1. Have you ever heard about the phenomenon called ‘wrap rage’? Do you have any clue what it is about?
2. Have you personally, any of your friends or relatives suffered from ‘wrap rage’?
3. Do you think that it’s a common problem or was it simply invented by Americans, who just have nothing else to worry about?

II. Watch the whole video and answer the questions below.

1. So what is wrap rage? Give a definition.
2. Why aren’t producers changing the packaging of their goods if it’s such an issue? Give at least 3 reasons.
3. What is a possible way out for consumers? Can they do anything about it?

Part 1 (00.00 – 01.33)

III. Before watching look through the following questions and be ready to answer them.

1. What were the examples (named and shown) of hard-to-open packaging?
2. What tools that are used to open packaging were mentioned?
3. What is the tendency of the last ten years?
4. Is wrap rage a wide spread phenomenon? Prove you point with the facts from the video.

Part 2 (01.34 – 02.28)

IV. Watch this part and fill in the gaps in the text below.

Tracy Smith: Here in the US they don’t __________ on the number of people that __________ opening __________, but in __________ they do. And they found that just in one year __________ people __________ ranging from __________ to __________ just __________ with __________.

Tracy Smith: Peter Clark is the president of Product __________, a company which __________ packaging. He says a product’s __________ must protect it during __________, __________ it from being opened and __________ in the __________, and still be cheap to __________.

Part 3 (02.29 – 04.12)

V. Read the list below. Then watch and put words and expressions from the list in the order they appear on the video.

Carrying handle, drain back feature, dripping, pour spout, quick opening, twist open.

Key

II.

1. It’s that feeling you get when you spend 10 minutes wrestling with packaging. The aggravation of not being able to get something out of its package
2. A product’s package must: protect it during shipping; be cheap to manufacture; be pilfer resistant; sometimes be child resistant. Packaging is sealed by machines, replacement of which is costly.
3. The only way for consumers to influence company policy on packaging is to complain a lot and demand changes.

III.

1. Named: new CD, toy wrapped in plastic; shown: dummy, flash camera, DVD pack, CD pack, single use camera, pills, batteries, lock.

1. Scissors, knives, chainsaw.
2. One survey found that most people feel that in the past decade packaging has gotten increasingly harder to open.
3. It definitely is. "If you’ve ever had a tough time trying to open something … you are not alone." "One survey found that most people feel that … packaging has gotten increasingly harder to open." "People shown were of different sex and age."

IV.

Tracy Smith: Here in the US they don’t keep statistics on the number of people that get hurt opening packaging, but in Great Britain they do. And they found that just in one year 67,000 people got injuries ranging from cut fingers to sprain wrists just wrestling with wrapping.

Tracy Smith: Peter Clark is the president of Product Ventures, a company which designs packaging. He says a product’s package must protect it during shipping, prevent it from being opened and stolen in the store, and still be cheap to manufacture.

V.

1. carrying handle
2. quick opening
3. twist open
4. pour spout
5. drain back feature
6. dripping

VI.

Peter Clark: Yes. Potentially cutting yourself, so you’re going to walk your away around. This canister, again very thoughtfully designed. It incorporates a value-added handle, which is nice, so you don’t have to cradle it like a football. And then you can just conveniently pop the top and then peel back the seal, the freshness seal…

Tracy Smith: Oh, I love that smell.

Peter Clark: … and then scoop, scoop what you need. And then conveniently reseal and you can burp it too.

Tracy Smith: No cuts.

VII.

1. F, most complaints are made about hard plastic containers.
2. NS, she mentions that she cuts them, but does precise the tools.
3. T, “…you get into your car in the store parking lot, you wanna open it immediately.”
4. F, “…even if you do [cut it], then you’re leaving that … sharp edge and you cut yourself.”
5. T, “Machinery is incredibly expensive.”

VIII.

1. g.
2. l.
3. f.
4. d.
5. j.
6. e.
7. a.
8. k.
9. i.
10. c.
11. h.
12. b.

Points for discussion

Blacklisted packs

Here is one of the possible lists, offered by a survey.

• Bleach bottles
• Jars
• Shrink-wrapped cheese
• Ring-pull cans
• Meat and fish tins
• Milk and juice cartons
• Child-proof tops on medicines
• Plastic tops on ready meals
• Soap powder boxes
• Biscuits