The Reading / Listening - Size Zero - Level 1

Models must be an unhealthy weight to keep their boss happy. A study says modeling agencies pressure models to be a size zero. If a model is not, she will not get jobs. It is the largest ever study into eating disorders among models. It was also the first study to look at the link between not eating and pressure from modeling agencies. There is now scientific proof that eating disorders are a big health problem in the modeling world.

Researchers found that 81% of models were underweight. Many led unhealthy lifestyles to stay size zero. They missed meals, used diet pills and made themselves throw up. Over half said their agency would not give them work without losing weight. The agencies are not breaking the law. Eating disorders lead to big health problems, like heart damage, weak bones, organ failure and even death. Teenagers copy the models, which makes more problems.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Size Zero - Level 0 Size Zero - Level 2   or  Size Zero - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.buzzfeed.com/carolinekee/new-study-finds-eating-disorders-are-serious-problem-among-m
  • http://www.vogue.com/article/model-alliance-eating-disorder-study
  • http://health.usnews.com/health-care/articles/2017-02-01/eating-disorders-rampant-on-the-runway
  • http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/eat.22682/full


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. keep their
  2. pressure models
  3. eating disorders
  4. the first study to look
  5. pressure from
  6. scientific
  7. eating disorders are a big
  8. in the modeling
  1. proof
  2. among models
  3. world
  4. boss happy
  5. health problem
  6. at the link
  7. to be a size zero
  8. modeling agencies

Paragraph 2

  1. Researchers found that 81% of
  2. Many led unhealthy lifestyles
  3. They missed
  4. diet
  5. made themselves throw
  6. losing
  7. big health problems, like
  8. organ
  1. failure
  2. pills
  3. weight
  4. to stay size zero
  5. heart damage
  6. models were underweight
  7. up
  8. meals

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Models must be an unhealthy weight to (1) ___________________ happy. A study says modeling agencies pressure models (2) ___________________ zero. If a model is not, she will not get jobs. It (3) ___________________ ever study into eating disorders among models. It was also the first study to (4) ___________________ between not eating and pressure from modeling agencies. There is now (5) ___________________ that eating disorders are a big health problem in the (6) ___________________.

Researchers found that 81% of models (7) ___________________. Many led unhealthy lifestyles to stay size zero. They missed meals, used (8) ___________________ and made themselves (9) ___________________. Over half said their agency would not give them work without (10) ___________________. The agencies are not breaking the law. Eating disorders (11) ___________________ health problems, like heart damage, weak bones, (12) ___________________ and even death. Teenagers copy the models, which makes more problems.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Modelsmustbeanunhealthyweighttokeeptheirbosshappy.Astudysay
smodelingagenciespressuremodelstobeasizezero.Ifamodelisnot,sh
ewillnotgetjobs.Itisthelargesteverstudyintoeatingdisordersamong
models.Itwasalsothefirststudytolookatthelinkbetweennoteatingand
pressurefrommodelingagencies.Thereisnowscientificproofthateatin
gdisordersareabighealthprobleminthemodelingworld.Researchersf
oundthat81%ofmodelswereunderweight.Manyledunhealthylifestyl
estostaysizezero.Theymissedmeals,useddietpillsandmadethemselv
esthrowup.Overhalfsaidtheiragencywouldnotgivethemworkwithout
losingweight.Theagenciesarenotbreakingthelaw.Eatingdisorderslea
dtobighealthproblems,likeheartdamage,weakbones,organfailurean
devendeath.Teenagerscopythemodels,whichmakesmoreproblems.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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