Unit Review & Progress Test

Unit review — Drug Policy, Harm Reduction & Addiction

Al finalizar esta unidad, deberías ser capaz de participar en debates complejos sobre políticas de salud pública y sociología, utilizando un léxico especializado sobre adicciones y prevención. Habrás desarrollado la capacidad de expresar opiniones matizadas sobre temas controvertidos, utilizando estructuras avanzadas para reportar afirmaciones y realizar actos de habla performativos.

Asimismo, habrás perfeccionado tu capacidad para manejar registros formales e informales, permitiéndote transitar desde un lenguaje académico de análisis sociopolítico hasta una discusión más empática y humana sobre la rehabilitación. Este nivel de precisión es crucial para alcanzar el éxito en las pruebas de producción escrita y oral del examen C1 Advanced.

Grammar consolidation

Part 1: Sentence Transformation Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three and six words.

1. "I promise to attend the rehabilitation workshop next week," said Mark. (PROMISE) Mark ________ to attend the rehabilitation workshop next week.

2. The government decided to legalise certain substances for medicinal use. (DECIDED) The government ________ certain substances for medicinal use.

3. "You should seek professional help immediately," the doctor told the patient. (ADVISED) The doctor ________ professional help immediately.

Part 2: Error Correction Identify and correct the error in each sentence. Some sentences may require a change in verb tense or word order.

4. The committee is suggesting to implement a new harm reduction strategy.
5. He denied to have used illegal substances during the competition.
6. It is insisted that the policy be changed immediately to prevent further harm.

Part 3: Controlled Rewriting Rewrite the sentences using the prompt provided to achieve a more formal, C1-level metalinguistic style.

7. People say that drug addiction is a disease, not a choice. (REPUTED) Addiction ________ a disease rather than a choice.

8. The researcher said that the data was inconclusive. (CLAIMED) The researcher ________ the data to be inconclusive.

9. "I'm sorry I missed the meeting on drug policy," said the delegate. (APOLOGISED) The delegate ________ the meeting on drug policy.

10. The expert thinks that the current laws are outdated. (CONSIDERED) The current laws ________ outdated by the expert.

Vocabulary activation

Part 1: Word Formation Complete the sentences by changing the form of the word in capitals.

1. The ____ of drug abuse in the city has reached an all-time high. (PREVALENT)
2. Many argue that ____ is more effective than criminalisation. (REHABILITATE)
3. The government is facing intense ____ regarding its new narcotics policy. (CONTROVERSY)
4. We must address the ____ factors that lead to substance abuse. (SOCIETY)

Part 2: Collocations Choose the correct collocation to complete the sentence.

5. The government is trying to ____ the effects of the drug epidemic. (mitigate / alleviate / reduce)
6. It is crucial to provide ____ support for those recovering from addiction. (comprehensive / wide / broad) lack of / a lack of / the lack of
7. Many individuals suffer from ____ addiction to prescription medication. (severe / heavy / strong)
8. The policy aims to ____ the stigma surrounding mental health and drug use. (break / shatter / crack)

Part 3: Register and Context Select the most appropriate word to complete the sentence in a formal, academic context.

9. The ____ of the drug crisis requires a multi-faceted approach. (magnitude / greatness / largeness)
10. There is a growing ____ of opinion regarding the decriminalisation of drugs. (divergence / difference / separation)
11. The policy was designed to ____ the risks associated with intravenous drug use. (curtail / cut / shorten)
12. The ____ of the treatment programme was evident in the high recovery rates. (efficacy / efficiency / effectiveness)

Integrated skills task

Source Text: The Shift Towards Harm Reduction

In recent years, global drug policy has undergone a significant paradigm shift. Traditionalist approaches, which focused heavily on prohibition and criminalisation, are increasingly being challenged by advocates of 'harm reduction'. This strategy does not aim to eliminate drug use entirely but instead focuses on minimising the negative health, social, and legal consequences for individuals who use drugs.

Methods such as needle exchange programmes, supervised injection sites, and access to Naloxone are central to this approach. Proponents argue that these measures save lives and reduce the spread of infectious diseases, providing a pragmatic solution to a complex public health crisis. However, critics argue that such policies might inadvertently encourage drug use by reducing the perceived risks. Despite this debate, the move towards a health-centred model represents a growing recognition that addiction is a complex medical and social issue rather than a purely criminal one.

Writing Task

Instrucciones: Basándote en el texto anterior, escribe un ensayo de respuesta (response essay) de entre 180 y 220 palabras. En tu respuesta, debes:

1. Resumir los puntos principales del texto de forma profesional.
2. Evaluar la efectividad de la estrategia de 'harm reduction' frente a la prohibición tradicional.
3. Dar tu opinión sobre si el enfoque debería ser principalmente médico o punitivo.

Speaking checkpoint

Responde a estas preguntas de forma oral para practicar tu fluidez y capacidad de argumentación. Intenta utilizar el vocabulario aprendido en la unidad.

1. Compare: Compare the effectiveness of rehabilitation programmes versus strict legal penalties for drug offences.
2. Speculate: How might drug policies change in the next twenty years due to advancements in neurobiology?
3. Evaluate: Evaluate the impact of social stigma on an individual's ability to recover from addiction.
4. Justify: Some argue that drug use should be treated entirely as a health issue. Justify whether or not you agree with this stance.
5. Compare: Compare the social consequences of drug addiction in urban environments versus rural communities.
6. Evaluate: To what extent should governments be responsible for the health outcomes of individuals with substance abuse issues?

Self-assessment rubric

Answer key

Grammar consolidation 1. promised 2. decided to legalise 3. advised the patient to seek 4. is suggesting implementing / is suggesting that it implement 5. denied having used / denied using 6. It is insisted that the policy change (subjunctive) 7. is reputed to be 8. claimed the data to be 9. Addiction is reputed to be... 10. The researcher claimed that the data was... / The researcher claimed the data to be... 11. The delegate apologised for missing... 12. The current laws are considered...

Vocabulary activation 1. prevalence 2. rehabilitation 3. controversy 4. societal 5. mitigate 6. comprehensive 7. a lack of 8. severe 9. heavy 10. break 11. magnitude 12. divergence 13. efficacy (or effectiveness)