Teacher: HUNG T.

NGUYEN Phone: 0967 406 548 [WRITING | WEEK 1 - LESSON 1]

LESSON 4: SOCIETY AND WELFARE

THEMATIC READING | SOCIAL PROBLEMS
(1) A A social problem can be defined as a condition that is considered undesirable by sufficient number of
members of a specific community to constitute a group. There are, however, degrees of social problems, ranging from
the relatively trivial to those that are so serious as to call into question the most important values of the society in
question. On some there is likely to be consensus, while others may provoke extreme debate. Nobody could claim that
(5) social problems such as murder and traffic deaths resulting from drink-driving are to be accepted as minor issues.
However, it is not hard to find examples of other social problems that divide opinion. Teenagers playing loud music
and in a public park on finishing their school day obviously do not consider their behavior unreasonable, but it may well
be considered an undesirable social condition by other groups who feel they have an equal right to enjoy the park and
its facilities. Similarly, a number of non-smokers hold the view that smoking is an undesirable social condition that
(10) should be banned or restricted in all outdoor public areas.
B Nevertheless, research indicates that there are factors that determine the degree to which a phenomenon
comes to be perceived and accepted as a social problem. For example, the likelihood of a condition being considered
a social problem is much greater if the group it affects are themselves powerful; that is, if they are figures of influence.
For this reason, the problems that made life difficult for the poor tended to escape notice until they had some impact
(15) on the rich and middle-class citizens, for example, when they became victims of crime. In the United States, the
problem of drug abuse attract substantially more attention once it spread from the lower class, predominantly non-
white population and began to affect the sons and daughters of the educated middle-class.
C The same logic as a condition has an impact on a small subsection of the population it will more easily
escape attention than when its adverse effects impact on a larger social group. Again in the United State, the poverty
(20) of African-Americans has featured much more prominently than the poverty of Native Americans. This can partly be
explained by the fact that African Americans constitute a much larger group and are more visible.
D The third factor relates to the dynamics of the condition. If the number of people directly affected is seen to
be increasing rapidly, public awareness will rise. For example, we become used to the prevailing levels of crime, traffic
congestion, atmospheric pollution and even political corruption. But should there be a sharp rise in intensity in one of
(25) these, public concern will also increase. One case of political corruption a year may be a source of concern for our
institutions, but five such cases in one month will forcefully grab the public's attention.
E Also worth a mention is the role played by the mass media, which according to many commentators, have
largely and unfortunately failed in any attempt that they may have to address social problems. In fact, some would go
further and say that, if anything, television, radio and newspapers have actually contributed to the problems that exist
(30) and make them worse. This is to a great extent because they have reinforced the stereotypes that relate to race, class
and gender rather than tackle them.
F Until the advent of the Internet, television was without doubt the primary vehicle through which society
received its information and also the mirror of society in the way in which it reflected its values and expectations.
Television has a vital role to play in the presentation of news and information. Consequently, what a particular station
(35) chooses to present as newsworthy will inevitably influence the way viewers interpret both their society and the world
around them.
G All too often, television news programs tend to focus on stories that present negative images of minority
groups. We are bombarded on an almost daily basis with story of minorities engaging in crimes such as robbery,
murder and rape. These crimes by implication become characteristic of minorities. The success stories that could
(40) counterbalance this negativity are remarkably absent. The single mother who, despite all odds, finishes college with a
good degree; the young man from the inner city who worked his way up from the factory to hold a position of
(42) responsibility in a company - these stories rarely feature.
Questions 1-12
Complete the notes below
Choose no more than TWO WORDS from the text for each answer.
What’s a social problem?
Definition: A condition that a group views as 1 ………………
Can be 2 ……………… or extremely serious
Consensus on drink driving and 3 ………………
Loud music in a park: debatable
Factors influencing acceptance of social problems
● If people affected have power and 4 ………………
Example: 5 ……………… not considered a problem when it was limited to lower class.
● Size of the population it affects
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Teacher: HUNG T. NGUYEN Phone: 0967 406 548 [WRITING | WEEK 1 - LESSON 1]
Example: poverty of 6 ……………… was overlooked.
Habit
We get used to problems like pollution, etc. However, 7 ……………… will attract attention.
8 ………………
Addressing social problems unsuccessfully or not attempted.
May have made problems 9 ……………… .
Example: race, class, gender 10 ……………… not tackled, but 11 ……………… .
Few examples of stories of 12 ……………… .

