UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
FOREIGN LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT
FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY
FOOD AND NUTRITION 1
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FOOD AND NUTRITION
READING COMPREHENSION
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All living organisms require food for survival, growth, and reproduction.
Most broadly, the term food can be taken to include any kind of nutrient
needed by animals, plants, and simpler forms of life, on down to
bacteria. This would include, for example, the inorganic substances that
plants draw from air and water. The processes that circulate these basic
nutrients in the environment are called nutrient cycles, and the processes
by which organisms make use of nutrients are collectively known as
metabolism.
In terms of the energy needs of humans and other animals, food consists
of carbohydrate, fat, and protein, along with vitamins and minerals.
Humans may consume a wide range of different food substances, as
long as they meet nutrition requirements. Otherwise nutritional-
deficiency diseases will develop.
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Nutrition is the science that interprets the relationship of food to the

of the nitrogenous products in the urine. These factors are as follows: 1g
of pure protein will yield 4 calories, 1g of pure fat will yield 9 calories,
and 1 g of pure carbohydrate will yield 4 calories.
Questions:
Answer the questions about the reading.
1) What is food?
2) What are nutrient cycles?
3) What is metabolism?
4) How different are the nutritionist and the dietitian?
5) What are physiologic fuel factors?
True-False:
Write T if the sentence is true and F if it is false.
_____ The term food does not include the inorganic substances
that plants draw from air and water.
FOOD AND NUTRITION 3
_____ The intake of food, digestive processes, the liberation of
energy, and the elimination of wastes are the fundamental
activities of all living organisms.
_____ Unless food substances humans consume meet nutrition
requirements, nutritional-deficiency diseases will develop.
_____ Water and oxygen are equally essential.
_____ The treatment of disease by modification of the diet lies
within the province of the physician and the nutritionist.
VOCABULARY
Fill in these statements with the words in the box.
diet dietetics nutrients metabolism organisms
consume province nutrition synthesis
nourishment
1) Improvements in ……………… have been mostly to do with
persuading people to eat less fatty food and more raw vegetables.

Exercise:
Choose the best word to complete each sentence.
1) A person who is unfriendly is probably ………, too.
A. unpopular B. unusual
C. uncomfortable D. unimportant
2) The service at this restaurant is very slow. It’s ……… to have a
quick lunch here!
A. impossible B. important C. immoral D. immediate
3) The airline will ……… service to that city. It is not a popular place
to go.
A. discontinue B. disagree C. disable D. discover
4) ……… yogurt is better for you than ice cream.
A. Nonstop B. Nonfat C. Nonstandard D. Nonstick
5) Jaime’s homework is ……… because he felt sick last night.
A. inexpensive B. incomplete C. inflexible D. inevitable
B. MENT AND ER
Some nouns and verbs have the same form. We can add a special
ending, or suffix, to other verbs to make noun forms.
Here are some examples:
same form -ment -er
verb noun verb noun verb noun
order order govern government drive driver
drink drink agree agreement own owner
cost cost run runner
work worker
Exercise: Complete the sentences with verbs and nouns from the chart. (If you
need to, make the nouns plural. Also, make sure that each verb
agrees with its subject.)
1) Susan is the fastest ……………… . She can ……………… the
race in less than three minutes.

1) The flag is flying high above the ground. The …………………of
that flagpole is about 20 meters.
2) The …………………of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco
is about 1,400 meters. It is a very long bridge.
3) What is the …………………of the Pacific Ocean at its deepest
point?
4) People who build houses must be very strong. They must have
great …………………in their arms.
5) Plants need a lot of water to grow. Without it, their ………………
is slow.
6) What is the …………………of your garage? Is it wide enough to
park two cars inside?
7) David is very thin now. He weighs only 49 kilos. He lost a lot of
………………….
STRUCTURE STUDY
THE PASSIVE
A sentence is often written in a passive form when the important idea is
not WHO does something, but WHAT IS DONE.
(a) They measured the extension in the steel bar.
(b) The extension in the steel bar was measured.
6 ENGLISH FOR NUTRITION AND FOOD SCIENCES
If the doer of the action has some importance (though less than the
object), or is needed to complete the sense of the sentence, it is given,
e.g. ‘A knowledge of statistics is required by every type of scientists.’
Passives can be formed in the following ways:
A tense of be + past participle
active: He cooked the food.
passive: The food was cooked.
Modal + be / have been + past participle
active: He may cook the food.

19) In modern zoos, people can see animals in more natural habitats.
20) He said that he wanted somebody to wake him up at 6.30 next
morning.
ESSENRIAL NUTRIENTS 7
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ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS
READING COMPREHENSION
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Water
The human body contains 50 to 70% water, making it the most abundant
compound in the body. Because there is no storage of water within the
body water must be replaced continually. Water may be obtained from
beverages, foods, and from energy metabolism within the body. Water
functions in temperature regulation, as a solvent, in chemical reactions,
and as a body lubricant. Adults must consume two to three liters of
some form of water each day.
Proteins
Proteins are widely distributed in nature, and no life-forms are known
without them. They are made up of relatively simple organic
compounds, the amino acids, which contain nitrogen and sometimes
sulfur. Humans and animals build the protein they need for growth and
repair of tissues by breaking down the proteins obtained in food into
their component parts, the amino acids, and then building up these
components into proteins of the type needed. The protein-rich foods
from animal sources contain complete proteins, which supply all the
amino acids in the proper proportions necessary in the human diet.
Although it was formerly believed that plant proteins had to be

plant cellulose and other indigestible materials in foods, along with
pectins and gums. The chewing it requires stimulates saliva flow, and
the bulk it adds in the stomach and intestines during digestion provides
more time for absorption of nutrients. Diets with sufficient fiber produce
softer, bulkier stools and help to promote bowel regularity and avoid
constipation and other disorders, such as diverticulosis.
Fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads, and products made from nuts
and legumes are all sources of dietary fiber. A diet overly abundant in
dietary fiber, however, can cut down on the absorption of important
trace minerals during digestion.
Vegetables, fruits, grains, and
legumes constitute a rich
source of dietary fiber.
ESSENRIAL NUTRIENTS 9
Questions: Answer the questions about the reading.
1) What are the essential nutrients in human diet?
2) Where may water be obtained?
3) What are proteins used for?
4) Why are vitamins essential for the normal metabolism of other
nutrients?
5) What are the two groups of important dietary carbohydrates?
True-False:
Write T if the sentence is true and F if it is false.
1) _____ Water functions in temperature regulation, as a solvent, in
chemical reactions, and as a body lubricant.
2) _____ A few life-forms do not have proteins.
3) _____ Vitamins are inorganic food substances, needed only in
minute quantities.
4) _____ Carbohydrates are the most abundant food sources of
energy.

Exercise:
First, make compound words by putting together these pairs of
words.
some + one = …………………………
stop + light = …………………………
bed + room = …………………………
birth + day = …………………………
under + line = …………………………
note + book = …………………………
Now use the compound words to complete the sentences.
1) In class, students write notes in a …………………………
2) I sleep in a bed in my …………………………
3) Cars must stop when the …………………………is red.
4) Next week is my 20th …………………………. I am going to have
a party for all my friends. I will be 20 years old.
5) If the teacher says to put a line under the verb, then we must
………………………… the verb.
6) ………………………… wants to talk to you on the telephone. I
don’t know who it is.
B. -AL, -ABLE, AND -FUL
The suffixes -al, -able, and -ful can be added to the end of some words.
These suffixes mean that something “is full of something” or “has
something.”
Here are some examples:
Roses are beautiful flowers. (full of beauty)
Puerto Rico has many coastal cities. (has a coast)
That is a very comfortable chair. (has comfort)
When you add these suffixes to a word, the new word becomes an
adjective. An adjective describes a noun or a pronoun. It usually comes
before a noun or after the verb be.

strength
length
strengthen
…………
weak
…………
short
weaken
widen
…………
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STRUCTURE STUDY
THE PASSIVE (continued)
When we talk about what other people say, believe, etc we can use
two possible passive forms. Compare:
Active: People say that Mr. Ross is a millionaire.
Passive (1): It is said that Mr. Ross is a millionaire.
Passive (2): Mr. Ross is said to be a millionaire.
We often use these passive forms in a formal style and with verbs
such as: say, think, believe, consider, understand, know, report,
expect, allege, claim, acknowledge, fear.
Exercise:
Read each sentence. Then make two new sentences in the passive.
1) People expect that taxes will be reduced soon.
2) People say that the monument is over 2000 years old.
3) People expect that the president will resign.
4) People think the fire started at about 8 o’clock.
5) Journalists reported that seven people had been injured in the fire.
6) They expect that a new law will be introduced next year.
7) People say that the concert was very good.

