quinta-feira, 23 de fevereiro de 2012

TEXT COMPREHENSION EXERCISES - PART II


Food that makes you feel good

Food is life. It gives us the nourishment we need to stay alive and be healthy. Usually, we eat because we are hungry or need energy. Brian Wansink, a professor at the University of Illinois, says we also eat certain foods because they make us feel good, and remind us of happy memories. Wansink calls this kind of food comfort food. For some people, ice cream is a comfort food. For others, a bowl of noodle soup makes them feel good.

How does a food become comfort food? Professor Wansink believes that we connect food with important times, feelings, and people in our lives. "When I was a child, my mother made a delicious soup; I loved it. Now, I often eat this soup when I am tired or worried, and it helps me feel better," says one of Wansink's coworkers.

Do men and women choose different comfort foods? Wansink's research  at the University of Illinois says "yes." In his study, the favorite comfort food for both men and women was ice cream. After this, men usually preferred hot, savory foods like soup or noodles. Women liked sweet things such as chocolate and cookies. Men and women like to eat comfort food when they are happy, but women eat these foods more when they are sad or worried.
Not all comfort food is junk food. About 40 percent of the comfort foods in Wansink's study were healthy main dishes or soups and vegetables. It shows, says Wansink, that a comfort food can taste good and be good for you.

Vocabulary:
. nourishment:    alimento, nutrição
. bowl:    tigela
. noodle soup:    sopa de macarrão
. coworkers:    companheiro/a de trabalho
. junk food:    comida que não faz bem à saúde.

Questions:

1.    Concerning the text  why do we usually eat?
2.    According to Brian Wansink why do we also eat?
3.    According to Brain Wansink how does a food become comfort food?
4.    According to the professor, what kind of comfort food do men prefer? Why?
5.    And what about the women?
6.    According to the professor, are all comfort foods junk foods?
7.    Make a summary of this text.

TEXT COMPREHENSION EXERCISES - PART I

FOOD FACTS

Around the world, people have beliefs about certain food and drink. Some people think that chicken soup is good for a cold. Others believe that it is unhealthy not to eat meat. The question is, are any of these beliefs true?  Read this factsheet to find out.
Belief: Chicken soup helps to fight a cold.
Fact: For centuries, people have believed that chicken soup is a good cold remedy. Now, doctors say this belief may be true. Researchers think that chicken soup contains a special chemical that stops a cold from getting worse. Also, heat from the soup can make a person feel better.
Belief: A vegetarian diet is unhealthy.
Fact: Meat, especially red meat, contains protein that the body needs. A person who doesn't eat meat can get enough protein and be healthy by eating tofu, eggs, nuts, and certain vegetables.
Belief: Chocolate causes pimples.
Fact: This is a common belief that is not true. Many researchers say that eating chocolate does not cause pimples. More often, the cause is stress or not getting enough sleep.
Belief: Tea  is better than coffee.
Fact: A study in 2002  showed that black or green tea contains substances that can protect your heart, fight cancer, and lower fat in your body. Coffee does not do this.
Belief: Foods like bread and potatoes are fattening.
Fact: Bread and potatoes do  not contain much fat, or many calories. Eating too much and not exercising can cause us to gain weight. Also, adding fattening things like butter to bread and potatoes can raise the number of calories we eat.                                                       Vocabulary =>   tofu:     espécie de queijo japonês feito de leite de soja

Questons:

1.    Concerning a kind of belief what can be good for a cold?
2.    Concerning another kind of belief what can cause pimples?
3.    Concerning the text what kind of foods are fattening?
4.    Concerning the text, is coffee better than tea? Explain.
5.    Concerning the text what  kind of food can supply your body  with protein?
6.    According to the text are bread and potatoes fattening? Why?
7.    Make a summary of this text.

sexta-feira, 17 de fevereiro de 2012