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Read the following story by Arusa Pisuthipan from the Bangkok Post. Then, answer the questions that follow.
Recent celebrity suicides highlight the ongoing need for proper understanding of and real support for those affected by mental illness everywhere in the world.
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
First, it was fashion designer Kate Spade, then celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain. In the space of just three days, the world lost two much-loved names whose deaths had one thing in common - apparent suicide.
High-profile suicides like those of Spade and Bourdain are sadly not that unusual. Just last year, Linkin Park lead vocalist Chester Bennington and former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell both ended their lives by hanging.
In 2010, fashion designer Alexander McQueen killed himself by reportedly taking a mixture of cocaine, tranquilisers and sleeping pills. One of the most shocking recent cases was comedian Robin Williams, who committed suicide in 2014.
Thailand has also seen suicides among its famous names. In 2002, singer Amarin Luangboriboon of the rock band Pause was found dead from a single gunshot wound to his right temple. The following year, Bundit Dejkunchorn of boy band Dr Kids also ended his life by hanging. He had been suffering from depression.
ILLUSION OF FAME
“Suicides among celebrities, especially the recent cases of Spade and Bourdain, highlight a troubling global trend in mental health issues,” said psychiatrist and suicide prevention expert Asst Prof Dr Prakarn Thomyangkoon of the Psychiatric Association of Thailand.
“When celebrities kill themselves, it reflects the fact that their lives are not as complete as we imagine them to be. Despite being rich and famous, people may still feel short of something inside. What we must not overlook is the issue of mental illness. A large number of people who commit suicide have depression or problems with drug abuse.”
There are so many cases that can be mentioned to support Dr Prakarn’s statement. After Spade’s suicide, her husband Andy revealed that she had long suffered from depression and anxiety. Bourdain was also reported to have fallen prey to depression.
Talinda Bennington, widow of the late Linkin Park frontman, spoke out after her husband’s death about his battle with depression. And despite his award-winning roles in various films, Robin Williams was known to have been suffering from depression throughout much of his adult life.
MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS
Despite years of campaigning to raise awareness of suicide, it remains a worrying public-health issue. The World Health Organization (WHO) listed suicide as the second highest cause of death among people aged between 15 and 29.
According to the WHO, more than 800,000 people commit suicide around the world every year. In the United States, around 45,000 people took their own lives in 2016, an alarming rise of nearly 30 percent since 1999, according to statistics from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
According to Dr Prakarn, Thailand saw more than 4,000 suicides last year, which equates to around 6.4 suicides per 100,000 people. The number is relatively low when compared to the global suicide rate of around 10 people per 100,000. But there were also an estimated 20,000-30,000 cases of failed suicide attempts, which can lead to physical disabilities and other complications.
Section 1
Read through the story and answer the following multiple-choice questions.
1. What is the article about?
a. Advice about mental health problems.
b. Mental health and suicide.
c. How to prevent suicide.
2. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the article?
a. The results of failed suicide attempts.
b. Statistics on deaths by suicide.
c. Causes of depression and anxiety.
3. According to the WHO, how many people commit suicide each year?
a. Almost 800,000.
b. Nearly one million.
c. More than one million.
4. When did Robin Williams pass away?
a. In 2014.
b. In 2016.
c. In 2017.
5. According to the article, what is one possible result of a failed suicide attempt?
a. Mental illness.
b. Social stigma.
c. Both a and b are correct.
6. Which of the following best describes the word “depression”?
a. A mental illness that causes somebody to feel very strong emotions of happiness and sadness over a certain period of time.
b. A medical condition which makes you feel unhappy and anxious and often prevents you from living a normal life.
c. A disease of the brain that mainly affects old people and results in the gradual loss of memory.
7. Which of the following statements is TRUE, according to the article?
a. Anthony Bourdain was a fashion designer.
b. Bundit Dejkunchorn was a member of Pause.
c. Chester Bennington was a singer.
8. Which of the following statements is NOT true, according to the article?
a. Suicide is the second highest cause of death among people aged between 15 and 29.
b. CDC stands for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
c. Dr Prakarn said that there were up to 3,000 failed suicide attempts in Thailand last year.
Section 2
Match each of the following words used in the story with the correct definitions from the choices given.
| 9. notable | a. to fail to see or notice something |
| 10.psychiatrist | b. the state of feeling nervous or worried that something bad is going to happen |
| 11. overlook | c. easy to see or understand |
| 12. apparent | d. deserving to receive attention |
| 13. anxiety |
e. a doctor who studies and treats mental illnesses |
Section 3
Read the following passage. Then, fill in the blanks with the correct words from the choices given.
“We say mental illness has become more …..14….. in society. But the truth is that visiting a psychiatrist …..15….. still a stigma. …..16….. high blood pressure or diabetes, …..17….. mental diseases require lifelong medication and consultation. And it’s a problem here because nobody …..18….. to be looked at as a mental patient forever. This is especially the case for celebrities, …..19….. public image is something they hold on to,” said Dr Prakarn.
14.
a. accepting
b. acceptance
c. accepted
15.
a. is
b. are
c. have been
16.
a. Likely
b. Like
c. Alike
17.
a. each
b. some
c. much
18.
a. wants
b. want
c. wanting
19.
a. who
b. which
c. whose
Section 4
Specify whether each of the following words is used in the article as a verb, noun, adjective or adverb.
20. equates
…………………………
21. wound
…………………………
22. long
…………………………
23. troubling
…………………………
24. revealed
…………………………
Answers
Section 1
1. b.
2. c.
3. b.
4. a.
5. a.
6. b.
7. c.
8. c.
Section 2
9. d.
10. e.
11. a.
12. c.
13. b.
Section 3
14. c.
15. a.
16. b.
17. b.
18. a.
19. c.
Section 4
20. Verb.
21. Noun.
22. Adverb.
23. Adjective.
24. Verb.
SCORE
21-24: Excellent!
17-20: Good.
13-16: Fair.
12 or fewer: You'll do better next time!
