Clothing sense is what may be called the sense of wearing clothes in good taste and for fashion at the same time. Thinking of how far man has come in his development of clothing allows us to wear clothes with dignity.

So what is your fashion? Some people of all kinds just follow the going trends in the clothing industry. Others dress according to what their peers think are cool. Still others couldn’t care less about clothes at all. This is obvious by what they wear and by how they wear it. Did you know that the clothes that you wear give observers an impression of who you appear to be to them? Do you wear clothes to impress or shock? Some do this quite regularly. Gangs wear certain colors and clothes to identify themselves. Certain positions of employment require employees to dress a certain way. Again your clothing sense does send a mental perception to others about who you are, may be, or want to be.

While the clothes that a person wears does not tell others who they truly are it does reveal how they feel about the views of others. In fashion there can be a balance and modesty and moderation that can be met. Though we should not cater to every thought of others we should have a healthy and selfless concern with how we dress around them. We should also be concerned with how our fashion sense will affect our fellow man. So how is your clothing sense? Clothes are fun and they can identify us and protect us so whatever you wear, wear it well.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

• Do you think you’re fashionable?
• What is your basic style?
• How long does it take you to get dressed?
• Do you like shopping for new clothes?
• Where do you usually buy clothes?
• Have you bought any clothes recently? What?
• Do you like any particular brands of clothes?
• What kind of clothes are in fashion now?
• What colors do you think look good on you?
• What color clothes do you like? light or dark?
• Who do you look up to in terms of fashion?
• Do you sometimes experiment on different styles?
• Who do you think is the most fashionable celebrity?
• Do you think people feel different when they wear different clothes?
• Do you think that the clothes we wear reflect what is inside us ?
• What colors do you choose to wear when you are happy?
• What do you think of women who wear short mini-skirts?
• Is it possible to be beautiful without wearing any make-up, earrings or other accessories?
• Do fashionable clothes really change the way a person looks?
• What are some of the strangest fashions you have seen?
• Are you brand conscious?
• What do you consider first brand, price or quality?
• Have you ever bought something you don’t really need?
• Have you ever bought anything outrageously expensive?
• Do you like shopping for other people?

PHOTO CREDIT: ahliessa.wordpress.com/.../26/fashion-70s-ngs/

fobfashion.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html

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Do you know the expression "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade?" It means that when things are going badly, you should try to find the positive. Look for opportunity even when things seem hopeless.

Here, in the height of the financial crisis - when it doesn't seem to be possible that things can get any worse (famous last words!) - we have the opportunity to learn some new vocabulary and improve our English. The vocabulary of crisis! Join me as I squeeze some lemons at the end of a very rough week and explore a few important English expressions.

From an article in the Wall Street Journal today:

Wild Day Caps Worst Week Ever for Stocks: Dow Swings 1019 Points in Index's Most-Volatile Session; Despite 'Fire-Sale Prices,' Buyers Mostly Stand Back

The Dow Jones Industrial Average capped the worst week in its 112-year history with its most volatile day ever, as hopes for a major international bank-rescue plan were overwhelmed at day's end by another wave of selling.

Some investors who normally would be jumping to buy beaten-down stocks after a 22% decline over eight trading days said the relentless declines have left them shell-shocked and unwilling to take new risks. Some spent the day trying to protect themselves from further declines.

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Okay, time to make that lemonade and learn some vocabulary:

Vocabulary:

fire-sale prices: cheap prices; low prices; prices much lower than normal. This American expression originally meant goods actually damaged by a fire. They were sold at a reduced price due to the fire damage.

(to) stand back: to wait; to not take any action.

volatile: when talking about stocks, this means that they tend to go up and down a lot. Over the past week, the stock market has been very volatile!

beaten-down: lowered; depressed - beaten-down stocks are ones that have been sold heavily. Their prices are much lower than before. People with beaten-down stocks are likely to also feel beaten-down (as in sad or depressed).

shell-shocked: confused; stunned; suffering from an unexpected difficulty. This term comes to us from World War 1. Many soldiers suffered great trauma - then called "shell shock" and now referred to more commonly as "post-traumatic stress." People who watch their retirement plans shrink up or their life savings go down are most understandably shell-shocked!

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What causes negativity at work? It's a serious problem that companies, managers, and staff need to watch. Negativity reduces performance. Negativity causes more people to quit, so more time and money are wasted always training new employees. And because usually the best employees quit and find another job, it makes successful companies less competitive.

