A VIsit to a dietitian

Dr. Jones: Good morning, Mrs. Fat. Sit down, please.

Mrs. Fat: Good morning, Dr. Jones. Do you mind if I sit on the sofa?

Dr. Jones: No, not at all. You can take any seat you like. So you would like to lose weight, wouldn’t you?

Mrs. Fat: Exactly. I’ve been overweight all my life and now I think it’s time I started dieting.

Dr. Jones: Oh, yes. I see. You know… before I can recommend you a particular diet I must learn all about your eating habits. How many meals a day do you normally have?

Mrs. Fat: I usually have only three meals a day. I mean breakfast, lunch and dinner, but unfortunately I very often eat between meals.

Dr. Jones: What do you have for breakfast?

Mrs. Fat: A traditional English breakfast. I have a glass of orange juice, a bowl of cereal and bacon and eggs. And then I drink tea.

Dr. Jones: Do you like milk in your tea?

Mrs. Fat: Well, that depends. On some days I just have a couple of sandwiches for lunch, but sometimes I also have a bowl of soup and cakes or pies to follow.

Dr. Jones: What do you have for dinner and when do you have it?

Mrs. Fat: I normally have dinner at 8 p.m. I know it’s a bit too late, it just happens so. What do I have? You know, I like to have a very substantial dinner – a starter, like a salad or assorted meat, followed by a main course such as beefsteak or fish and chips and then dessert and tea or coffee.

Dr. Jones: What do you have for dessert as a rule?

Mrs. Fat: Ice-cream or cakes, or both.

Dr. Jones: And what do you eat between meals?

Mrs. Fat: Peanuts, chocolate, popcorn, crisps and stuff. Sometimes I just like to nibble candies.

Dr. Jones: In fact, many people do the same and yet they have no problem with excess weight. Let me see… Do you fry one or two eggs with your bacon in the morning?

Mrs. Fat: I actually take eight eggs, but I share my breakfast with my toy-poodle dog.

Dr. Jones: I see. Here is my prescription: Don’t change your diet. Change your dog. Replace it with Labrador. Or keep both dogs and share all your meals with them. And here is the telephone number of a vet, who is a very good dog dietitian, just in case your dogs might need a correction of their diet.

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II. Answer the questions on the dialogue:

1. Why did Mrs. Fat come to the doctor?

2. What are Mrs. Fat’s eating habits?

3. What does she have for breakfast?

4. What does Mrs. Fat have for lunch?

5. What does she have for dinner?

6. What does she eat between meals?

7. Who does she have her breakfast with?

8. What were the doctor’s recommendations?

III. Make up a similar dialogue and stage it with your fellow students.

CONVERSATION   LONDON

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Names

I. Read the text 'London’. Answer the questions after it.

LONDON

London is the capital of Great Britain, its political, economic and commercial centre. It is one of the largest cities in the world and the largest city in Europe. Its popula­tion is about 8 million.

London is one of the oldest and most interesting cities in the world.

Traditionally it is divided into several parts: the City, Westminster, the West End and the East End. They are very different from each other and seem to belong to different towns and epochs.

The heart of London is the City, its financial and business centre. Numerous banks, offices and firms are situated there, including the Bank of England, the Stock Exchange and the Old Bailey. Few people live here, but over a million people come to the City to work. There are some famous ancient buildings within the City. Perhaps the most striking of them is St. Paul's Cathedral, the greatest of English churches. It was built in the 17th century by Sir Christopher Wren. The Tower of London was founded by Julius Caesar and in 1066 rebuilt by William the Conqueror. It was used as a fortress, a royal palace and a prison. Now it is a museum.

Westminster is the historic, the governmental part of London.

Westminster Abbey has more historic associations than any other building in Britain. Nearly all English kings and queens have been crowned here. Many outstanding states­men, scientists, writers, poets and painters are buried here: Newton, Darwin, Chaucer, Dickens, Tennyson, Kipling, etc.

Across the road from Westminster Abbey is Westminster Palace, or the Houses of Parliament, the seat of the British Parliament. The Clock Tower of the Houses of Parlia­ment is famous for its big hour bell, known as "Big Ben".

Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the Queen.

The West End is the richest and most beautiful part of London. It is the symbol of wealth and luxury. The best hotels, shops, restaurants, clubs, and theatres are situated there. There are splendid houses and lovely gardens belonging to wealthy people.

Trafalgar Square is the geographical centre of London. It was named in memory of Admiral Nelson's victory in the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The tall Nelson's Column stands in the middle of the square.

On the north side of Trafalgar Square is the National Gallery and the National Por­trait Gallery. Not far away is the British Museum — the biggest museum in London. It contains a priceless collection of ancient manuscripts, coins, sculptures, etc, and is famous for its library.

The East End is the poorest district of London. There are a lot of factories, workshops and docks here. The streets are narrow, the buildings are unimpressive. The East End is densely populated by working class families.