consumed in large quantities. All cereals are very high in starch, and
they are good, generally inexpensive sources of energy. The fat content
of cereal products generally is very low unless the germ is included.
Whole-grain products contribute significant quantities of fiber and such
trace vitamins and minerals as pantothenic acid, vitamin E, zinc, copper,
manganese, and molybdenum.
Vegetables
Most vegetables are important sources of minerals, vitamins, and
cellulose. Certain vegetables, such as potatoes, contribute appreciable
quantities of starch. Large amounts of the minerals calcium and iron are
in vegetables, particularly beans, peas, and broccoli. Vegetables also
help meet the body's need for sodium, chloride, cobalt, copper,
magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and potassium. Carotenes (the
precursor of vitamin A) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) are abundant in
many vegetables. Vegetables are useful as sources of roughage.
Fruits
The nutritional value of fruits varies. Some fruits are composed largely
of water, but contain valuable vitamins. The citrus fruits are a valuable
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source of vitamin C, and yellow-colored fruits, such as peaches, contain
carotene. Dried fruits contain an ample amount of iron, and figs and
oranges are an excellent source of calcium. Like vegetables, fruits have
a high cellulose content.
Milk

FOOD GROUPS 15
Questions: Answer the questions about the reading.
1) What nutrients are provided most by breads and cereals?
2) What nutrients are provided by most vegetables?
3) What kinds of fruit contain vitamin C?
4) Why is milk a valuable food?
5) Why is meat believed to contribute to coronary artery disease?
True-False:
Write T if the sentence is true and F if it is false.
1) _____ Cereals provide a sufficient amount of protein for the
human body’s need.
2) _____ Vegetables contain a significant amount of sodium,
chloride, cobalt, copper, magnesium, manganese,
phosphorus, and potassium.
3) _____ Vegetables have a high cellulose content, but fruits do not.
4) _____ Vitamin A levels are high in skim milk.
5) _____ Liver usually contains a useful amount of vitamin A.
VOCABULARY
Fill in these statements with the words in the box.
contribute fat-soluble enriched appetite vary
nutritional cholesterol germ mineral roughage
1) The fat content of cereal products generally is very low unless the
………… is included
2) Most breakfast cereals are ………… with vitamins.
3) Certain vegetables, such as potatoes, ………… appreciable
quantities of starch.
4) Fruit and vegetables are important sources of ………….
5) Chemical sweeteners, like preservatives and colorings, have no
value.
6) Vitamin A is a ………… vitamin, so it can dissolve in fat only.

5) The new waiter at the restaurant forgot our order for dinner, so we
had to …………………… everything.
6) If you don’t get a good score on the TOEFL exam this weekend,
you can …………………… it next month.
B. WORD FORMS: NOUNS
Sometimes verbs and nouns have the same form. Sometimes we can
change adjectives and verbs to nouns by adding a suffix or changing the
form of the word. Look at the nouns below. Notice how they are related
to other words.
-ity same form
adjective noun verb noun
change
control
divorce
change
control
divorce
different form
electric
able
national
necessary
possible
electricity
ability
nationality
necessity
possibility
marry
choose

……………………….
possible
8) Ali doesn’t know where to go on vacation. He
might choose Mexico, but Puerto Rico is another
………………………
C. WORD FORMS: NOUNS
Sometimes in English we can change an adjective to a noun by adding a
suffix or changing the spelling.
Look at the examples. Complete the chart.
-ness
t → ce
adjective noun adjective noun
smooth
happy
weak
smoothness
happiness
………………
important
different
……………
importance
………
silence
When we add a suffix to some verbs, we can make nouns. Sometimes
a verb and a noun have the same form.
Look at these examples.
-ture -er same form
verb noun verb noun verb noun
mix

apartment?
happy
5) Money does not always bring ……………………
important
6) Social scientists do not understand the
…………………… of animal carvings in Eskimo
society.
mix
7) To make lemonade, mix lemon juice and water.
Then add sugar to the ……………………… .
sign
8) There is a place for your ……………………… at
the bottom of the application. Please sign it.
silent
9) You can almost hear the ……………………… in
northern Canada. It is very peaceful there.
smooth
10) Handling the carvings makes them smoother, and
……………………… improves them.
start
11) The students finished their homework in the
cafeteria only five minutes before the
……………………… of class.
work
12) What kind of ……………………… did you do in
your native country?
STRUCTURE STUDY
THE CAUSATIVE
Form
have object past participle

