2. Burning off calories

Focus on

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People today eat way more than they used to - and way more than they need to. This means that they're constantly taking in more calories than their bodies can burn. Unfortunately, lots of us don't realize that we're eating too much because we've become so used to seeing (and eating!) large portions.

The price of such overabundance is high. It's common knowledge that people who consistently overeat are likely to become overweight. But they also risk getting a number of medical problems, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, bone and joint problems, breathing and sleeping problems, and even depression. Later in life, people who overeat are at greater risk for heart disease, heart failure, and stroke.

SOURCE: http://teenshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/portion_size.html

  • Do you agree with the text?
  • Why do people eat so much nowadays?
  • Do you know people who overeat and are not overweight? Are they healthy?
  • How much meat, fish and fruit do you eat per week? A lot or little?
  • How many vegetables do you eat every day? A lot or few?
  • How often do you eat snacks?

Top tips

Pay attention when answering questions like the ones above where quantifiers (much, many, little, a little, few, a few, a lot, some, any, etc.) have to be used.
Do you remember how to use them?

 

ACTIVITY 1

Watch the following video and answer the questions as for the use of much, many and a lot.

a.- Are the words water and homework countable or uncountable nouns?
b.- Is the following sentence correct - I drank too many water ?
c.- Is the quantifier a lot (of) used with countable or uncountable nouns?
d.- Which quantifiers can be used with uncountable nouns?

Video alojado en Youtube

ACTIVITY 2

Watch the video below and answer the following questions related to the use of little, a little, few, a few.

e.- Which of these four quantifiers are used with non-countable nouns?
f.- What do the quantifiers a little and a few mean?
g.-What's the meaning of little and few?
h.- Do the following two sentences mean the same - A few friends have visited me already and Some friends have visited me already?
i.- What's the difference between to have little time and to have a little time?

Video alojado en Youtube

Moving on

Now, it's time to practise using quantifiers in context.
These exercises will help you understand when to use each of the quantifiers we have studied.

Do it yourself

Listen to the audio called Menu shows exercise needed to lose weight and say if the statements below are True or False. Listen to the recording twice.


 

SOURCE: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1304/130430-menus.html

After doing the listening activity, click on audioscript to listen and read the script at the same time.

Question 1

a.- A new computer menu downloads eating and exercise information.

Question 2

b.- A researcher says information about walking off calories is very useful.

Question 3

c.- The researcher said we do not really understand calories.

Question 4

d.- The research looked at the ordering habits of 3,000 people.

Question 5

e.- People were given menus with different information.

Question 6

f.- A woman must walk for 2 hours to burn off a hamburger's calories.

Question 7

g.- A researcher said that it is not difficult for people to understand what it means to walk fast.

Do it yourself

All the words below in column A are words from the listening activity you have just done. Match column A and column B to get synonyms. Write the letter (a-j) in the space provided.

COLUMN A LETTER COLUMN B
1. reveals a. use
2. customers b. plan
3. effective c. quick
4. strategy d. shows
5. consume e. requested
6. information f. consumers
7. burn off g. eat or drink
8. ordered h. understand
9. brisk i. successful
10. relate to j. details

SOURCE: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1304/130430-menus.html

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