Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. trim down (v.) [trim] [doun] – cut down on or reduce in something
Example: I have to trim down my rice intake to lose weight.
2. cardiovascular (adj.) [kahr-dee-oh-vas-kyuh-ler] – relating to both
the heart and the blood vessels
Example: Smoking can cause cardiovascular illnesses.
3. binge eating (n.) [binj] [ee-ting] – eating large amount of foods in
a short period of time
Example: The doctor advised my aunt to stop binge eating
because of her weight problems.
4. excessive (adj.) [ik-ses-iv] – beyond normal amount
Example: Excessive workload causes stress.
5. dietician (n.) [dahy-i-tish-uhn] – a person specializing in nutrition
Example: The old man hired a dietician to supervise the
preparation of his food.
Article
Read the text below.
Read the text below.
Eating
high amounts of chocolate may be good for the heart and brain if its sugar and
fat content are trimmed down.
By
comparing two groups of people with opposite levels of chocolate intake,
scientist from the University of Cambridge found that high intake of dark chocolate,
or chocolate with only little milk and sugar added, reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease
by 37% and stroke by 29%.
Co-researcher
Dr. Oscar Franco pointed out that chocolate is known to decrease blood
pressure, but the findings, though promising, need to be tested to confirm the
results. This finding, he clarified, should not encourage people who do not eat
chocolate to start eating it. He added that those who are already eating
chocolate should only take small amounts of it on a regular basis and
avoid binge eating.
Excessive consumption
of chocolate can lead to weight gain and Type 2 diabetes. Senior heart
health dietician at the British Heart Foundation Victoria Taylor
said that though some evidence supports the benefits of chocolate, heart
researchers still do not know exactly what it is in chocolate that really
helps.
According
to Taylor, there are still much better ways to reduce the risk of heart disease
than eating chocolate.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion
A
·
Do you personally believe that
eating chocolate has benefits? Why or why not?
·
Do you think the kind of chocolate
(e.g., dark, white, milk) that people eat matters?
Discussion B
·
What do you think are the reasons
why people eat excessively?
·
How can a person control his or her
excessive eating?