skip to content
w00d1f

The Listening Room - Energy drinks to be banned for under-16s in England

Oct 31, 2025 - Energy drinks to be banned for under-16s in England

Questions

  1. b

  2. abac

  3. they’ve been(they’re being), set on drinks(said under its)

Dictation

  1. The major supermarkets have (proposed) (a) voluntary ban on selling high (caffine) drinks to the under 16s, but this isn’t the case in many (smallest) stores.

    • The major supermarkets have imposed their own voluntary ban on selling high-caffeine drinks to the under-16s, but this isn’t the case in many smaller stores.

  2. Plans to prohibit (that) (sell) to children in England were published by the last government but then shelved. Now they’re being revived by ministers.

    • Plans to prohibit their sale to children in England were published by the last government but then shelved. Now they’re being revived by ministers.

  3. The ban will apply to drinks containing more than 150 (miligram) of caffeine per liter. Some drinks contain almost three times this amount.

    • The ban will apply to drinks containing more than 150 milligrams of caffeine per litre. Some drinks contain almost three times this amount.

  4. By contrast (to) standard cola contains (by) 120 milligrams per liter.

    • By contrast, a standard cola contains about 120 milligrams per litre.

  5. The British Soft (Drinks) Association said (on) its code of practice, members didn’t market or promote the sale of energy drinks to under-16s.

    • The British Soft Drinks Association said under its code of practice members didn’t market or promote the sale of energy drinks to under-16s.

  6. In Scotland, (for our) restrictions (to) public (sector) sites. In (Whales) and Northern (Irland), ministers are considering a ban.

    • In Scotland, there are restrictions at public sector sites. In Wales and Northern Ireland, ministers are considering a ban.

Vocabulary

  1. impose - v. 强加 officially force something on someone；利用（他人）

  2. ban - v. n. 正式的法律上的禁止 officially or legally forbid something

  3. prohibit - v. officially refuse to allow something

  4. shelve - v. 放在书架上；搁置（计划或项目）to decide to stop working on something until a later time；用书架摆满（墙）；向下倾斜

  5. revive - v. 复活、复苏 bring back to life; give new strength

  6. soft drink - n. 汽水 a non-alcoholic drink, especially a fizzy one

  7. code of practice - n. 行为守则、实践准则 a set of agreed standards or guidelines that should be followed by a particular group of people

  8. public sector - n. 公共部门 organisations run by the government that exist to provide a service to the population

Transcript

The major supermarkets have imposed their own voluntary ban on selling high-caffeine drinks to the under-16s, but this isn’t the case in many smaller stores. Plans to prohibit their sale to children in England were published by the last government but then shelved. Now they’re being revived by ministers.

The ban will apply to drinks containing more than 150 milligrams of caffeine per litre. Some drinks contain almost three times this amount. By contrast, a standard cola contains about 120 milligrams per litre. The British Soft Drinks Association said under its code of practice members didn’t market or promote the sale of energy drinks to under-16s.

In Scotland, there are restrictions at public sector sites. In Wales and Northern Ireland, ministers are considering a ban.