Problem: (CNN) -- Niki Gianni was 11 or 12 when she found a video on YouTube called "Meet Your Meat." Saddened and disgusted by the footage from a slaughterhouse, the Chicago girl announced she was no longer going to eat meat. Her parents were less than thrilled.

"When she first said she wanted to be a vegetarian, we were just looking at each other and we said, 'We can't be switching meals for you. You are not going to get your protein.' We were not educated in the health benefits," said Gianni's mother, Julie Gianni.

While many parents worry whether their vegetarian or vegan children will receive adequate nutrition for their growing bodies, the American Dietetic Association says such diets, as long as they are well-planned, are appropriate for all phases of life, including childhood and adolescence. "Appropriately planned" vegetarian or vegan diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases, the dietetic association says.

"You can really feel the difference when you are eating something from the ground and something from a factory," said Niki Gianni, an animal activist who became a vegan shortly after embracing the vegetarian lifestyle.

10-year-old: Why I became vegetarian in first grade

Now an 18-year-old college freshman, Niki Gianni said her eating habits expanded her palate and turned her away from processed foods. Her food choices also influenced her family: Her mother is now a vegan and her father and sister are vegetarians.

The number of vegetarians in the United States is expected to increase over the next decade, according to the dietetic association. A vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease, and vegetarians also appear to have lower overall cancer rates, lower blood pressure and lower rates of hypertension than nonvegetarians.
1. What video turned Niki against meat?
2. Is the number of vegetarians expected to go up or down in the next ten years?
3. According to who?
4. How many health issues have lower risk of death for vegetarians?
5. Name one.
6. Were Niki's parents educated on the healthy aspects of being vegetarian?
7. Is eating all vegetables okay for any age group?
8. Including childhood, if planned carefully?
9. Does Niki support animal rights?
10. How old is she now?
11. Is she in school?
12. Does she eat at McDonald's?
Answer: 1. "Meet Your Meat."
2. up
3. according to the dietetic association
4. four
5. ischemic heart disease
6. no
7. yes
8. yes
9. yes
10. 18
11. yes
12. unknown

Problem: Lucy was walking with her family in the woods, far away from the city. Her father helped her see all kinds of animals. It was like going to the zoo. They saw deer, a moose, a fox, and a bear. The bear ran away when her brother shouted. Lucy thought that was lucky, because she was a little scared of it. Her father showed her a whistle to blow in case she got lost. Her brother kept stealing it. While they were walking down by a stream, Lucy's Mom was making sandwiches for everyone. Lucy's brother Jim kept blowing the whistle. He told her that he was going to steal her sandwich if he got there first. That made her mad! She really wanted her turkey sandwich and not a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. When their mom called, they both ran back as fast as they could. Since Jim was older, he was faster and beat her to the picnic. Lucy started crying. She thought Jim stole everything!
1. Did Lucy have a brother or sister?
2. What was their name?
3. Who was younger?
4. Where were they walking?
5. Were parents there?
6. How many?
7. What did they see in the woods?
8. What kinds?
9. Did they play with them?
10. What was for lunch?
11. Who made them?
12. What kind?
13. What else did they see?
Answer: 1. Yes
2. Jim
3. Lucy
4. in the woods
5. Yes
6. Two
7. all kinds of animals
8. deer, a moose, a fox, and a bear.
9. No
10. sandwiches
11. Their mom
12. turkey sandwiches and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
13. animals

Problem: Dear Peter, My name is Frank. I am from America. Here is a picture of my friends. We are in the same grade. Look at the picture, in the middle, you can see my friend Jimmy. He likes all the sports. He likes to eat apples and French fries. You can see Helen in the picture, too. Helen likes math. Her favorite food is meat. But Sandra doesn't like math. Look, Sandra is here in the picture. She can speak French. She likes ping-pong. Behind her, there is a girl. She is Sally. She is a black girl. She likes to swim. And she likes to eat ice cream. Maria and Rick are behind Jimmy. Maria likes computer very much. She plays computer games very well. Rick is fun. He can play soccer ball. He likes strawberries best. I like math, too. I like to eat bananas. All of us think Beijing Opera is fun. So we go to see it. But we can't _ the words. So we don't want to see it again. But my father likes it very much. He often watches it. He can understand it. One interesting thing:two of my English friends can understand it, too. They are Maya and Kelsey. They are not in the picture. They often go to see Beijing Opera like my father. Can you send me a picture of your friends. Yours, Frank
1. Whose favorite food is meat?
2. How many friends are in the picture?
3. What language does Sandra speak?
4. Who enjoys bananas?
5. Who goes to the Beijing Opera often?
6. Does anyone else go often?
7. What does Frank ask for?
8. Where is Frank's country of origin?
9. Who enjoys math?
10. How many people enjoy math?
Answer:
1. Helen
2. send me a picture of your friends
3. French
4. Rick
5. Maya and Kelsey
6. father
7. a picture
8. America
9. Helen
10. Frank