CHAPTER ONE Reading Page 3
SUFFERING TO BE BEAUTIFUL
Good morning and welcome to'Head to Head'.
Today's topic is beauty.What is beauty?
What lengths can we or should we go to,to make ourselves more beautiful?
In order to help answer your questions,I have two beautiful people with me!
Sue Leslie,a former top model,is now a successful businesswoman.
Elizabeth Cade is a writer and lecturer.
Sue,perhaps we could start with you.
Do you think people should try to be beautiful?
Well,first,thanks for the compliment,Mary.
Now,the way I see it,you're only on this earth for a short time,
and you've only got one body,so you should look after it.
You've got to watch what to eat,keep yourself fit,and later,
if you need a little help from cosmetic surgery,what's wrong with that?
Elizabeth,would you agree with that?
I think it's up to everyone to decide what is right for them,
but I do feel that there is too much emphasis on appearance these days.
And I think there are real dangers here.
There are dangers from eating disorders,like anorexia,
and from having cosmetic surgery.
And there are a lot of people who are unhappy
because they just don't happen to fit society's current ideas about what is beautiful.
Yes,you're a historian,
perhaps you could give us a brief historical perspective on this.
Well,there are lots of examples of societies in which people have done some horrendous things
so as to make themselves more'beautiful',in quotes.
For instance,in Europe,some women used to have their bottom ribs removed
so that they would have thin waists.
Neck0stretching was the fashion in some parts of Southeast Asia.
In Africa,there were tribes which went in for stretching the ear lobes,
or the lips,or even changing the shape of the skull itself.
These are all cases in which people usually women
have been forced by society to endure considerable physical pain and suffering.
Yes,I would agree with you that that is all ridiculous,
but we're talking here about the 1990s,
and we're talking about people who are free to choose.
no one forces people to come along to my health studios.
After a course at one of my studios,they look as if they were ten years younger.
They're free to come,and they enjoy coming.
I don't see there is any real point in looking back at all these quaint old customs.
Well,unfortunately some of them still go on today.
It's not just history.
And surely you can see the link with cosmetic surgery!
I mean,it's a trend that just keeps on increasing.
Thousands of women,having breast implants,
eye operations,face0lifts,men having hair transplants.
Yes,but it's their own choice.
I'm sorry,I don't think it is a free choice.
Society is still pushing them into it.
Judging people by their appearance is silly.
We should judge the whole person.
Well,I think that sets out some of the issues very well,
so now,let's take our first call.And it's Sabrina on the line.
What's your question,Sabrina?
LISTENING SKILL page 6 and 7
Filling in forms Listen to this conversation
SPEAKING page 14
A Introducing yourself
When you need to introduce yourself to a stranger,you can follow this plan:
1.Say your name.
2.Say which school or organization you are from.
3.Explain why you want to talk to them.
4.Ask permission to continue.
For example:Excuse me.My name is Alice Lamb.
I'm from Central Seondary School.
We are doing a survey about fashion for our school magazine.Would you mind if I asked you some questions?
Remember the importance of good body language.Stand up straight.Smile!
Look at the other person's eyes.Speak slowly and clearly.
page 15
B.Radio and TV advertisements
Excise B1.
KAREN:Hey,it's Barry,isn't it?I haven't seen you for months.
BARRY:That's right.It's good to see you again,Karen.
KAREN:You know,I hardly recognized you.
You look different somehow.Much younger.
I think it's your hair.It looks great!
BARRY:Ah,that's because I'm using No0White on my hair.
It gets rid of any white hairs,and makes them black again.
KAREN:Hey,I must try that.What was the nameBARRY:'No0White.'You can get it at any good chemist.It's fantastic!
MORE LANGUAGE INPUT Reading Page 17
For Health and Beauty
Aerobics is one of the most beneficial
and also one of the most beautiful forms of exercise.
The word'aerobic'means'with oxygen'or'having oxygen'.
Aerobics,or aerobic exercise,therefore,
aims at making the heart and lungs work at a higher rate
so as to supply more oxygen to the muscles.
Aerobics increases the strength of heart and lungs,
reduces blood pressure and the risk of heart attack.
It also helps us lose weight,strengthens muscles and gives us more energy.
Doing aerobic exercise regularly slows down the aging process.
Aerobic exercise does not only make us look better,
it also helps us feel better and think more clearly
so we can achieve a higher standard in all that we do.
By doing this type of balanced,relaxing exercise for a period of time,
our responses get quicker,our mind sharper,
and thus we become more efficient and productive.
Aerobics is rhythmic in nature and is often practised in aerobic classes to music.
This makes aerobic exercise more enjoyable.
In a word,aerobics is healthy and beautiful.
It can lead to a better quality of life!
Listening page 18
Listen to the aerobics class.