does the writer of this text feel about their addiction?

Are you addicted to these or any other foods? Discuss your ideas in pairs.

chocolate cheese chips hamburgers coffee sugar

Underline six phrasal verbs in the text. Replace the phrasal verbs with the correct form of a word or phrase from the list below.
Example: I’ve reduced my intake to one block a day…

disgust gain shine survive reduce stop

Put the phrasal verbs in the text.

turns off; give up; putting on; hooked on; cut down; at its worst; light up; get by

CONFESSIONS OF CHOCOHOLIC

I’m a chocoholic. Don’t laugh – it’s serious. At the moment my addiction isn’t too bad. I’ve ________________ my intake to one
block a day, and some days I ________________ on a chocolate biscuit or two. But ___________________ it’s a complete
obsession – the sweeter, the stickier, the richer it is the better. My eyes ___________________ just thinking about it.

I can eat any kind, even the cheap cooking chocolate that ______________ most people __________. And fortunately I can eat as
much sugar as I like without _________________ weight. Like other addicts, most chocoholics deny they have a problem. I know I’m
________________chocolate, but certainly don’t intend to ______________eating it.

Let’s have an anonymous meeting among addicts. Think what addiction you suffer from. Think of your name, age and personal
story. You should tell the rest your story and then they have to help you out with advice. (Ask your teacher for words you need and
write them down).
Open Cloze:

BLOGAHOLICS

The word ‘blog’ is short for ‘weblog’ and is frequently-updated Internet journal that is intended for 1____________ general public to
read. Blogs have become popular because they give their authors, bloggers, 2____________ own voice on the internet. It’s a place
3____________ ordinary people can share interests – whether through a political commentary, a personal diary, 4____________ a
list of links to favourite websites. Many people use a blog 5____________ organise their thoughts, while others may become so
‘famous’ 6____________ they attract international audience.

Professionals as 7____________ as amateur journalists often use blogs to publish breaking news, while personal bloggers may
share their everyday concerns and inner thoughts 8____________ the rest of the world. However, blogging is not only putting your
thoughts on the web, 9____________ also hearing back from and communicating with like-minded people.

For many people blogging is just a hobby, but for others it can become an obsession. Bloggers 10____________ fall into this group
can feel compelled to write several times a day and become anxious if something prevents them 11____________ blogging. Some
of these people blog at home, at work and, using their laptops, while travelling. As with other addicts, these people spend more and
more of their time 12____________ their obsession and end up neglecting their families, their friends and their jobs.

What kind of words are normally missing?

Articles: a/an/the Prepositions: to, for, at, from, etc.

Pronouns: my, mine, I, etc. Modals: can, may, etc.
Relative pronouns: where, who, etc. Auxiliary verbs: do, did, etc.
Connectors: and, or, but, as well as, etc. Negatives: not
Conjunctions: because, therefore, etc. Full words
Infinitives – to

WHAT IS A SHOPAHOLIC?

In resent years, shopaholics have come to the public attention 0___on____ television and in newspaper and magazine articles.
While the media sometimes use the word casually, shopaholics suffer 1____________ a real, and sometimes very frightening, lack
2____________ self-control.

Without a doubt, we live in a ‘spend-happy’ society. Most people live beyond their means and are 3____________ debt. Many
people, whatever their level of income, think of shopping as a hobby. They take weekend-long shopping excursions, spend money
they do not have, and often regret their purchases the next day. But 4____________ this means that they have a problem?
5____________ necessarily. True shopaholics shop 6____________ they can’t help it. They go on buying things long
7____________ they have huge debts. They shop when they are feeling depressed, and use spending as a way of coping
8____________ the world. They do not shop because they enjoy it, or because they need the things they buy. They buy things
because they feel they have to. A shopaholic is 9____________ of control.

Two pieces of advice given 10____________ shopaholics are these. Firstly, 11____________ you go shopping, only take cash.
Leave your credit cards and chequebooks at home. And secondly, if you see something that you want to buy, don’t let yourself buy it
on the spot. Instead, give yourself a ‘waiting period’. If you still want the item a few days 12____________, then you can go back
and buy it.
 COMPULSION

Work in pairs and small groups. Look at the photographs and discuss these questions.
e) What are the people doing? f) Which of these things do you do?
g) What is your main reason for doing them? h) Which things would you never do?

Discuss the questions.

d) Do you think that some people have a tendency to become addicted more quickly or easily than others? Do you
think something in a person’s character causes this tendency? If so, what?
e) How can addictions affect people’s lives?
f) What can or should be done to help young people to avoid becoming addicted to certain substances or
activities?

CONFESSIONS OF CHOCOHOLIC

I’m a chocoholic. Don’t laugh – it’s serious. At the moment my addiction isn’t too bad. I’ve cut down my intake to one block a day,
and some days I get by on a chocolate biscuit or two. But at its worst it’s a complete obsession – the sweeter, the stickier, the richer
it is the better. My eyes light up just thinking about it.

I can eat any kind, even the cheap cooking chocolate that turns most people off. And fortunately I can eat as much sugar as I like
without putting on weight. Like other addicts, most chocoholics deny they have a problem. I know I’m hooked on chocolate, but
certainly don’t intend to give up eating it.

How does the writer of this text feel about their addiction?

