The Reading / Listening - Size Zero - Level 2

Models must get down to an unhealthy weight to keep their bosses happy. A new study says modeling agencies pressure models to be a size zero. If the model is not skinny enough, she will not get jobs. The study is the largest ever to look at eating disorders among professional models. Lead researcher Dr Rachel Roberts said it was the first study to look into the link between unhealthy eating and pressure from modeling agencies. She said: "We now have… scientific proof that eating disorders are a serious health problem in the modeling industry."

Researchers questioned female models and found that 81% of them were underweight. Many led an unhealthy lifestyle to stay skinny so their agencies would give them work. They missed meals, didn't eat for days, used diet pills and made themselves throw up. Over half said their agency would not give them jobs unless they lost more weight. Agencies are not breaking the law, but eating disorders can lead to serious health problems. These include infertility, heart damage, weak bones, organ failure and even death. Teenagers want bodies like the models, which leads to more health issues.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Size Zero - Level 0 Size Zero - Level 1   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 bosses
  2. not skinny
  3. eating disorders among
  4. it was the first study to look
  5. pressure
  6. scientific
  7. eating disorders are a serious
  8. in the modeling
  1. from modeling agencies
  2. happy
  3. industry
  4. health problem
  5. enough
  6. into the link
  7. proof
  8. professional models

Paragraph 2

  1. 81% of them
  2. Many led an unhealthy lifestyle
  3. They missed
  4. diet
  5. made themselves throw
  6. Agencies are not breaking
  7. heart
  8. organ
  1. meals
  2. failure
  3. up
  4. to stay skinny
  5. damage
  6. were underweight
  7. pills
  8. the law

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Models (1) ___________________ to an unhealthy weight to (2) ___________________ happy. A new study says modeling agencies pressure models to be a size zero. If the model is not (3) ___________________, she will not get jobs. The study is the largest ever to look at eating (4) ___________________ professional models. Lead researcher Dr Rachel Roberts said it was the first study to look into the link between unhealthy eating and (5) ___________________ modeling agencies. She said: "We now have… scientific proof that eating disorders are a serious health (6) ___________________ modeling industry."

Researchers questioned (7) ___________________ and found that 81% of them were underweight. Many led an unhealthy lifestyle to (8) ___________________ their agencies would give them work. They missed meals, didn't eat for days, (9) ___________________ and made themselves throw up. Over half said their agency would not give them jobs (10) ___________________ more weight. Agencies are not breaking the law, but eating disorders can lead to serious health problems. These (11) ___________________, heart damage, weak bones, organ failure and even death. Teenagers want bodies like the models, which (12) ___________________ health issues.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Modelsmustgetdowntoanunhealthyweighttokeeptheirbosseshappy.
Anewstudysaysmodelingagenciespressuremodelstobeasizezero.Ift
hemodelisnotskinnyenough,shewillnotgetjobs.Thestudyisthelarges
tevertolookateatingdisordersamongprofessionalmodels.Leadresear
cherDrRachelRobertssaiditwasthefirststudytolookintothelinkbetwe
enunhealthyeatingandpressurefrommodelingagencies.Shesaid:"W
enowhave…scientificproofthateatingdisordersareaserioushealthpro
bleminthemodelingindustry."Researchersquestionedfemalemodels
andfoundthat81%ofthemwereunderweight.Manyledanunhealthylif
estyletostayskinnysotheiragencieswouldgivethemwork.Theymisse
dmeals,didn'teatfordays,useddietpillsandmadethemselvesthrowup
.Overhalfsaidtheiragencywouldnotgivethemjobsunlesstheylostmor
eweight.Agenciesarenotbreakingthelaw,buteatingdisorderscanlead
toserioushealthproblems.Theseincludeinfertility,heartdamage,wea
kbones,organfailureandevendeath.Teenagerswantbodieslikethemo
dels,whichleadstomorehealthissues.

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.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

Help Support This Web Site

  • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Thank You