Angus Barbieri’s Fast (Upper-Intermediate Lesson Plan)

UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2/C1) Lesson on Angus Barbieri

Warm-up-Questions

1. To fast is to decide not to eat for a long period. What’s the longest you’ve gone without eating?
2. Is fasting part of your culture?
3. Have you ever tried a diet or a weight-loss program? If so, what was your experience like?

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This lesson plan was created by Matthew Barton of EnglishCurrent.com (copyright). Site members may photocopy and edit the file for their classes. Permission is not given to rebrand the lesson, redistribute it on another platform, or sell it as part of commercial course curriculum. ChatGPT was used to generate answer keys and some famous quotations. For questions, contact the author.

Comprehension Question Answer Key

1. Though not stated, working at his father’s fish and chips shop might have contributed to his excessive weight due to the high-calorie diet typically associated with such food.
2. He consumed tea, coffee, soda water, and vitamins
3. True
4. …
5. No, because such an extreme method should be undertaken only under strict medical supervision due to potential health risks.

Vocabulary 1-g, 2-h, 3-a, 4-I, 5-c, 6-e, 7-d, 8-j, 9-f, 10-b

Collocations 1-b, 2-f, 3-d, 4-a, 5-c, 6-e

Myth vs. Fact Activity:

1. Drinking water can help with weight loss. Fact: Drinking water can boost metabolism and help you feel fuller, reducing calorie intake.
2. You can target specific areas of your body for fat loss (spot reduction). Myth: Spot reduction is not possible; weight loss generally occurs evenly throughout the body.
3. Eating late at night causes weight gain. Debatable: Generally weight loss relates to caloric intake, i.e. the amount you eat, not when you eat. Eating late at night, however, can disturb sleep.
4. Diet Coke is better for weight loss than Coke. Debatable: While Diet Coke has zero calories compared to regular Coke, artificial sweeteners may increase cravings for sugary foods and disrupt metabolism for some individuals.
5. Drinking red wine is better than beer for losing weight. Fact: Generally, beer seems to have more calories than wine.
6. Coffee helps with weight loss. Debatable: Coffee can boost metabolism and increase fat burning in the short term, but it can also lead to increased cravings and disrupted sleep, potentially hindering weight loss efforts.
7. A strawberry-filled doughnut is healthier than a regular doughnut. Myth: Both types of doughnuts are generally high in sugar and calories. The presence of fruit filling would probably make the strawberry one unhealthier.
8. Every inch of hair cut off your head equals one pound of weight loss. Myth: Hair is very light, and removing inches does not equate to pounds of weight loss.