Reading A1. Are You a Couch Potato?

Are you a couch [kaʊʧ] potato?

Many people take good care of their bodies and have a healthy life. They eat well, keep fit, sleep well and have a good rest after work. They have an active private and professional life.

There are also a lot of people who do not really care about their health. They say that they feel tired after school or work and they are bored because they cannot find anything interesting to do in life. This is when they become ‘couch potatoes’.

A ‘couch potato’ is a child or adult who spends most of his or her free time at home. He or she sits on a couch or lies on a sofa, eats snacks and drinks cola. A couch potato watches lots of TV and often changes the programme to find something better or more interesting. They also watch DVDs or play video games. Sometimes they play the same games all the time.

People who are ‘couch potatoes’ can look ten years older than people who are healthy and active. Couch potatoes are often overweight because they don’t get any physical activity. They only get up from the sofa for something very important. They also get backache because they sit on the sofa for a long time and do not move. Sadly, it is often difficult for them to change their ‘couch potato’ lifestyle.

a are usually doing something.

b don’t have much sleep.

c never rest after work.

a they don’t like going to school or work.

b they don’t do anything in their free time.

c they love watching DVDs.

a a child.

b an adult.

c a child or an adult.