TOEFL Topic: Food and diet Go Back

Exercise 1 - Complete definitions and sentences 1 – 12 with words and phrases from the box. You will not need all of them.

  1. _____________ is the part of fruit, vegetables, and grains that your body cannot digest, and helps food to pass through your body. _____________ is the oil found in food, and there are three main types of this: _____________, polyunsaturated, and _____________
  2. _____________ are units used for measuring how much energy you get from food. _____________ is a substance found in food such as eggs, milk, and meat that people need in order to grow and be healthy. _____________ is a white chemical element that is an important part of bones and teeth, and is found in food products such as eggs, milk, and cheese. _____________ are found in foods such as sugar, bread, and potatoes, and supply your body with heat and energy.
  3. People who weigh more than they should often go on a _____________ to help them lose weight. Some of them may go to a _____________, an informal expression for a place where people can go to try to lose weight by eating in a healthy way and doing lots of _____________
  4. _____________ food is food which is produced without using artificial chemicals. _____________ food is food produced from animals which are allowed to move around and feed naturally. _____________ food is food that has been produced from a plant or animal that has had its gene structure changed in order to make it more productive or resistant to disease.
  5. People who eat too much, or who don't eat enough (often because they think they look fat), suffer from a medical condition known generally as an _____________ Examples of this include _____________ and _____________
  6. A _____________ is someone who doesn't eat meat. A _____________ is someone who doesn't eat meat or other products derived from animals (including cheese and milk).
  7. _____________ is food that is made very quickly, especially food like burgers and pizzas that you can take away. It is sometimes called _____________, because it is often not very healthy or _____________
  8. Someone who is heavier than they should be is _____________ If they are a lot heavier than they should be, they are _____________ The noun is _____________ This can result in _____________, cancer, _____________, and many other serious illnesses.
  9. E-coli, _____________, and _____________ are three kinds of _____________
  10. Meat, vegetables, and dairy products are three of the main _____________
  11. If you eat a _____________, you eat the correct amounts of the right sorts of food; you do not eat too much of one particular sort of food.
  12. People who have a _____________ are unable to eat certain kinds of food because it has a negative effect on them (although it may not affect them seriously). People with an _____________ to certain kinds of food must avoid them, as the effects may be much more serious (for example, if someone who is _____________ to peanuts eats something with peanuts in, it might kill them).
  1. Fiber is the part of fruit, vegetables, and grains that your body cannot digest, and helps food to pass through your body. fat is the oil found in food, and there are three main types of this: saturated, polyunsaturated, and monosaturated
  2. Calories are units used for measuring how much energy you get from food. Protein is a substance found in food such as eggs, milk, and meat that people need in order to grow and be healthy. Calcium is a white chemical element that is an important part of bones and teeth, and is found in food products such as eggs, milk, and cheese. Carbohydrates are found in foods such as sugar, bread, and potatoes, and supply your body with heat and energy.
  3. People who weigh more than they should often go on a diet to help them lose weight. Some of them may go to a fat farm, an informal expression for a place where people can go to try to lose weight by eating in a healthy way and doing lots of exercise
  4. Organic food is food which is produced without using artificial chemicals. Free range food is food produced from animals which are allowed to move around and feed naturally. Genetically modified (GM) food is food that has been produced from a plant or animal that has had its gene structure changed in order to make it more productive or resistant to disease.
  5. People who eat too much, or who don't eat enough (often because they think they look fat), suffer from a medical condition known generally as an eating disorder Examples of this include bulimia and anorexia
  6. A vegetarian is someone who doesn't eat meat. A vegan is someone who doesn't eat meat or other products derived from animals (including cheese and milk).
  7. Fast food is food that is made very quickly, especially food like burgers and pizzas that you can take away. It is sometimes called junk food, because it is often not very healthy or nutritious
  8. Someone who is heavier than they should be is overweight If they are a lot heavier than they should be, they are obese. The noun is obesity. This can result in diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and many other serious illnesses.
  9. E-coli, salmonella, and listeria are three kinds of food poisoning
  10. Meat, vegetables, and dairy products are three of the main food groups
  11. If you eat a balanced diet, you eat the correct amounts of the right sorts of food; you do not eat too much of one particular sort of food.
  12. People who have a food intolerance are unable to eat certain kinds of food because it has a negative effect on them (although it may not affect them seriously). People with an allergy to certain kinds of food must avoid them, as the effects may be much more serious (for example, if someone who is allergic to peanuts eats something with peanuts in, it might kill them).

Exercise 2 - Complete this essay with appropriate words and phrases from the box in Exercise 1. You may need to change the form of some of the words.

Children love eating (1) _____________ but burgers, chicken nuggets and other heavily (2) _____________ food products not only contain a large number of unhealthy chemicals and other additives, but also lack the essential (3) _____________ and (4) _____________ that a child needs. In addition, they also contain a lot of (5) _____________ and (6) _____________which, if eaten in quantity, can result in childhood (7) _____________ (in fact, a recent survey suggests that 39% of 8 – 15 year-olds are seriously overweight). Many children end up (8) _____________ since they eat too much of the wrong sort of food. In fact, in many parts of the developed world, a lot of children show similar symptoms to those in poorer developing countries, where food (9) _____________ cause thousands of deaths from starvation, especially in the wake of natural disasters which ruin crops and in some cases totally destroy the annual (10) _____________ . Furthermore, the large amounts of (11) _____________ in animal and dairy products (a common feature of fast food) are believed to be partly responsible for increased cases of heart disease in young people, a recent phenomenon that is causing great concern. It is therefore important children learn the benefi ts of eating a (12) _____________ as it is essential they consume suffi cient quantities of the different food groups. They should be encouraged to eat more (13) _____________ fruit and vegetables, and also more food that is high in (14) _____________ They should still be allowed the occasional burger or pizza, but these should be seen as an occasional treat rather than forming the main part of their diet.

Children love eating (1) fast food / junk food but burgers, chicken nuggets and other heavily (2) processed food products not only contain a large number of unhealthy chemicals and other additives, but also lack the essential (3) vitamins / minerals and (4) minerals / vitamins that a child needs. In addition, they also contain a lot of (5) fat / carbohydrates and (6) carbohydrates/fat which, if eaten in quantity, can result in childhood (7) obesity (in fact, a recent survey suggests that 39% of 8 – 15 year-olds are seriously overweight). Many children end up (8) malnourished since they eat too much of the wrong sort of food. In fact, in many parts of the developed world, a lot of children show similar symptoms to those in poorer developing countries, where food (9) shortages cause thousands of deaths from starvation, especially in the wake of natural disasters which ruin crops and in some cases totally destroy the annual (10) harvest . Furthermore, the large amounts of (11) cholesterol in animal and dairy products (a common feature of fast food) are believed to be partly responsible for increased cases of heart disease in young people, a recent phenomenon that is causing great concern. It is therefore important children learn the benefi ts of eating a (12) balanced diet as it is essential they consume suffi cient quantities of the different food groups. They should be encouraged to eat more (13) fresh fruit and vegetables, and also more food that is high in (14) fiber They should still be allowed the occasional burger or pizza, but these should be seen as an occasional treat rather than forming the main part of their diet.