Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. nutrition
    • ex. Good nutrition is important for kids to grow up healthy and strong.
  2. behind the scenes
    • ex. A great team worked behind the scenes to produce a successful project.
  3. philanthropic
    • ex. Many people admire the company’s philanthropic efforts.
  4. an initiative
    • ex. The president’s initiative is to encourage kids to read more books.
  5. a nonprofit
    • ex. I do some volunteer work for a nonprofit that helps the homeless.

Article

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

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Michelle Obama announced that she has established a new company to make and sell healthier food and drinks for kids. The company is called PLEZi Nutrition. Its products have lower sugar and higher nutrient content, which Mrs. Obama says will be less harmful to kids’ long-term health. The former first lady’s work with PLEZi Nutrition is an extension of her efforts to improve child nutrition when she was in the White House.

As first lady, Mrs. Obama started the program called “Let’s Move” to improve children’s health. She encouraged them to do more physical activities and eat healthier food. She worked to improve nutrition standards for school lunches and convinced food companies and restaurants to cut calories, salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats in their meals.

As a co-founder of PLEZi Nutrition, she will work behind the scenes on the company’s educational and philanthropic efforts. She also said the company is donating $1 million to an initiative by FoodCorps, a nonprofit that is working to help all 50 million U.S. students receive nutrition education and free school meals by 2030.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Kids’ Nutrition

  • In your opinion, why does Mrs. Obama like to improve American children’s nutrition? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, do kids in your country receive proper nutrition? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • As a child, did you like eating junk food? In your opinion, why did you or did you NOT like junk food? Discuss.

Advocates and Their Advocacies

  • Mrs. Obama’s advocacy is to improve kids’ nutrition. Do you think famous people are effective in promoting an advocacy? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Who is a famous advocate that you admire? Why? Discuss.
  • What advocacy do you want to promote? Why? Discuss.