Unit 7 healthy lifestyle

Learn english teens

What Are Calories?

Everybody needs to eat to survive. People eat all kinds of foods with a
wide variety of ingredients, vitamins, nutrients and other substances that are
helpful for the body. One of the things many people give close attention to,
though, is the number of calories a food or drink product may contain.
A calorie is a unit of energy. Nearly every food and drink product contain
some calories, and some have many more calories than others. Calories are
usually listed as a number per serving.
Calories are usually associated with food items, but other substances
contain calories as well. For example, a gallon of gasoline contains about
31,000,000 calories. (Do not drink gasoline.) Gasoline contains energy for a
car and other motorized vehicles.
A calorie is the amount of energy or heat, it takes to raise the temperature
of 1 gram of water 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit, and one calorie is equal to
4.184 joules, which is a common unit of energy used in physical sciences.
In addition, when calories are listed on food items, the calories are
actually kilocalories because 1,000 calories = 1 kilocalorie. A food calorie
contains 4,184 joules. With this in mind, a can of soda with 200 food calories
listed on its label contains 200,000 regular calories. The gallon of gasoline
would contain 31,000 kilocalories. If a person burns 100 calories, it actually
means they burned 100 kilocalories.
Calories are necessary because they contain energy for a human to
survive, which includes breathing, moving, and pumping blood. The energy
humans need come from the calories in the food eaten each day. The number
of calories in a food product is measured by how much potential energy the
food contains.
For example, a gram of carbohydrates has 4 calories, a gram of protein
has 4 calories, and a gram of fat has 9 calories. To determine the number of
calories a food item contains, a person can find the number of carbohydrates,
fats, and proteins a food product contains which then determines the amount
of energy provided by the food. Nutritional labels of all food items show the
number of calories provided by a single serving.
Once a person eats the food item, the body burns or uses the calories
through metabolic processes, which break carbohydrates into glucose and
other sugars, the fats into glycerol and fatty acids and the proteins into
amino acids. All nutrients your body needs to survive. The molecules are then
transported through the bloodstream to the cells of the body, where they are
either absorbed for immediate use or sent to a final stage of metabolism
where they are stored.
The number of calories needed is different for every person. The average
number of calories most people need is about 2,000 per day. The food labels
usually show the nutrients and vitamins needed based on a 2,000 calorie per
day diet. The height, weight, gender, age, and activity level of a person
determines the number of calories needed each day.
If a person takes in more calories than needed, the person will usually gain
more weight. If a person does not get enough calories needed for their body,
they will lose weight. However, the speed in which the body burns calories
may change as well. Exercise increases a person's metabolism, which means
the calories will be burned faster. In addition, some people have a higher
metabolism rate than other people, even if they are not exercising.
Finally, not all calories from foods are healthy. For example, calories from
carbohydrates and proteins are healthier than sources of calories from fats.
An excess of fat can sometimes have serious health consequences.
1) Which of the following is a common unit of energy used in physical sciences?

A: Calories

B: Joules

C: Kilocalories

D: Ounces
2) Which of the following is equal to 1,000 calories?

A: 100 kilocalories

B: 10 kilocalories

C: 4,184 kilocalories

D: 1 kilocalorie
3) Which of the following do calories contain that is needed for a human to survive?

A: Energy

B: Fat

C: Carbohydrates

D: Fat
4) All the following are true statements EXCEPT:

A: No other substance contains calories except food and drink

B: Calories are a source of energy

 C: The number of calories needed for every person is different

D: Some people have a higher metabolism rate than other people

5) Which of the following is the average amount of calories needed for a person each day?

A: 4,184

B: 10 per pound

C: 2,000

D: 100,000
6) All the following provide energy for the body EXCEPT:

A: Fats

B: Proteins

C: Metabolic processes

D: Carbohydrates

GET RID OF THE GUT

It’s calorie-free, but it still comes with a cost. New research published in the
American journal of Public Health suggests that diet soda drinkers take in more
total calories throughout the day than those who skip the fizzy beverage. More
specifically, overweight and obese adults who drink diet sode take in 88-194
more calories, on average, each day in comparison to adults who do not drink
diet or regular soda.

