Unit 11 Eating the Right Things
Part Ⅰ Getting ready
One of the reasons why we eat food is to get energy. When the amount of food we eat balances the amount of energy our body needs, there is no surplus to be changed into body fat. This is the ideal situation.
A The following words and phrase will appear in this unit. Listen carefully and study the definitions.
1. excessive: too extreme
2. deficiency: not having as much as needed
3. efficacy: capacity to produce a desired effect
4. caffeine: a chemical substance found in coffee, tea, and cocoa, which makes your brain and body more active
5. decaf: coffee that has had most of the caffeine removed from it
6. obesity: the condition of being extremely fat
7. kebab: food that consists of small pieces of meat and sometimes vegetables that have been put on a thin metal rod and grilled
8. polystyrene: a very light, plastic substance used especially to make containers or as an insulating material ([化]聚苯乙烯)
9. organic food: food free from chemical injections or additives
10. yoghurt: a slightly sour, thick liquid which is made from milk that has had bacteria added to it
To grow and maintain healthy we must eat the right kinds of food and the right amounts as well. A balanced diet is one that has the right amount of all the food needed by the body. It has some food for growth, some food for energy, some food for protection against disease and some water. So what kinds of food should we eat every day?
B Before listening to this extract from a lecture, listen to some words. Make sure you know their pronunciation and the meaning. After listening to the lecture, make proper ticks to show what nutrients each food contains.
carrot: 胡萝卜 carbohydrate: 碳水化合物
liver: 肝脏 protein: 蛋白质
date: 枣 vitamin: 维他命
rose-hip: 玫瑰果，蔷薇果 mineral: 矿物质
molasses: 糖蜜，糖浆 calcium: 钙
lentil: 小扁豆 iron: 铁
citrus fruit:柑桔类水果 iodine: 碘
Carbohydrates Protein Fat Vitamins Minerals
(Animal fat) Va Vc Ca Fe
Bread _____________ _______ ____________ ____ ____ ___ ____
Meat _____________ _______ ____________ ____ ____ ___ ____
Carrots _____________ _______ ____________ ____ ____ ___ ____
Liver _____________ _______ ____________ ____ ____ ___ ____
Milk _____________ _______ ____________ ____ ____ ___ ____
Dates _____________ _______ ____________ ____ ____ ___ ____
Cheese _____________ _______ ____________ ____ ____ ___ ____
Rose-hips _____________ _______ ____________ ____ ____ ___ ____
Molasses _____________ _______ ____________ ____ ____ ___ ____
Sugar _____________ _______ ____________ ____ ____ ___ ____
Butter _____________ _______ ____________ ____ ____ ___ ____
Potatoes _____________ _______ ____________ ____ ____ ___ ____
Lentils _____________ _______ ____________ ____ ____ ___ ____
Fruit (esp.
citrus fruit
-oranges) _____________ _______ ____________ ____ ____ ___ ____
About one-third of the people in the world drink coffee. It comes from the fruits of a small tree grown mainly in parts of South America and Africa, especially in Brazil and Kenya. The fruits usually contain two seeds, which we call coffee beans. They have to be roasted and ground to powder before they can be made into a drink. Do you like coffee? Is it good for your health?
C You are going to hear a dialogue. Supply the missing words.
A: How about a cup of _________?
B: No, thanks. I don't drink coffee.
A: Why not?
B: I am trying to cut down on my _________ consumption.
A: Caffeine consumption? I can't do a thing until I've had my __________ cup of coffee.
B: Caffeine is just the beginning. I used to drink coffee until I read that it contains _________ chemicals, including tannins, caramelized __________ and carbon dioxide.
A: No way. You're pulling my leg.
B: I'm dead serious.
A: I think I'm going to switch to ___________.
B: Even decaf contains a small amount of caffeine. A recent Today has linked heavy coffee drinking with _______ trouble. It said that persons who drink more than ______ cups a day have an increased risk of heart attack and _______.
A: But I thought Americans love their coffee and cappuccino.
B: We do. The USA drinks more coffee than any other country and _________ love their caffeine. But most _________ don't realize how addictive and dangerous it can be. Caffeine is rapidly absorbed in the_______, appearing in all tissues and organs within about _______ minutes. By the way, how many cups do you drink a day?
A: Okay, okay. I'm swearing off coffee. So how about a _______?
B: Are you kidding? Coke has ________ as much caffeine as coffee. Moreover, it's not just the caffeine, but the amount of sugar that's in soft _______. All that sugar and caffeine can't be good for you.
A: You're turning into a real _______ fanatic, you know.
B: I just want to take care of _______. Maybe you should start being more health-conscious.
A: Then how about a _______ in the park?
B: I thought you'd never ask.
Part Ⅱ Health food
Nowadays, many new products are in the "health" category, and the main focus is on reduced fat and calorie content and increased dietary fibre. Do you think it is necessary to consider these factors when buying food?
A The following words are used in a mini-talk. Listen to the words first. Study the definitions carefully.
1. sweetener: an artificial substance used in drinks instead of sugar
2. additive; a substance added to foods or other substances in order to improve them
3. fertilizer: a substance spread on the ground in order to make plants grow more successfully
4. insecticide: a chemical that is used to kill insects
5. hormone: a chemical that is produced in your body (荷尔蒙)
6. allegation: a statement
7. toxic: poisonous
8. antioxidant: a chemical compound or substance that inhibits oxidation(抗氧剂)
9. anti-fungal: capable of reducing or destroying a kind of plant which has no leaves or green coloring like mushrooms and mold (抗真菌)
10. moldy: covered with a soft grey, green, or blue substance that sometimes forms on old food or on damp walls or clothes
B Now listen to the mini-talk. While listening for the first time, take down key words in the notes column. After the second listening, complete the following chart.