Here are some other reasons that create a negative environment at work.

• There is too much work. This complaint is very common when some employees quit or are fired, but new people aren't hired. There is more work for everyone but without any raises.
• Management isn't competent, effective, or qualified. Their decisions and policies cause problems in the office. In fact, some managers blame employees for the problems! Of course, these are the very worst managers who cause a lot of grumbling.
• Employees are worried about the future. For example, the economy is bad, some employees might lose their job, or the company might close.
• Employees are bored at work..
• Employees don't get praise or recognition for their hard work.
• The pay is low or it doesn't equal the amount of work required for the job.

A lot of these reasons come from inside the company. The managers and their decisions cause employees to dislike work. But sometimes outside problems cause negativity. For example, if sales are down, then workers might not get a raise or a promotion. If the economy is very bad, then some people might lose their job.

So is your office negative? Do you have any ideas to make it a more positive place?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• Do you like your job? Why do you like it? (Or why don't you like it?)
• Is your job easy or difficult? Please explain.
• Is money more important than job satisfaction? Please explain.
• When you were younger, did you have a part-time job? What was it?
  What do you do?
• What do you want to do in the future? What job don't you want to do?
• Why did you start to work at your company? Please explain.
• Why did you start to work in your field? Please explain.
• What is the world's most boring job? How about the most interesting job? How about the most dangerous job? Please explain.
• What is the worst job you have ever had? Why was it so terrible?
• What do you think about people who refuse to work?
• Would you like to retire young? If yes, what would you do?
• Would you want to start your own company? Why/not?
• Have you ever been fired? If yes, what happened?
• Have you ever quit a job? If yes, why did you quit?
• Which job is more difficult, housewife or department manager? How much should each job get paid?
• How many times should a person change their careers?

Which jobs would you want to try? Rank the following jobs from best to worst:

• 1) fisherman
• 2) English teacher
• 3) CEO of a large, multinational company
• 4) President or Prime Minister
• 5) soldier

PHOTO CREDIT: www.landingthedeal.com/200609/getting_b...ment.html

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by Gary Verderamo

A recovery in the second half of this year will be 'moderate,' according to a report from the National Association for Business Economics.

The end of the recession is in sight, according to a new survey of leading economists. While the economy is showing signs of stabilizing, the recovery will be more moderate than is typical following a severe downturn, said the National Association for Business Economics Outlook in a report released Wednesday.

The panel of 45 economists said it expects economic growth will rebound in the second half of 2009. However, the group still expects to see a decline in second-quarter economic activity. The good news is that the NABE panel expects economic growth to turn positive in the second half of this year, with the pace of job losses narrowing sharply over the remainder of this year and employment turning up in early 2010," said NABE president Chris Varvares in a written statement.

Almost three out of four survey respondents expect the recession will end by the third quarter of 2009, the report said.

But 19% predicted that a turnaround won't come until the fourth quarter, and 7% said it may not come until early 2010. None of the panelists expected the recession to continue past the first quarter of next year.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What do you think are the chances of the U.S. economy coming out of its recession before 2010?

When do you think the economy in the U.S. will rebound?

How long do you think it will be before the recovery of the U.S. economy starts to affect Korea’s economy?

Do you think a resurgent U.S. economy will have a positive or negative effect on the global economy? Or just on Korea’s economy specifically if you prefer.

What do you think will be the most important indicator that the economy has ended its recession period?

Assuming the economists’ predictions are correct, what do you think was the most important factor(s) in the U.S. economy’s recovery?

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The British are said to be fond of animals. For many of them a dog or a cat is part of the family and must be well looked after.

Large sums of money are spent on veterinary bills and pet food. A trip to a supermarket will reveal whole aisles dedicated to our animal friends.

However, in the same supermarket, you can find battery chickens which have been factory farmed in cramped conditions and injected with antibiotics to contain disease, growth hormones to fatten them for market and tranquillizers to stop them from going mad.

Aware of the contradictions in their treatment of animals and the risks of mad cow disease, many British people are turning to vegetarian diets. Some have joined animal rights groups and have taken part in protests against the meat trade, especially the export of live animals for slaughter overseas.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Many vegetarians believe that factory farming is a cruel and unnecessary practice and that our diets would be healthier if we ate less meat. Do you agree?

