Health Matters

Drinking
In this lesson, you will learn some vocabulary
related to drinking and alcohol. You will also
practice reading and writing a list. Lists help
you skim for important information. They also
teach you to write concisely. This means you
only include the important information.

Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions

1. What is the legal drinking age in your country?

How does this compare to other countries?

2. What reasons do people have for drinking alcohol?

Work with your class to come up with at least ten reasons.

3. What is the best way to sober up after a night of drinking?

B. Vocabulary Preview

Match up as many words and meanings as you can. Check this exercise again after
seeing the words context in the introduction above and in the reading on page 2.

1. concisely a) to cause results or changes

2. substance b) the ability to withstand the effects of alcohol
3. affect c) to be patient and wait for something to happen or end
4. high blood pressure d) not long lasting
5. intoxication e) in a way that is both brief and complete
6. blackout f) the state of having too much of a dangerous substance in the body
7. sober up g) a force of blood against the blood vessels that is dangerously strong
8. give it time h) to no longer feel the effects of alcohol on the body
9. liver i) often refers to intoxicating matter, such as drugs or alcohol
10. tolerance j) an organ that converts substances found in the blood
11. effect k) the temporary loss of vision, memory, or consciousness
12. temporary l) the result of an action or thing

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Reading
Below is a list of six facts about alcohol.
Can you come up with a seventh fact?

6 FACTS ABOUT ALCOHOL

1. Alcohol is a drug. 6. Alcohol brings you down.

Although it is legal, alcohol is a drug. Many people drink when they feel upset or
A drug is a substance that physically depressed. A small amount of alcohol may provide
affects the body. Alcohol slows down a temporary high. However, when you become
parts of the body, including the brain. intoxicated, you eventually come down.
Then you feel worse than you did before.
2. Alcohol is a leading cause of injury.
7.
Like smoking and high blood pressure, alcohol
is a leading cause of death, illness, and injury.
Injuries and deaths connected to alcohol include
drownings, traffic accidents, and cancer.

3. Alcohol abuse causes blackouts.

Intoxication from alcohol can cause you to forget

a period of time. This is called a blackout. If you
experience a blackout while drinking, you may not
remember your experience the next day.

4. Time is the only way to get sober.

Some people drink coffee to try to sober up.

Others take a cold shower or eat a big meal. The
only true way to sober up is to give it time. The
liver needs about an hour and a half per drink to
get back to normal. Alcohol is hard on the liver.

5. You can build up a tolerance to alcohol.

Some people may get drunk from one drink while

it takes others four drinks. People with a high
tolerance still have alcohol in their blood. Their
bodies are just used to the effects of alcohol.

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Health Matters

Comprehension
Listen to your teacher read some sentences out loud.
If the statement is true based on the reading, write T beside the question.
If the statement is false, write F and correct the information on the line.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Vocabulary Review
A. Affect Vs. Effect

Two commonly confused words Ex. Alcohol affects people in different ways.
in English are affect and effect.
Ex. He could still feel the effects of alcohol in the morning.
Many native English speakers
have trouble choosing which 1.
word to use when writing these
2.
words. The words affect and effect
sound very similar when they are 3.
pronounced quickly. Here are
4.
the basic rules to remember. Try
writing some example sentences. 5.

6.
affect (verb) – to influence
effect (noun) – result 7.

8.

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Vocabulary Review
B. Complete the Sentences

Complete the sentences using vocabulary from page 1.

You may need to change the word form or tense.

1. During my college days, I built up a for alcohol.

2. My sister was at the party. She drank so much she .

3. You have a hangover. and it will go away.

4. is a leading cause of heart attacks.

5. I can’t drive until I . I’ll pick my car up in the morning.

6. Heavy drinking damages the . The effects are long-term, not temporary.

7. I felt the of the alcohol when I stood up.

You’re Slurring*!
People who are intoxicated have trouble speaking. When a friend begins
*Note:
slurring, they probably need your help. What can you say to a person
who is slurring due to intoxication? Make a list of possible statements Slurring is not speaking clearly.
and questions. Practice your examples with your partner.

Ex. You’ve had one too many.

