Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- credit / ˈkrɛd ɪt / (v) – to recognize or acknowledge someone or something
Example:She credits her academic success to her teachers.
- regimen / ˈrɛdʒ ə mən / (n) – a set of activities or rules that can improve one’s lifestyle
Example:I follow a seven-step beauty regimen every night.
- engage / ɛnˈgeɪdʒ / (v) – to become involved with someone
Example:The teacher always makes sure to engage with his students.
- follow in (one’s) footsteps / ˈfɒl oʊ ɪn ˈfʊtˌstɛps / (idiom) – to follow the example of another person
Example:I followed in my sister’s footsteps and started an online business.
- uplift / ʌpˈlɪft / (v) – to make someone hopeful
Example:The government’s new campaign has uplifted a lot of poor families.
Article
Read the text below.
Joan MacDonald, a 73-year-old Canadian, is now a famous fitness Instagram personality with over 500,000 followers.
Three years ago, MacDonald was overweight and in poor health. She was on medication to treat conditions like high blood pressure, acid reflux, and high cholesterol. As she aged, she began to have more physical problems.
MacDonald’s daughter, Michelle, convinced her to change her lifestyle and taught her some exercises and healthy eating habits. After more than six months, MacDonald lost around 28 kilograms and was able to stop using her medication. She started to feel better physically and gained more self-confidence.
MacDonald credits her transformation to the exercise and diet tips that she learned from her daughter. Her fitness regimen includes going to the gym, where she lifts weights and does 15- to 30-minute cardio exercises, five times a week. She eats five small meals every day, and her diet consists of grains, meat, and vegetables.
Michelle created MacDonald’s Instagram account back in 2018. She manages the account, but MacDonald is the one who directly engages with her followers. The 73-year-old personality shares workout tips, photos and videos of her progress, and some encouraging words on her page.
MacDonald said that being a social personality is something new to her. She had to learn how to use a smartphone. Ever since her following grew, women of different ages have reached out to her to share their success stories.
MacDonald advises other women who want to follow in her footsteps to seek a trainer and a support group that can uplift them.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
• Do you think fitness advice from a social media personality like MacDonald is credible? Why or why not?
• Is it necessary to have a trainer and support group to achieve the same success as MacDonald’s? Explain.
Discussion B
• What do you think are the pros and cons of becoming a famous social media personality? Discuss.
• If you had the opportunity, what type of social media personality would you want to become (e.g. beauty, travel)? Why?