A A GENERAL ENGLISH

Holiday myths
Lesson code: UTIA-C1AA-FP94 UPPER INTERMEDIATE +

1 Warm up
What is an `old wives' tale'? Can you think of any examples of old wives' tales?

2 Vocabulary - First aid

Match the underlined words and expressions to their definitions on the right:

1. Doctors must perform operations under sterile conditions. a. an injury, e.g. a cut
2. John had a deep wound after he accidentally cut himself. b. a place where germs, bacteria,
animals etc. can reproduce
3. Do you know a good remedy for the flu? c. a way of curing an illness
4. If you cut yourself you should dress the wound as soon as d. clean and free from bacteria
possible.
5. Put some ice on the injury to help ease the pain. e. clean and put a covering on
6. Confined spaces with lots of people are a breeding ground for f. feeling you are going to vomit
bacteria and germs.
7. If you go outside with wet hair, you will come down with a cold. g. make less painful
8. Joanne is afraid of heights. She feels nausea every time she h. start to suffer from an illness
climbs the stairs.

3 Reading
Look at the following `old wives' tales'. Which ones do you think are true? Read the article to find out.

1. You can treat a cut with seawater.

2. Urine is a cure for jellyfish bite.
3. You can catch a cold by entering an air-conditioned environment on a very hot day.
4. Cheap sunglasses are worse than no sunglasses.
5. You can prevent jet lag by stuffing paper bags in your shoes.
6. Blowing a life jacket whistle gives you a good chance of survival.
7. Sitting near the emergency exit gives you the best chance of surviving a plane crash.
8. Swimming after eating can result in drowning.
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 Holiday myths
A A A A
Holiday myths
Are cheap sunglasses worse than no sunglasses? Does a paper bag prevent jet lag?
Let us get to the truth.
1 If I cut my foot on the beach, can I treat it with
sea water?
It is, if anything, the best of a bad set of options.
There is some truth that salty water kills bacteria.
But most oceans are not sterile environments and
there's no knowing what disease you might
contract while swimming in tropical waters with
an open wound. "Sea water is a temporary
remedy, but all wounds should be treated in the
usual manner: washed, cleaned with antiseptic
and appropriately dressed as soon as possible,"
says Dr Dilanki Ranmuthu, a GP.
2 Is urine really a cure for a jellyfish bite?
No. According to Joe Mulligan, head of first aid at
the British Red Cross: "Slowly pouring seawater
over the sting will help ease the pain. Doing the
same with vinegar can be even more effective, as
the acid helps neutralise the sting. But, unless
you're near a fish and chip restaurant, seawater
will probably be easier to find."
3 Does switching from being out in the sun to an
air-conditioned environment cause colds?
No. Though it may be a shock to the system, a
change of temperature in itself is not what makes
you sick. Colds are caused by viruses that are
caught from others. Planes are a breeding ground
for germs, where the poor air quality is combined
with hundreds of other people in a confined space.
One-fifth of people who fly will come down with a
cold a few days later, according to one study.
4 Are cheap sunglasses worse than none at all?
Yes. Sunglasses with UV-protection may be more
expensive, but they're absolutely necessary.
Sunglasses without UV filters allow greater
amounts of radiation into the eyes. That can make
them more risky.
5 Are brown paper bags stuffed in your shoes a
cure for jet lag?
No. This is nothing more than an old wives' tale.
The best cure for jet lag is to set your watch to the
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GENERAL ENGLISH
destination time from the moment you step on the
plane. Drink plenty of fluids and expose yourself to
bright light during daytime hours. Brown paper
bags, travelling with families, and trying to keep
your mind "blank" -- these are little more than
superstitions.
6 Would that whistle on a life jacket ever be heard
by anyone?
The desperate blow of a whistle in the pitch black
may have looked convincing in the film Titanic.
But it is unlikely to lead to a happy ending in real
life. You're already in a bad place, and a whistle
doesn't offer any guarantee of being rescued.
"Most search-and-rescue teams now have
sophisticated technology that are more likely to
find you than the use of a whistle," says the
International Aviation Bureau's Phil Seymour.
7 Is it true that sitting near the emergency exit
gives me the best chance of surviving a plane
crash?
According to the International Bureau of Aviation,
"most headline-generating crashes result in 100
per cent fatalities so seating arrangements make
little difference in the end". A study by the Civil
Aviation Authority revealed that the aisle seats
near the front and within five rows of an
emergency exit offer more chance of a quick
escape in the event of a fire. But, to be realistic,
not much more.
8 Is the advice not to swim immediately after
eating an old wives' tale?
Not exercising while your body is still trying to
digest food, especially if you've eaten a heavy
meal, is basic common sense, say doctors.
However, the combination of eating, swimming
and drowning as a result is very rare. Studies of
athletes have shown that physical activity,
including swimming after a meal, does not cause
nausea. In fact, long-distance swimmers
sometimes eat while they are still in the water.
Adapted from The Independent, by Kunal Dutta
and Lyndsey Fineran, SUNDAY 21 AUGUST 2011
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 Holiday myths
A A A A GENERAL ENGLISH

4 Checking understanding
Answer the questions below:

1. Why is seawater not an ideal option for treating a wound?

2. What can ease the pain of a jellyfish bite?
3. Why do one-fifth of people who travel by plane catch a cold?
4. Why are cheap sunglasses dangerous?
5. How can passengers cure jet lag?
6. Why are whistles not very useful for alerting search-and-rescue teams?
7. Which seats on a plane offer more chance of a quick escape in the event of a fire?

5 Vocabulary - Find the word

Find a word or phrase in the text which means ...

1. `it's impossible to be certain about' (phrase, P1):

2. a temporary pain caused by touching or being bitten by some animals or plants (noun, P2):

3. a limited, enclosed area (phrase, P3):

4. stop thinking (idiom, P5):
5. extreme darkness (noun phrase, P6):
6. a basic level of practical knowledge and good judgment (noun phrase, P8):

6 Talking point
Discuss any of the following questions:

1. What precautions do you take when you travel?

2. Have you ever had any dangerous or risky experiences while travelling?
3. Do you prefer adventure trips or pre-arranged package holidays?
4. Why do you think people believe in myths and superstitions?
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