8438 reading charts 1 obesity in the us with key business english

Task 1: Answer the following questions extracting the necessary
information from the chart above.
1. How long was data gathered for this chart?
2. Some of the most obese states like Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana and Alabama
cluster around which state?
3. How does each of the states below compare in terms of their obesity rankings?
a. Mississippi compared to the US;
b. Texas compared to Georgia;
c. New Hampshire compared to New York State.

Task 2: Finish the sentences based on information in the text on the
other page.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

In contrast to being “overweight”, …
With 30.1% of Mississippians …
Obesity is a phenomenon not restricted to …
With 18.4% ...
Up till now, malnourished people had always ...
Topping the obesity chart in the US …


Obesity in the US
Obesity is not a euphemism for being overweight. It means being so fat that one’s health is
affected. You are defined as obese if you have a body mass index of 30. The most overweight
nation in the world is the US, with over a quarter of the total population being obese.

Obesity is a global phenomenon, however. It was recently reported that for the first time in
history, there are now more overweight than malnourished people in the world.
Mississippi is the fattest state in the Union, with 31.6% of Mississippians being obese.
That’s almost one in every three inhabitants. Not that the Magnolia State (=Mississippi)
should be singled out for its massiveness. It is surrounded by four of the eight other fattest
US states (in brown on this map): Tennessee (29.0%), Arkansas (29.3%), Louisiana (29.5%) and
Alabama (30.1%).
Being overweight clearly is a Southern thing - even if the second-fattest state, West-Virginia
(30.6%), broke away from the rebellious South in 1863 to join the North.
The leanest states also tend to cluster: states in the leanest group (22 to 24%) include
Maine and New Hampshire; New York and New Jersey; and California, Nevada, Arizona and New
Mexico. Some of the least obese (20.7 to 22%) states are Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode
Island and Connecticut. Another one, Utah, is adjacent to Colorado, which is by far the
leanest state of them all (18.4%). Overall, the Southwest and New England are most
conscious of their weight, while the South and to a lesser extent the Midwest are less careful.
/>
Task 3: Vocabulary -- Match the definitions with the words.
Definitions
1. extremely fat
2. a word or phrase used to avoid saying an unpleasant or offensive word
3. fat
4. weak and in bad health because of a lack of food or because of a lack of the types of
food necessary for good health
5. something that exists and can be seen, felt, tasted, etc., especially something which is
unusual or interesting
6. to choose one person or thing from a group for special attention, especially criticism or
praise
7. a person or animal that lives in a particular place
8. to be likely to behave in a particular way or have a particular characteristic
9. to be close together, sometimes surrounding something

10. by a great amount
11. very near, next to, or touching
12. thin and healthy
13. by a smaller amount
14. in general rather than in particular, or including all the people or things in a particular
group or situation
Words
a. adjacent
/əˈdʒeɪ.sənt/ adj. formal
b. by far
c. cluster
/ˈklʌs.tər/ v.
d. euphemism

/ˈjuː.fə.mɪ.zəm/ n.

e. inhabitant
/ɪnˈhæb.ɪ.tənt/ n. [C]
f. lean /liːn/ adj.
g. malnourished
/ˌmælˈnʌr.ɪʃt/ adj.
h. obese

/əʊ ˈbiːs/ adj.

i.

overall

/ˌəʊ.vəˈrɔːl/ adv.

j.

overweight

/ˌəʊ.vəˈweɪt/ adj.

k. phenomenon /fəˈnɒm.ɪ.nən/ n.


l. single sb/sth out phr. v.
m. tend [to] /tend/ v. [I]
n. to a lesser extent


VOCABULARY PRACTICE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Task 4: Fill in the gaps in the sentences using the words below. You
may use the same word several times.
adjacent, by far, cluster, euphemism, inhabitant, lean, malnourished, obesity, overall,
overweight, phenomenon, single sb/sth out, tend, to a lesser extent
1. They are …………………………. the best students in the class.
2. A diet that is high in fat can lead to ……………………………...
3. Have a look at the …………………………….. of galaxies in this photograph.
4. The article made so much use of …………………………….. that often its meaning was
unclear.
5. There's evidence to suggest that child abuse is not just a recent ……………………………...
6. He used to be …………………………….. because he ate big dinners.
7. They lived in a house …………………………….. to the railway.

