Today's cartoon by Paul Thomas from the Daily Express relates to new research published on Thursday highlighting links between processed meat and heart disease and cancer. The study, involving half a million people, found that over a typical follow-up time of 12.7 years, the risk of dying was 44% greater for high processed meat consumers. Read more >>
COMMENTARY
The man's wife is serving him a full English breakfast, which typically includes sausages and bacon, two of the foods which increase the risk of heart disease. The man comments, "Full English? That's virtually attempted murder."
EXPLANATION
The man jokes that his wife is trying to murder him by serving him such a 'dangerous' breakfast. Who knows? Maybe she is. After all, it is International Women's Day, so perhaps he should be cooking his own breakfast rather than perpetuating outdated female stereotypes!
VOCABULARY
1. You can use virtually to indicate that something is so nearly true that for most purposes it can be regarded as true. • It would have been virtually impossible to research all the information.
2. See if you can spot the following items in the cartoon: knife, apron, saucepan, milk jug, table cloth, toast rack, cooker, cupboards, clock, oven, tap, jumper, electric kettle, sugar bowl, fork, plate, frying pan.
