Automating "if x < a, elif x < b, elif x < c ..." blocks.

degree.py

degrees = {0: "no", 2:"a little", 5:"some", 8:"quite a bit of", 11:"way too much"}

def degree(d):
    for threshold, descriptor in sorted(degrees.items(), key=lambda x: x[0]):
        if d <= threshold:
            return descriptor
    return degrees[max(degrees.keys())]

for x in range(15):
    print("{0}\tI ate {1} candy.".format(x, degree(x)))

"""
0       I ate no candy.
1       I ate a little candy.
2       I ate a little candy.
3       I ate some candy.
4       I ate some candy.
5       I ate some candy.
6       I ate quite a bit of candy.
7       I ate quite a bit of candy.
8       I ate quite a bit of candy.
9       I ate way too much candy.
10      I ate way too much candy.
11      I ate way too much candy.
12      I ate way too much candy.
13      I ate way too much candy.
14      I ate way too much candy.
"""