Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. annual (adj.) [an-yoo-uhl] – happening every year; yearly
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. annual (adj.) [an-yoo-uhl] – happening every year; yearly
Example: Christmas is an annual festival in many countries.
2. impose (v.) [im-pohz] – to set or establish something as a requirement
Example: People must pay more tax on junk food after the government imposed the new rule.
3. cholesterol (n.) [kuh-les-tuh-rohl, -rawl] – a whitish substance found in certain foods such as animal meat and eggs.
Example: She doesn’t like to
eat cakes and ice cream because they have high cholesterol content.
4. receptive (adj.) [ri-sep-tiv] – agreeable or willing to listen to an idea
Example: The writer was receptive to the feedback about his
book.
5. skeptical (adj.) [skep-ti-kuhl] – having doubt or uncertainty of something
Example: The student reviewed his
notes because he was skeptical of his
answers.
Article
Read the text below.
Mike Rayner, the
director of a health promotion research group in Oxford University, proposes
adding a fat tax to unhealthy foods in the UK.
Rayner says that
one out of four British adults is obese, and this is the reason why billions
of pounds are spent on health services annually.
He proposes a 12
pence fat tax on sodas, arguing
that the number of deaths every year may be reduced if people would choose to
drink healthier beverages. The additional tax
can then be used to increase funds for healthcare, Rayner adds.
He also cites how
Denmark has imposed a fat tax on
foods rich in saturated fat, such as butter and oil. These fatty foods are high
in cholesterol and are likely cause
health problems.
According to him,
putting tax on all unhealthy foods, similar to how tax has been added to
cigarettes and alcohol, would help address issues related to people’s
wellbeing.
Rayner’s proposal has
been presented to two members of the British parliament to see how receptive politicians would be to the
idea.
Liberal Democrat
minister Steve Webb said the idea is interesting, although it may not prove
enough reason to raise taxes. He adds that the results of the fat tax in
Denmark and other countries should be studied carefully to see if the tax
really works.
Meanwhile, Angela
Eagle, a labor party member, is skeptical
about the tax. She says that educating people about the dangers of unhealthy
food and controlling the content of salt in food seem more practical and
important.
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Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
·
Is additional tax on unhealthy food an
effective way to help people eat healthy? Why or why not?
·
Will the fat tax be useful in your country?
What will be its disadvantages?
Discussion B
·
Is eating low fat foods the only way to have a
healthy lifestyle? Why or why not?
What
other ways can help people eat healthily?