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Coke, Pepsi Change Colour Over Cancer Risk (10th March, 2012)

Coke and Pepsi are changing the colour of their cola drinks a little so they don’t have to put a cancer warning on the label of their bottles and cans. A new law in America means all food and beverage makers must warn people of a chemical that can lead to cancer called 4-MEI. Both cola companies use this in the recipe used to give their drinks their colour. The recipe change is already in place in California and will soon affect the rest of the USA. The companies say no one will notice the difference in colour.

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The chemical 4-MEI is linked to cancer in mice and rats in laboratory tests. Scientists say it is not a health risk for humans. America’s Food and Drug Administration said someone would need to drink 1,000 Cokes or Pepsis a day to be at risk of cancer. Coca-Cola Europe said it would not change its recipe because European scientists do not think the level of 4-MEI is a problem. Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo are the biggest producers of soft drinks in the world. They are also big rivals.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1

1.

cancer

a.

cans

2

bottles and

b.

the recipe

3.

all food and

c.

lead to cancer

4.

a chemical that can

d.

the difference

5.

companies use this in

e.

beverage makers

6.

no one will notice

f.

warning

Paragraph 2

1.

The chemical 4-MEI is

a.

tests

2

in laboratory

b.

drinks

3.

Scientists say it is not a health

c.

of cancer

4.

be at risk

d.

linked to cancer

5.

the level of 4-MEI

e.

risk

6.

soft

f.

is a problem

LISTENING GAP FILL


Coke and Pepsi _________________ colour of their cola drinks a little so they don’t have to put a cancer warning _________________ their bottles and cans. A new law in America means all food and _________________ must warn people of a chemical that can lead to cancer called 4-MEI. Both cola companies use this ___________________ to give their drinks their colour. The recipe change is already in place in California and will soon _________________ of the USA. The companies say ___________________ the difference in colour.
The chemical 4-MEI is _________________ in mice and rats in laboratory tests. Scientists say it is not _________________ for humans. America’s Food and Drug Administration said someone _________________ drink 1,000 Cokes or Pepsis a day to be at risk of cancer. Coca-Cola Europe said it _________________ its recipe because European scientists do not _________________ of 4-MEI is a problem. Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo are the biggest producers _________________ in the world. They are also big rivals.


MULTIPLE CHOICE


Coke and Pepsi are changing the colour of (1) ____ cola drinks a little so they don’t have to put a cancer warning on the (2) ____ of their bottles and cans. A new law in America means all food and beverage makers must warn people (3) ____ a chemical that can lead to cancer called 4-MEI. Both cola companies use this in the recipe (4) ____ to give their drinks their colour. The recipe change is already (5) ____ place in California and will soon affect the rest of the USA. The companies say no one will (6) ____ the difference in colour.
The chemical 4-MEI is (7) ____ to cancer in mice and rats in laboratory tests. Scientists say it is not a health risk (8) ____ humans. America’s Food and Drug Administration said someone would (9) ____ to drink 1,000 Cokes or Pepsis a day to be at risk of cancer. Coca-Cola Europe said it would not change its recipe because European scientists do not think the (10) ____ of 4-MEI is a problem. Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo are the biggest producers of (11) ____ drinks in the world. They are also big (12) ____.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

there

(b)

they’re

(c)

their

2.

(a)

poster

(b)

label

(c)

sticker

3.

(a)

of

(b)

for

(c)

as

4.

(a)

used

(b)

use

(c)

useful

5.

(a)

at

(b)

of

(c)

in

6.

(a)

noticing

(b)

notice

(c)

noticed

7.

(a)

linked

(b)

connect

(c)

joins

8.

(a)

from

(b)

by

(c)

for

9.

(a)

must

(b)

have to

(c)

need

10.

(a)

lover

(b)

level

(c)

living

11.

(a)

soft

(b)

hard

(c)

rough

12

(a)

rivalry

(b)

rivals

(c)

rivaled

SPELLING


Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1

1.

cancer rannigw

2.

food and agvebree makers

3.

use this in the cpreei

4.

dreaaly in place

5.

fafetc the rest of the USA

6.

no one will eitcon the difference

 

Paragraph 2

7.

lenikd to cancer

8.

laboratory tsste

9.

not a ehltha risk

10.

European stsiintsce

11.

the elvel of 4-MEI is a problem

12.

big rsiavl

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER


Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

the rest of the USA. The companies say no one will notice the difference in colour.

(    )

producers of soft drinks in the world. They are also big rivals.

(    )

to put a cancer warning on the label of their bottles and cans. A new law in America means all food and

(    )

cancer. Coca-Cola Europe said it would not change its recipe because European scientists do not

(    )

someone would need to drink 1,000 Cokes or Pepsis a day to be at risk of

(    )

The chemical 4-MEI is linked to cancer in mice and rats in laboratory tests. Scientists

(  1  )

Coke and Pepsi are changing the colour of their cola drinks a little so they don’t have

(    )

beverage makers must warn people of a chemical that can lead to cancer called

(    )

say it is not a health risk for humans. America’s Food and Drug Administration said

(    )

think the level of 4-MEI is a problem. Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo are the biggest

(    )

4-MEI. Both cola companies use this in the recipe used to give their drinks

(    )

their colour. The recipe change is already in place in California and will soon affect

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT


With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.

their     a     Changing     of     drinks     colour     cola     little     the.    

2.

label   the    on   warning   cancer   a   put    to   have     don’t     They.

3.

can     that     chemical     A     cancer     to     lead.    

4.

this     Both     in     cola     the     companies     recipe     use.    

5.

colour     will     in     one     difference     No     the     notice.    

6.

linked     in     4-MEI     is     cancer     to     mice.    

7.

say     a     Scientists     not     is     risk     it     health.    

8.

of     problem     level     a     The     4-MEI     is.    

9.

producers     drinks     world     biggest     soft     the     The     of     in.    

10.

They     rivals     big     also     are.    


DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________


------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

WRITING


Write about cola for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________


HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. COLA: Search the Internet and find more information about cola. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Coke and Pepsi. Include an imaginary interview with the boss of both companies. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
5. LETTER: Write a letter to a cola expert. Ask him/her three questions about cola. Give him/her three of your opinions on it. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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