2. Animal rights protesters argue that the export of live animals for slaughter is uncivilized and should be prohibited under international law. Do you agree?

3. "Keeping animals in zoos and circuses to entertain human-beings is selfish and inhumane." Do you agree?

4. Bullfighting, fox-hunting and whale-hunting are part of some countries’ traditions. Do you think that Spain, England and Japan have a right to continue these traditions?

5. "The British spend far too much money on household pets. They would do better to have fewer cats and dogs and to use the money to help poor and hungry people." What do you think?

6. Would you ever wear a fur coat?

7. Is it right to use animals for medical research or to test cosmetics?

PHOTO CREDIT: profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...159004095

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President Obama is praising the passage of a major anti-smoking bill. The bill is historically important because it will give the government sweeping authority over tobacco products. Obama has declared that he intends to quickly sign the bill into law. When he does, the Food and Drug Administration will then have the power and ability to regulate tobacco products.

The fight over the bill has lasted more than half a century. It's taken years and years to weaken the immense power of the tobacco companies. Just twenty-five years ago, cigarette packages had no warnings. Consumers didn't fully understand all the health risks of tobacco. Just thirty-five years ago, tobacco was advertised on TV. The commercials reached millions and millions of viewers, suggesting that smoking was cool and fashionable. The new bill will likely save at least 400,000 lives per year. In addition, it's expected to save the government and health care companies more than $100 billion. Smoking-related illnesses cost this much each and every year.

Some specific points of the new legislation include:

1: Tobacco companies won't be able to sponsor sporting or entertainment events.
2: Outdoor tobacco advertising will be banned within 1,000 feet of schools and playgrounds.
3: Tobacco won't be sweetened, nor will it contain herbs, spices, or other flavors. As a result, fewer younger smokers will pick up the habit because unflavored tobacco may taste too strong.
4: Cigarettes labeled as "light" or "mild" give the wrong impression of being less harmful. These won't be sold.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Do you think the new law can really be called "sweeping?" What do you think will really happen?
2. Do you think a similar law would get passed in your country? Why/not?
3. Do you think that someday smoking will completely disappear? Why/not?
4. Do you think that smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol will be made illegal like other drugs?
5. Why is Obama so keen on passing this bill? Please explain.
6. What do you think about smoking and smokers? Please explain.

PHOTO CREDIT: www.flickr.com/photos/dubby/474185294/

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I have been planning to commit suicide for a long time. Although I haven’t yet actually attempted it I have come close enough so that I no longer fear death. When the time comes I have every intention of doing it right.

When I hear of someone who has taken his or her life, I silently applaud the decision. When I hear of homeless people living in boxes under bridges, of people who are trapped in dysfunctional bodies, and of those who are dying a slow death and are racked with pain, I wonder why they feel that life is so precious that they want to continue to live.

Experts tell people who are harboring suicidal thoughts to seek professional help, but they never tell them why. When it comes right down to it, no one is indispensable. We will all die eventually, so of life is lousy, why stick around?

I have found that life’s trials and tribulations are not temporary. When an agonizing situation ends a new one pops up to take its place. I no longer believe that God does not give us more trouble than we can endure or a by life’s cruel blows opt for sleeping pills, a rope, or a bullet in the brain. I see nothing wrong with that. The only reason I am still alive is because I am waiting for my elderly mother to die. She is the only person in my life I care enough about not to hurt. When she goes, I go.

What does it mean?

• Who are trapped in dysfunctional bodies
• Harboring suicidal thoughts
• When it comes right down to it, no one is indispensable.
• We will all die eventually, so of life is lousy, why stick around?
• Life’s trials and tribulations are not temporary.
• When an agonizing situation ends a new one pops up to take its place.
• Sleeping pills
• A rope
• A bullet in the brain

What do you think?

• Talk about why adults commit suicide.
• Talk about why children commit suicide.
• If you knew a man who really wanted to attempt suicide, would you say, “Go ahead?” How could you persuade him not to attempt it?
• If you saw someone trying to commit suicide, what would you do?
• What do you think makes people hesitate to kill themselves even though they’re having suicidal thoughts?

PHOTO CREDIT: consumeraffairs.com/news042005/fda_strattera.html

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Two American journalists in North Korea have been in jail since the middle of March. The country convicted the two women to twelve years of hard labor. North Korea said that the Americans were spying, not reporting the news.