When eat out, zero in on certain words on a restaurant menu: Anything breaded,
fried, broiled, smothered or creamed will likely be higher in fat than something
that is grilled, broiled or sautéed. Cut down on the condimnts and toppings as
well- e.g., hold the mayo and don’t ask for extra cheese. Of course, these things
are much easi to accomplish when eating at home.

Research from Northwestern University has linked staying up late- and then
sleeping in the next morning- towight gain. Study subjects who went to bed after
midnight fat in particular- than stady-state cardio routine (.g., zoing out on the
treadmill). Combining cardio and strength training, and switching between
upper- and lower-body xercises, is an ideal way to keep your heart rate up and
boost your body’s fat-burning potential

According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,

smokers have larger waist circumferences than non-smokers due to the more
abdominal fat and less muscle mass, which are direct effects of smoking. Do
your lungs (and waist) a favor and drop the cancer sticks.

Comprehension questions

1. Describe the difference between a diet soda and a regular soda?

2. What is a condiment and what is a topping in the article?
3. What is the best sleeping habits as described in the article?
4. Why is cortisol bad for you?
5. What is the best training to keep you trim?
6. What can smoking do to you, as described in the article?

The World Health Organisation recently released a report that 1 in 3 11-year-olds is

overweight or obese. One of the solutions to stop the growth in overweight people
in society is to introduce healthy lifestyle habits from as early as possible.
A balanced diet is the key to a healthy weight. Make sure that you eat a variety of
foods. It is vital to eat from all five food groups. Try to buy fresh ingredients
and free-range meats. Processed food often contains a lot of additives that are not
as nutritious as fresh food. Make sure you include plenty of fruit and vegetables in
your diet. Modern dietitians strongly advise to eat 5 servings of fruit and
vegetables every day. Try to avoid fattening food and cut down on the amount of
salt and sugar you eat.
Eat moderate portions and don’t be tempted to order a larger meal when eating
out. Restaurants often serve portions that are enough for two or three
people. Children should be getting smaller portions than adults. Make sure you eat
regularly and don’t skip meals, this can help you to moderate snacking and control
your appetite. If you have a food allergy, you don’t need to
completely eliminate your favourite foods. Do check the food labels properly and
avoid any of the ingredients that can make your condition worse.
Regular physical activity is also a crucial part of a healthy life. Exercise keeps you
feeling good and helps you maintain a healthy weight.

https://www.englishlessonviaskype.com/healthy-lifestyle-ielts-vocabulary/
Five reasons to work out
https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/blogs/sport/five-reasons-work-out
I’m sure we all know by now that exercise is great for you. But let’s be honest, sometimes finding
that motivation to work out can be a little difficult. So, in this post, I am going to share my top five
reasons for working out.

1. Exercise can completely change your mood!

When you work out, your body produces endorphins, which will give you a rush of euphoria and
happiness. You will feel better after a workout than you did before it. Next time you’re having a
bad day, try going for a fast-paced run or taking a spinning class, and the day won’t seem so bad
after all.

2. Exercising is sociable.

Whenever I move to a new city to study or work, I look for exercise classes to do. You meet like-
minded people, you can support each other during a difficult workout and you all share a
collective feeling of euphoria when the class finishes!

3. Exercise makes you feel confident.

We all know the physical effects of exercise on our bodies but we don’t always talk about the
mental effects. Exercise might give you a feeling of confidence from being comfortable with your
body and appearance. This new confidence might even help in your social or work life.

4. It helps to relieve stress.

Focusing on lifting weights or going for a run can help you forget the problems and stress of daily
life, studies or work. During exams, I always spend an hour a day in the gym. It makes me feel
less anxious and it also helps me to sleep those important eight hours the night before a big
exam.

