E n g L i s h jenni Currie Santamaria

Word
Deinition 1
Deinition 2
Deinition 3
positive
(adj.) having a good 
effect: favorable
electricity: (adj.) having 
more protons than 
electrons
mathematics: (adj.) 
greater than zero
return
(v.) to come or go to a 
place again
(n.) the profit from 
labor, investment or 
business
tennis: (v.) to hit back 
a ball
brief
(adj.) lasting a short 
time
(n.) a brief statement or 
report
(v.) to provide a con-
cise summary
kid
(n.) a child
(n.) a young goat
(v.) to speak to some-
one in a joking way
function
(n.) the special purpose 
of an activity
(n.) a large ceremony or 
social event
(v.) to work or operate
Homophones:
principle: (n.) a rule or belief that helps you 
know what is right and wrong and that 
influences your actions
principal: (n.) person in charge of a 
school
whether: (conj.) if it is or was true that. . .
weather: (n.) the temperature and 
other outside conditions
whole: (adj.) complete or full
hole: (n.) an opening into or through 
something
taught: (v.) past tense of 
teach
taut: (adj.) very tight from being 
pulled or stretched
praise: (v.) to say or write good things about 
someone or something
prays: (v.) to speak to God in order to 
give thanks or to ask for something
1.
In the Homonym table, circle the definition that matches the word used in 
the excerpt.
2.
In the Homophone table, circle the word used in the excerpt.

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Children and Parents
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171
VI. READ IT AGAIN
Choose two of the principles from the reading and explain why they are 
examples of “positive parenting.”
1.
2.
THE POWER OF EARLY EXPERIENCE
I. PRE-READING
A.
Background information
This passage is from the book, 
The No-Cry Picky Eater Solution
, by Elizabeth 
Pantley. She offers strategies and advice on how parents can create healthy 
food habits for children that can last a lifetime.
B.
Words to know before you read
Match the words to their definitions.
____
1.
resistance 
a. to set up or bring something about
____
2.
accustomed 
b. ice cream served with toppings
____
3.
establish 
c. a behavior pattern formed by frequent 
repetition
____
4.
instill 
d. refusal to accept something new or 
different
____
5.
sundae 
e. in good condition; solid
____
6.
reserved 
f. familiar with something so it seems 
normal
____
7.
sound 
g. existing or happening before
____
8.
previously 
h. kept or set apart for particular use
____
9.
habit 
i. to gradually have someone to have (an 
attitude or feeling, etc.)
C.
Reading strategy
Scan the list of food routines, and answer the question.
A 
vicious cycle
is a repeating situation when one bad action or behavior causes 
another problem, which makes the irst one worse. Why is it a “vicious cycle” to 
give a child whatever he wants to eat when he resists healthy food?

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172
|
Better Reading English
II. READ
Read the passage. Mark the words you don’t know, but don’t stop reading to 
look them up.
The Power of Early Experience
As you try to feed your child a balanced, healthy diet, it can be quite a 
challenge to battle all that nature throws in front of you. Many parents, coming 
up against a wall of resistance over and over again, simply give up and feed the 
child whatever it is he will eat. The problem with this approach is that it 
becomes a vicious cycle. Your child won’t eat healthy food; you feed him the 
nutrient-poor substitutes; he becomes accustomed to these foods; he won’t eat 
the healthy food you offer. By the time your child outgrows these dietary 
limitations, his food habits are set in place and harder to change.
Research shows that food preferences are established early in life. 
Researchers discovered that the foods the children liked at age two or three 
were usually the same foods they were eating at age 10. This gives parents a 
tremendous amount of power and responsibility to shape their children’s future 
in previously unrecognized ways. It speaks loudly to the fact that we should use 
great care in choosing the types of foods we feed our children from a young age.
Create Smart Habits
Kids are naturally wired to follow daily routines and rituals. Whatever they do 
every day, they will continue to do every day. So work hard to instill some great 
eating habits. Once they’re established, you’ll ind your child automatically 
following these patterns. Here are a few sample food routines to consider. 
These ideas can get you thinking about your own family’s routines:
• 
Eat breakfast every day. One step better—eat something from each food 
group at breakfast: grains, fruit or vegetable, dairy, and protein.
• 
Fruit or vegetables are the go-to snack if you are hungry before a meal.
• 
Sugary desserts (like ice cream sundaes, cake, or pie) are rare but 
wonderful experiences, typically for special occasions like birthdays, 
vacations, or holidays.
• 
Lunch and dinner always include at least one vegetable.
• 
Added butter, sugar, ketchup, syrups, and sauces are used in small doses.
• 
Soda pop is a rarely served beverage, perhaps reserved for parties or 
dining out.
• 
Water is on the table at every meal.
These are examples of great lifetime habits, since they are all based on sound 
nutritional theories. Decide which of them you are going to adopt in your 
family, and add some of your own as well. Remember, kids learn best by 
example, so be the leader.
Source: 
The No-Cry Picky Eater Solution
, by Elizabeth Pantley, New York: 
McGraw-Hill, 2012

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Children and Parents
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173
III. COMPREHENSION CHECK
Write answers to the questions.
1.
At what point in a person’s life are food preferences established?
2.
Why are routines necessary for children?
3.
How often should you eat breakfast?
4.
Which snacks should you eat if you’re hungry before a meal?
5.
When should you serve sugary desserts? 
6.
At which meals should vegetables be served? 
7.
When should soda pop be served? 
8.
How often should water be served? 
IV. VOCABULARY BUILDING
A.
Understanding from context
Read the sentences and decide if the boldface words are verbs, nouns, or 
adjectives. Write them in the correct places in the chart.
1.
It can be quite a challenge to 
battle
all that nature throws in front of you.
2.
The problem with this approach is that it becomes a vicious 
cycle
.
3.
Research shows that food 
preferences 
are established early in life.
4.
By the time your child outgrows these 
dietary
limitations, his food habits 
are set in place and harder to change.
5.
This gives parents a tremendous amount of power and responsibility to 
shape
their children’s future.
6.
These ideas can get you thinking about your own family’s 
routines
.
7.
These are examples of great lifetime habits, since they are all based on 
sound 
nutritional 
theories.
8.
Decide which of them you are going to 
adopt
in your family, and add some 
of your own as well.

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174
|
Better Reading English