Text Structures Practice

One of the world's most popular foods is pizza. Eaten on every continent, this international favorite can be a very simple handheld dish of cheese on top of baked dough, all the way up to a mouth-watering feast that requires a knife and fork. Some of the most popular toppings include melted cheese, pepperoni or sausage, and assorted vegetables. Most pizzas consist of a round piece of dough that has been flattened out and baked until done. The gooey cheese is usually the next layer since it holds all of the toppings in place. Spicy red peppers, garlic, and herbs like basil or oregano are also very common ways to "spice" up this dish. From the simple melted cheese of a pizza margherita to the overloaded quattro stagioni, also known as the "four seasons pizza", there's no end to the ways a hungry fan can make this dish his or her own.

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In 1889, Italian rulers King Umberto I and Queen Margherita visited Naples. They were fed fancy French food, the usual for royalty at the time. They soon grew bored of this. They demanded to be brought some food that the Naples locals enjoyed. One of the most popular street foods of the time was pizza. Pizza could be found among the poorer classes of the region, although it was not too widely known. A local pizza maker was ordered to bring a variety of pizzas to the royal couple. One special pizza was made with foods that represented the three colors of the Italian flag. The pizzas were a huge hit with the royals. Just like that, pizza's identity had shifted. This upper-class stamp of approval raised pizza out of the lower classes. Because of the royals' approval, pizza became something that people of all walks of life appreciated. In a short time, pizza become part of Italy's national identity. As a result, it was exported to new lands with the immigrants that left Italy in the coming decades to start new lives elsewhere. All of a sudden, because of a pair of bored and hungry royals, pizza was poised to take over the world.

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If you're used to ordering a couple of takeout pizzas with your family and helping yourself to a few slices from a soggy cardboard box, "real" Italian pizza may be a very surprising treat. In Italy, each person orders his or her own pizza covered with his or her favorite toppings ... from a plain cheese pizza to on elaborate dish covered in meats, vegetables, and even eggs. While the basic idea of pizza is the some in both Italy and the US, pizzas in Italy are only about the size of dinner plates, and they're eaten with knives and forks. The center of the pizza can sometimes be a little bit moist, even though the outer edge has been cooked to crispy perfection. Unlike pizzas in the United States that are usually baked in electric ovens, most pizzerias in Italy still use wood-fired brick ovens to bake their pizzas to perfection.

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The art of making a traditional pizza takes a little bit of skill, but it's actually a lot of fun. The first step is to find a recipe for the dough. Next, gather and mix your ingredients together. These are usually flour, warm water, and yeast. While the dough is allowed to rise in a covered bowl, you can prepare your toppings. You might need to cook some of the meats ahead of time or chop vegetables, if that's what you prefer. You will certainly need to grate some mozzarella cheese and let it rest. Once your dough has risen for the right amount of time, turn on your oven to the correct temperature-usually around 400 degrees-and let it begin to heat up while you flatten the dough into a circle or square that is no more than half on inch thick. Spread your grated cheese on top, add your toppings, and bake for about fifteen minutes. It might take a few tries to get your pizza just right, but think of how delicious it will be to practice!

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Proper nutrition is a common but serious problem for children in the US. Luckily, one of the healthiest meals is not only affordable, but it's delicious, too. When properly prepared with the right combination of toppings and ingredients, pizza can provide a well-balanced meal that is also rather inexpensive. Many children in the United States don't get enough calcium, for example, but a single-serving pizza with a variety of shredded cheeses can offer a healthy amount. Too many children also don't eat enough vegetables, but the right tomato sauce and toppings that include spinach, artichokes, zucchini, or even asparagus can provide as much as two servings of vegetables. When it comes to the crust, using whole wheat flour or a grain-based combination, like quinoa or cornmeal, can provide heart-boosting whole grains. Of course, a variety of protein sources, such as pepperoni, ground beef sausage, or ham, can make a simple pizza into a full meal.

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It's no secret that people become very attached to their smartphones. After all, they connect you to your work, your social life, the news, and everything else. As a result, people try to squeeze in as much time as possible with their smartphones. For many people, this means taking their devices to bed with them. They sit there in the dark, bathed in their screens' blue light, until it's time to shut their eyes and try to sleep. "Try" is the important word here. Staying up late to squeeze in those last few minutes in front of that blue light is significantly affecting people's sleep. The wavelengths of that blue light mimics the natural morning light. That morning light is what signals the body that it's time to wake up. This completely throws off the body's sleep cycle, and it leads to a decrease in melatonin. This is an important hormone that causes sleepiness at the end of the day. Simply put, studies of late­ night screen time show that it makes it harder for users to fall asleep. It also likely means that sleep is of a much lower quality overall.

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The word "smartphone" was coined to describe handheld devices that could do so much more than just make phone calls or send text messages. Old-fashioned cellular phones could only be used for calling, but even that was considered advanced technology for its time. The ability to text was then invented, but the sender had to push the buttons on the keypad repeatedly to spell out the message. Eventually, users could snap very blurry photos with their old phones, but sending the photos required so much data that it was very costly. Now, smartphones have touch-screen interactive keyboards, the ability to take and send pictures instantly, and even the capability of surfing the internet, sending emails, reading eBooks, and listening to music. Smartphones also hove apps, which older cellular phones didn't have, and these apps give devices even more functions and capabilities. One of the biggest differences in older phones and smartphones, of course, is the size, with some smartphones being almost twice as big as older phones.

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Using a smartphone is so easy that almost anyone can do it. Most phones have only a few buttons now. One of the buttons actually powers on the device, while the other one can be used for "waking" the phone, returning to the home screen, and even taking pictures. Once you've turned on your smartphone, you'll probably need to enter a passcode. This keeps outsiders from accessing your stored information and apps. After you've unlocked your phone, slide your finger across the face to get to different screens. This lets you choose which app you want to use. If you need to download an app, you'll need to look for your app store's icon and tap it or select it from the phone's menu. Simply type the name of the app or the kind of app you'd like to see, and then download the app to your phone. Many apps are free, but some require you to enter a payment method.

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Smartphones just might be one of the most innovative inventions in recent history. These devices have done more to change life-for both the better and the worse-than perhaps any other new technology. These small and highly portable handheld devices are tiny computers that let users do everything from taking photos and sending messages to checking their emails, posting to social media, and even using the internet. Most smartphones these days are between six and eight inches long, which seems to be the right size for reading on a screen. A lot of owners put decorative or protective cases on their smartphones, so they may look very colorful. Apps that users download are the best parts of smartphones. Every single owner can put exactly the apps that he or she wants, so every smartphone on Earth is basically custom-made for its owner. These apps make the smartphone do the tasks the owner needs, while also providing fun and entertainment.

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Some experts have begun questioning whether or not kids today get too much screen time, largely as a result of owning smartphones. They worry that children and teenagers are spending too much time interacting with inappropriate content, encountering predators or cyberbullies, or simply shutting others out and not forming genuine face-to-face friendships. One way that parents have begun to correct this problem is by having screen ­free time. This is important for the health and well-being of all consumers, not just kids. A screen-free time might be a daily or weekly family meal in which no devices come to the table, a game night in which the family "unplugs" and enjoys a board game, or just some time set aside to really talk and listen to each other. Hopefully, this time away from smartphones and screens can help people feel more confident and connected, as well as give families some time together.

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