Gel Nail Polish &
Safety Concerns

Instructions:

Listen to the video carefully and answer the following questions. Choose the best answer for each question. Click “Submit Answers” when you’re done to see your results.

Gel Nail Polish & Safety Concerns – Listening Comprehension Exercise

Gel Nail Polish & Safety Concerns – Listening Comprehension Exercise

Instructions:

Listen carefully and choose the best answer for each question.

1. Why did the European Union decide to ban GPO?
  • It was linked to reproductive toxicity
  • It was found to slow nail polish drying time
  • It caused immediate allergic reactions in most users
  • It was banned for being too expensive to produce
2. What was the main scientific evidence behind the EU ban?
  • Surveys from nail salon clients
  • Long-term human studies
  • Sales data from cosmetic companies
  • Animal studies showing harmful effects
3. What concern do some experts have about the EU decision?
  • It was based on limited human trials
  • It relied only on animal studies
  • It did not include enough brands
  • It ignored customers' preferences
4. What argument do supporters of a U.S. ban make?
  • The ban would lower prices for consumers
  • The U.S. should increase GPO use for better quality
  • The ban would make manicures dry faster
  • If Europe says it's harmful, the U.S. should ban it too
5. According to health experts, what two questions must be considered when evaluating GPO's risk?
  • The level of exposure and the actual risk
  • The cost of nail polish and its color range
  • The popularity of gel manicures and salon size
  • The smell of the product and its packaging
6. Why does Dr. Henry not tell clients to avoid gel manicures?
  • She believes they are 100% safe
  • She does not have strong evidence that they are harmful
  • She owns a nail salon business
  • She personally dislikes regular polish
7. What does the Nail Manufacturer Council on Safety claim?
  • Gel manicures should be discontinued completely
  • Only cheap polishes contain GPO
  • There are safe alternatives so clients can continue gel manicures
  • Nail salons must remove all gels immediately
8. How did Shellac's arrival affect the popularity of gel polish?
  • It made gel manicures less popular
  • It caused prices to rise
  • It replaced all regular nail polishes
  • It led to a breakthrough in popularity
9. How has Tina Wang's salon responded to safety concerns?
  • By switching to non-toxic polishes
  • By only offering acrylic nails
  • By banning all nail services
  • By increasing GPO in their products
10. What does Dr. Henry recommend to reduce UV exposure risk?
  • Avoiding all manicures
  • Applying sunscreen before the appointment
  • Wearing gloves during the manicure
  • Using a regular fan to dry nails
11. What trend are some salons noticing?
  • People are asking for brighter colors
  • Clients are demanding longer appointments
  • Customers are skipping gel manicures
  • There is a decline in interest for all nail services
12. What might a policymaker want before deciding on a U.S. ban?
  • More advertising campaigns for salons
  • A report on nail polish colors sold
  • Public approval from celebrities
  • Direct evidence of harm in humans

Your Results

Gel Nail Polish Ban – Vocabulary & Expression Quiz

Gel Nail Polish Ban – Vocabulary & Expression Quiz (B1 Level)

Instructions:

Choose the best answer for each question. There is only one correct answer per question.

1. What does the expression "polishing up on their manicures" mean?
  • improving or getting ready for something
  • removing nail polish
  • ignoring beauty trends
  • cleaning jewelry
2. What does "throw away" mean in this context?
  • to put something in the trash
  • to buy something new
  • to show something proudly
  • to move something to another room
3. What does "speed up the dry time" mean?
  • to make the nails dry faster
  • to make the polish thicker
  • to make the nails longer
  • to stop drying completely
4. What does "toxic for reproduction" mean?
  • dangerous for health, especially for having children
  • helpful for strong nails
  • safe to use regularly
  • something that smells nice
5. What does the word "ban" mean in this passage?
  • an official rule that stops people from using or doing something
  • a type of nail polish
  • a kind of permission
  • an advertisement
6. What does "fuelling conversations" mean?
  • causing people to talk a lot about something
  • stopping people from discussing
  • confusing the audience
  • teaching people quietly
7. What does the expression "make that evaluation" mean?
  • to analyze or carefully study a situation
  • to end an argument
  • to create a new product
  • to choose your favorite color
8. What does "a breakthrough" mean in this context?
  • a big discovery or success
  • a serious mistake
  • a short break
  • a marketing trick
9. What does "on the scene" mean in the phrase "when shellac arrived on the scene"?
  • became popular or appeared publicly
  • disappeared from stores
  • started to break easily
  • went out of fashion
10. What does "a trend" mean when the salon owner says, "We've been seeing a trend"?
  • a general direction in which something is changing or developing
  • a single person's idea
  • a scientific fact
  • an expensive mistake
11. What does "pretty good for most people" mean?
  • acceptable or satisfying for many users
  • perfect and flawless
  • dangerous to use
  • too expensive for everyone
12. What does "keep that in mind" mean?
  • remember that information
  • forget it immediately
  • repeat it to others
  • argue about it later

Your Results

CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF

THESE PRODUCTS AND THEIR

POSSIBLE HEALTH EFFECTS.

