First Listening
Please listen to a short passage carefully and prepare to answer some questions.
Women and especially female athletes often have a deficiency of iron in their bodies. This is often because they eat too restricted a diet. New research suggests that even moderate levels of exercise can actually cause lower levels of iron in females. This can cause them to feel tired, weak and breathless. Women often have such a deficiency because they do not eat enough of the correct types of food to get iron: meat, chicken, fish, etc. One reason is that they choose to avoid these foods to control their weight. Iron supplements are only of limited value and sometimes can be poisonous. The research results indicate that active women should not forget the importance of iron in their diet. (Words: 120)
Second Listening
Listen to the tape again. Then answer the following questions with your own experiences.
1. Why do women often not have enough iron in their bodies?
2. If iron levels are low, what problems can women experience?
3. What can you eat to get iron and what disadvantages can these supplements sometimes have?