I. REVIEW

Hello everyone, today we are going to review the strategy of combining the solution of a reading sample with the Completing Tables exercise.

When doing this exercise, pay attention to:

– Number of words allowed to fill in a position vị

– Predict the type of word that can be filled in the required position (Noun/Verb/Adj/Adv)

– The word to fill will go near which keywords. Find the synonyms or paraphrases of those keywords

– Check the answer again

II. MINI PASSAGE

Now let’s refer to a Mini Passage everyoneage

In Craig Renar’s and Harry Levine’s article entitled “The Crack Attack: Politics and Media in America’s Latest Drug Scare,” the authors attempt to expose and to deal with some of the societal problems that have resulted from the over-exaggeration of crack-cocaine as an “epidemic problem” in our country. Without detracting attention away from the serious health risks for those few individuals who do use the drug, Renarman and Levine demonstrate how minimally detrimental the current “epidemic” actually is.

Early in the article, the authors summarize crack-cocaine’s evolutionary history in the US They specifically discussed how the crack-related deaths of two star-athletes which first called wide-spread attention to the problem during the mid 1980’s. Since then, the government has reported used crack-cocaine as a political scapegoat for many of the nation’s larger inner-city problems. Thefts, violence, and even economic depression have been blamed on crack. They assert that the government has significantly invested in studies whose results could be used to wage the constant “war on drugs” while to quotes, that war has amounted to nothing more than a perceptual war on poverty and urban crime.

Since politicians have had little else of marketable interest to debate over the years, this aggressive attack on drugs has existed as one of their only colorful means by which to create debate, controversy, and campaign fuel. In other words, when balancing the budget and maintaining an effective foreign policy became too boring to handle, Reinarman and Levine assert that the “crack epidemic” became the focus of speeches with the intent of luring public interest to their flashy anti-drug campaigns.

Finally, in addition to the media’s excess attention on the ‘war against drugs,’Reinarman and Levine make the point the constant coverage of crack in the news media has only been counterproductive to the meaningful goals of any anti-drug program. With descriptions of the “crack high” that glorify it considerably-the politically-charged media campaigns to fight drugs have worked somewhat ironically as huge advertising campaigns for crack-increasing public awareness and stimulating the interests of ventrous junkies.

Questions 5–6

Complete the table below describing the causes and effects. Write your answers in boxes 5–6 on your answer sheet.

Questions 7–13

5. counterproductive to the meaningful goals of any anti-drug program

6. increasing public awareness and stimulating the interests of ventrous junkies

7. No

III. DISCUSSION

Which answer did you choose and what do you think? Let’s discuss together

Answers are not limited to the number of words, examples are provided

(5) Use “media’s excess attention” do keywords. Note that keywords can be paraphrased or use synonyms instead. Behind the keyword “crack-cocaine“

–>> the constant coverage of crack in the news media has only been counterproductive to the meaningful goals of any anti-drug program

–>> Answer: counterproductive to the meaningful goals of any anti-drug program

(6) Use the phrase “politically-charged media compaigns“make keyword

–>> With descriptions of the “crack high” that glorify it considerably-the politically-charged media campaigns to fight drugs have worked somewhat ironically as huge advertising campaigns for crack-increasing public awareness and stimulating the interests of ventrous junkies.

–>> Answer: increasing public awareness and stimulating the interests of ventrous junkies.

This exercise is not difficult if we have a clear strategy and good scanning skills, right? Please try other Reading- Completing Tables exercises from IELTS- Fighter <3

Good luck with your studies <3