“Conversation Starter Lesson Series: Intermediate” is designed for intermediate-level ESL learners who want to improve their fluency and confidence in speaking English.
Each lesson includes an engaging reading material with audio, vocabulary and expressions, comprehension questions, and discussion questions to be used for one to one class, group class, or self-study for both online and offline classes.
Unit 4: Health and Wellness
Story 02: Nutrition
Key Lesson Vocabulary & Expressions: Look over and review before proceeding.
- Vicious cycle
- Eating habits
- Guilty
- Ashamed
- Swapping out
- Overwhelming
- Sluggish
- Fitting
- Protagonist
- Physical effects
Read or Listen to the following passage:
I know that I should be eating healthier, I just can’t seem to stop eating junk food. It’s become a vicious cycle – I feel bad about my eating habits, so I eat more junk food to make myself feel better, but then I feel worse about my health.
It’s not just about the physical effects, either. I know that eating unhealthy foods is affecting my mental health, too. I feel guilty and ashamed every time I reach for another bag of chips or candy bar, but I just can’t seem to stop.
I’ve tried making small changes, like swapping out junk food for healthier options, but it never lasts. I always end up falling back into old habits. I know I need to make a change, but it feels overwhelming.
I’m starting to notice the effects on my body, too. I’m more tired and sluggish than usual, and my clothes aren’t fitting the way they used to. I know I need to make a change before it’s too late.
Comprehension Questions:
- Why does the protagonist struggle with eating junk food?
- How has eating unhealthy foods affected the protagonist’s mental health?
- What steps has the protagonist taken to improve their eating habits?
- Why does the protagonist keep falling back into old habits?
- What physical effects has the protagonist noticed from eating junk food?
Conversations Starters:
- What does a healthy diet mean to you?
- Why do you think it’s important to eat a balanced diet?
- What kind of junk food do you enjoy eating the most?
- How does eating junk food make you feel?
- What steps do you take to maintain a healthy diet?
- Do you think it’s difficult to eat healthily? Why or why not?
- What are some healthy snacks that you enjoy?
- What are some cultural foods that are healthy but not commonly known outside of your country?
- What are some common misconceptions about nutrition that you have heard?
- Have you ever tried a diet or eating plan that did not work for you? What was it and why didn’t it work?
