1、Unit 7 Food and DietReadingIdentifying opinionsA Read the following statement about organic farming.Organic farming is better for wildlife, causes lower pollution from sprays, produces less carbon dioxide, has high animal welfare standards and increases rural employment.Read sentences i-iii. For eac
2、h sentence, say if ita expresses the same opinion as the statement above (Yes).b expresses an opposite opinion from the statement above (No).c says something completely new, not mentioned in the original statement (Not Given).-i Organic farming is harmful to the environment.-ii The countryside benef
3、its from organic farming.-iii Organic farming is usually more expensive.B Read the following two statements. For each statement, write Yes, No or Not Given.1. The benefits of GM crops tend to be overlooked; for example, they have a potential for feeding the developing world with a crop rich in essen
4、tial vitamins and other nutrients.- i GM crops have no benefits for the developing world.-ii GM crops can help improve the diet of poorer sections of the worlds population.-iii GM crops are more resistant to disease.2. When it comes to persuading their children to eat healthily, parents have a hard
5、fight on their hands. How can a bowl of fresh fruit compete with the images of fizzy drinks, sweets and crisps that children see every time they turn on the TV?-i Advertising aimed at children increases sales of fizzy drinks, sweets and crisps.-ii Parents find it easy to convince their children to e
6、at healthy food.-iii TV advertising affects what children want to eat.The worlds expanding waistlineWHEN the world was a simpler place, the rich were fat, the poor were thin, and people worried about how to feed the hungry. Now, in much of the world, the rich are thin, the poor are fat, and people a
7、re worrying about obesity.Thanks to rising agricultural productivity, famine is rarer all over the globe. According to the UN, the number of people short of food fell from 920m in 1980 to 799m in 2000, even though the worlds population increased by 1.5 billion over the period. But the consequence of
8、 this prosperity brings a new problem and with it a host of interesting policy dilemmas.Obesity is the worlds biggest public-health issue today - the main cause of heart disease, which kills more people these days than AIDS, malaria, war; the principal risk factor in diabetes; heavily implicated in
9、cancer and other diseases. Since the World Health Organization labeled obesity an epidemic in 2000, there have been many reports on its fearful consequences.Will public-health warnings, combined with media pressure, persuade people to get thinner, just as they finally put them off tobacco? There is
10、now agreement among doctors that governments Unit 7 Food and Dietshould do something to help.Diet by command?Theres nothing new about the idea that governments should intervene in the food business. One of the earliest examples was in 1202, when King John of England first banned the adulteration of
11、bread. Governments and people seem to agree that ensuring the safety and stability of the food supply is part of the states job. But obesity is a more complicated issue than food safety. It is not about ensuring that people dont get poisoned; it is about changing their behavior. Should governments b
12、e trying to do anything about it at all?There is a bad reason for doing something, and a couple of good ones. The bad reason is that governments should help citizens look after themselves. People, the argument goes, are misled by their bodies, which are constantly trying to store a few more calories
13、 in case of hunger in the near future. Governments should help guide them towards better eating habits. But that argument is weaker in the case of food than it is for tobacco - nicotine is addictive, chocolate is not - people have a choice of being sensible or silly. People should choose, not govern
14、ments.Get them young?A better argument for intervention is that dietary habits are established early in childhood. Once people get fat, it is hard for them to get thin; once they are used to breakfasting on chips and Coke, its hard to change. The state, which has some responsibility for shaping youn
15、g people, should try to ensure that its small citizens arent overdosing on sugar at primary school. Britains government is talking about tough restrictions on advertising junk food to children. It seems unlikely that it will have much effect. Sweden already bans advertising to children, and its youn
16、g people are as fat as those in comparable countries. Other moves, such as banning junk food from schools, might work better.The cost of obesityA second plausible argument for intervention is that thin people subsidize fat people through health care. If everybody is forced to pay for the seriously f
17、at, then everybody has an interest in seeing them slim down. This should not be a problem in insurance-financed health care systems, such as Americas. Insurance companies should be able to charge fat people more because they cost more. That leaves the question of what should happen in a state-financ
18、ed health system. Why not tax fattening food -sweets, snacks and takeaways? That might discourage consumption of unhealthy food and also get back some of the costs of obesity.It might; but it would also be too great an intrusion on liberty for the gain in equity and efficiency it might (or might not
19、) represent. Society has a legitimate interest in fat because fat and thin people both pay for it. But it also has a legitimate interest in not having the government interfere in peoples private business. If people want to eat their way to grossness and an early grave, let them.Unit 7 Food and DietQ
20、uestions 1-8Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the passage on page 58?You should writeYES if the statement agrees with the views of the writerNO if the statement contradicts the views of the writerNOT GIVEN if it impossible to say what the writer thinks about this1 Inc
21、reasing world population has led to famine.2 Obesity is one of the biggest killers in the world.3 Doctors should advise people on how to lose weight.4 Governments should try to prevent children from picking up bad eating habits.5 Overweight people cost health systems more, and therefore should pay h
22、ealth insurance.6 Overweight people should not smoke.7 Banning advertisements of junk food aimed at children would change their eating habits.8 Everyone has a right to eat what they like and as much as they like.Summary completionA How many of the writers ideas can you remember? Without looking at t
23、he text, discuss with a partner.B Look at the notes a student has made about the text. Number the notes 1-4 according to the information in the passage.Obese people cost a lot in health care - who pays?-through insurance-through tax on unhealthy -food?Change eating habits early in childhood - theref
24、oreUK ban advertising of junk food - how effective?compare with _Sweden - effect)More food produced todayless famineNew problem of obesity - health issueQuestions 9-15Complete the summary below.Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.Farming today is much more productive tha
25、n even twenty years ago, and it is due to this increase in 9 -that famine in this time has become much less common in the world. However, it has led to a new problem of obesity, which has become the most significant global 10 -concern. It is generally agreed that the government should be responsible
26、 for protecting the 11 -of societys food. However, obesity is a more complicated issue and it raises the Unit 7 Food and Dietquestion of whether governments should try to after peoples 12 -. Many disagree that the duty of the government is to take care of society by encouraging 13 -Surely, people ha
27、ve a choice whether to eat healthily or not.Those who favor government involvement in our food consumption think it is more effective to try to change people while they are still at 14 -There should therefore be restrictions on junk food being advertised to children. The problem, though, is that thi
28、s has already been tried in Sweden, and there is no difference between there and 15 -.Questions 16-19Complete the summary below using words from the box.At the moment, the extra cost of health care attributable to obese people is paid by 16 -. In countries where health care is funded by insurance, t
29、his is not such a problem because overweight people can be charged higher premiums. However, in countries which have 17 - funded medical services this is not possible. One possible solution would be the introduction of a 18 -on unhealthy food. Although this might work to reduce obesity, it is Likely
30、 to be very unpopular - most people will see it as too great an interference in personal 19 -.doctors government privacy finance health society ruling policy citizen freedom individuals company choice diet levy businessSpeakingIntroductionDiscuss these questions with a partner.I Whats your favorite
31、food? Is there any food you really hate?2 When was the last time you ate out? Where did you go? Can you remember what you ordered?Describing an experienceA Read the topic card below. Then close your eyes for 15 seconds and see and feel yourself in this situation. Dont speak during this time.Describe
32、 a recent restaurant experience.You should say: where you ate who you went withwhat you ateand explain how you felt about the experience.B After visualizing the scene, take notes in as much detail as possible in preparation for a two-minute talk. For examples of students notes, see page 30.C The top
33、ic card you are given in Part 2 provides a way to organize your thoughts, but you will often want to (or need to) add extra information, which is not on the card.1. What extra information could you usefully include in your talk about the topic on the card in Unit 7 Food and Diet2A? Discuss with a pa
34、rtner.2. Listen to an IELTS candidate giving a talk on the topic card in 2A, and tick (V) the information that the student provides.a when he wentb what the weather was likec how he was dressedd what he did before going to the restaurante how often he goes theref what his friend ateg how much he pai
35、d for the mealh what his friend thought of the meal3. The points on the topic card are often presented in a logical order, e.g. first, provide a context, then describe the events and finally, give your feelings and opinions. Write the extra information (a-h) the student provided under the correct he
36、ading in the table below.Contents Events Feelingswhere he went/who he what he ate what he thought of the mealwent with- - -D Use the topic card and your notes to talk to your partner for at Least one minute. Remember to structure your talk by following the order of the points on the card.Work in pai
37、rs. Practice the interview for two minutes.Student A: You are the candidate. For one minute, look at the topic card below and prepare notes. Then, use your notes to speak for one or two minutes. Follow the advice in for this task.Student B: You are the examiner. Give student B one minute to look at
38、the card below and make notes. Then listen to student Bs answers carefully. Does he or she follow the advice in for this task? After one or two minutes, interrupt and ask student B a few questions related to the topic.When you have finished, change rotes.Describe a memorable meal.You should say:what
39、 you atewhat the occasion waswhat happened during the mealand explain why the meal was memorable. Generating ideasA Do you agree or disagree with the opinion below? Share your views with a partner. Remember to justify your opinion.Fast food should have health warnings like cigarettes.Unit 7 Food and
40、 DietB Work in pairs. With a partner, discuss the following six questions which are related to the opinion above.C Read the opinion below and write six questions (who, what, where, when, why, how) about it. Then discuss your questions with a partner.Fast food companies should not be allowed to targe
41、t children in their advertising.Two-way discussionWork in pairs. Practice the two-way discussion.Student A: Listen to questions 1-3 on the recording. After each question, there will be a pause to give you time to answer. Direct your answers to student B. Follow the advice in for this task.Student B: Listen to your partners response to the question. Does he or she give full, detailed responses? Now listen to questions 4-6 on the recording. After each question, there will be a pause to give you time to answer. Direct your answers to student A. Follow the advice in for this task.
