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Questions below are about the following passage: Vegetarian Victory  (1) I remember the day I came home and told my mom I was planning on becoming a vegetarian. It was the summer before my junior year of high school, and Mom just nodded and smiled knowingly. She assumed it was another phase, like my short-lived hot pink mohawk, or the now-passé pegged jeans. But it wasn't a phase. For the past decade, I have lived a vegetarian lifestyle because it is healthy, wallet-friendly, and environmentally wise. (2) Most people are familiar with at least some of the health benefits of a vegetarian... Show more

Questions below are about the following passage:

Vegetarian Victory 

(1) I remember the day I came home and told my mom I was planning on becoming a vegetarian. It was the summer before my junior year of high school, and Mom just nodded and smiled knowingly. She assumed it was another phase, like my short-lived hot pink mohawk, or the now-passé pegged jeans. But it wasn't a phase. For the past decade, I have lived a vegetarian lifestyle because it is healthy, wallet-friendly, and environmentally wise. (2) Most people are familiar with at least some of the health benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle. But many people also believe that sacrificing meat means sacrificing taste. Not true. I can easily get my required 50 grams of protein each day through beans, nuts, and seeds in dishes that are bursting with beautiful tastes. I use herbs and spices to make my food fun and flavorful. Best of all, by using plants to provide protein and punch in my diet I forego much of the fat and cholesterol that is so prevalent in animal products. (3) By foregoing that fat and cholesterol, I also protect myself from a variety of common diseases and health conditions. Studies have shown, for example, that a vegetarian lifestyle reduces the risk of a variety of cancers and can even lower the incidence of Alzheimer's disease. In addition, a vegetarian lifestyle has been shown to improve digestion, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and protect against type II diabetes. In essence, I consider vegetables my super-weapon in the war against weariness! (4) While the vegetarian lifestyle is clearly beneficial to my health, it also boosts my finances. Many people believe vegetarian foods—including fresh fruits and vegetables and alternative protein sources like soy—are just too expensive. To a certain extent, that may be true. But while the foods I eat may cost more than processed, packaged junk, my reward is fewer trips to the doctor and dentist. With the reduced incidence of disease comes a reduced need for treatments and medications. In the long run, the savings on medical costs more than makes up for the price of healthy food. (5) The cost savings do not end with medical costs, however. I also save the money I used to spend on fast food and vending machines. My first two years of high school, I was a junk-food junkie. If you could get it at the drive-through or from a machine, I ate it. But after a while, all that junk made a sizeable dent in my wallet. When I became a vegetarian, I noticed that my cravings began to change. It didn't happen overnight, but over time I no longer craved the oily, greasy, and fatty food that drained my energy and my savings account. In fact, those types of foods actually started to make me sick. Now, I walk with a granola bar or tin of almonds in my pocket for convenient snacking. I'm saving my money and my health, all at once. (6) Not only does my vegetarian lifestyle save my money and my health, it also helps save the environment. By choosing plant proteins over animal products, I am saving the lives of countless animals in my lifetime. I don't have to lie awake at night wondering about slaughterhouse horrors or inhumane living conditions. Whether or not all the stories of such things are true, I don't obsess about contributing to that industry anymore. More animals, raised more naturally, create a better prospect and future for our world. (7) Many people do not realize that the livestock industry—run primarily for food consumption—is one of the largest contributors of greenhouse gases in our environment. Thousands of cattle milling about in dusty feed lots, long treks from farm to marketplace in large trucks, and other factors add up to a huge environmental impact. By choosing a vegetarian lifestyle, I reduce the demand for this industry, thereby reducing their level of production and both their carbon footprint and mine. My personal choice might not change the world, but I can do my best to change my corner of the community. (8) Becoming a vegetarian is a very personal choice. I chose this lifestyle because it benefits my overall health and protects me from certain disease processes. I also chose this lifestyle because it benefits my finances by reducing my expenditures for health care and junk food. Finally, I chose this lifestyle because it benefits the environment, reducing the demands on the livestock industry and shrinking my carbon footprint. I know this choice works for me, but I never pressure my friends to become vegetarians. I tell them my story with pride, but I understand they must make the choice for themselves, and vegetarianism is not for everyone. Still, I never know when I might inspire someone else to have a vegetarian victory—just like mine!

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