Fast Food. Clare talks about why America is known as a fast food nation and why so many people eat it.

Transcription

1 Fast Food Clare talks about why America is known as a fast food nation and why so many people eat it. Mike: Hi, this is Mike from Singapore and I'm talking to Clare from America about obesity and food in our respective countries. So Clare, what about America? What makes it so infamous for having food that are very, very, so called "unhealthy"? Clare: Well, in America we were the country that invented the fast food chain, I think. There are very many famous fast food chains that got their start in America and they became popular because Americans were working very long hours in the cities and in small towns and it was a lot easier, it was very new, to have a convenient meal ready for you. Well unfortunately these meals were not prepared in a way that was healthy. There was very little veggies, I mean french fries are fried potatoes, burgers are fried, so the way they're cooked... they're made quickly but they're not made in a way that's healthy, there's no boiling or steaming so... because these chains had a very good product being offered in one respect, that they were fast and easy and convenient to get to, while on the down side they were very fattening, people sort of just chose what was convenient I think, and there are so many of them because they really are popular. It's sort of a cycle where even though 1 people know it's bad they choose it because it's convenient and because it gets so much business more chains open in a city or along roads because Americans have... travel very long distances for commuting to get almost anywhere. For example, where I live in Texas, along the road very small towns separated by miles and miles of desert, every small town where highways come together have at least one burger joint or ice cream place that serves burgers and fries and so it's a little bit of, I wouldn't call it American culture, its just sort of what we got used to.

2 Comprehension Page 2 A) Main Points: Answer the following questions about the interview. 1) Why did fast food become popular? 3) What led to fast food s success? a) It was delicious. b) It was cheap. c) It was convenient. a) The food chain b) The profit cycle c) Clever marketing 2) What does Clare see as the main problem? 4) What is another factor? a) The ingredients b) The cooking method c) The portion sizes a) Long commutes b) American culture c) Desserts and ice-cream B) Phrase Match: Match the phrases on the left with the example on the right. 1) infamous sweet food eaten at the end of a meal 2) famous a dry area of land with very few plants 3) steaming well-known for something bad 4) desert cooking by using hot water vapor 5) dessert well-known C) Unscramble: Put the mixed up sentences in the correct order. 1) infamous so having unhealthy food why is for America? 2) did so become popular how food fast? 3) is fast prepared most food how? 4) do fast food is unhealthy eat if it why people? How would Clare respond to the questions? And You?

3 3 Bits and Pieces Put the PHRASES in the spaces I live people just sort of chose they re made people know we were we got used to they became Mike: Hi, this is Mike from Singapore and I'm talking to Clare from America about obesity and food in our respective countries. So Clare, what about America? What makes it so infamous for having food that are very, very, so called "unhealthy"? Clare: Well, in America the country that invented the fast food chain, I think. There are very many famous fast food chains that got their start in America and popular because Americans were working very long hours in the cities and in small towns and it was a lot easier, it was very new, to have a convenient meal ready for you. Well unfortunately these meals were not prepared in a way that was healthy. There was very little veggies, I mean french fries are fried potatoes, burgers are fried, so the way they're cooked... quickly but they're not made in a way that's healthy, there's no boiling or steaming so... because these chains had a very good product being offered in one respect, that they were fast and easy and convenient to get to, while on the down side they were very fattening, what was convenient I think, and there are so many of them because they really are popular. It's sort of a cycle where even though it's bad they choose it because it's convenient and because it gets so much business more chains open in a city or along roads because Americans have... travel very long distances for commuting to get almost anywhere. For example, where in Texas, along the road very small towns separated by miles and miles of desert, every small town where highways come together have at least one burger joint or ice cream place that serves burgers and fries and so it's a little bit of, I wouldn't call it American culture, its just sort of what.

4 What do you think? 4 Discussion 1. How often do you eat fast food? 2. Do you think fast food is delicious or do you just eat it because it s convenient? 3. Do you think about your health when you eat? 4. What do you normally eat for lunch? 5. What is infamous in your country? Write the number of the question being answered in the box Tara - Australia I always bring my own lunch because I don t like the lunches that they serve at school. A lot of people that aren t from Australia think that I must eat a vegemite sandwich for lunch but actually I ve never liked vegemite very much. Usually, I have toasted bread with some kind of meat and cheese. I finish just about every meal with a bit of chocolate. Steve - U.S. I wish I could eat better food but there are several factors that lead me back to the same fast food chains. First of all, I m a terrible cook and I don t have time to cook. Secondly, I don t like going to fancy restaurants all by myself but I feel comfortable in a fast food place. Third, it s so cheap and good that it s very, very hard to find something better. Eugenia - Venezuela I never used to think about my health when I was in high school. However, right after I graduated, I suddenly gained about 10 kilos in just a couple of months. Then when I started university, I took a class in nutrition and I started to become much more aware of what I was putting into my body. I m a vegetarian now too. Name - Place Probably anything would taste good at two in the morning after dancing all night at the clubs but every time I have fast food, I m impressed with how good it tastes. Who knows what they put in there but you have to admit that it tastes heavenly. Of course I try to avoid it but what else is open at two in the morning? Write about one of the discussion questions:

5 Comprehension Page 5 A) Main Points: Answer the following questions about the interview. 1) Why did fast food become popular? 3) What led to fast food s success? a) It was delicious. b) It was cheap. c) It was convenient. a) The food chain b) The profit cycle c) Clever marketing 2) What does Clare see as the main problem? 4) What is another factor? a) The ingredients b) The cooking method c) The portion sizes a) Long commutes b) American culture c) Desserts and ice-cream B) Phrase Match: Match the phrases on the left with the example on the right. 1) infamous 5 sweet food eaten at the end of a meal 2) famous 4 a dry area of land with very few plants 3) steaming 1 well-known for something bad 4) desert 3 cooking by using hot water vapor 5) dessert 2 well-known C) Unscramble: Put the mixed up sentences in the correct order. 1) Why is America so famous for having unhealthy food? infamous so having unhealthy food why is for America? 2) How did fast food become so popular? did so become popular how food fast? 3) How is most fast food prepared? is fast prepared most food how? 4) Why do people eat fast food if it is unhealthy? do fast food is unhealthy eat if it why people? How would Clare respond to the questions? And You?

6 6 Bits and Pieces Put the PHRASES in the spaces I live people just sort of chose they re made people know we were we got used to they became Mike: Hi, this is Mike from Singapore and I'm talking to Clare from America about obesity and food in our respective countries. So Clare, what about America? What makes it so infamous for having food that are very, very, so called "unhealthy"? Clare: Well, in America we were the country that invented the fast food chain, I think. There are very many famous fast food chains that got their start in America and they became popular because Americans were working very long hours in the cities and in small towns and it was a lot easier, it was very new, to have a convenient meal ready for you. Well unfortunately these meals were not prepared in a way that was healthy. There was very little veggies, I mean french fries are fried potatoes, burgers are fried, so the way they're cooked... they're made quickly but they're not made in a way that's healthy, there's no boiling or steaming so... because these chains had a very good product being offered in one respect, that they were fast and easy and convenient to get to, while on the down side they were very fattening, people sort of just chose what was convenient I think, and there are so many of them because they really are popular. It's sort of a cycle where even though people know it's bad they choose it because it's convenient and because it gets so much business more chains open in a city or along roads because Americans have... travel very long distances for commuting to get almost anywhere. For example, where I live in Texas, along the road very small towns separated by miles and miles of desert, every small town where highways come together have at least one burger joint or ice cream place that serves burgers and fries and so it's a little bit of, I wouldn't call it American culture, its just sort of what we got used to.