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Kat
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Matt
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Warning Labels
Kat and Matthew discuss the use of warning lables on consumer products.
Kat: I think nowadays they are really overdoing it. People are not little children and you don't need to warn them of everything. An intelligent person should be aware that fast food isn't healthy.
Matthew: But even though fast food isn't healthy so many people consume it and they know that it's unhealthy, putting a warning on it might change their minds at least a little bit.
Kat: I don't think that's going to work. Just putting a warning label on it didn't work out too well with cigarettes did it?
Matthew: I think it has. I think that there's many countries where they have increased the warning labels, the size of it, the degree of it, with some countries they even have pictures of horrible looking teeth and nasty lungs cut open and deformities on babies, I think those sorts of things actually do help. But I don't like those. Those are a little bit over the edge, a little bit too far. But I don't know, for example, when you go to McDonalds or you go to a fast food restaurant and you order a hamburger, wouldn't you like to know how much, how many calories you're ordering at one time rather than getting two or three hamburgers and then it turns out ooops there's two thousand calories right there?
Kat: I think the calorie information is important and should be printed on things, but a warning label like this burger might kill you I think that's a bit over the top.
Matthew: What about things other than calories? There are certain nutritional information that could be very damaging to you such as cholesterol levels or too much sodium, too much salt but do you think that should at least be on there?
Kat: I think there should be a differentiation between warning labels and nutritional information. I think there is a difference.
Matthew: Then which one are you for? Do you think that, I can understand you saying warning labels are taking it too far and I can understand you eat this burger and you're going to die is a little bit too far but do you think having the nutritional information on it is a good solution?
Kat: I think having the nutritional information on it is a very good idea. People should be better informed about this.
warned
Should people be warned all the time about everything?
When we warn someone, that means we tell them about a problem or possible danger. Notice the following:
- There was almost no warning before the tsunami hit.
- He was warned about coming to work late.
overdoing it
I think nowadays they are really overdoing it.
To overdo something means to do too much. Notice the following:
- I understand their anger, but I thought they were overdoing it.
- Oh, stop overdoing it!
consume
Even though fast food isn't healthy so many people consume it.
Here, to consume means to eat or drink something. Notice the following:
- Americans consume a lot of junk food.
- The doctor told me to consume less sugar.
deformity
They even have pictures of horrible looking teeth and nasty lungs cut open and deformities on babies.
A deformity is when a part of the body does not develop in a normal way. Notice the following:
- The surgeon skillfully repaired the deformity.
- He was born with a slight deformity to his left foot.
nutritional information
I think there should be a differentiation between warning labels and nutritional information.
Nutritional information tells us the ingredients in the food we eat. Notice the following:
- I never read the nutritional information.
- Nutritional information must be printed on all food containers.
Vocabulary Quiz
deformity • nutritional
