Social issues Facing and solving social problems Read these short reviews of books about social problems, and note the collocations in bold. 2 3 ' a positive influence ? new and original ? new effort an urgent or emotional request 5 bring a stop to a negative pattern of behaviour ® burst out suddenly 7 expression of dissatisfaction by crowds of people, especially about a political matter ® social structure 7 extremely severe '° in a very bad condition '' not behaving normally HEINB Neighbourhoods and housing In these extracts from meetings where local problems are being discussed, the second speaker echoes the ideas of the first speaker by using the collocations in bold. : The problems faced by poorer households are very complex indeed. Yes, there are many issues affecting low-income families, and they are indeed complex. ; When someone becomes homeless, our immediate task is to find a roof for them. Yes, our job is to provide shelter as quickly as possible. Per Pe : Fifteen per cent of families are living in houses without running water. Many are in houses which are so bad no one should be living in them. ‘That's right. Too many people are living with poor sanitary conditions and it’s unacceptable that there are houses which are unfit for human habitation. : The problem is that houses are too expensive for most ordinary families. Yes, the government should do something to provide affordable housing. : The people who encourage others to commit violent acts should be dealt with firmly. That's right. Anyone inciting violence deserves harsh punishment. P : The thing is, people should be more vigilant about crime in their local communities. Yes, it would be good if more neighbourhood watch schemes could be introduced. Pe PP ee Other collocations connected with social issues He was arrested for possessing an illegal substance. [formal: an illegal drug] Families who claim benefits often feel ashamed. [financial support from the state] Green organisations are increasingly important as a force for change in the world today. 74 English Collocaions in Use Advanced35.1 35.2 35.3 35.4 Exercises Complete each sentence using a verb from the box in the appropriate form. You do not need to use all the verbs in the box. finish 1 How can we snoune thee issue of alcohol abuse? 2 Aid agencies... emergency relief, but is this always the best thing? 3 In 1997, law and OFdeP sn..s.snnnnnnon Completely and there was chaos. 4 Social workers try hard to sown the eyele of abuse in families where violence occurs. 5 Community leaders yon: @ plea for understanding and tolerance of cultural differences. 6 People WhO «1:1.» Violence should be severely punished. Complete cach sentence using a collocation from the opposite page. 1 The house has no roof, and there are rats in it. It is unfit 2 The lack of a mains water supply means that they have very poor... 3 At night you often see 14- and 15-year-olds consuming alcohol. The city has a big problem with .. 4 That part of the city has many homes where people behave very badly with regard to others around them. There is a big problem with .. 5. Hundreds of people protested in the streets, and sometimes things got violent. For several days there was major 6 Neighbourhood committees can have a positive influence in the community, and indeed most people believe they are a force - Match the beginning of each sentence with its ending. 1 Poor people often have to claim the issues of global poverty and disease. 2 The city council introduced a shelter and food to the earthquake 3 The government took some draconian benefits in order to survive financially. 4 All governments need to address erupted in all the major S. 5 The authorities had to provide neighbourhood watch scheme. 6 As the discontent grew, riots ‘measures to prevent public disorder. Correct the collocation errors in these sentences. 1 The violence threatened the sociable fabric. 2 The Minister said it was time for a fresh driving to cut crime. 3 Customs officials found some illegitimate substances in the passenger’s luggage. 4 The run-out areas of the city are often dangerous at night. 5. We hope our new organisation will be a force for political changing. 6 He proposed a novelist solution to address the issue of social inequality. 7 Multifunctional families are a difficult problem for social workers. 8 The union representative did a plea for the workers to stand firm. 9 There were scenes of publicity disorder on the streets last night. 10 It is very difficult for young people to find affordable building. English Collocations in Use Advanced 75