The trial took five days, and the decision came from the country's highest court. Therefore the decision cannot be changed. Nor can the decision be tried in a different court. The two Americans have no options, and will move to the prison camp within ten days.

However, most experts agree that the two reporters have now become important in negotiations with the US. North Korea can use the women for aid, for example. North Korea can also use the two reporters when discussing their recent nuclear tests.

Not much is known about the country's labor camps. However, harsh labor and frequent beatings are probably common.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What do you know about North Korea? Please explain.
2. What do you think about North Korea? Please explain.
3. Do you think the journalists were really spying? Why/not?
4. What do you think will happen to the journalists?
5. Should journalists be able to report on anything freely?
6. Should reporters be put in jail for doing their job?

PHOTO CREDIT: koreatimes.com

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South Korea has become the sixth nation in the world and the first Asian to reach the World Cup finals for the seventh straight time after it ousted the United Arab Emirates in a 2-0 win Sunday morning. The national team, led by coach Huh Jung-moo, qualified for a berth in the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa regardless of the outcome of its two remaining games in the qualifying round.

Korea first appeared in the quadrennial event in Switzerland in 1954, but then failed to qualify for the World Cup before advancing in the 1986 competition in Mexico. Since then the team has been a regular attendant.

Among the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) members, Korea is the only team to secure seven straight berths to the finals and its eight appearances are also the most. Middle East powerhouse Saudi Arabia, which is tied for second with North Korea in Group B, is seeking its fifth consecutive qualification while archrival Japan has already pulled off its fourth-straight attendance. Both have played four times in the tournament.

As of Sunday, at the international level, five-time champion Brazil has shown up in all 18 events since its establishment in 1930, followed by Germany, which has won three titles, with 16 appearances in total, including 14 consecutive ones, and defending champion Italy with 14 overall appearances, including a 12 competition streak. Argentina and Spain have played at the World Cup for nine and eight times straight, respectively, along with combined 12 and 13 berths. England, Mexico and Belgium qualified for the World Cup finals six times in a row, but their streaks are up now. The United States, which has qualified for the past five World Cups, is now bidding for its sixth consecutive participation.

SOURCE: koreatimes.com

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The traditional ideas between work and leisure have blurred a lot in recent years. Business and individuals both have had to reevaluate the nine-to-five workday. Instead of the daily grind at the office, work now invades leisure time and leisure time invades work. The phenomenon has been called "weisure time" by sociologist Dalton Conley. The concept explains the next step in the evolving balance between the personal and professional lives of adults.

In part, one reason for weisure time is due to the increased responsibilities at work. And because people work more than ever before, they must keep in touch with colleagues and business associates while hanging out with their families on the weekends. A lot of work also relies on creativity and teamwork these days, which also means employees keep in touch because they also want to. In short, not only are people busier, but many people enjoy their jobs more than before. They don't mind if both sides of their lives mix.

The computer and social networks are also important in weisure time. Facebook, Twitter, and other social media services encourage people to stay connected during business hours. Social technology stimulates a pleasure response in people's brains, so people desire the connections with friends. Talking with friends online also makes the business day move much faster. What's more, it encourages people to maintain connections with the coworkers during off time.

Conley explains that at some point there could be a backlash because there is less and less time to relax. Although people see weisure time as a solution for now, they may not always be willing to mix the personal and professional. At the moment, though, work and more work fuels the need for weisure time.

DISCUSSION:
Talk about the following questions in pairs/groups. Remember to support your answers!

1. What do you think of weisure time? Please explain.
2. How regularly do you mix professional time during evenings and weekends? Why?
3. How regularly do you mix personal time during business hours? Why?
4. What is your office like? How would you describe it?
5. What is the future of work? Why do you think so?

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In this lesson we will practice conversation on everyday business situations and use most important idioms and expressions related to jobs and the workplace.

Talking about a New Project

Carl, Greg, and Anne work for WaterSonic Corporation. Recently, the company has come up with an idea for a new electric toothbrush.

