Slip, slop, slap: Australia's sun safety campaign

ESL Lessons: True Stories

A printable worksheet for story-based English conversation classes.

Difficulty: Upper Intermediate B2

PDF: Slip, slop, slap: Australia's sun safety campaign

Warm-up

How often do you use sunscreen?

Vocabulary Match

radiation •• levels
reduce •• get
lifetime •• whole life
develop •• energy
rates •• started
launched •• lower

Vocabulary Answers

radiationenergy
reducelower
lifetimewhole life
developget
rateslevels
launchedstarted

True Story

Listen and fill in the blanks with words from above.

Australia has one of the highest ________ of skin cancer in the world. About two in three Australians will ________ skin cancer during their ________. One reason is the country's strong ultraviolet (UV) ________, which can damage the skin and cause cancer over time.

To ________ this risk, the Cancer Council ________ the "Slip, Slop, Slap" campaign in 1981. It encouraged people to slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat. In 2007, two more steps were added: seek shade and slide on sunglasses. Today, "Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide" is a well-known campaign that reminds Australians to protect themselves from the sun.

Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. About two in three Australians will develop skin cancer during their lifetime. One reason is the country's strong ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which can damage the skin and cause cancer over time.

To reduce this risk, the Cancer Council launched the "Slip, Slop, Slap" campaign in 1981. It encouraged people to slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat. In 2007, two more steps were added: seek shade and slide on sunglasses. Today, "Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide" is a well-known campaign that reminds Australians to protect themselves from the sun.

Quiz

  1. What is the rate of Australians developing skin cancer during their lifetime?
  2. What is a major reason for the high rate of skin cancer in Australia?
  3. When was the "Slip, Slop, Slap" campaign launched?
  4. What two steps were added to the campaign in 2007?

Quiz Answers (examples)

  1. About two in three Australians.
  2. The country's strong ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
  3. In 1981.
  4. Seek shade and slide on sunglasses.

True or False

  1. The campaign was first launched in 1918. T F
  2. The campaign encouraged people to slip on a banana skin. T F
  3. Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. T F

True or False Answers

  1. False
  2. False
  3. True

Conversation

A:Hey, did you hear about the "Slip, Slop, Slap" campaign?
B:Oh yeah, it's that sun safety thing, right?
A:Yep! It's been around since 1981.
B:Wow, that's older than me!
A:They even added more steps in 2007.
B:More steps? Soon it'll be a dance routine!

Discussion

  1. Have you ever gotten a sunburn?
  2. Do you like wearing hats in the sun?
  3. What's your favorite way to stay cool in the summer?
  4. Have you ever tried to get a suntan?

Further Reading

https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/causes-and-prevention/sun-safety/campaigns-and-events/slip-slop-slap-seek-slide

MORE: