Learnenglish elementary podcast support materials - 2-

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/magazine/food Introduction
This support pack accompanies the
video magazine article: Food.
To read or listen to the article online, go to: This support pack contains the following materials: • a pre-watching vocabulary activity; • the article; • a comprehension task Before you read / listen
Match the words and phrases in the table to their definitions.
Definitions:

b. Relating to thinking or mental activity d. Beans with tomato sauce, spices and sugar sold in cans f. A small argument with a very close friend or partner
The British Council, 2010
The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/magazine/food Article: Food
Do we live to eat or eat to live? That is the your brain – and caffeine which will temporarily boost your mood and alertness but send you crashing back down as soon as its effect starts I remember as a child growing up in Britain having fish and chips or baked beans on toast at least twice a week on my lap while watching Does this mean snacking is a bad idea when my favourite cartoon. Of course I enjoyed my you’re feeling down? Not at all. You just have to food but it wasn’t something I often talked do it wisely. In place of a chocolate bar, have a about. Now, I’m not blaming my culture for my slice of toast with chunky marmalade. Then lack of interest in food at an early age. Perhaps instead of fat and caffeine you’ve just given my silence was due to the fact that I didn’t know yourself a dose of vitamin C that has been anything about food. How many children know that prawns only turn pink when they are marmalade is loaded with the type of sugar that cooked and that tuna does not come from a spurs the release of mood-lifting chemicals in Europe, Asia and Australia I find myself talking about food all the time. The world has seduced In fact you can manage your mood and boost your brainpower, metabolism, even your sex life, by eating the right food. Whatever your Food that’s plain and simple is often the best goals, you can custom-design a diet to help you but not always so. For many of us food is a meet them. Here’s how taking control of your need. For others, food is a friend. Yet to some food can help you take control of your life. others food is an enemy. Cravings grip us at all the wrong times while we struggle to follow a The next time you have an important meeting strict diet that turned all our favourite desserts that requires mental processing, try some brain into mortal sins. There are others who regard processing food that looks like this: tuna salad food as an investment. To them, food has some kind of special powers that can control their tomatoes, a handful of nuts, bananas, a glass of lives, for better or for worse. If that’s the case, skimmed milk. Tuna, bananas, nuts and whole it’s time to change and make food work for us. wheat bread are high in vitamin B6, which has been scientifically proven to help preserve Let’s start by using food the way you would use cognitive skills. Protein-rich food contains a a pencil or a pair of scissors. We begin using nutrient called Tyrosine, which studies have food as a tool. Like tools, some food works well for some tasks and some is specially designed alertness. Greens such as broccoli and spinach naturally contain loads of vitamins and iron. Lack of these nutrients can lead to fatigue and Let’s say you’re feeling down. You had a tough day or a tiff with a best friend that drove you round the bend. You decide to treat yourself to Having said all that, let’s not be too stressed a bar of chocolate –nothing like chocolate to about what we eat. Many scientists these days perk you up. Unfortunately you’re setting believe that indulging in life’s little pleasures yourself up for a higher dose of the blues. may actually help improve your health because That’s because chocolate bars have a hefty of the psychological lift it gives you. There is a amount of fat and sugar – which takes a long lot of truth in the old saying that ‘a little of what time to digest and can draw energy away from
The British Council, 2010
The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/magazine/food Comprehension task
Multiple choice
Read the following sentence beginnings and select the right endings.
a. …knew a lot about food when he was a child. b. …believes travelling has helped him to understand food more. c. …talked about food all the time when he was a child. 2. In his childhood the writer used to eat fish and chips or baked beans on toast… a. …regularly with his family at the table. b. …and watch television at the same time. c. …less than twice a week. 3. The writer believes that chocolate… a. …gives energy to the brain. b. …makes you more intelligent. c. …takes energy away from the brain. a. …makes you depressed. b. …is better than eating a full meal. c. …is not always bad for you. 5. The writer believes managing your own food can… a. …help you to control other people. b. …control your life. c. …help you achieve your goals. a. …found in rich food. b. …found in food with a lot of protein. c. …a kind of nut. a. …can help you to become more alert throughout the day. b. …makes you immediately depressed. c. …is a short term measure to make you feel good. 8. The writer mentions that scientists believe that… a. …we should always be concerned about what we eat. b. …eating the wrong food can cause stress. c. …the pleasure we get from eating food may help you to feel better.
The British Council, 2010
The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.

Source: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org.cn/sites/podcasts/files/magazine%20article%20food.pdf