Questions 13-16
The passage has seven paragraphs labelled A-G.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-G.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
13 The significance of the size of the group of those affected
14 Deciding to ignore the positive
15 Disappointments about lack of influence on the problems
16 Disagreements of interpretation of social problems
VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT 1 | SOCIAL ISSUES
A | Facing and solving social problems
To Dream a Better Life by Ken Lomond How can we best Disaster and After by Sandra Haley. Should rich Nations
address the issues surrounding large-scale economic provide relief when disasters occur in poorer countries, or
migration? Can economic migration be seen as a force for is this too little, too late? Haley's book calls for a fresh
good1, rather than always seen as a problem that must be drive3 to address the issues, and makes a plea4 for
tackled? This book offers a novel2 solution, governments to break the cycle5 of dependency.

A Fragile Calm by Alexander Fleig. When law & order City in Crisis by Mark Golanz. Problems of run-down10
breaks down, when riots erupt6 and public disorder7 areas in big cities are the subject of this book. Antisocial
threatens the social fabric8, politicians tend to take behavior, underage drinking, dysfunctional11 families, all
draconian9 measures which rarely work. Fleig’s book looks come under intense scrutiny in this wide-ranging study.
at alternatives and offers lessons from history.

B | Neighbourhoods and housing

In these extracts from meetings where local problems are being discussed, the second speaker echoes the ideas of the
first speaker by using the collocations in bold.
A: The problems faced by poorer households are very complex indeed
B: Yes, there are many issues affecting low-income families, and they are indeed complex.
A: When someone becomes homeless, our immediate task is to file a roof for them
B: Yes our job is to provide shelter as quickly as possible
A: 15% of families are living in houses without running water. Many are in houses which are so bad no one should be living
in them
B: That's right. Too many people are living with poor sanitary conditions and it's unacceptable that there are houses
which are unfit for human habitation.
A: The problem is that houses are too expensive for most ordinary families.
B: Yes, the government should do something to provide affordable housing.
A: The people who encourage others to commit violent acts should be dealt with firmly.
B: That's right. Anyone inciting violence deserves harsh punishment.
A: The thing is, people should be more vigilant about crime in their local communities.
B: Yes. It would be good if more neighborhood watch schemes could be introduced.

C | Other collocations connected with social issues

He was arrested for possessing an illegal substance.
Families who claim benefits often feel ashamed.
Green organizations are increasingly important as a force for change in the world today

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Teacher: HUNG T. NGUYEN Phone: 0967 406 548 [WRITING | WEEK 1 - LESSON 1]
35.1 Complete each sentence using a verb from the box in the appropriate form. You do not need to use all the verbs in the
box

1 How can we ______________ the issue of alcohol abuse?

2 Aid agencies ______________ emergency relief, but is this always the best thing?
3 In 1997, law and order ______________ completely and there was chaos.
4 Social workers try hard to ______________ the cycle of abuse in families where violence occurs.
5 Community leaders ______________ a plea for understanding and tolerance of cultural differences.
6 People who ______________ violence should be severely punished.
35.2 Complete each sentence using a collocation from the opposite page.
1 The house has no roof, and there are rats in it. It is unfit ______________.
2 The lack of a mains water supply means that they have very poor ______________.
3 At night you often see 14- and 15-year-olds consuming alcohol. The city has a big problem with ______________.
4 That part of the city has many homes where people behave very badly with regard to others around them. There is a big
problem ______________.
5 Hundreds of people protested in the streets, and sometimes things got violent. For several days there was major
______________.
6 Neighbourhood committees can have a positive influence in the community, and indeed most people believe they are a
force ______________.
35.3 Match the beginning of each sentence with its ending.
1 Poor people often have to claim the issues of global poverty and disease.
2 The city council introduced a shelter and food to the earthquake victims.
3 The government took some draconian benefits in order to survive financially.
4 All governments need to address erupted in all the major cities.
5 The authorities had to provide neighbourhood watch scheme.
6 As the discontent grew, riots measures to prevent public disorder.
35.4 Correct the collocation errors in these sentences.
1 The violence threatened the sociable fabric.
2 The Minister said it was time for a fresh driving to cut crime.
3 Customs officials found some illegitimate substances in the passenger’s luggage.
4 The run-out areas of the city are often dangerous at night.
5 We hope our new organisation will be a force for political changing.
6 He proposed a novelist solution to address the issue of social inequality.
7 Multifunctional families are a difficult problem for social workers.
8 The union representative did a plea for the workers to stand firm.
9 There were scenes of publicity disorder on the streets last night.
10 It is very difficult for young people to find affordable building.
VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT 2 | THE HAVES AND THE HAVE-NOTS
A | Entering a country
On arrival in most countries, you have to show your passport or national identity card, possibly a landing card1 and often a
customs declaration form2. You may need a visa and a vaccination certificate3, depending on entry regulations4.
Alternatively, some passengers can use e-passport gates which make use of facial recognition technology5. Customs
officers carry out spot checks6 on people’s baggage to find banned restricted goods7 and to check that you haven't gone
over your allowance8. They may use sniffer/ detector dogs9 to detect10 drugs, tobacco, cash, or explosives. In most cases,
you have to clear customs11 at the port of entry12. Some passengers may wish to be recognized as refugees13 and claim
asylum14. People who claim asylum in this way are sometimes called asylum-seekers.
1
form with your personal details and date of arrival 2 form showing how much money and what goods you are carrying
3
paper proving you have had the necessary health injections 4 rules about who can enter a country and for how long
5
computer application that can automatically identify a person from a visual image 6
checks done as a sample, rather than checking
everyone or everything 7
items that are forbidden or only permitted in specified quantities 8
amount permitted by law 9 specially
trained dogs who locate specific items using their sense of smell 10
find something hidden 11
successfully get through
baggage checking 12
the port or airport where you first enter country 13
people who have escaped from their own country for
political reasons 14
to request permission to stay in another country to avoid persecution back home.

