1. Warm up
What's the same about these three types of drinks? Name each drink and match it with a
country which is famous for producing it.
China/ wine
Georgia / wine
Middle East / Beer
Any of these drinks made in your country? How long have people been making them here?
Yes, is beer and it's made since 1542 by Alfonso Herrera.
2. Watching for the main idea
You are going to listen to a short talk about alcohol. After you watch, draw a line between the
ideas which are connected in the four columns (or say what the connections are).
China / 9,000 years ago / fruit, honey and rice / to communicate with God’s and ancestor
Georgia / 8,000 years ago / grape / as part of the Christian religion
Middle East/ 8,0000 years ago / led to the development of writing
3. Vocabulary – Keys words
Look at the transcription on the next pages to find words in bold which have these meanings.
1. Trigger: cause an effect (verb)
2. Fermentation: a chemical process when the sugar in a food or drink turns to alcohol (noun)
3. Decompose: decay or break down in a chemical process or after death (verb)
4. Beverage: drink or types of drinks (noun)
5. Intoxicating: making you feel drunk (adjective)
6. Moderate: not too much or too little; a medium amount (adjective)
7. Depress: relating to the part of your brain which allows you to choose and plan your actions
carefully, including deciding NOT to do something (adjective)
8. Funeral ceremonies: social events which take place after someone has died (noun)
9.Inhibitory: stops or slows down (verb)
10. Inception: the beginning of an idea (noun)
11. Microorganisms: tiny living things that are too small to see with your eyes (noun)
Extend your vocabulary by answering these questions, which relate to the words
from the last exercise.
1. What other foods or drinks besides alcohol are fermented? Why do people make
fermented foods?
R: It could be the “Tepache" it is a drink made with pineapple.
2. What word contains a root that means "very small"? Do you know any other words
with this root?
R: I think that could minimal; tiny trifle; tiny; anodyne; infimum; insignificant small;
little; tiny often.
3. Which word contains a root that means "poison"?
R: we can use Toxin to refer poison.
4. Which word is also used for part of a gun?
R: could be Calibre, Chamber
5. What's the noun for "depress" and what does it usually refer to?
R: I think that depress could be also “Unhappiness”. Depress refer to some people
that does not happy and probably they have any problems.
6. What are "funerary ceremonies" more often called?
R: Funerary ceremonies refer when some people has died.
7. In your opinion, what is moderate daily alcohol consumption - how many drinks
and what type?
R: Drink once a month o twice. I think that : 3 drinks for example, tequila or beer
and no more.
4. Grammar - Passives and reduced relative clauses
Look at this paragraph from the text of the video. Identify the verb forms 1-4 in bold
as active or passive. How do we form the passive and when do we use it? Identify
the tenses of both active and passive forms.
Verb forms 1 ( have taken on) are past perfect. We could also say: The alcoholic
beverages was taken on…
Verb forms 2 ( dates back) are active. We could also say: The dates was backed by the
earliest known alcoholic beverage.
Verb forms 3 ( was produced) are passive.
Verb forms 4 ( was being made ) are past continuous. We could also say: The earliest beer was
made form barley.
Now look at the next paragraph from the text of the video. Identify verb forms 1-8
in bold as active, passive or participles in a reduced relative clause. How are the
passives used here?
Verb form 1 ( are produced ) are active. We could say also: The alcoholic beverage was
produced…
Verb form 2 ( share ) are active. We could say also; The similar chemistry was shared by
all.
Verb form 3 ( found) are active. We could say also: The type of alcohol was found in
beverage such as beer …
Verb form 4 ( called ) are simple past used in reduced relative clauses. We could say
also: wine and spirits was called ethyl alcohol or ethanol.
Verb form 5( produced) are past simple. We could say also: Ethanol was produced
through fermentation…
Verb form 6 ( cause) are active. We could say also: The decompose was caused by
organic material…
Verb form 7 ( converted) are simple past used in reduced relative clauses . We could say
also: sugar in the organic material was converted into carbon dioxide and ethanol.
Verb form 8 ( make) are simple present. We could say also: The alcoholic beverage
intoxication was made by the ingredient.
5. Practice
Chicha is an alcoholic beverage from South America. Read the text and complete
the gaps with the correct form of the verb in brackets: active, passive or past
participle in a reduced relative clause.
Generally speaking, chicha is an alcoholic drink made with maize (sweetcorn). The
production method is similar to other types of beer. First, maize is allowed to start growing.
Then, the sugars take out and the liquid boiled and fermented. In some traditional
preparations, the chicha maker is chew the maize first. This starts the fermentation
process through natural enzymes was found in the mouth. The result is a delicious,
slightly sour beverage containing about 1-3% alcohol by volume. Chicha de jora was
made by the people of the Andes for thousands of years. The drink had a special
significance in the Inca Empire, where maize is considered a sacred crop. Inca women
taught how to brew the drink in special schools is called Aqlla Wasi. The finished product
is drank during special celebrations and festivals. In addition, is used in important religious
rituals. Even today a little chicha have offered to Pachamama, the Earth-mother, before
drinking.
6. Talking point
Work in pairs or small groups to discuss these questions:

In the UK, the drinking age is 18, and in the USA it is 21. What is the drinking age
in our country?
R:In Mexico is available drink alcohol if you are 18 ages.

Why do we need a drinking age?
R:It is depend of the opinion of the society, I think that could drink around 20 ages.

Do you think there should be different drinking ages for different types of alcohol?
R:There are different type of alcohol but it the same. Some drinks have 3.4% or 4.5% of
alcohol but there are other with 17% of alcohol.

What advice for staying safe would you give to a young person who is just about
to reach the drinking age in their country?
R:I suggest that young people do not drink alcohol if they want drink it is available but
no more and moderate. The alcoholic beverage is bad for us.

Do people in your country ever make their own alcoholic beverages at home?
R:Yes, there are people that make their own alcoholic beverage, for example in little
party with friends it usually that they make their alcoholic beverages.