A NEW BAN IN EUROPE HAS PEOPLE

POLISHING UP ON THEIR MANICURES.

>> YOU NEED TO THROW AWAY ALL

YOUR GELS.

>> GPO FOR SHORT IS A CHEMICAL

FOUND IN MOST GEL NAIL POLISHES.

IT HELPS SPEED UP THE DRY TIME,

GIVING NAILS AN EXTRA GLOSSY

FINISH THAT DOES NOT CHIP

EASILY.

THE EUROPEAN UNION FIRST

ANNOUNCED THE NEW REGULATION

BACK IN MAY SAYING THE SUBSTANCE

CAN BE TOXIC FOR REPRODUCTION

AND NO LONGER ALLOWED IN

PRODUCTS.

HOWEVER, HEALTH EXPERTS SAY THE

EU REGULATION WAS INFLUENCED BY

A STUDY ON ANIMALS, NOT HUMANS.

>> WHY IS NOT AMERICAN BANNING

IT?

IF THESE OTHER PLACES ARE SAYING

IT IS HARMFUL, THEY NEED TO BAN

IT HERE, TOO.

>> THE BAN FUELLING

CONVERSATIONS HERE IN THE U.S.

ON WHETHER IT’S SAFE TO USE.

>> WHEN WE ARE MAKING THAT

EVALUATION, WE’RE LOOKING TO SEE

WHAT IS THE EXPOSURE?

WHAT IS THE REAL RISK?

>> AS A DERMATOLOGIST, IF A

CLIENT COMES TO YOU FOR CONCERN,

ARE YOU TELLING THEM TO AVOID

GEL MANICURES?

>> I AM NOT.

THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL DECISION

BECAUSE I DON’T HAVE EVIDENCE

THAT IT IS TRULY HARMFUL.

>> IN A STATEMENT, THE NAIL

MANUFACTURER COUNCIL ON SAFETY

SAYS THEY HAVE EFFECTIVE

ALTERNATIVES ON THE MARKET.

CLIENTS CAN CONTINUE TO ENJOY

GEL MANICURES WITH CONFIDENCE.

INITIALLY INTRODUCED IN THE

1980s, GEL NAIL POLISH HAD A

BREAKTHROUGH IN POPULAR 30 YEARS

LATER WHEN SHELLAC ARRIVED ON

THE SCENE.

BUT SOME ARE ALREADY SEEING

CUSTOMERS CHANGE THEIR HABITS.

>> WE DEFINITELY HAVE BEEN

SEEING A TREND OF PEOPLE NOT

DOING GEL.

>> TINA WANG IS THE OWNER OF A

NAIL SALON THAT ONLY USES

NON-TOXIC POLISHES, BUT SOME GEL

POLISHES STILL INCLUDE GPO.

>> WE HAVE THIS OTHER GREAT

POLISH THAT LASTS ALMOST AS

LONG, IT IS ALMOST AS DURABLE

AND PRETTY GOOD FOR MOST PEOPLE.

>> SO DR. HENRY SAYS SHE DOES

NOT BELIEVE A FEDERAL BAN ON GPO

IS LIKELY HERE IN THE U.S.

SHE SAYS IF YOU ARE WORRIED

ABOUT CHEMICALS, SOME BRANDS

ALREADY MAKE A GPO-FREE VERSION.

ANOTHER CONCERN FOR GEL

MANICURES IS THE UV EXPOSURE.

DR. HENRY SAID PUT ON SUNSCREEN

BEFORE YOU GO TO THE NAIL SALON.

KEEP THAT IN MIND, CRAIG.

>> SAW WHAT YOU DID THERE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> BY THE WAY, I DIDN’T DENY IT.

>> I KNOW.

YOU HAVE BEAUTIFUL NAILS AND

TOES.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> BY THE WAY, TO FIND OUT MORE

INFORMATION ON THE BAN ON OUR

WEBSITE.

>> ANOTHER MAN WITH BEAUTIFUL

FINGERS AND TOES, MR. ROKER.

>> AND CRAIG HAS VERY SOFT

HEELS.

>> CAN WE GET A FORECAST?

>> HE DOES.

HE DOES.

SOMETIMES ON THE WEEKENDS HE AND

I WILL SEE EACH OTHER.

>> I THINK WE HAVE