Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. in moderation (idiom) [in mod-uh-rey-shuh n] – done in just the right amount; neither too much nor too little.
Example: A moderate diet that includes small amounts of meal every 6 hours can help one lose weight.
2. leftover (n.) [left-oh-ver] – excess food left from a previous meal
Example: He asked the waiter to pack the leftovers.
3. feast (n.) [feest] – a religious celebration that happens regularly at a specific time
Example: The annual feast has made people in the city very busy.
4. hospitable (adj.) [hos-pi-tuh-buh l, ho-spit-uh-buh l] – welcoming guests kindly and generously
Example: Hospitable families invite tourists to their homes during special celebrations.
5. per capita (adj.) [per kap-i-tuh] – per unit of population
Example: Their study measured the average income per capita per year.
Article
Read the text below.
To promote eating in moderation and to reduce food wastage, Gramo restaurant in Dubai has implemented a “pay-by-weight” payment model. Through this payment model, customers pay only for the amount of food that they get from the buffet table.
Lootah Hotel Management introduced this model because of the large amount of leftovers thrown into the garbage by buffet restaurants across the city. The payment system is useful because customers can still have their choice of food at the buffet, but it also discourages them from getting too much and wasting food.
Food wastage has become a big problem in the United Arab Emirates, especially during feasts and holidays. In the country, hosts are only considered hospitable if they can serve a lot of food to their guests. During these events, it is estimated that 500 tons of food is wasted in Abu Dhabi, while Dubai throws 1,850 tons of leftovers.
The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that 222 million tons of food is wasted in rich countries every year, which is almost equal to the 230 million tons of food produced in the sub-Saharan Africa.
In Europe and North America, 209 to 220 pounds of food per capita are wasted per year, while in the sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia, only 13 to 24 pounds are wasted per capita per year.
The Gramo restaurant’s payment model is not a completely new idea. The same pay-what-you-eat model is becoming a trend in restaurants in Brazil.
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Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor
Discussion A
· Why do you think some people do not finish the food they get?
· Is not finishing one’s food a bad habit? Why or why not?
Discussion B
· Do you think a rich country should worry about wasting food or about the lack of food in other countries? Why or why not?
· What else can people do to avoid wasting food?