Ex. Should I call you a cab?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

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Skimming
A. The Main Idea

Skim through the reading again.

Can you think of one sentence
that sums up the reading?

B. The Details

Every good list has a few 1.

memorable details. A detail
2.
may be a specific example or a
memorable note. Scan the list for 3.
interesting details. Rewrite a few
4.
of the details from page 2 in your
own words (paraphrase). 5.

Research & Writing

You learned six facts about alcohol. Now it’s time to learn some myths!
Do some research with your classmates and bust some myths about
drinking and alcohol. Try to use some vocabulary from the reading.

7 Myths about Alcohol

1. Coffee sobers you up.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

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Answer Key
NOTE: LESSON DESCRIPTION: LEVEL: Int – High Int

It is up to each teacher and school
to decide if this topic and lesson should
be used. Please use your discretion
before administering the lesson.
In this lesson, students learn six facts TIME: 1.5–2 hours
about drinking alcohol. They discuss what
TAGS: drinking, alcohol, health,
drinking does to the body and write a list of
health matters, phrasal verbs,
myths related to alcohol.
affect, effect

Pre-Reading Comprehension

A. WARM-UP QUESTIONS Read the following statements out loud. Have students write T
if the statement is true based on the reading, and F if it is false.
Discuss as a class or in small groups. Find out if your students
Students should correct the information on the line.
are comfortable talking about alcohol. Answers will vary.
Statements
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
1. Very few people die from alcohol-related injuries and illnesses.
1. e 3. a 5. f 7. h 9. j 11. l 2. A blackout is a short-term memory loss.
2. i 4. g 6. k 8. c 10. b 12. d 3. You will sober up more quickly if you take a shower.
4. People who drink often have a higher tolerance to alcohol.

Reading 5. Alcohol is a long-term cure for depression.

Answers
Have students read the list twice—first for the main idea, then for
the details. Help them understand the vocabulary in bold. They will 1. F – Alcohol is a leading cause of death and injury.

get a chance to review the vocabulary on pages 3–4. For #5, remind 2. T

your students about the use of “used to” (to be accustomed to). 3. F – Only time will sober you up.
4. T
5. F – Alcohol is a short-term cure for depression.

(continued on the next page...)

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Answer Key cont.

Vocabulary Review Skimming

A. AFFECT VS. EFFECT A. THE MAIN IDEA

Review our grammar blog post on 6 Commonly Confused Word Give your students some time to practice separating main ideas
Pairs. This will give you some ideas for teaching the pronunciation from details. This is an important reading skill they will need if they
subtleties as well as the meanings. http://blog.esllibrary.com/ are taking standardized tests. Here are some examples that your
2012/11/22/6-commonly-confused-word-pairs/ students may use for the main idea:

• Alcohol is bad for your health.

B. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES
• The more you drink, the unhealthier you become.
1. tolerance 5. sober up • Alcohol makes you feel terrible.
2. intoxicated, blacked out 6. liver
3. Give it time 7. effects B. THE DETAILS
4. High blood pressure
Answers will vary.

You’re Slurring!
Research & Writing
Work together as a class to think of things you might say to a friend
Have your students work on a list of drinking “myths” for
who is drunk. See below for a few examples if your students run out
homework, or give them some time to do some research in class.
of ideas. Put students in pairs to practice speaking. If your students
Students can work together to try to make their lists more concise.
are comfortable with this topic, you could pretend your classroom
You can change the topic to other types of facts or myths if you
is a party or bar and have students take turns playing various roles,
don’t want your students researching the topic of alcohol.
including the designated driver, drinker, server, partier, etc.

• It’s time to go home.

SPELLING NOTE:
• How did you get so drunk?
• What are you drinking? This lesson shows the American spelling of the word Practice.

• I think you’ve had enough. Other English-speaking countries spell it this way: Practise

• Are you feeling okay? (when used as a verb; Practice when used as a noun). Make it a

• Do you want to get going? challenge for your students to find this word in the lesson and

• You’re wasted! (slang) see if they know the alternate spelling.

• I didn’t know you were so far gone.

• If you keep drinking, you’re going to pass out.

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