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Teacher: HUNG T. NGUYEN Phone: 0967 406 548 [WRITING | WEEK 1 - LESSON 1]
B | Policing the streets
The police enforce the law. [make people obey]
A police officer can stop and search you if there is a suspicion you are carrying drugs, weapons or stolen property. [belief
that something may be the case]
The police cannot normally enter your home against your wishes without a search warrant. [official permission from a
judge or magistrate to search a home]
Many roads have safety/speed cameras to ensure people aren’t exceeding the speed limit. [going faster than the permitted
speed]
Traffic wardens issue parking tickets, with fines for illegal parking. [people whose job it is to make sure drivers do not
leave their cars where it is not allowed]
The police also use surveillance techniques, including CCTV (closed-circuit television) to monitor public areas such as
town centres and airports. [television system sending signals to a limited number of screens ]
C | Other types of policing
security forces: often a name for the army and police working together
plain-clothes police: police who do not wear uniform
undercover police: police who are working secretly, using a false identity
drug squad: police specially trained to fight the illegal drug trade
anti-corruption squad: police specially trained to discover and fight bribery/corruption [dishonest behaviour usually
involving using money illegally to gain favours]
cybercrime: computer crime (there are many types, including cyberterrorism, cyberwarfare, phishing = tricking people
on the internet to give up personal information, particularly bank account details)
EXERCISES
35.1 Rewrite these sentences using phrases and collocations from A opposite instead of the underlined words.
1 You’ll have to show a paper proving that you have had injections for infectious diseases when you enter the country.
2 People entering from war-torn countries often ask for permission to stay to avoid political oppression in their own
country.
3 You have to take your baggage through customs if you arrive on an international flight at San Francisco airport, even if
you are flying on within the USA.
4 You may have to fill in a paper saying how much money you’re bringing into the country before going through customs
control.
5 At the airport now, they use a system that checks that the photo in the passport is actually of the person using the
passport.
6 Passenger to airline cabin attendant: Could you give me one of those papers for filling in my passport number and
personal details before we arrive, please?
7 At the airport, the security guards had those special dogs that can smell drugs.
8 You’ll need a visa; the rules about who can enter the country are very strict.
9 You have to fill in the city where you first entered the country in this box here.
35.2 Match the words to form collocations.

35.3 What do we call:

1 a police officer who does not wear uniform?
2 a person whose job it is to check that no one is parked illegally?
3 police officers engaged in combating dishonest use of public funds?
4 the official paper you sometimes find struck on your windscreen when you park illegally?
5 the type of police officer who might try to infiltrate a group suspected of terrorism?
6 the police and army considered as a single body?
35.4 Choose a word from the box to complete each sentence. Put it in the correct form.

1 An official stopped the man because a sniffer dog had something in his suitcase.
2 During the Civil War many crossed the border into neighbouring countries.
3 Throughout the centuries many people have suffered for their religious beliefs.
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Teacher: HUNG T. NGUYEN Phone: 0967 406 548 [WRITING | WEEK 1 - LESSON 1]
4 Ella was fined for the speed limit.
5 It is a police officer’s duty to do all he or she can to the law.
6 When you come into this country, the tobacco is 200 cigarettes per person.
7 There are restrictions on the powers the police have to stop and people.
8 The police have had about the activities at that address for some time now.
WRITING | BRAINSTORMING
1. Some people believe that unpaid community service should be compulsory for high school students (for example
working for a charity, improving the neighborhood or teaching sports to younger children). To what extent do you
agree or disagree?

2. Everybody today should pay a small amount from their income in order to help people who are homeless and/or
suffering great poverty. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this?

3. In many cities the use of video cameras in public places is being increased in order to reduce crime, but some people
believe that these measures restrict our individual freedom. Do the benefits of increased security outweigh the
drawbacks?

