1. Getting the message

A. Answer these questions with a few words. Consult the text if you need help.

1. What are two common breakfast beverages?

2. What do Americans eat for lunch?

3. What are two places where you can eat lunch quickly?

4. Which meal is bigger - dinner or supper?

5. What are two timesavers that Americans can use when preparing meals?

6. Would you go to an ethnic restaurant for a hot dog or hamburger?

7. What two common food ingredients are unhealthy if eaten in large quantities?

B. Discuss the difference between a fact and an opinion. Then, after considering the information in this chapter, mark each statement fact (F) or opinion (O).

1. American food isn't healthy. ____

2. Many harmful chemicals are added to American foods. ____

3. The use of illegal drugs causes an increase in crime. ____

4. Addictive drugs should be legalized in the U.S. ____

5. Americans eat too many snacks. ____

6. Smoking cigarettes is bad for a person's health. ____

7. Restaurant food is not as healthy as home-cooked food. ____

8. When Americans eat out, they tend to eat too much and choose less

healthy food than they ordinarily have at home. ____

2. Building your vocabulary

A. These are the 15 key vocabulary words for this chapter. They are boldfaced in the reading. Pronounce these words after your teacher and discuss their meaning.

addiction consume nutritious

artificial cuisine obese

avoid franchise picnic

beverage ingredient slice

cafeteria leftovers snack

B. Complete these sentences with some of the key vocabulary words. Make the nouns plural, if necessary, and put each verb into the correct tense and form.

1. A person who is overweight should ________eating food with a lot of

sugar and fat.

2. For breakfast, some people have two _______ of toast. For lunch, some have a piece (or _____) of pie. (Use the same word for both answers.)

3. A(n) ________is a liquid that a person can drink.

4. In a(n) _______ , customers don't tip because they serve themselves.

5. Ethnic ________refers to the cooking style of a particular culture or

group of people.

6. If shoppers want to know what's in a particular food, they can read the list of _______ on the box, package, jar, or can.

7. _______ people are more than a little overweight. They are extremely overweight.

8. Consumers are people who buy and use products. When people eat food, they

_______ it.

9. People can develop a(n) ______ to cigarettes, coffee, alcohol, or cocaine.

10. ______ sweeteners don’t have any calories, but sugar does.

C. Homonyms are words that sound alike but have different meanings and spellings. Underline the words to complete the sentences below. Use a dictionary if you need help.

Example: I want (to / too) have (some /sum) coffee.

1. Americans like to eat (they're / their) lunches quickly because (they're / their)

often in a hurry.

2. Let's (by /buy) some (meat / meet) and then (meat / meet) (by /buy) the cashier.

3. Every (Sunday / sundae), I eat a chocolate (Sunday / sundae) for dessert.

4. Cooking styles (vary / very) a great deal in the U.S., so eating American food is (vary / very) interesting.

5. It's (to / too) late for breakfast and (to /too) early forlunch, but the (too / two) of us could go (to / too) a restaurant and have brunch.

3. Sharpening reading skills

General and specific The underlined words are general categories. Three of the four words in the lines that follow refer to specific items of that category. Find the word that doesn’t belong in that category.

Example: Poultry chicken duck turkey fish

1. Beverages juice water milk shake apple

2. Dairy products cheese milk fruit butter

3. Desserts eggs cake pie ice cream

4. Meals dinner diner brunch supper

5. Entrees chicken cereal salmon steak

6. Produce apples lettuce bread carrots

7. Bakery goods bread candy cake cookies