5. Finally, exercise makes us feel strong, fit and healthy!

Every day, the 20 minutes on the treadmill get easier, the weights feel lighter and you feel a great
sense of achievement. It's a great feeling doing something you couldn’t do before and knowing
it’s a result of your hard work.

So, next time you’re feeling down, put your trainers on and get sweating. It might not be easy but
I promise you will feel so much better once you have finished!

Learning to run

I used to hate running. At secondary school I found it exhausting to run around the sports field
and I was always one of the last students to cross the finish line. Then, in 2012, my friend asked
me if I would like to run a 10K event with him. My immediate reaction was, 'No way! I hate
running'.

Over the weekend I thought about his question. I thought, 'Why do I hate running when I haven’t
tried it since Year 7 in secondary school?' In the end I decided I should give running another try
before I said I hated it. I told my friend I would like to enter the 10K event with him. He was
pleased to hear that I would join him. He advised me to look on the internet for a running
programme to help me learn how to run.
There were lots of running programmes on the internet. I chose a 14-week running programme
that would teach me how to run for 30 minutes non-stop. The programme was very easy to
follow, with precise instructions on what to do each week. I had to run three times a week for
different lengths of time. Initially I ran for short periods of time and had long breaks in between.
Then as the weeks went on I had to run for longer periods of time and the breaks in between got
shorter.

I enjoyed following the running programme as I could see improvements in my running each
week. I went from not being able to run for more than 30 seconds to running for over 30 minutes!
My younger self would not have believed it. I went from hating running to loving running!

On the day of the 10K running event I was both excited and nervous. It was finally time to put my
new skills into practice. My friends and family came to support me. It was lovely to have them
there. With their support and my training I managed to finish the 10K in 72 minutes. It was tough
but I felt very proud for having tried it.

From this experience I learnt it was a good idea to try something before saying I hated it! It turned
out that I really enjoyed running. I went on to do another 10K, an 8K and a half marathon. To this
day I still enjoy running even if I do not do it very often.

Finding fun in yoga

by :
LouiseH

OK, confession time! I have never been particularly sporty. Maybe it was because my PE classes
at school consisted mainly of running round a freezing race track in the driving wind and rain
once a week for 45 minutes. I grew up with no television so I never developed much of an interest
in watching sports either much to some of my friends’ horror.

I remember that as a small child in nursery or primary school, playing sports was fun, not
something I had to do, but something I wanted to do, something I enjoyed. There were fewer
constrictions – it wasn’t working out, it was just playing. I could be crazy; I could play like no one
was watching. Moving on to high school marked a big change in this respect. You are no longer
encouraged to play with your friends at break time. Instead, you sit and chat, or if you are
particularly studious, you work. As a teenager, self-consciousness crept in, and I became a lot
more aware of what other people thought of me and of how I looked. Sport became, not
something I enjoyed, but something I had to do to stay healthy and pass my PE class. The fun
element had been taken away from it.

Over the last few years I have tried a few different sports. I have tried running, cycling, and
swimming but it all felt a lot of the time like a bit of a chore. I wasn’t really enjoying it. It wasn’t fun
and so I found it very difficult to motivate myself.

This winter time I decided I would try something new to avoid having to go out jogging in the cold
weather. And I stumbled across...yoga. And I love it! It has completely changed how I look at
sport. Yoga is not about competing or being the best. It is not about how you look. It is all about
how you feel – reconnecting with your own body and rediscovering the fun in movement. Every
day is different as you discover more and more about your body’s abilities and limitations. I find it
grounds me and calms me on some days whereas on others it fills me up with energy. In yoga
you are encouraged to be curious, to have fun with it and make it work for you however you might
be feeling that day. It has helped me to take that attitude to other sports, to let go of how I might
look and run like I did as a child again, to play sports for fun, as though no-one is watching.

