UNIT 58: ALCOHOLISM

An alcoholic is someone who has become dependent on alcohol. Though he may

never be actually drunk, he becomes progressively poisoned by it, and is physically, mentally
and sometimes morally affected. At first-he loses his appetite and feels sick, he grows
irritable, disregards his responsibilities, and becomes unpunctual and untruthful. Gradually
he loses his sense of adaptability to society, neglects his personal appearance, his judgment is
unrealistic and his intellect deteriorates.

I. VOCABULARY
Dependent: Reliant
Progressively: Increasingly
To poison: To kill with a substance causing death
Morally: Ethically
Appetite : Desire for food
Irritable: Ill-tempered
To disregard : To ignore
Unpunctual: Late
Gradually : Slowly, little by little
To neglect: To ignore, to overlook
Judgment: Opinion, decision
To deteriorate: To get worse, to decline
Intellect: Mind
II. EXERCISE: Complete the sentences with a suitable form of the words defined
above.
1. Her husband became ..... when he was not working.
2. A salesman who threatened ......food at Marks and Spencer stores unless his demands
for 140,000 were met was jailed yesterday for five years.
3. So long as the system remains as it is, those who choose ..,.; their obligations may
face a fine.
4. Every statement is based on observation; every conclusion is supported by evidence;
every.....is carefully weighed.
5. While in hospital, because of the long-term nature of the disorder, patients' morale .....
and normality is lost.
III. READING COMPREHENSION
1. Although alcoholics don't get drunk....................,
a. they are only mentally affected.
b. their health gets worse and worse
c. they like being dependent on alcohol.
d. they feel like eating more.
e. alcohol calms them.
2. It is quite clear that alcoholics .................
a. are good at making friends with other-people.
 b. always tell the truth and carry out their responsibilities.
c. are not easily annoyed because they are drunk.
d. would rather drink than face up to their responsibilities.
e. sometimes affect his friends morally.
3. One of the effects of alcohol is that it
a. adapts a person to society.
b. helps an alcoholic to make good judgments.
c. makes one tidy.
d. improves a person intellectually.
e. weakens one's mental ability.