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Getting Fat

Getting Fat

Date: Mar 13 2007

Themes: Family, Health

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Over the last decade or so, Americans have developed a reputation for being fat. And not just adults. Children are also dealing with weight problems.

In fact, over the last 20 years, the percentage of children and teenagers who are obese has increased dramatically. And with obesity come other health problems. One of the major ones in diabetes, which now occurs at an alarming rate in young Americans.

Listen to Mason and Amanda talk about the weight of “their son.” (They don’t really have a child together. They’re just pretending.)

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Mason

Mason

Amanda

Amanda

Mason:  I’m worried about our son, Amanda. I think he’s getting a little chunky.

Amanda:  You know, what’s interesting is I was talking with some of my other friends in the moms’ groups and play groups…

Mason:  Mm hm.

Amanda:  And there’s that trend of obesity in children as young as three, four and five…

Mason:  Three, four and five?

Amanda:  Because they’re not active these days.

Mason:  Moms just think it’s still baby fat, right, at that point and so they’re justifying it to themselves…

Amanda:  Sometimes. Sometimes they make that excuse to justify, but it’s convenience. Because of our busy days, they run through a McDonald’s. No problems. No qualms.

Mason:  And we just sit the kids in front of, uh, the television.

Amanda:  Xbox. Four, six, eight hours straight.

Mason:  I know I’m guilty of, uh, teaching our son how to play, uh, the PlayStation 2.

Amanda:  No, I’m guilty of running through a drive-through when we’re running late for an activity.

Mason:  So, it’s both of our fault.

Amanda:  Absolutely. We are both contributing to our son’s potential obesity.

Mason:  We should ask, uh, the 24 Hour Fitness if they have a child’s membership.

Amanda:  You know, I really hadn’t thought about that. Maybe it’s discounted because he’s a child.

Mason:  Mm hm.

 

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Discussion

Mason and Amanda are discussing the weight of their pretend-son and the trend of child obesity in America.

Amanda points out that when parents are busy, they depend on fast food, which can make their kids fat.

Mason says that children spend too much time in front of the television playing video games.

They discuss, somewhat sarcastically, that they should take their son to 24 Hour Fitness, which is a gym.

Do children in your country have weight problems? Why?

 

Comments

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Ryo

Ryo

Saudi Arabia

ok  im im  the  pc  for long  times 


and im not  fat


yes  i think    my country  is the  numebr  maybe  3   of the  most country 


who  has  probelem   weight  


i think  because they love  to eat 


the  rice   that  they  eat its  contue  in broth  of checken  and me t 


and  they  love  me t  too  much  


by the  way  some if them  they  perffer  people  who are  allittle fat


my mom  love  fat 


 


   


  

09:23 PM May 10 2011 |

sierbird

China

During the dialogue, the two parents feel qualms about their son’s chunky.


They talked about why kids who getting obese are younger and younger, they both blame for themselves, for eating the fast food, do not exercise just watching tv and playing video games.


They decide to work out with the kids.

11:13 PM May 09 2011 |

mgirl

Ireland

obese chidren are result of wrong food habit and this is the responsibility of their parents

09:49 PM Apr 21 2011 |

crash001

crash001

India

tHis is very good lesson about getting fat: I liked it.

06:00 PM Dec 01 2010 |

1 person likes this

tiger_bagira

Greece

NICE

11:26 AM Nov 14 2010 |

winer129

winer129

Yemen

This is good lessen

I try to keep contenu

03:33 PM Nov 18 2007 |

wangyuell

China

we are both contributing to our son’s potential
obesity i can’t hear “both”

03:21 AM Mar 20 2007 |

hermann

hermann

Latvia

I must disagree. Obesity is increasing in all industrialized countries, indeed. But obesity is not a problem of being reach! It’s poor and often “food-illiterate” people problem.

12:30 PM Mar 14 2007 |

getchar

getchar

Algeria

you have to take care …obesity is something really bad for health!!

03:34 PM Mar 13 2007 |

bnu1986

bnu1986

China

recently,there are more and more fleshy childrens in our country.at first , almost chinese families only have one child, so they have economy ability to take care of their child very well…actually,their child have been reared too abundance

02:54 PM Mar 13 2007 |

Ehsan-eagle

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

the real life is dirty sometimes…

12:17 PM Mar 13 2007 |

lucky1982

lucky1982

Afghanistan

youth have duty to helpe all the poor and honest one.

09:41 AM Mar 13 2007 |

cancerh236

cancerh236

Viet Nam

i think it is just the problem of rich places.

08:07 AM Mar 13 2007 |

1 person likes this

Blue-Smile

Blue-Smile

Switzerland

Parents have the duty of care for the children, also for the right food, because children are our future!!

08:05 AM Mar 13 2007 |

JUAO

JUAO

China

dramatically

03:05 AM Mar 13 2007 |

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