8. Gravity is a natural ……………………………...
9. The …………………………….. situation is good, despite a few minor problems.
10. It's not fair the way my sister is always …………………………….. for special treatment.
11. They work in …………………………….. buildings so it’s easy for them to see each other..
12. People …………………………….. around the noticeboard to read the exam results.
13. a city of 5 million ……………………………..
14. Ethiopia and, …………………………….., Kenya will be badly affected by the drought.
15. Do you believe in the paranormal and other psychic ……………………………..?
16. It has been a particularly …………………………….. year for the education department.
17. Jamie was thrilled when the teacher …………………………….. his poem and asked him to
read it out.
18. 'Senior citizen' is a …………………………….. for 'old person'.
19. There was a …………………………….. of fans around him, asking for autographs.
20. …………………………….., it has been a good year.
21. We …………………………….. get cold winters and warm, dry summers in this part of the
country.
22. I'm only a few kilos …………………………….., but I just can't seem to lose them.
23. He's got that …………………………….. and hungry look.


24. If someone is …………………………….., they are physically weak because they do not eat
enough food.


SOLUTIONS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Task 1: Answer the following questions extracting the necessary information from
the chart above.
1. How long was data gathered for this chart? Three years between 2005 through
2007.
2. Some of the most obese states like Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana and Alabama

cluster around which state? Mississippi
3. How does each of the states below compare in terms of their obesity rankings?
Mississippi is the most obese state not only in the South, but the entire US.
Georga is slightly more obese than Texas with 27.4 vs 27.2.
New Hampshire is identical to New York in terms of its obesity ranking.
Task 2: Finish the sentences based on information in the text on the other page.
1. In contrast to being “overweight”, obesity means being so fat that one’s health is
affected.
2. With 31.6% of Mississippians being obese, Mississippi is the fattest state of the
Union.
3. Obesity is a phenomenon not restricted to the United States.
4. With 18.4% being obese, Utah is is by far the leanest state of all.
5. Up till now, malnourished people had always outnumbered overweight people.
6. Topping the obesity chart in the US is Mississippi.
Task 3: Definitions and words
1. extremely fat: obese adj.
2. a word or phrase used to avoid saying an unpleasant or offensive word: euphemism
n.
3. fat: overweight
adj.
4. weak and in bad health because of a lack of food or because of a lack of the types of
food necessary for good health: malnourished adj.
5. something that exists and can be seen, felt, tasted, etc., especially something which is
unusual or interesting: phenomenon
6. to choose one person or thing from a group for special attention, especially criticism or
praise: single sb/sth out
7. a person or animal that lives in a particular place: inhabitant
8. to be likely to behave in a particular way or have a particular characteristic: tend [to]
9. to be close together, sometimes surrounding something: cluster
10. by a great amount: by far

11. very near, next to, or touching: adjacent
12. thin and healthy: lean
13. by a smaller amount: to a lesser extent
14. in general rather than in particular, or including all the people or things in a particular
group or situation: overall
Task 4: Vocabulary practice
1. They are by far the best students in the class.
2. A diet that is high in fat can lead to obesity.
3. Have a look at the cluster of galaxies in this photograph.
4. The article made so much use of euphemism that often its meaning was unclear.
5. There's evidence to suggest that child abuse is not just a recent phenomenon.
6. He used to be overweight because he ate big dinners.
7. They lived in a house adjacent to the railway.
8. Gravity is a natural phenomenon.
9. The overall situation is good, despite a few minor problems.
10. It's not fair the way my sister is always singled out for special treatment.
11. They work in adjacent buildings so it’s easy for them to see each other.
12. People clustered around the noticeboard to read the exam results.


13. a city of 5 million inhabitants
14. Ethiopia and, to a lesser extent/degree, Kenya will be badly affected by the drought.
15. Do you believe in the paranormal and other psychic phenomena?
16. It has been a particularly lean year for the education department.
17. Jamie was thrilled when the teacher singled out his poem and asked him to read it out.
18. 'Senior citizen' is a euphemism for 'old person'.
19. There was a cluster of fans around him, asking for autographs.
20. Overall, it has been a good year.
21. We tend to get cold winters and warm, dry summers in this part of the country.
22. I'm only a few kilos overweight, but I just can't seem to lose them.

23. He's got that lean and hungry look.
24. If someone is malnourished, they are physically weak because they do not eat enough
food