Vocabulary

snack n.: Many snack foods are high in salt, sugar and fat.

to have a snack: I had a huge lunch, so I’ll only have a snack for dinner.

snack v.: I’ve been snacking all day.

to snack on smth.: If you eat three good meals a day, you’re less likely to snack on biscuits and crisps.

helping n.: Take another helping of salad.

a small / large helping

small / large helpings

dietary adj.: Dietary habits can be very difficult to change.

diet n.: Rice is the staple diet (=most important food) of many people in China.

a healthy / balanced / varied / poor diet

to go on a diet: I’m going on a diet next week and hope to lose two kilos before Christmas.

to put smb. on a diet: The doctor put me on a low-salt diet to reduce my blood pressure.

to stick to a diet: I’m finding it impossible to stick to my diet.

a strict / calorie-controlled diet

diet v.: No sugar in my coffee, please; I’m dieting.

lack n.

lack of smth.: Her only problem is lack of confidence.

for / through lack of smth.: If he fails it won’t be for lack of effort (=he has certainly tried).

lack v.: What we lack in this house is space to store things.

lacking adj.

to be lacking: We can’t confirm these rumours because accurate information is lacking.

to be lacking in smth.: He’s totally lacking in charm.

alarming adj.: There has been an alarming rise in the rate of inflation.

alarm n. (=anxiety): I didn’t tell her that he was late because I didn’t want to cause her any alarm.

alarm v.: I didn’t want to alarm him by telling him that she was ill.

alarmed adj.

to be alarmed at / by smth.: I was a bit alarmed at how much weight she’d lost.

to be alarmed to do smth.: I was alarmed to hear that she was coming.

to be alarmed that: I’m rather alarmed that we haven’t heard anything.

blame v.

to blame smb.: Don’t blame me if you miss the bus!

to blame smb. for smth.: Hugh blames his mother for his lack of confidence.

to blame smth. on smb.: Hugh blames his lack of confidence on his mother.

to be to blame: The hot weather is partly to blame for the water shortage.

blame n.

to put the blame for smth. on smb.: Health officials put the blame for the disease on poor housing conditions.

to take the blame: If anything goes wrong, I’ll take the blame.

Word combinations

to live on smth.

soft drinks

sugary drinks

fizzy drinks

alcoholic drinks

dietary habits

fat-related illnesses

to lose sight

conducive to smth.

sedentary lifestyle

rise in smth.

Exercises

1. Comprehension. Decide whether these statements are true or false, according to the story:

1. British children prefer junk food.

2. According to the Word Health Organisation report most children eat fruit and vegetables every day.

3. In Great Britain schoolchildren avoid drinking alcohol.

4. Snacking and poor nutrition among schoolchildren have become part of Britain’s culture.

5. Five portions of vegetables daily are recommended by doctors.

6. The rate of vegetable consumption in Belgium is higher than in England.

7. The levels of obesity have risen fourfold over 25 years in Britain.

8. Consumption of soft drinks in Scotland is rather high.

9. The surveys of dietary habits were conducted in two countries.

10. Lots of sweets and fizzy drinks contribute to good health.