IDIOM CONNECTION

lesson 10

Weight Idioms and a Diet

Introduction

Do you know anyone who is on a strange diet?

Reading

My doctor is very good and his advice carries a lot of weight with me. When he said that I was putting on weight, I listened to him very carefully. I have always been thin and I never thought that I would need to go on a diet. I decided to do something about my weight problem right away. As to my previous eating habits, they were now part of the past. I wanted to lose weight quickly. I began my diet by cutting out the sugar drinks that I often drink. I also cut down on the snacks that I like to eat during the day. Hopefully, my plan will be successful and I will be able to return to my regular eating habits soon.

Reading Questions

Answer the following questions. The answers can easily be found in the reading above.

1. What carries a lot of weight with this person?

2. Who said that this person is putting on weight?

3. Why did this person think that he would never need to go on a diet?

4. What does he plan to do right away?

5. As to his previous eating habits, what happened to them?

6. Did he want to lose weight quickly?

7. What did he cut out?

8. What did he cut down on?

Making Connections and Idiom Meanings

Some of the idioms have another meaning or are connected to another meaning. Use this information to help you choose the correct meaning for each of the underlined idioms:

1. Everything that the principal says carries a lot of weight with the teachers.
a)   is a heavy burden for
b)   causes many problems for
c)   is very important for

2. Put on can be used when you put on clothes. It can also be used when you add or increase something. What does to put on weight mean in the following sentence?

Recently, I have begun to put on weight.
a)   decrease my weight
b)   increase my weight
c)   keep my weight steady

3. I plan to go on a diet this summer.
a)   slowly increase my weight
b)   stop trying to decrease my weight
c)   begin a program to decrease my weight

4. I need to telephone my friend right away.
a)   if I have enough time
b)   immediately
c)   often

5. “As to the customer’s complaint, I will deal with it tomorrow.”
a)   With regard to
b)   Right after
c)   Even with

6. Lose means to stop having or possessing something. Weight is the heaviness of something. What does to lose weight mean in the following sentence?

I really want to lose weight this winter.
a)   increase my weight
b)   carry a lot of weight with everyone
a)   decrease my weight

7. When you cut out something, you remove it from a larger piece by cutting it. When you cut out a scene from a movie, you remove the scene from the movie. What does to cut out something from one's diet mean in the following sentence?

Recently, I have cut out sugar from my diet.
a)   increased the amount of sugar in
b)   decreased the amount of sugar in
c)   eliminated sugar from

8. The doctor told my father that he must cut down on fried foods.
a)   stop eating
b)   eat less
c)   never eat

Your score is: ___  out of 8


Match the Sentences

Choose the answer that best matches each sentence:

1. The manager's statement carried a lot of weight with the employees.
a)   Nobody ever listens carefully when the manager speaks.
b)   The employees listened to the statement very carefully.

2. The boy began to put on weight during the summer holiday.
a)   The boy probably played outside often.
b)   The boy probably spent too much time watching television and playing video games.

3. The woman wants her child to go on a diet.
a)   The child is probably very thin.
b)   The child is probably too fat in the woman's opinion.

4. The man plans to fix his broken computer right away.
a)   The man probably needs to use his computer soon.
b)   The man probably does not think that his computer is necessary.

5. As to the questions about the test, the teacher will answer them later.
a)   The teacher plans to talk about the test.
b)   The teacher does not need to discuss the test.

6. The man finds it very difficult to lose weight.
a)   The man may eat a lot of junk food.
b)   The man probably eats healthy food and exercises a lot.

7. Many people say that they would like to cut out fat from their diet.
a)  These people probably think that they need to eat more fat.
b)  These people probably think that they eat too much fat.

8. The woman plans to cut down on the amount of sugar that she eats.
a)  The woman maybe drinks a lot of drinks that contain sugar.
b)  The woman probably does not like sweet things.

Your score is: ___  out of 8


Grammar Focus

Choose the word or expression that makes each of the following sentences correct:

1. The manager is respected by everyone. His announcements always __________________ a lot of weight.
a)   pull
b)   carry
c)   lose

2. I am beginning to __________________ on extra weight.
a)   pull
b)   carry
c)   put

3. I plan to go ________________ a diet in order to decrease my weight.
a)   to
b)   on
c)   for

4. “I will tell my father right ______________ that you are coming.”
a)   over
b)   once
c)   away

5. “As _________________ the first problem, we can discuss it tomorrow.”
a)   by
b)   to
c)   so

6. I want to __________________ weight after the New Year’s holiday.
a)   loose
b)   lost
c)   lose

7. I plan to cut ___________________ sugar from my diet.
a)  out
b)  up
c)  in

8. Our company wants everyone to help cut ___________________ on our use of electricity.
a)  up
b)  down
c)  across

Your score is: ___  out of 8




Discussion Questions

Answer the following questions using the idioms from this section:

1. Do most things that your parents say carry a lot of weight with you?

2. Do the things that you say carry a lot of weight with your friends?

3. Is it easy for you to put on weight?

4. Do you know anyone for whom it is difficult to put on weight?

5. Do you plan to go on a diet in the near future?

6. Do you know anyone who plans to go on a diet soon?

7. Is there anything that you need to do right away?

8. Do you usually do something right away when you arrive home?

9. As to your previous plans for the weekend, what were they?

10. As to the food that you ate as a child, what were your favorite foods?

11. Do you find it easy to lose weight?

12. Do you know anyone who lost some weight recently?

13. Is there any food that you would like to cut out in the future?

14. Have you recently cut out any type of food?

15. Have you cut down on anything recently?

16. Do you want to cut down on any type of food now?

Role Play

Student A (Doctor): Your patient is not overweight. However, his or her daily diet is terrible – too much fried food, too much sugar, too much salt. You think that your patient must change his or her diet or they will have serious health problems in the future.

Student B (Patient): You do not agree with your doctor's advice and you are explaining why you think that you do not need to change your eating habits.

lesson 10