LESSON
3
Determine the author’s purpose
READING
GET READY
Emily is concerned about her weight. She sits a lot and doesn’t get much exercise.
Do you or anyone you know sit a lot? Does it cause any health problems?
READ
Listen and read the article. What is the main idea of the reading?
“Are you sitting down?” That’s the question people
ask when they’re about to tell you something
surprising. But I’m going to ask another question,
“Are you standing up?”
If your answer is “no,” then stand up before you
read any further. Sitting too much causes a lot of
health problems, such as weight gain or
obesity, diabetes, and heart problems.
For example, sitting too long slows
the body’s circulation. As a result,
fewer calories burn and you gain
weight. When you don’t move,
your body doesn’t use as much
blood sugar. The less blood sugar
you use, the higher your risk of
diabetes. Sitting also affects cholesterol
levels, which can then lead to heart
disease.
The advances in modern technology have led to
more desk jobs, longer working hours, and a
sedentary lifestyle. Things we used to do actively,
we now do passively. We shop, pay bills, send mail,
and work from our computers. When we’re done,
we entertain ourselves by playing video games,
watching television, or going to the movies. We
drive everywhere . . . even to nearby locations.
Some people think they’re safe because they
exercise. Even if you exercise the recommended 30
minutes a day, it’s not enough to fight the hours we
sit. The average person still sits seven and a half
hours at work, and that doesn’t count time after
work. We can’t quit our jobs, so what can we do?
We can fight the “sitting disease”!
There are some easy things you can do. Stand at
your desk occasionally. Take the stairs. Let’s go back
to the mall rather than shopping online. Need to
send an email to your boss? Don’t. Walk to
his or her office. Don’t surf the Internet
on your break. Take a walk around
the building. Have a question for a
colleague? Take a ten-minute
walk to discuss it rather than
calling or sending an email. You
don’t have to get rid of your
television. Exercise or clean the
house while you watch.
It’s not too late! Join me! Stand up!
Stand Up! Health Problems Related to Too Much Sitting
Source:
CDC/NCHS, National Health Interview Survey, 2010
%
70
18–24
Inactive leisure-time behavior among adults
by sex and age, 2005–2007
Age
50
40
30
Men
20
10
0
60
25–44 45–64 65–74 75+
Women
Writers have different reasons for writing.
Determining the author’s purpose
helps you understand the writer’s main ideas. There are three main purposes.
1.
to inform: to give the reader facts and details
2.
to persuade: to get the reader to agree with an opinion
3.
to entertain: to get the reader to enjoy the writing
Reading Skill
64
UNIT 5
