School Year: 2019-2020

Name: __________________ English Quiz Date: _________________

Grade: 11

Read the following article which exposes research studies about food and beverage consumption. After you
finish reading, answer the questions set on it.

Eating Less and Drinking Diet Beverages don’t Help Lose Weight

1. Overweight and obesity affect around 70% of adults in the United States, putting them at increased risk
of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. A poor diet and lack of exercise are key
contributors to weight gain, so it comes as no surprise that adopting a healthful diet and increasing physical
activity can aid weight loss.

2. Faris Zuraikat, a graduate student in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Pennsylvania State University,
led the new study, which follows up from a previous 1-year randomized controlled trial that investigated how
different food portions influenced weight loss. The former trial aimed to explore the so-called "portion size
effect," which occurs when people are served bigger portions than what they originally wanted but end up
eating more nonetheless.

3. The previous trial trained the participants to gain more control over their portions, presenting them with
useful strategies for portion size management. In this new trial study, the researchers wanted to see if people
who had been previously trained to manage their portions would respond differently to increasing portion sizes
by comparison with untrained people.

4. During the study, all women were served the same foods once a week for 4 weeks. It revealed that when
given bigger portions, the women across all three groups consumed more food. However, the participants who
had been trained in portion control in the previous trial consumed fewer calories than the untrained participants.

5. "The lower energy intake of trained participants was attributed to consuming meals with a greater
proportion of lower-[energy density] foods than controls," write the authors. "All the groups were served the
same meals, but their food choices differed," explains the study's lead author. The participants who went
through the training consumed more of the lower calorie-dense foods and less of the higher calorie-dense foods
than the untrained controls. Consequently, trained participants' calorie intake was less than that of the control
groups, whose intake didn't differ by weight status."

6. As a matter of fact, the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), which is a key culprit behind
obesity, has increased fivefold since the 1950s. The alternative to SSBs as promoted by soft drink companies is
the sugar-free, "diet" drink. These artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) are said to be healthful and prevent
weight gain. But researchers from Imperial College London in the United Kingdom argue otherwise.

7. A new commentary on existing ASB research and policy - published in the journal PLOS Medicine - argues
that ASBs are just as ineffective in preventing weight loss as their full-sugar counterparts. The commentary is a
collaborative effort between Imperial College London, University of Sao Paulo and the Federal University of
Pelotas - both in Brazil - and Washington University in St. Louis, MO.
8. ASBs are becoming more and more popular as an alternative to harmful sugary drinks. By 2008, the number
of American children consuming ASBs had doubled, compared with 1999. Soft drinks, fruit juices, flavored
water, and ready-to-drink coffee and tea are all artificially sweetened. Since they taste similar to their full-sugar
counterparts and have none of their energy content, ASBs are perceived as healthful, as it is believed they do
not trigger any energy compensation mechanisms.

9. A positive attitude is very important for successful weight loss and weight management. To lose weight, you
must eat fewer calories or burn up more calories than you need. Following a very low calorie diet can leave you
feeling deprived and can increase the temptation to binge. Often, very low calorie diets make you lose muscle
instead of fat. You are then left with a body that jiggles instead of one that is smooth and toned. Exercise helps
you keep the muscles and lose the fat.

Questions

A. Answer the following questions in complete sentences of your own.

1. Based on paragraph 5, what is the basic difference between the two trials? (1 pt.)
2. According to paragraphs 6 and 8, why did the demand on ASBs increase? (1.5 pt.)
3. In reference to paragraph 9, what recommendations does the author offer to lose weight? (1.5
pts.)

B. 1. What type of introduction does the writer employ? What purposes does it serve? (1.5 pt.)
2. What is the writer’s tone(s) in paragraph 9? (1.5 pt.)
4. What is the thematic relation between paragraphs 7 and 8? (1.5 pt.)

C. Summarize paragraph 4 in one sentence. (1.5 pts.)

D. Consider the following words and, according to their contextual meanings, fill in the blanks. (2
pts.)

contributors (p.1) - randomized (p.2) - attributed (p.7) - collaborative (p.9) - trigger (p.12)

1. When scientists perform any experiment, they choose participants in a ……………………. way.
2. Weight gain is usually …………………. to eating a lot of high-calorie food.
3. ASBS ………………. many harmful diseases like diabetes and obesity.
4. Families and dieticians should have …………… effort to maintain the children’s health.