a. men are more prone to eating disorders than women in Hong Kong.

b. only people who are clinically depressed suffer anorexia.

c. cases of eating disorders among pre-teens and adolescents are on the rise.

d. anorexia was a serious condition 20 years ago but it is on the decline.

2 Which of the following is true about Hong Kong people suffering from eating disorders?

a. The number has increased in the past 20 years by 128.

b. The number has doubled compared to 20 years ago.

c. The number is more or less the same.

d. There is no accurate figure because most patients don't exhibit classic symptoms.

3 The Hong Kong Eating Disorders Association suggests some preventive measures to help young children overcome eating disorders, such as ...

a. accepting themselves.

b. knowing some messages spread by the media are not true.

c. focusing on positive qualities like compassion.

d. all of the above

4 According to Philippa Yu, which of the following is not recommended?

a. yelling at your friends about their eating problems

b. understanding your friends' eating problems and being supportive

c. talking about things other than how much weight your friends have gained

d. eating and taking part in social activities together

Think about

1 What do you think are the major causes for fat phobia among Hong Kong teenagers?

2 What is the ideal weight for you? Do you think you have to be slim to be considered beautiful?

3 How can you help friends who are suffering from eating disorders?

Vocabulary

1 ____________________________________ is a type of eating disorder characterised by an obsessive fear of gaining weight. People with the condition feel hungry, but will only eat small amounts of food.

2 Sometimes, we need to ______________________________ politicians' opinions to see if they are telling the truth or saying something just to boost their popularity.

3 After one year of living overseas, problems began to ___________________________________ and she had to leave the country for good.

Answers:

Reading comprehension: 1. c, 2. b, 3. d, 4. a

Vocabulary: 1. anorexia, 2. differentiate, 3. surface