Are you addicted to these or any other foods? Discuss your ideas in pairs.

chocolate cheese chips hamburgers coffee sugar

Underline six phrasal verbs in the text. Replace the phrasal verbs with the correct form of a word or phrase from the list below.
Example: I’ve reduced my intake to one block a day…

disgust gain shine survive reduce stop

Match the phrasal verbs with give with the meaning in 1-7. Some verbs have more than one meaning.

a. give away 1. surrender or admit you can’t do something.

b. give back 2. distribute things to people.
c. give in 3. stop being involved with a person because they disappoint you.
d. give out 4. reveal secret information.
e. give up on 5. return something to its owner.
6. let a person have something without paying.
7. hand work to a teacher.

Complete these sentences with the correct form of a phrasal verb with give.

a. I’ve been playing this CD ever since Rachel lent it to me. I really ought to _______________ it _______________ to her and buy it
for myself.
b. I feel like _____________________ James – he never does what he says he’s going to do.
c. One of the supermarkets in town is __________________ free samples of a new kind of non-addictive chocolate. You ought to try
it.
e. All over town there are people ____________________ leaflets about how to stop smoking.
Replace the verbs in italics in these sentences with the correct form of give and one of these words: away; back; in; out; up

a. When are you going to return the CD you borrowed from me last year? __________________________
b. At the beginning of the exam, the teacher distributed the question papers. __________________________
c. I’ve tried not to play so many video games, but I’m hooked – I just can’t stop doing it. __________________________
d. They are letting you have a T-shirt free with every CD you buy. __________________________
e. My little brother realised he wasn’t going to win the chess game, so he stopped trying. __________________________

Put the phrasal verbs in the text: turns off; give up; putting on; hooked on; cut down; at its worst; light up; get by

CONFESSIONS OF CHOCOHOLIC

I’m a chocoholic. Don’t laugh – it’s serious. At the moment my addiction isn’t too bad. I’ve ________________ my intake to one
block a day, and some days I ________________ on a chocolate biscuit or two. But ___________________ it’s a complete
obsession – the sweeter, the stickier, the richer it is the better. My eyes ___________________ just thinking about it.

I can eat any kind, even the cheap cooking chocolate that ______________ most people __________. And fortunately I can eat as
much sugar as I like without _________________ weight. Like other addicts, most chocoholics deny they have a problem. I know I’m
________________chocolate, but certainly don’t intend to ______________eating it.

Let’s have an anonymous meeting among addicts. Think what addiction you suffer from. Think of your name, age and personal
story. You should tell the rest your story and then they have to help you out with advice. (Ask your teacher for words you need and
write them down).

Open Cloze:

BLOGAHOLICS

The word ‘blog’ is short for ‘weblog’ and is frequently-updated Internet journal that is intended for 1____________ general public to
read. Blogs have become popular because they give their authors, bloggers, 2____________ own voice on the internet. It’s a place
3____________ ordinary people can share interests – whether through a political commentary, a personal diary, 4____________ a
list of links to favourite websites. Many people use a blog 5____________ organise their thoughts, while others may become so
‘famous’ 6____________ they attract international audience.

Professionals as 7____________ as amateur journalists often use blogs to publish breaking news, while personal bloggers may
share their everyday concerns and inner thoughts 8____________ the rest of the world. However, blogging is not only putting your
thoughts on the web, 9____________ also hearing back from and communicating with like-minded people.

For many people blogging is just a hobby, but for others it can become an obsession. Bloggers 10____________ fall into this group
can feel compelled to write several times a day and become anxious if something prevents them 11____________ blogging. Some
of these people blog at home, at work and, using their laptops, while travelling. As with other addicts, these people spend more and
more of their time 12____________ their obsession and end up neglecting their families, their friends and their jobs.

What kind of words are normally missing?

Articles: a/an/the Prepositions: to, for, at, from, etc.

Pronouns: my, mine, I, etc. Modals: can, may, etc.
Relative pronouns: where, who, etc. Auxiliary verbs: do, did, etc.
Connectors: and, or, but, as well as, etc. Negatives: not
Conjunctions: because, therefore, etc. Full words
Infinitives – to
 schoology

WHAT IS A SHOPAHOLIC?

In recent years, shopaholics have come to the public attention 0___on____ television and in newspaper and magazine articles.
While the media sometimes use the word casually, shopaholics suffer 1____________ a real, and sometimes very frightening, lack
2____________ self-control.

Without a doubt, we live in a ‘spend-happy’ society. Most people live beyond their means and are 3____________ debt. Many
people, whatever their level of income, think of shopping as a hobby. They take weekend-long shopping excursions, spend money
they do not have, and often regret their purchases the next day. But 4____________ this means that they have a problem?
5____________ necessarily. True shopaholics shop 6____________ they can’t help it. They go on buying things long
7____________ they have huge debts. They shop when they are feeling depressed, and use spending as a way of coping
8____________ the world. They do not shop because they enjoy it, or because they need the things they buy. They buy things
because they feel they have to. A shopaholic is 9____________ of control.

Two pieces of advice given 10____________ shopaholics are these. Firstly, 11____________ you go shopping, only take cash.
Leave your credit cards and chequebooks at home. And secondly, if you see something that you want to buy, don’t let yourself buy it
on the spot. Instead, give yourself a ‘waiting period’. If you still want the item a few days 12____________, then you can go back
and buy it.