Listening Exercises B1 – Food and Nutrition

1.

I never pay attention to my diet. I eat whatever I want. There’s nothing I like more than a big juicy steak for dinner and chocolate cake and ice cream for dessert. Yum!

2.

I’m trying to cut down on cholesterol, so I’ve stopped eating eggs, cheese, and red meat. I’m eating a lot more fish and chicken.

3.

I’m trying to put on weight. Everyone tells me I’m too thin, so I’ve started eating a lot more meat and dairy products. It’s great. Now I can go out as often as I want for hamburgers and milk shakes.

4.

I’ve got a real sweet tooth. I love chocolate, candies, and things like that. But I know it isn’t healthy, so I’ve given all that up. Now the only sweets I have are fruit.

1.

Well, from what you’ve been telling me, Mr. Grant, it sounds like you’re already eating more vegetables. That’s good. But you should definitely eat less cheese. It has a lot of sodium and fat in it. That might explain why your cholesterol level is so high.

2.

I’m glad to hear that you’ve been eating fish more often, Linda. It’s much better for you than meat because it has a lot less fat in it. It will probably help your high blood pressure, too. Now, you should also try to eat more fresh fruit, too, especially oranges and bananas.

3.

Well, Chris, I think it’s great that you’ve been eating a lot of vegetables. I see you’ve been having fruit with every meal, too. That’s excellent. But you say you’ve been feeling tired and weak lately, so you should eat more meat.

4.

Ms. Barton, I’m wondering about all the bread you’ve been eating. I know you need to lose weight, and sometimes eating a lot of bread makes that very difficult. So, I’d like you to eat less bread for a few weeks. Otherwise, your diet seems pretty well-balanced. You’re eating meat, but not too much meat, as well as a lot of fruit and vegetables.

5.

You’re right, Mr. O’Brien. You’re definitely losing too much weight. It’s probably because you haven’t been eating meat. Now, even if you don’t eat meat, you still need protein. Why don’t you try eating more eggs and cheese? They’ve got a lot of protein. I’m sure that will help.

6.

Well, Mrs. Johnson, you said you’ve been eating a lot of candy and chocolate. I know, we all love sweet things, but chocolate can be really bad for your skin, especially when you’re under stress. That’s probably why you have this skin problem now. I suggest you stop eating chocolate for a few months. Instead, eat more fruit.

Cheese is one of the world’s oldest foods. It was made by the ancient Egyptians over 3,000 years ago. It is a valuable food, since it contains fat, vitamins, and protein. It is used both as a food itself and in many different types of cooking.

There are hundreds of different types of cheese around the world, but they are almost always made from the same thing: milk. Cheese is made from several different kinds of milk, including cow, sheep, and goat’s milk. Most cheese in the United States is made from cow’s milk. Cheese also contains water. A soft cheese, like Brie, contains more water than a hard cheese, like Parmesan.

Cheese is produced through a process called “fermentation.” The process of making cheese was probably discovered by chance. Ancient people used to make bags using the skin from an animal’s stomach. When they used these skin bags to carry milk, bacteria from the animal’s skin reacted with the milk to begin the fermentation. The result is cheese.

Today, cheese making is a very scientific process. First, the milk used in cheese is pasteurized, which means that it is heated to remove all bacteria. Then, specially cultivated bacteria, called “cultures,” are added to the milk. The milk is kept fairly warm during this period to help the cultures grow. As they grow, the bacteria cultures sometimes release bubbles of carbon dioxide. These bubbles help make the holes in Swiss cheese.

Next, as the milk ripens, it forms a solid substance. This substance is called “curd.” The curd is removed, and the water is drained from it. The curd forms the basis of the cheese and may be treated in different ways. Finally, once it is matured and dried, the cheese is ready to eat.

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Transcript

1.

I start every morning off with a cold slice of pizza and a tall glass of warm milk. My friends think I’m crazy. But what can I say? I think it tastes good.

2.

Hey, my name’s Rocky and I eat six big steaks every day. I know that sounds strange, but I want to be a body builder-you know, like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

3.

I used to be a vegetarian, but now I’m a vegan. That means I don’t eat any animal-based foods at all-no meat, or eggs, or dairy products, or anything. Mostly I eat fresh fruit and vegetables.

4.

I eat fast food a lot-usually hamburgers and French fries. And I’m totally skinny! My doctor says it’s because I’m young and my body digests food fast. I think it’s because fast food is good for you. It tastes a lot better than rice and tofu, I know that!

5.

I’m on a wheat-free diet because I’m allergic to wheat. That means I can’t have bread, crackers, cake, or any baked goods at all. My diet consists mostly of rice and vegetables.

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Transcript

1.

A:   Do you eat any dairy products?

B:   Yes, I eat a lot of cheese with every meal. Mmm!

A:   I see. Well, cheese may taste good, but it’s also got a lot of fat. I’d like you to eat less of it.

2.

A:   I’ve been waking up with a headache every morning this week.

B:   Hmm. Do you drink coffee or tea?

A:   Yes, I have a big cup of tea every night when I watch the news.

B:   That’s probably why you get headaches. Why don’t you stop drinking tea for a while?

3.

A:   How’s your diet going?

B:   Well, I’m eating salads for lunch and dinner now. But I’m still hungry a lot. I think about ice cream all the time!

A:   You should try eating more vegetables, like carrots. They’re a much healthier snack than ice cream.

4.

A:   I know you don’t want to eat vegetables, but you need to if you want to be strong and healthy. So how about peas? Everyone likes peas!

B:   I hate peas. Do I have to?

A:   Well, I’m afraid you do. I’ll tell your mother to give you more peas with every meal.

5.

A:   So how are you feeling now that you’re eating more fresh fruit and vegetables?

B:   I feel a lot better, thanks.

A:   Now let’s try eating more bread. That should give you more energy.

B:   Okay. I’ll try that.