CHANGING LIFESTYLES AND NEW EATING HABITS

Americans today have different eating habits than they had in the past. There is a wide
selection of food available. They have a broader knowledge of nutrition, so they buy more fresh
fruit and vegetables than ever before. At the same time, Americans purchase increasing
quantities of sweets, snacks and sodas.
Statistics show that the way people live determines the way they eat. Americans lifestyles
have changed. They now include growing numbers of people who live alone, single parents and
children, and double income families. These changing lifestyles are responsible for the
increasing number of people who must rush meals or sometimes skip them altogether. Many
Americans have less time than ever before to spend preparing food. Partly as a consequence if
this limited time, 60 % of all American homes now have microwave ovens. Moreover,
Americans eat out nearly four times a week on the average.
It is easy to study the amounts and kinds of food that people consume. The United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the food industry- growers, processors, marketers, and
restaurateurs – compile sales statistics and keep accurate records. This information not only tells
us what people are eating, but also tells us about the changed in attitudes and tastes. Red meat
which used to be the most popular choice for dinner, is no longer an American favorite. Instead,
chicken, turkey and fish have become more popular. Sales of these foods have greatly increased
in recent years. This is probably a result of the awareness of the dangers of eating food that
contains high levels of cholesterol, or animal fat. Doctors believe that cholesterol is a threat to
human health.
According to a recent survey, Americans also change their eating patterns to meet the
needs of different situations. They have certain ideas about which foods will increase their
athletic ability, help them lose weight, make them alert for business meetings or put them in the
mood for romance. For example, Americans choose pasta, fruit, and vegetables, which supply
them with carbohydrates, to give them strength for physical activity, such as sports .Adults
choose foods rich in fiber, such as bread and cereal, for breakfast, and salads for lunch to prepare
them for business appointments. For romantic dinners, however, Americans choose shrimp and
lobster. While many of these ideas are based on nutritional facts, some are not.
Americans’ awareness of nutrition, along with their changing tastes and needs, leads
them to consume a wide variety of foods-foods for health, for fun, and simply for good taste.

Exercise 1. Read the passage again. Read the following statements. Check whether they
are True (T) or False (F). if a statements is false, rewrite the statement so that it is true. Then go
back to the passage and find the line that supports your answer.
1. ………..T………….F ……… Americans eat the same way they did in the past.
 ………………………………………………………
2. ……….T…………F……….Americans do not eat many sweets any more
…………………………………………………
3. ……….T………….F……….most Americans do not have a lot of time to prepare
food
………………………………………………
4. ………T…………F………..red meat is the most popular American choice for
Dinner.
…………………………………………………
5. ……..T………….F……….Americans eat out about four times a week
…………………………………………………
6. …….T…………..F……… The USDA keeps information about the food
Americans buy.
…………………………………………………..
7. …….T………….F……….it is healthy to eat food with high cholesterol levels
………………………………………………………
8. …….T………….F……….Americans choose foods rich in fiber for romantic
Dinners
…………………………………………………….

Exercise 2. Read each question carefully. Either circle the letter of the correct
answer, or write your answer in the space provided.

1. What is the main idea of the passage?

a. American eating habits have changed because of changing lifestyles.
b. Americans have a greater awareness of nutrition than they did years ago.
c. Americans have less time than ever before to prepare meals.
2. In line 3 , what are quantities?
a. Kinds
b. Amounts
c. Types
3. Read lines 5-7
a. What are lifestyles?
1. The way people live
2. The way people eat
3. The way people dress
b. What is a double income family?
1. A family that makes twice as much money as another family
2. A family in which one adult has two jobs
3. A family in which two adults work full- time
4.Read lines 11 . what does on the average mean?
 a. exactly
b. approximately
c. sometimes
5. what is red meat?
a. chicken
b. fish
c. beef
6. in line 26, what does however indicate?
a. an explanation
b. a similarity
c. a contrast
7. read lines 26-27
a. what does while mean?
1. during
2. although
3. also
b. what does some refer to?
1. ideas
2. facts
3. Americans