a) Translate fifteen phrasal verbs connected with diet and fitness below. Read the dialogue then complete each gap with the correct form of one of the phrasal verbs:
Doreen is talking to her good friend Barbara at a bus stop:
Doreen: ‘You know, Bar, I just can’t seem to 1. _______________. It doesn’t matter what I do. I 2. _______________ for that gym in December, the one that I told you about, and I’ve been 3. _______________ there really intensively, you know, to try and 4. _______________ the calories – honest! – but it’s just no use. When I get home from work there’s my husband Bazza tucking into a lovely chicken sandwich, and I can’t help but join him. After that I might fill up on crisps and popcorn, then in the evening I’ll probably 5. _______________ a few more chicken sandwiches in the kitchen… It’s no wonder that I 6. _______________ weight, is it, Bar?’
Barbara: ‘I don’t know. Maybe you’re just big-boned. Do you still 7. _______________ at different restaurants every weekend?’
Doreen: ‘Yes, but I always mean to have the healthy option. You know, I can’t help wolfing down a delicious plate of chicken and chips and then 8. _______________ a huge cake for pudding.’
Barbara: ‘You know, you mustn’t pig out, Doreen! How many times do I need to tell you? It’s no good for your body. You know, you’ve got to cut back on your food, right, and 9. _______________ your calorific intake.’
Doreen: ‘You what, Bar?’
Barbara: ‘Try to 10. _______________ the fatty food and sweets for a few weeks, and 11. _______________ the crisps for good. Have you thought about 12. _______________ jogging? That would help you to 13. _______________ the calories in a controlled kind of way.’
Doreen: ‘I did try that once – with Bazza. We were exhausted after a few hundred metres and walked to the nearest pub, where we met some pals and 14. _______________ a few drinks – and the landlady 15. _______________ a fabulous chicken pie…!’
b) Find five more phrasal verbs connected with eating in the text. Translate them and write two sentences with each phrasal verb.
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Answers:
a) 1. slim down. 2. signed up. 3. working out. 4. burn off. 5. knock up. 6. put on. 7. eat out. 8. putting away. 9. cut down. 10. cut out. 11. give up. 12. taking up. 13. work off. 14. knocked back. 15. dished up.
b) tuck into; fill up on; wolf down; pig out; cut back. Answers will vary.
