Should We Allow Casinos
These days there is debate about whether to allow Koreans to use casinos in Korea and whether to allow more to be built. It seems that there is hot debate around this issue. Certainly, on the upside there are tourism benefits and it attracts more tourism money, but on the downside it could also attract unwanted types such as mafia type criminals that want to control it. The gambling industry is notorious for being involved with criminals who also control prostitution and drugs. Others argue that casinos will cause more gambling addiction and that the government already knows that Koreans will easily become addicted to gambling.
However, others argue that it is up to people to decide and that they are not harming anybody. Instead, casinos bring in a lot of money and foreign investors who build excellent facilities.
I’m not exactly sure, but in my home city, there are people staggering out of the casino opposite my office at 9am in the morning asking to borrow money to catch a bus home because they spent all their money, including food money, on gambling. Many times, I see low income people hoping to ‘strike it rich.’
Learning through guessing meaning from context
Look at the words in the reading and match the words with the closest meaning in the right column. You can find the answers below.
|
hot debate |
A |
1 |
Positive, good |
|
around an issue |
B |
2 |
People that are not wanted because they cause trouble |
|
on the upside |
C |
3 |
Famous for something bad |
|
on the downside |
D |
4 |
Argument. Controversy. |
|
unwanted types |
E |
5 |
People can make their own decision finally |
|
notorious |
F |
6 |
Negative, not good |
|
up to people |
G |
7 |
Amazing, unbelievable, |
|
staggering |
H |
8 |
Talk about something |
|
strike it rich |
I |
9 |
Suddenly make a lot of money |
A=4, B=8, C=1, D=6, E=2, F=3, G=5, H=7, I=9
Learning through using new vocabulary
1. Answer the following questions. Use the new words in your answer as much as you can.
2. What is one of the hottest debates in the world, or in Korea these days? Around what issue is this debate about?
3. What do you think are some of the upsides and downsides for allowing casinos in Korea?
4. What unwanted types/things do we need to keep out of our countries?
5. Can you describe one of the most notorious people in history? What place is notorious for bad weather?
6. If it were left up to you, what would you like to change if you could be the president of Korea?
7. What would your boss do or say if you staggered into work one hour late? Have you ever been in trouble with a parent, wife/husband etc for staggering in (home) very late? Describe the situation if you can.
8. If you struck it rich, what would you do first?
Some more example sentences to help you understand the meaning better
1. There has been a lot of hot debate around the issue of Free Trade Agreement with the U.S.
2. One of the upsides for investing in the stock market is that you can make a lot of money, but the downside is you can also lose a lot.
3. In my classroom, unwanted types are lazy, cheating students.
4. Doing business with some markets/countries is notoriously difficult because of corruption.
5. My father wanted me to be a doctor, but said finally it’s up to you.
6. The air ticket price was staggering, there was no way I could afford it.
7. Jubilee Oil stuck it rich after finding oil.
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