Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. steadily
    • ex. The company’s sales are steadily increasing every month.
  2. a staple
    • ex. Pasta is a staple in Italy. Many families eat it often.
  3. on the go
    • ex. I eat breakfast on the go because I don’t have much time in the morning.
  4. enthusiasm
    • ex. The children watched the fun cartoon show with enthusiasm.
  5. a poll
    • ex. The teacher made a poll to see who wants to go on the school trip.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Sales of cold cereal in the U.S. have steadily decreased for 25 years. Cereal is a common morning staple, but fewer people eat it today. Many people are talking about cereal again because Ferrero Group, an Italian company, has bought WK Kellogg Company, the maker of Corn Flakes and Froot Loops. During the pandemic, cereal sales went up for a short time but dropped again last year.

One reason for this change is that people are now busier and want food on the go. Breakfast bars, like Nutri-Grain and Clif Bars, are easier to carry. Some people also have less enthusiasm for cereal because it contains too much sugar. They also think it has too many artificial ingredients. In the past, companies added vitamins and minerals to make cereal healthier. But now, many people prefer foods with simpler ingredients.

In addition, people now enjoy different types of breakfast. Yogurt and shakes have replaced the traditional bacon and eggs. A poll shows that younger people are less likely to eat breakfast, but they still buy cereal and often eat it later in the day as a snack.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Breakfast and Cereals

  • What do you often eat for breakfast? Discuss.
  • A poll shows that many young people do not eat breakfast. In your opinion, what would be the result of this trend? Discuss.
  • In Western countries, cereal is a common morning staple, but fewer people eat it today. If you owned a company selling cereal and other breakfast foods, what would you do to increase sales? Discuss.

Food On the Go

  • Do you think eating food on the go is becoming more popular in your country? Why do you say so? Discuss.
  • Do you think busy people who want food on the go can still be healthy? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you think food on the go can still be satisfying? Why or why not? Discuss.