Transcripts
Celebrities often try fad diets. Beyoncé believes in the ‘master cleanse diet’. Followers of the diet stop eating for short periods. Instead, they drink a mixture of lemon and water, flavoured with syrup and pepper. Delicious, I’m sure. The diet tries to clear all the toxins from our bodies. ‘Toxin’ is the scientific word for a harmful substance. But most
experts think that the diet is dangerous. Kim Kardashian loves the Atkins diet. On the Atkins diet you eat lots of meat, fish, cheese and eggs. You can eat some vegetables, but not too many. But you can’t have any bread, pasta, potatoes or cereals. The diet helps people lose weight quickly, and many people say it has changed their life. On the other hand, research shows that most people can’t keep their weight down for long. It’s clear, then: what works for one person may not work so well for another. It makes sense, when you think about it. Our bodies – especially our stomachs – are full of millions and millions of different microorganisms. Microorganisms are tiny living things, like bacteria. In fact, 90% of the cells in our bodies are not human! How very strange! Imagine the variety of microorganisms inside your stomach for a moment. It’s like a rainforest in there! And, just as every rainforest is different, everyone has a different mix of microorganisms. And, therefore, everyone digests food in a slightly different way. So, here’s some final, 21st
century, advice.
Eat sensibly and listen to health advice from reliable sources, but don’t go crazy worrying about your diet. Know your body. Listen to it. Find a diet that makes you feel happy and healthy, and stick to it. Your health is the most important thing you have.
Unit 8
8.1 Amira
So have you thought any more about studying abroad?
Jasmine Yeah, but I don’t know. Amira
I think you should do it. You can really improve your English if you speak it every day. It’s a great opportunity.
Jasmine Yeah, maybe. Amira But you’ll have to speak to English people, of course. English people are usually very friendly. Everyone says that if you start talking to them, they always want to have a conversation with you.
Jasmine But what will I do if I don’t understand my teachers? Amira Well, it will be difficult when you arrive, but it will get easier.
Jasmine Yeah, I suppose so. But England’s expensive, isn’t it? If I don’t get a job after graduating, I can’t travel anywhere. What do people do if they run of money when they are abroad?
180 English for the 21st Century • Transcripts
Amira You won’t run out of money. You just need to be careful. Don’t go out for meals – cook at home. And don’t go shopping every week! Your parents will send you money each month.
Jasmine Yeah, my parents. If I’m away from my parents and friends for more than a week or so, I usually feel homesick. It’s a long time!
Amira Of course it is. But you’ll make new friends quickly. Jasmine But I’ll miss my old friends! Like you! Amira Don’t worry. If you feel homesick, you can video call me!
8.2 a If people study in England, their English improves quickly. b But what do you do if you don’t understand your teachers? c If I need any career advice, I go to the careers centre at my school.
d If you want you to do this study abroad programme, you need to send your application in this week. e If you ever get lost, call me!
Slideshow – Are you in control? When we think about the future, we can think either short or long term. Short-term goals are things like ‘I’d like to save enough to go on holiday in the summer’, or ‘I want to get fit’. Long-term goals are things like ‘I want to go to a good university’, ‘I’d like to start a family’ or ‘I want to qualify as a doctor’. Research shows that people who can think long term are more successful in achieving their goals. But how can we measure this? One way is the marshmallow test. A child is put in a room with a marshmallow. She is told: ‘Go ahead, eat the marshmallow. But if you can wait for 15 minutes, you can have two.’ Can you guess what usually happens? The marshmallow test shows how much self-control someone has. Or doesn’t have. Children and adults aren’t that different. Another way to think about your self-control is to ask yourself: ‘When do I do the jobs I dislike, like the washing-up?’ ‘Do I do them straight after dinner? Or do I do other things first? The things I enjoy, like watching TV?’ How often do you say, ‘I’ll just watch this, and then I’ll do the washing-up’? Sometimes we ignore tasks or problems altogether. We try our hardest not to think about them. We call this ‘sticking your head in the sand’. Got a deadline coming up? You ask yourself: ‘When should I start my assignment?’ Often, you answer: ‘Well, there’s no hurry. The deadline’s not till next week. I think I’ll go shopping’. But, at the back of your mind, you know it’s time to start work. The Pomodoro Technique was invented to overcome this problem. Many successful people find it very helpful. This is how is works. First, set a stopwatch or kitchen timer to 25 minutes. That’s the longest most people can concentrate. Now, start working on your assignment. If the phone rings, ignore it.
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