Read the text and answer the following questions.

From “Scarface” to “Miami Vice,” Florida’s drug problem has been portrayed as the story of a
single narcotic: cocaine. But for Floridians, prescription drugs are increasingly a far more lethal
habit. An analysis of autopsies in 2007 released this week by the Florida Medical Examiners
Commission found that the rate of deaths caused by prescription drugs was three times the rate
of deaths caused by all illicit drugs combined.
Law enforcement officials said that the shift toward prescription-drug abuse, which began here
about eight years ago, showed no sign of letting up and that the state must do more to control it.
“You have health care providers involved, you have doctor shoppers, and then there are crimes
like robbing drug shipments,” said Jeff Beasley, a drug intelligence inspector for the Florida
Department of Law Enforcement, which co-sponsored the study. “There is a multitude of ways to
get these drugs, and that’s what makes things complicated.”

The Florida report analyzed 168,900 deaths state-wide. Cocaine, heroin and all
methamphetamines caused 989 deaths while legal opioids (Vicodin) caused 2,328. Drugs with
benzodiazepine (Valium), led to 743 deaths. Alcohol was the most commonly occurring drug,
appearing in the bodies of 4,179 of the dead and judged the cause of death of 466 — fewer than
cocaine (843) but more than methamphetamine (25) and marijuana (0).

Federal, state and local law enforcement officials say Florida has become a source of prescription
drugs that are illegally sold across the country. “The abuse has reached epidemic proportions,”
said Lisa McElhaney, a sergeant in the pharmaceutical drug diversion unit of the Broward
County Sheriff’s Office. “It’s just explosive.”

Write a title that best summarises the text. Justify your answer.

Answer the following questions about the text.

 What did the report show?
 How do you think Florida’s drug problem has been portrayed in
movies?

Find synonyms in the text for the following words and expressions.
 Depicted  The use of
 Change something in a
 Examinations of harmful way
corpses

Rewrite the following sentences without

changing their meaning.
 “The abuse has reached epidemic
proportions,” said Lisa McElhaney.
Lisa McElhaney
__________________________________________________
_____
 The Florida report analyzed 168,900 deaths
state-wide.
 168,900
__________________________________________________
____________
Make a summary of the text stating your own
opinion.
Do you think the woman in the
picture has got a drug problem?
Why?
Which signs warn you about a drug
problem?
"Salvation"
Listen to the song and try to complete
it.
Explain the meaning of the following
expressions.
 Inject your soul with liberty
 kids with heroin eyes
Who is the song dedicated to?
Explain in your own words the advice
the singer gives to parents.
Write the following into reported
speech.
 “Tie your kids home to their
beds” Dolores advised.
 She said, “It’s not what it
seems”.
Why do you think “Salvation is free”?
Which words or expressions are
related to drugs?
What do you know about drugs?
To all those people doin'
________,
Don't do it, don't do it.
Inject your soul with _________,
It's free, it's free.
To all the kids with heroin
_______,
Don't do it, don't do it.
Because it's not not what it
seems,
No no it's not not what it seems.
Salvation, salvation, salvation is
free.
Salvation, salvation, salvation is
free.
Ah, ah, ah, ah
To all the ________ with sleepless
nights,
Sleepless nights.
Tie your ______ home to their
______,
Clean their __________.
To all the kids with ________
eyes,
Don't do it, don't do it.
Because it's not not what it
seems,
No no it's not not what it seems.
Translate the song.

Drugs are a common problem among young

people. In your opinion, what can society,
friends, parents and doctors do in order to
prevent youngsters from drugs?
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FOR THE TEACHER

DISCUSSION TASK
Tell students to find information for and
against drug legalization.
Make two groups: A will be in favour of
legalization; B will be against it.
Both groups can either elect a spokesman
to set out the allegations or they can speak
in turns.
Lyrics:
"Salvation"
To all those people doin'
lines,
Don't do it, don't do it.
Inject your soul with
liberty,
It's free, it's free.
To all the kids with heroin
eyes,
Don't do it, don't do it.
Because it's not not what
it seems,
No no it's not not what it
seems.
Salvation, salvation,
salvation is free.
Salvation, salvation,
salvation is free.
Ah, ah, ah, ah
To all the parents with
sleepless nights,
Sleepless nights.
Tie your kids home to
their beds,
Clean their heads.
To all the kids with heroin
eyes,
Don't do it, don't do it.
Because it's not not what
it seems,
No no it's not not what it
seems.
Salvation, salvation,
salvation is free.
Salvation, salvation,
salvation is free.
Salvation, salvation,
salvation is free.
Salvation, salvation,
salvation is free.
Ah, ah, ah, ah