Reading and Writing, Pyramids of Giza, Class 8

 By Nate Feldman

The Sweet Tooth 

It is the holiday season in the United States.  This is Mark, and he is enjoying a cinnamon sugar flavored cereal with a coffee eggnog Frappuccino.  He gets a phone call.  It’s his friend Julia.  She asks him what he is having for breakfast.  He tells her, and he asks her the same question.  She says she is having a multigrain bagel, a small salad, and some black coffee.  Mark tells her what she is eating is healthy. She tells him what he is having is sweet.  Mark admits that he has a bit of a sweet tooth.  He says it’s probably an addiction.  She says it’s definitely an addiction.  Mark is suddenly a bit put off with how she said this and enquires what she meant.  She tells him every time she sees him he has some kind of sweet thing, and that it’s not good for him.  Mark admits he has to work on this, but insists that she works on some of her own flaws.  When Julie asks what he is referring to, he tells her that she is condescending and doesn’t know how to communicate with people well.  Julia insists she just wants him to be healthy, but Mark has had enough of her and hangs up the phone.  He goes back to enjoying his sugary meal. 

1. What is true about Mark?

A. He talks to Julia a lot 

B. He hates picking up the phone 

C. He enjoys a lot of sweet things

D. He judges what other people eat 

2. When something puts you off, it:

A. annoys or bothers you

B. depresses you 

C. fascinates you

D. pleases you 

3. How does Mark feel about Julia's advice for him?

A. he is thankful she cares so much about him

B. he thinks she judges his eating style

C. he is very defensive and angry

D. Both B and C are correct 

4. When someone is condescending, they:

A. assist or help someone 

B. look down on someone 

C. rely on someone 

D. scare or terrify someone 

*Should people judge what others eat?  Should we be allowed to comment on other people’s eating habits?  Should they keep their mouths shut?

Tactful = said or done in a careful way

Alienate = makes people want to avoid you

A guilty pleasure = a food you eat that you know is bad for you, but you like it so much

 

Abandon = to leave something alone and not come back for it

Extinction = all dead

Dinosaurs are extinct

Diversity = many types of people or things

Philadelphia has a lot of diversity

Neglect = don’t take care of

 

*Do you agree with the mission of the Living Tongues Institute?  Do you think we should make an effort to save dying languages, or should we just let it happen because it’s inevitable?