English Reading Practice

Drug Education Story Number 3:
LSD

1. Watch the video at the top of the page.

2. Continue reading the story below it.

This is part 1 of the story.

• Click here to read part 2.
• Click here to read part 3.

3. Do the exercises at the end. (The exercises are located on a separate page, after the final part of the story.)

The exercises practice: vocabulary, expressions, grammar, comprehension, and essay writing.

4. Check your answers.

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Here is the video. You can watch it in your own language at The Foundation for a Drug-Free World.(Simply click the word "language" at the top right corner of that page.)

Help to educate others so they know the truth about drugs. Click here for drug education tools for teachers and educators.

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LSD is one of the most powerful, mood-changing chemicals. It is manufactured from an acid found in a specific fungus that grows on grains. It is then produced in illegal laboratories, mainly in the United States.

LSD leads to a serious disconnection from reality. LSD users call an LSD experience a "trip," typically lasting twelve hours or so. When things go wrong, which often happens, it is called a "bad trip," another name for a living hell.

Once it starts, there is often no stopping a "bad trip," which can go on for up to twelve hours. In fact, some people never recover from an LSD-induced insanity.

One of the worst parts is that an LSD user is unable to tell which sensations are created by the drug and which are part of reality. Some experience severe, terrifying thoughts and feelings, fear of losing control, fear of insanity and death, and despair while using LSD.

Many LSD users experience flashbacks, or a recurrence of the LSD trip, often without warning, long after taking LSD.

Now read the story about the LSD drug.

A Week with LSD, Part 1

I hope my second year of college will be easier than the first. Last year, I had to adjust to the wild parties of college after growing up with very strict parents. I struggled through it, making good grades, but not a lot of friends and definitely no boyfriends. I thought in college it would be easy to finally find a boyfriend, but last year I was too shy to talk to anyone I thought was remotely attractive.

This year is already better, though. Classes only started a month ago, but I have a nice apartment, so I don't have to deal with the dorms, and a really awesome internship working with one of my favorite professors in his lab. It doesn't pay anything, but the experience I get will be extremely valuable.

In my free time, I like to go to chatrooms online. It's easier to talk to people there than it is at parties. That's where I met Max. We talk almost every night now. He's a Marine stationed in Hawaii. In his profile picture, he has the most amazing smile. I've never seen someone look so happy.

When I chat with Max, I don't feel shy or nervous. He makes me comfortable. I just wish he wasn't so far away, which is why I'm so surprised to see his message when I log on to my computer tonight.

"Tara, what would you think about me flying out to visit you?" it says.

"Yes!" I type back. "I would love that!"

"Good. I already bought the ticket. I get there on Monday."

Part of me is a little annoyed by this. I don't like that he just bought a ticket without talking to me first. What if I had plans? Mostly though, I just can't wait to finally meet him.

* * *

I walk in nervous circles around the meeting area at the airport. What if he doesn't like me? What if he doesn't think I'm attractive? I try to push these thoughts out of my head as I look up and see him smiling that big, beautiful smile at me. I run up and hug him. I can't believe I'm finally touching him!

"Well it's nice to see you, too, Tara," he says, holding me tighter.

On the drive home, we talk and it feels like we've known each other forever. He asks me if school is getting better and seems really happy when I say it is. He grew up with strict parents, too, so he knows what it's like to adjust to having your own freedom.

We drop his luggage off at my apartment and decide to take a walk in the park nearby. It's a perfect day. The sky is bright blue and there's a gentle breeze. We find a nice hill to sit on. Max wraps his arm around me and I still can't believe I actually get to hang around with him. My heart races when he looks at me. I think he's about to kiss me, but then he says, "Tara, I think I need to tell you something. I just want to be completely honest with you. The reason I was able to come here is that I got discharged."

I don't know what to say. I always liked the fact that he was a Marine, but it's not like I suddenly hate him because he got kicked out.

"What happened?" I ask.

"I, uh, well I failed my drug test." His words hit me in the stomach. I was raised to just say no to drugs. I can't believe he does them. "Look, it's not as bad as it sounds. It was just LSD."

"That sounds pretty serious," I say, trying to remember what I've heard about LSD. I know it makes you hallucinate, but that's really all I know.

"It's not dangerous like coke or anything. It just helps you feel connected to world. It helps you understand how you fit into the universe. It makes you less lonely." He removes a folded piece of paper from his pocket. It's covered in rows of small, cartoon aliens. He tears off one of the aliens and hands it to me. "See that's all it is. It's not some big scary thing."

I flip the paper over in my hand. I can't believe I'm actually holding LSD.

"It's an amazing day," he says, looking around. "Beautiful weather. A beautiful park. A beautiful girl sitting next to me." I feel my cheeks burn when he says this. "If we took a hit, it could make it even more beautiful."

"I don't know…"

"How many times have you told me you're tired of being lonely? Of being bored? Of feeling like you don't understand anything? That little piece of paper can fix all that."

He smiles at me. I trust him. He knows how much I hate being lonely. I have a bad feeling in my stomach, but I try to ignore it. I want to try it, just to see if it can help.

"Okay, I'll try it," I say.

End of Part 1. Click here to read Part 2.

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