What’s for dinner?

I. Study the words.

to be delighted	di`laitid	восхищать(ся), наслаждаться
protein	`prəuti:n	белок, протеин
tofu*	`təufu:	тофу (японский соевый творог)
beef	bi:f	говядина
to be rich in		быть богатым ч.-л.
heart disease	`ha:t di`zi:z	заболевание сердца
to destroy	di`stroi	разрушать; ломать; истреблять; уничтожать
environment	in`vaiər(ə)nmənt	окружение; окружающая среда
rain forest		дождевой лес
burger	`bə:gə	гамбургер
to cut down		вырубать
cattle	`kætl	крупный рогатый скот

Tofu is unfermented soya-bean curd, a food with a soft cheeselike consistency made from soya-bean milk.

II. What substances are vital important for living things? What food is rich in these substances?

Protein – any of a large group of nitrogenous compounds of high molecular weight that are essential constituents of all living organisms. They consist of one or more chains of amino acids linked by peptide bonds and are folded into a specific three-dimensional shape maintained by further chemical bonding.

Fat – any of a class of naturally occurring soft greasy solids that are esters of glycerol and certain fatty acids. They are present in some plants and in the adipose tissue of animals, forming a reserve energy source, and are used in making soap and paint and in the food industry.

Carbohydrate [,ka:bəu`haidrəit] – any of a large group of organic compounds, including sugars, such as sucrose, and polysaccharides, such as cellulose, glycogen, and starch, that contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, with the general formula C_m(H₂O)_n: an important source of food and energy for animals.

III. Translate from Russian into English.

Беларусь не богата влажными лесами; белок просто необходим для здоровья; многие люди страдают от заболеваний сердца; Как часто Вы едите гамбургеры?; Вы когда-нибудь пробовали тофу?; Вам понравилась вчера опера? – Я была восхищена!; помните, что окружающая среда очень хрупка; к Новому Году было вырублено свыше 10 тысяч ёлок; человечество (the human) может уничтожить самого себя; в Новой Зеландии очень много ферм крупного рогатого скота.

IV. Dr. Heidi Cornfield, a professor of food science, is being interviewed about her new book, What’s for Dinner? Listen to (read) the interview and find out: What does she think is wrong with the American diet?

WHAT’S FOR DINNER?

Interviewer: You have some very strong ideas about what Americans eat, Professor Cornfield. Could you tell our audience about some of them?

Cornfield: I’d be delighted. First, I think that Americans eat too much meat. We can get protein from other types of food, not just meat. For example, tofu is rich in protein. We really don't need to eat meat to live.

Interviewer: Maybe, but some or our listeners really like nice thick juicy hamburgers. They might not need them, but they sure like them.

Cornfield: I agree with you. But there are health reasons to stop eating meat.

Interviewer: What do you mean, Professor?

Cornfield: Eating meat, especially beef, can cause heart disease. Thousands of Americans die from heart disease every year.

Interviewer: That’s interesting. Are there other rea­sons why we should stop eating meat?

Cornfield: Yes. Did you know that eating meat hurts, even destroys, the environment?

Interviewer: I don't understand. How?

Cornfield: It is a fact that rain forests in Central America are being destroyed to produce cheap beef to export to other countries, including the United States. And that ham­burger you like so much – well, it takes 20 square meters of rain forest for each burger!

Interviewer: Oh, no. But I don't like to eat tofu.

Cornfield: That's OK. There are other good foods to eat.