Unit 18 Annoying things
2 While you read A sticky problem
You can imagine the scene.
You're walking down the street of an old English town.
You decide to sit on a bench to admire the fine buildings and beautiful flowers
a little bit longer.
Then as you stand up,you feel that nasty pull on your dress or trousers
and turn round to see the remains of a lump of chewing gum,
half of which is now stuck to your behind!
A wonderful moment is destroyed and your mood changes for the rest of the day,
or however long it takes you to remove the awful stuff from your clothing.
Well,one town has finally had enough of all the complaints it receives each year
and is not going to put up with it any more.
Darlington,which last year won a 'Beautiful Britain'competition,
has decided to act by providing special boards
where people can stick their gum once it has been used.
Up to thirty chewing gum'parking boards'
are to be put up in an area in the twon centre,
which recently underwent a one-million-pound facelift.
They will cost $3,000 to provide,
are aimed at the thirteen-to-twenty-three age group,
regarded as the worst offenders,
and will bear the messages'Don't Gum Up Darlington',
'Chew It,Bin It'and 'Park Your Gum Here.'
The town council believes boards will help save some of the $6,000 a year
it spends on cleaning up gum from the streets.
The boards,to be situated at places such as sports centres and cinemas,
will have a bull's-eye target so youngsters can aim at them.
Keith Atkinson,
head of Darlington's environmental and consumer protection department,said,
'Most people don't see chewing gum as litter,
but we are hoping the boards will help people to start thinking that way.
We've been flooded with complaints,mainly from visitors,
who say gum on the streets,sticking to pavements and shoes,
it both unpleasant and makes Darlington look untidy.'
Darlington isn't the first in the world to try to tackle the stickly issue of chewing gum.
In 1992,the Asian city state of Singapore
banned all eating and importing of chewing gum
after it was claimed trains had been delayed
because trapped chewing gum caused the automatic doors too stick.
The ban came with severe penalties for breaking the law.
Smugglers bringing gum into the country could get a jail sentence of one year
plus an eight-thousand-dollar fine.
The government also tried to reinforce its message with advertising campaigns,
which included slogans such as:
'If you can't think because you can't chew,try a banana.'
The policy has been a great success as even its critics admit.
'The whole ban idea was not a good idea to start with,
but it did help to educate Singaporeans about the nuisance effects of chewing gum.
Now Singaporeans,including kids,
are more mature about their civic responsibilities,'said one man we spoke to.
And certainly,
Singapore is acknowledged to be perhaps the cleanest city in the world.
However,it now looks as if the ban will at least be partially lifeted.
This not the result of thousands of frustrated Singaporean gum chewers,
but instead it's come about
because of pressure from the American gum manufacturers.
They see the policy as a restricton on free trade
-particularly of the American gum manufacturers.
As part of the negotiations on the new trade deal,
the Singapore government has agreed to allow sugar-free gum
prescribed by doctors and dentists to be sold by pharmacists.
The relaxation of the law will
only apply to smokers who are trying to give up by using nicotine gum
and sufferers of dental and gum diseases
for whom chewing offers therapeutic benefits.
1 Complaining about things
Listen and check your answers.
How was the meal last night?
Oh,it was awful!The food wasn't very good.
It would've been OK if that was the only problem,
but the waiters were really rude was well.
And then,to top the whole thing off,they tried to overcharge us.
Then when we complained about it,they made it sound as if it was our fault!
How's college going?
Now very well,actually.I've got a bit of a problem with my timetable this term.
I mean,the last thing I need is three lectures on a Friday.
I wish they wouldn't change the timetable every term.Last term was much better.
3 It really drives me mad
Listen and check your answers.
1.Doesn't it bug you the way shops always charge $9.99 when you know it's really $10?
I must admit,things like that don't really bother me.
2.Look,I'm really sorry.There's no way I can come to your party tomorrow night.
I've got to work late.
Oh,well,don't worry.It's not the end of the world.
3.I really though I'd got the job.I mean,my interview went really well,
and then tell me I'm not even short-listed!
Oh,well.Don't let it get you down.
4.I've got about the five bills I'm supposed to pay by the end of the month.
What do they think I am?Made of money?
Oh,well,there's nothing you can do about it.