Dialogue Practice:

Carl: I think we’ve come up with a winner.
Anne: I agree. The new Brush-o-matic toothbrush should be a blockbuster!
Carl: Our designers have already made up some prototypes. The toothbrushes have a tooth-whitening attachment and many other bells and whistles.
Greg: We should fast track this project. Let’s try to launch it in time for the holiday season.
Anne: This will be a great stocking stuffer!
Carl: We definitely need a big win for the holidays.
Anne: This is a great idea. We’re going to make a killing.
Greg: Let’s not talk about this project to anybody who doesn’t need to know. We’ll keep it under wraps.
Carl: I agree. Mum’s the word. We don’t want any of our competitors to get wind of the idea and rip it off!
Anne: Right. Let’s meet again on Monday morning and discuss our game plan for getting this project off the ground!

IDIOMS & EXPRESSIONS

(to) come up with a winner to think up a very good idea
EXAMPLE: Everybody likes Pepsi’s new advertising campaign. Their advertising agency has come up with a winner.

blockbuster a big success; a huge hit
EXAMPLE: Eli Lilly made a lot of money with the prescription drug, Prozac. It was a real blockbuster.

bells and whistles extra product features, usually using the latest technologies; product features which are attractive, but not essential for the product to function
EXAMPLE: Our office just got a new copier with all the bells and whistles. I’ll probably never learn how to use all of its features!

(to) fast track a project to make a project a high priority; to speed up the time frame of a project
EXAMPLE: Let’s fast track this project. We’ve heard rumors that our competitors are developing similar products.

stocking stuffer a small gift given at Christmas time
EXAMPLE: These new mini travel pillows will make great stocking stuffers!

big win a huge success; a successful product
EXAMPLE: The drug company spent millions on research and development, hoping that one of their new products would be a big win.

(to) make a killing to make a lot of money
EXAMPLE: Suzanne made a killing on her Google stock and retired at 40.
SYNONYM: to make a fortune

(to) keep something under wraps to keep something secret; to not let anybody know about a new project or plan
EXAMPLE: I’m sorry I can’t tell you anything about the project I’m working on. My boss told me to keep it under wraps.

mum’s the word let’s keep quiet about this; I agree not to tell anyone about this
EXAMPLE: Please don’t tell anybody about our new project. Remember: mum’s the word!

(to) get wind of to find out about something, often sensitive information
EXAMPLE: When the restaurant owner got wind of the fact that one of his waiters was stealing money from the cash register, he was furious.

(to) rip off to copy an idea; to steal
EXAMPLE: Why doesn’t the Donox Company ever think up any original ideas? All they ever do is rip off their competitors!

EXAMPLE: The software company’s game plan is to expand its operations into China and India over the next year.

(to) get something off the groundto get started on something, often a project
EXAMPLE: We’ve been sitting around talking about this project for months. It’s time to take action and get it off the ground!

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Britain’s Office for National Statistics has reported a sharp and alarming rise in the number of people dying from alcohol abuse. Binge drinking has become part of British culture and is now a serious social issue - people are literally drinking themselves to death. The figures are of near epidemic proportions. Alcohol-related fatalities among British adults doubled from 4,144 in 1991 to 8,758 in 2006. The steepest increase was the 132 percent rise in deaths among men in the 35 to 54 age bracket. They are suffering from liver failure and stomach cancers at a younger age than ever before. The figures for women in the same age group also show a dramatic rise of over 100 percent. These disturbing figures seem to be a legacy of people partying and drinking heavily in their twenties and early thirties.

Professor Ian Gilmore, a leading British doctor, said: "Liver disease is often symptomless until it becomes very serious, and so people often have no warning that they are destroying their liver until it is almost too late.” Frank Soodeen from the group Alcohol Concern called for immediate action: "It is vital that the government finally starts investing more in alcohol treatment to help problem drinkers address these issues before the situation becomes irretrievable,” he said. Britain’s public health minister Dawn Primarolo said the government was launching a $20m campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of too much alcohol, and was reviewing alcohol pricing and advertising. However, she warned: "We know we're not going to change people's attitudes to alcohol overnight - it's going to take time.”

VOCABULARY BANK:

Binge
• noun a short period of excessive indulgence; an act of excessive or compulsive consumption.
sharp
• adverb suddenly or abruptly.
social
• adjective relating to society, its organization, or hierarchy.
epidemic
• noun a sudden, widespread occurrence of something undesirable.
fatality
• noun an occurrence of death by accident, in war, or from disease.
steep
• adjective rising or falling rapidly.
bracket
• noun a category of similar people or things:
liver failure
• noun severe failure of the liver to function properly, especially as a cause of death.
warning
• noun a statement or event that indicates a possible or impending danger or problem, cautionary advice.
vital
• adjective absolutely necessary; essential; important.
address
• verb think about and begin to deal with.
launch
• verb begin or introduce.