We had our fence blown down in a storm last week.
We often use have something done un this way when something
unpleasant or unexpected happens to someone.
Note that we can often use get something done instead of have
something done especially in an informal style e.g. I must get this jacket
cleaned.
Exercise:
Complete the sentences using the correct form of having something
done.
1) Are you going to ……………………………………… or shall I
throw them away? (these shoes / repair)
2) My neighbors are ……………………………………… onto their
house at the moment. (an extension / build)
3) I must ……………………………………… They keep falling off.
(my glasses / mend)
4) Where do you …………………………………? It always looks
very nice. (your hair / do)
5) I ……………………………………… on my car last month. (four
new tires / fit)
6) I’ve just ……………………………………… (my suit / dry-clean)
7) Peter ……………………………………… while he was out at
work. (his flat / burgle)
8) Mr. and Mrs. Woods ……………………………………… in a
storm. (the roof of their house / damage)
9) Kate ……………………………………… from her bag while she
was out shopping. (her wallet / steal)
10) My brother ……………………………………… in a football
match. (his nose / break)
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Refrigeration or chilling Low temperature to retard growth
Freezing Low temperature and reduction of water
activity to prevent growth
Drying, curing and conserving Reduction in water activity sufficient to delay
or prevent growth
Vacuum and oxygen free modified
atmosphere packaging
Low oxygen tension in inhibit strict aerobes
and delay growth of facultive anaerobes
Carbon dioxide enriched modified
atmosphere packaging
Specific inhibition of some micro-organisms
by carbon dioxide
Addition of acids Reduction of pH value and sometimes
additional inhibition by the particular acid
Lactic fermentation Reduction of pH value in situ by microbial
action and sometimes additional inhibition by
the lactic and acetic acids formed and by other
microbial products. (e.g. ethanol, bacteriocins)
Emulsification Compartmentalisation and nutrient limitation
within the aqueous droplets in water-in-oil
emulsion foods
Addition of preservatives Inhibition of specific groups of micro-
organisms
Pasteurization and appertization Delivery of heat sufficient to inactivate target
micro-organisms to the desired extent
food irradation (Radurization,
radicidation and radappertization)
Delivery of ionising radiation
Application of high hydrostatic

be potentially carcinogenic. The process is incorrectly called
"pasteurization" to avoid the reduced sales that arise from the correct
term of "irradiation".
A tomato cannery in Modesto, California
Questions:
Answer the questions about the reading.
1) What is the definition of food preservation?
2) What are some common methods of preserving food?
3) Why can vacuum-packing prevent the food from spoiling?
4) What is pickling?
5) Why is food irradiation still not in widespread use?
True-False:
Write T if the sentence is true and F if it is false.
1) _____ Food preservation is aimed to stop or greatly slow down
spoilage to prevent foodborne illness.
2) _____ The oxidation of proteins causes rancidity.
3) _____ Pickling, salting, smoking and curing not only help to
preserve food, but also add flavor.
4) _____ Various foods have varying degrees of natural protection
against spoilage.
5) _____ Irradiation of spices can cause cancer.
FOOD PRESERVATION 23
VOCABULARY
Fill in these statements with the words in the box.
osmosis carcinogenic spices preservatives pasteurization
poultry bacteria preserved implications facilities
1) Olives are usually ………… in brine.
2) ………… are chemicals used to keep especially food from
decaying.
3) Curing draws moisture from the meat through a process of ……….

United States and in Canada.
2) Lots of people went to the movie theater last night. There was a big
……………………… waiting outside to buy tickets.
3) Keiko had no mistakes on her test yesterday. The teacher wrote
“……………………!” on the top of her test. Keiko was very
happy.
4) If you take a loan from the bank to buy a car, you must make a
…………………… every month until you pay all the money back.
5) Tennis shoes and other sports …………………… are usually very
expensive.
6) It’s hard to understand the …………………… of video games.
Many people play them, but I don’t like them.
7) David is very good at speaking and reading English. His major
…………………… is writing, so he practices all the time.
8) I was so happy when I received a letter from my best friend at
home. It is such a …………………… to get mail when you are far
away from family and friends.
B. - LESS
The suffix less means “without” or “not having something.”
Here is an example:
The number of English words to learn is endless. (“without end”)
Exercise: Add the suffix -less to each word. Then choose the best word for
each sentence.
care ………………… change …………………
hope ………………… worth …………………
help ………………… thought …………………
end ………………… sleep …………………
1) Babies cannot take care of themselves. Someone must help them
because they are …………………….
2) Stephan found an old coin. He thought it was gold, but it wasn’t. In