Terms Usage of the term Examples
Health food General term / _______ of Whole grain/_________
healthful foods /corn oil
____________ _________ classification/ _____________________
between types of ________
Organic food Narrowest classification/ Fruit/vegetable-treated
most ____________ with______________/ no
insecticides /not______
________/fish / dairy /
poultry-animals fed
organically-grown feed /
no ________
C Now listen to the mini-talk again. Answer the following questions with the help of the above notes.
1. According to health food advocates, is bread an organic food? Why or why not?
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
2. What happens to food when it is processed?
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
3. When buying food, on what do people usually base their choice? And what should be considered first?
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Part Ⅲ Fast food survey
Fast food has come into our life rapidly. Because of its speed and convenience, people like it everywhere. In almost every big city, you won't miss hamburgers, fried chips and so forth.
A You are going to hear a market survey on fast food. While listening for the first time, add more key words in the notes column. After the second listening, complete all the questions.
Questions
1. Do you ever ______________?
2. What __________ fast food do you eat?
3. __________ do you eat fast food? Every day? More than once a __________? Less than once a week?
4. What time of ___________ do you eat fast food?
5. Do you only eat it as ____________ or do you snack between meals?
6. What do you __________ fast food?
A. It's __________.
B. It __________ good.
C. It's good for you.
D. It's an _________ way of eating.
E. It creates litter.
B Now try this: listen to a more authentic version of the dialogue. Complete the survey.
Yes No
( ) ( ) 1. Do you ever eat fast food?
( ) ( ) 2. What kind of fast food do you eat?
( ) ( ) 3. How often do you eat fast food? Every day? More than once a week? Less than once a week?
( ) ( ) 4. What time of day do you eat fast food?
( ) ( ) 5. Do you only eat it as a main meal or do you snack between meals?
6. What do you think of fast food? Definitely True True False
A. It's convenient. □ □ □
B. It tastes good. □ □ □
C. It's good for you. □ □ □
D. It's an expensive way of eating. □ □ □
E. It creates litter. □ □ □
Part Ⅳ More about the topic: Organic Foods
When you are buying food, what do you consider first: the nutrients, the color or the price? Do you believe in organic foods for which you may pay more?
The following report is about organic foods. Supply the missing words while listening.
Americans buy ________ million dollars worth of food in a year. About ________ of that money is spent on organic foods. People who buy _______ foods often consider them better and safer than non-organic foods. Organic foods are produced as naturally as possible. Man-made ________ are not used on the crops. Since organic foods often require more farm ______, they usually cost more. Yet the Organic Trade Association says organic food ______ in the United States have increased. This group says sales of organic foods have been increasing between _______ and _______ each year. Organic crops are being grown on small ________ operated by families. Some big companies are using part of their ________ for organic farming. And many private farm cooperatives are joining in organic __________. Successful. Farming Magazine says producers believe the _________ is increasing for organic foods.
Organic goods used to be limited mostly to small ________, selling only natural foods. But now they can be found in some large food stores too. Experts say _________ is generally keeping up with demand. Business seems to be especially good these days for ________ of organic dairy products. Americans are demanding more __________, cheese, ________ and yoghurt that do not contain chemicals. Organic __________ also are more common. Farmers are raising more cows and _________ with organically-grown feed and without anti-biotic _________ or chemicals that increase growth. Yet growing crops without chemical __________ or insect poisons can be difficult. ________ often are limited at first. Farms must meet requirements before their crops can be declared organic by a private _________. Chemicals must not have been used on the farm for __________ years. And the same crops can not be grown in the same __________ year after year.
Since the organic farming industry is still small, there are also ______________ problems. Farmers often must drive their __________ farther to be processed or sold than crops normally have to travel. But industry experts say they expect __________ as more big food companies recognize the growing _______ for organic foods.
Part Ⅴ Memory test: The British Diet
In different countries of the world and among different peoples, there is a wide range of foods which can be combined in order to provide a balanced diet. The type of diet a person adopts depends on what foods are available, how much they cost and on religious and cultural beliefs. Do you know what average British people eat? Do they eat a balanced diet?
The following dialogue is about the British diet. Listen carefully and complete the flow-diagram which, when completed, will tell you why the British diet is not good.
The British Diet
high in _____________
low in ______________
having a link to ________
_________________________
_______________ and so on
inappropriate for long-term health
Part Ⅵ Reminder of key points in this unit
Verb & Verb Phrase Noun & Noun Phrase Other
Part Ⅰ convert carbohydrate starchy
put forward protein excessive
allege mineral addictive
cut down on tissue building health-conscious
pull one's leg deficiency
switch to cholesterol
absorb fatty deposit
swear off substitute
carrot
rose-hip
liver
citrus fruit
efficacy
calcium
iron
iodine
anaemia
caffeine consumption
decaf
cappuccino
soft drink
Part Ⅱ spray whole grain widely
corn oil poisonous
raw honey toxic
sweetener anti-fungal
refined sugar moldy
canned fruit preserving
additive
fertilizer insecticide
poultry
organically-grown feed
hormone
(un)processed food
allegation
antioxidant
alternative
Part Ⅲ send out for burger convenient
pizza
kebab
litter
litter bin
plastic
polystyrene
Part Ⅳ operate organic food
keep up with farm labor
declare private farm cooperatives
yoghurt
Part Ⅴ highlight obesity inappropriate
neglect intake remarkably
decade