4. People are living longer. Some people think that it causes big problems. Others, however, think the aging population
has many advantages for business, government, and for society in general. Discuss both views and give your
opinion?

5. People in many countries spend more and more time far away from their families. Why does this happen and what
effects will it have on them and their families?

6. Prison is the common way in most countries to solve the problem of crime. However, a more effective solution is to
provide people with a better education. Agree or disagree?

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Teacher: HUNG T. NGUYEN Phone: 0967 406 548 [WRITING | WEEK 1 - LESSON 1]
HOMEWORK 1 | THEMATIC READING

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Teacher: HUNG T. NGUYEN Phone: 0967 406 548 [WRITING | WEEK 1 - LESSON 1]

Questions 1-7
Complete each sentence with the correct ending A-H.
1 The GNCTU
2 The London Working Men’s Association
3 The Chartist National Convention
4 The first Chartist petition
5 The Newport Rising
6 The Lancashire Plug Plot
7 The third Chartist petition

A was not debated in parliament.

B was a response to the government’s rejection of the 1842 Chartist petition
C was a failed attempt to establish a universal workers’ movement.
D was an example of the unrest following the rejection of the 1839 petition.
E was a response to the transportation of a number of Chartist leaders.
F made an empty threat of industrial action.
G was rejected in parliament by a large majority.
H anticipated many of the demands of later Chartist petitions.

Questions 8-11
Look at the following statements (Questions 8-11) and the list of people in the box below.
Match each statement with the correct person A-C
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Teacher: HUNG T. NGUYEN Phone: 0967 406 548 [WRITING | WEEK 1 - LESSON 1]
NB You may use any letter more than once.
A William Lovett
B Thomas Attwood
C Fergus O’Connor
8 He led the Chartist movement in the North of England.
9 He was the head of the London Working Men’s Association.
10 He campaigned for parliamentary reform in the Midlands.
11 He was the movement’s figurehead when the third ‘Monster’ petition was compiled.

Questions 12-14
Choose THREE letters, A-F.
NB Your answer may be in any order.
Which THREE of the following are mentioned as reasons for the failure of the Chartist movement?
A the government’s response to Chartist uprisings
B warnings about the movement from contemporary writers
C improved conditions in factories in the North
D false claims made about the third person
E excessively radical demands
F communication problems between london the North
HOMEWORK 2 | VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT (OPTIONAL)
1. Football players, generally known for their elevated testosterone levels, would see crying as ______ unmanly rather than a
humanistic trait ______ by either sex.
A. sickeningly. . . thwarted
B. inherently. . . experienced
C. inexplicably. . . enjoyed
D. intentionally. . . fostered
E. plausibly. . . envisioned
2. Despite the fact that Frank Lloyd Wright communities are almost ______, they leave behind a ______ legacy of
architecture and furniture design.
A. obsolete. . . transitory
B. dormant. . . modest
C. extinct. . . vital
D. self-sufficient. . . prodigious
E. isolated. . . robust
3. The majority of the villagers in this seemingly forgotten land, are ______ vegetarians; that is, they only eat meat during a
holy celebration, or whenever they can afford it, which, because of the ludicrously high prices, is practically never.
A. sometimes
B. clandestine
C. staunch
D. adamant
E. reluctant
4. The majority of the villagers in this seemingly forgotten land, are ______ vegetarians; that is, they only eat meat during a
holy celebration, or whenever they can afford it, which, because of the ludicrously high prices, is practically never.
A. sometimes
B. clandestine
C. staunch
D. adamant
E. reluctant
5. The secretary ______ agreed to ______ the president’s decision, knowing that the information was less than factual and
against her basic beliefs regarding deceptive sales practices.
A. grudgingly. . . abide by
B. willingly. . . support
C. secretively. . . acknowledge
D. maliciously. . . sway
E. furtively. . . foster
6. Either the fishing at Redington Beach is ______, or I went there on an off day.
A. plentiful
B. overrated
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C. caustic
D. sporadic
E. invigorating
7. His ______ remarks really detracted from the overall speech; he should not have so readily strayed from his subject.
A. repugnant
B. digressive
C. redundant
D. innocuous
E. enigmatic
8. He acted with great ______, as if he were a diplomat without regard for crimination.
A. emotion
B. restraint
C. concern
D. statesmanship
E. disdain
9. As I was describing my encounter with the alien, he had the most ______ stare, as if he didn’t believe a word I was saying.
A. amazing
B. dumbfounded
C. incredulous
D. blank
E. obdurate
10. The ______ of horns heard while gridlocked at the traffic jam was as discordant as an untamed orchestral performance.
A. blaring
B. harmonic
C. sequencing
D. cacophony
E. syncopated

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