Ascaris lumbricoides

For a long time, people believed there was a place in the Himalayas where the

inhabitants lived forever. They called the place Shangri-La. This name came to mean “paradise”

in the English language.

A lot of the stories about Shangri-La are untrue. However, some are accurate. The original Shangri-La was the Hunza Valley, a remote region in the high mountains of northern Pakistan. The Hunza people don’t live forever, but many live to be over one hundred years old.

They appear to be among the healthiest people in the world. They are certainly immune to the many diseases of this area.

Why is this? People who have traveled to this remote area say it’s because the Hunza diet is so healthy. The inhabitants eat only what they grow. Grain, fruit and vegetables are their daily food. They seldom eat butter or eggs. They eat meat only on important feast days. Their only sweet dish is dried apricots. The Hunza never drink alcohol. Their religion forbids it. Sugar and canned food are also unknown to them.

There are two other reasons why the Hunza diet is so healthy. Firstly, there are few trees in the high mountains of the Hunza region, so wood for the kitchen stove is scarce. This means that the inhibitants must cook their food quickly. Doctors now say that short cooking times are best for a healthy diet. Secondly, the Hunza have a limited area of farmland. Their valley is only one mile wide because it lies between some very high mountains. They can never grow extra crops, and as a result their food is carefully rationed. That is why you never see an overweight Hunza.

inhabitants – people who live in an area remote – far away

scarce - rare

100 A. Vocabulary

Put the right word in the blanks. The sentences are from the text.

inhabitants paradise immune diet

untrue alcohol limited scarce

accurate remote seldom rationed

1. The original Shagri-La was the Hunza Valley, a ______________ region in the high mountains of northern Pakistan.

2. Secondly, the Hunza have a ______________ area of farmland.

3. This name came to mean ______________ in the English language.

4. The Hunza never drink ______________.

5. People who have traveled to this remote area say it’s because the Hunza ______________ is so healthy.

6. They can never grow extra crops, and as a result their food is carefully ______________.

7. A lot of the stories about Shangri-La are ______________.

8. They are certainly ______________ to the many diseases of this area.

9. They ______________ eat butter or eggs.

10. Firstly, there are few trees in the high mountains of the Hunza region, so wood for the kitchen stove is ______________.

11. However, some are ______________.

12. For a long time people believed there was a place in the Himalayas where the ______________ lived forever.

B. Vocabulary (new context) Put the right word in the blanks.

accurate paradise seldom untrue

diet remote immune rationed

scarce alcohol limited inhabitants

1. In wartime, people had to produce cards to get meat, butter and other ______________ goods.

2. Once you’ve had measles, you’re ______________ for the rest of your life.

3. Their free time was ______________ to an hour every day.

4. The nomads of the Sahara live in ______________ desert regions.

5. A few religions forbid the drinking of ______________.

6. “Still on your ______________?” asked Brenda. “You don’t seem to have lost any weight.

7. The tourist brochures called the tropical island a ______________.

8. Most of what he says is ______________.Very few people believe him.

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9. Sam ______________ goes to the theater, but he often goes to the cinema.

10. There were now only fifty male ______________ left. The others had gone to work in the nearest big city.

11. I doubt that those numbers are ______________. I’m sure there are more than three thousand voters living here.

12. Food is ______________ in times of famine.

C. Vocabulary Review

Match the words that are the opposite. The first one is done for you.

Column A Column B

1. solid ______k________ a. sweet 2. insides ______________ b. crowded 3. normal ______________ c. whispers 4. on purpose ______________ d. weak 5. powerful ______________ e. wouldn’t 6. gave ______________ f. received 7. would ______________ g. soon 8. bitter ______________ h. departed 9. deserted ______________ i. strange 10. forbids ______________ j. queen 11. yells ______________ k. liquid 12. arrived ______________ l. outsides 13. king ______________ m. allows

n. royalty o. by accident D. Comprehension: Multiple Choice

Put a circle around the letter of the best answer.

1. Shangri-La came to mean ______________ in the English language.

a. Himalayas c. Paradise

b. Pakistan d. Hunza

2. The Hunza people live in a remote ______________ in northern Pakistan.

a. valley c. desert

b. coastal area d. steppe

3. The Hunza are ______________ to the many diseases of this area.

a. forbidden c. limited

b. rationed d. immune

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4. The Hunza eat only what they can ______________ themselves.

a. buy c. grow

b. import d. observer

5. They ______________ eat butter and eggs.

a. seldom c. often

b. continually d. always 6. Wood for cooking food is ______________.

a. scarce c. plentiful

b. forbidden d. unknown

7. There is a ______________ area of farming land in the Hunza valley.

a. large c. plentiful

b. limited d. unknown

8. The people have to ______________ their food.

a. keep c. ration

b. guard d. give away

9. It’s difficult to find a Hunza who is ______________.

a. not overweight c. accurate b. overweight d. healthy

103 E. Questions

The asterisk (*) means you have to think of the answer. You cannot find it in the text.

1. What does Shagri-La mean in English?

2. Is the story of Shagri-La true?

3. Where is the Hunza valley?

4. Do the Hunza catch diseases easily?

5. What do travelers say about the Hunza diet?

6. Can you name some of the daily foods of the Hunza?

7. Why is alcohol forbidden to them?

8. Are there many canned foods in the Hunza Valley? *Why do you think this is?

9. There are two reasons why the Hunza diet is so healthy. What is one?

10. Why must the inhabitants cook their food quickly?

11. What do doctors now say about short cooking times?

12. Can you name some other rules for a healthy diet?*

F. Main Idea

Which is the main idea of this chapter? Choose one.

1. The Hunza people are religious and that keeps them in good health.

2. The long life of the Hunza is due in part to their healthy diet.

3. Now people know that the story of Shagri-La is not all legend.

104 LESSON

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FOOD FOR THE FUTURE

PRE-READING QUESTIONS

………..

1. Where do you think this man is?

2. Why is the food on a tray?

3. Can you think of any other places where food is served on a tray?

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