Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a primary school
    • ex. My son is a primary school teacher; his students are seven or eight years old.
  2. pleased
    • ex. Oh, you like it? I’m really pleased to hear that!
  3. iron
    • ex. Liver and dark green vegetables have a lot of iron.
  4. concentrate
    • ex. Could you please turn off the music? I’m trying to concentrate on my homework.
  5. produce
    • ex. I prefer to buy fresh produce from a local farm, not a supermarket.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Some UK primary schools have decided to make Monday school lunches meat-free, but not everyone is pleased. The schools in Anglesey, an island in northwest Wales, said that their new menu was based on feedback from children and parents. However, the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) feels that it has problems.

The FUW said that red meat is part of a balanced diet, but there’s very little red meat on the new menu. They explained that the iron and vitamin B12 in red meat help children concentrate in school. A spokesperson for the Vegan Society, however, said that children don’t have to eat meat in order to get all the vitamins and minerals that they need. She added that 80% of children in school don’t eat enough fruit or vegetables.

Rhys Hughes, the Anglesey education director, said that it’s important to support the local farming community, and meat will be on the menu Tuesday through Friday. The Monday lunch options, such as pizza and macaroni and cheese, will also use produce from Wales. Hughes said that the menu may be reviewed and changed in the future.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

School Lunch

  • In your opinion, should food like pizza and macaroni and cheese be on school lunch menus? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Should all students have to eat the school lunch, or should they be allowed to bring their own lunch? Why? Discuss.
  • Should school lunch be free for all students? Why or why not? Discuss.

A Balanced Diet

  • Do you think it's necessary to eat meat every day? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • According to the Vegan Society, 80% of children in the UK don't eat enough fruit or vegetables. Do you think it's the same in your country? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • When you choose food, do you always think about getting a balanced diet? Why or why not? Discuss.