GUIDE QUESTIONS

• Does alcohol cause any social problems in your country?
• Do you think alcohol is dangerous?
• What part does alcohol play in the culture of your country?
• Why do you think British people binge drink?
• What’s the most you’ve ever drunk in one night?
• Do you think people should stop partying heavily in the twenties?
• Do you worry about the effects on your body of drugs like alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, etc?
• Do you do anything in life that might be / is destroying or harming your body?
• Do you think alcohol abuse in countries like Britain is an irretrievable problem?
• Do you think societies would be better if alcohol was banned?
• What immediate action do you think the government should carry out?

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new study has found that having a child can make a couple less happy with each other. Researchers from the University of Denver conducted an eight-year study of 218 sets of parents. Their report is called “The effect of the transition to parenthood on relationship quality”. It is published in the March 2009 edition of the ‘Journal of Personality and Social Psychology’. The psychologists examined how happy couples were in the eight years after the birth of their first child. They concluded that the first baby put a lot of stress and pressure on a marriage. Ninety percent of couples experienced a decrease in marital bliss immediately following the birth of their first child. Unmarried couples experienced bigger problems.

It’s not all bad news for would-be parents. Some couples in the research said their relationship was stronger after their baby was born. Parents who were married for a long time before starting a family were happier. Couples on higher incomes also seemed to have fewer problems. Researcher Scott Stanley said his team’s findings did not mean children bring unhappiness in life. He said that parents may be happier as part of a family than as a childless couple. He noted that “this type of happiness can be powerful and positive”. Stanley also pointed out that couples who did not have children also became unhappier with each other over time. However, he said parenthood accelerated levels of unhappiness.

Discussion:

1. What are the secrets of a happy marriage?

2. What are the pros/cons of the following situations? Will you or won't you do the following?

a. Say “I love you”

b. Have children
c. Share the housework
d. Let him drive
e. She controls finances
f. Buy lots of presents

3. Rate these things in order of which bring greatest happiness to parents.

___baby’s birth

___baby’s first walk

___child’s first day at school

___child’s first A+ at school

___the first boy/girl friend

___graduation from university

___marriage
___the first grandchild

4. What did you think when you read the headline?
5. What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘marriage’?
6. Were you surprised by the Uni. of Denver’s research findings?
7. Do you think this research would make couples think twice about having children?
8. What’s the best number of children to have?
9. What do you think it is about having children that reduces marital bliss?
10. What is the “transition to parenthood”? Do you think it’s difficult?
11. What stresses and pressures does a first child bring?
12. Why do unmarried couples have more problems after having a child?
13. What is marital bliss? How long does it last?
14. What do would-be parents think about before starting a family?

PHOTO CREDIT: munfitnessblog.com/the-non-v...n-silence

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Genes are probably more to blame for weight gain than an appetite for cream buns, a new study has suggested. Scientists have found that ease of putting on weight in school children is mostly inherited.

A study of more than 5,000 pairs of twins aged eight to 11 showed that genes contributed 77% of the amount by which their body mass and waist circumference varied. Only 23% of the differences between the children were due to home environment.

People born with "fat" genes are not inevitably overweight, but have to work extra hard to stay slim, said study leader Professor Jane Wardle, from University College London.

"In today's environment, which provides unprecedented opportunities for people to over-eat and be sedentary, it is not surprising these tendencies result in weight gain," she added.

Source: PA News

focus on talking

• What is wrong with being fat? What bad consequences of obesity can you list?
• Obese people come up with different explanations for their condition. Which of these explanations do you find credible?
  
  ‣ I’m big-boned.
  ‣ It’s glandular.
  ‣ It’s because of my genes.
  ‣ I’ve quit smoking.
  ‣ It’s caused by the medicine I’m taking.
  
• What ways of losing weight do you know? Which of them do you consider effective?
• Which food products do you believe to be especially fattening? Do you avoid eating and drinking some products because you are afraid of putting on weight?
• Have you ever been on a diet? What is the most popular diet at the moment?
• Is obesity a big problem in your country? Is it worse or better than in other countries?
• What are the reasons for this situation?

PHOTO CREDIT: www.users.drew.edu/rdrakesavethewhales2.html

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