If you want to try something new in 2016 I would highly recommend trying out yoga. Sport
shouldn’t be a chore or something you feel you ‘should’ or ‘have to’ do. It should be fun. Yoga has
helped me change my attitude towards sport. Maybe it could help you too! I hope you all have a
great festive period. Happy New Year, yogis!

https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/topics/keeping-fit/term
Running is becoming cool

Running is free, it’s easy and now it’s becoming cool as well. Many people do not have enough
time to play a team sport, so instead they have started going running. In the past, jogging in the
street was seen as a bit silly and not very cool. But things are changing. Nowadays, lots of people
go out running in their spare time. Some people go to lose weight while others go simply to keep
fit. The shops are now full of equipment, clothing and gadgets for runners. Many runners also
have special watches which can track their route and tell them their speed. Even at 6 o'clock in
the morning you sometimes see runners in the streets. They must be crazy! But scientists say
that along with cycling and swimming, running is a very good way to keep fit.

Unfortunately, running is often quite unpopular among young people at school. In some schools
when it rains (which it does a lot in England) and it’s too wet to play football or hockey, children
have to do cross country running instead. However, now that running has become more
fashionable hopefully more young people will take it up. But, of course, trends change all the
time, so let’s hope that running is here to stay.

Every year in April, the London Marathon takes place. The race covers a fantastic route in which
runners pass lots of the famous sites like The London Eye and Big Ben. People come from all
over the world to run in the London Marathon. Interestingly, marathon running used to be seen as
an extreme sport, but now even people who are very unfit take part in marathons every year! It’s
not that marathons have got easier; it’s that people have become more interested in running.
After the marathon every year the streets suddenly become full of runners. People find it so
inspiring that they want to try it themselves. All you need is a pair of trainers and a bit of
determination, so what are you waiting for?

An alternative to team sports

by :
MeganC

Team sports are played, televised, and talked about across the world. However, not much
publicity is given to the alternative things that we can do to improve our fitness. Although I
participated in games such as hockey and netball at school, I often disliked the pressure of
competitive sports. Whilst the social aspect of team games is beneficial, there are many other
activities that we can do in order to maintain good health.

Sports such as netball and football are not ideal for everyone, but exercising alone is not always
the best alternative. If you are anything like me, you need to exercise with other people in order to
maintain motivation. This is why I, personally, have found the perfect solution in group exercise
classes.

With fitness classes, you get the best of both worlds; you avoid the pressure of competition, but
you never have to exercise alone. Having recently moved to a foreign country, I have found that
partaking in exercise classes is also a great way of getting to know people who share your goals
and interests. As with team sports, group exercise can be both a social and sporty activity.

Thanks to the diversity of group exercise classes available, you don’t have to worry if you’re not
particularly gifted in certain aspects of sports. Whilst I struggle with coordination in classes such
as zumba, I have discovered classes such as Pilates, yoga and spinning which are more suited
to my own skills. Whether you like dancing, cycling, or a more relaxed form of exercise, there will
always be a class that will suit your own hobbies.
Group exercise is proof of the fact that fitness can be fun. If you are looking for a new hobby, or
simply just a change to your normal routine, I would recommend group exercise classes as a
great way of meeting new people whilst also staying healthy.

No sport – but plenty of exercise

I am really not a sporty person. I have never enjoyed playing, watching or even reading about
sports.

At school, physical education was my least favourite subject and I used to spend all week trying
to invent an imaginative but believable excuse to avoid it that week. If you couldn’t participate in
physical education classes, you had to sit outside the gym hall and copy out sheets of information
on how the muscles in the leg worked. It was incredibly boring but I always preferred it to heading
out into the cold Scottish winters to chase a ball around a field. When I did go out to play sports, it
was quite obvious that I was not interested in being there. When dribbling the hockey ball, I used
to walk, not run. In squash, there were only three courts so I used to spend the whole class
avoiding playing at all (not a good idea – I was sent to the head teacher for that one).

After leaving school, I thought that I would finally be able to avoid sports for the rest of my life. Of
course, that was a big fat lie. At university my best friend loved watching football and would insist
that I watch it with him in the pub. I used to go, but always took a book with me. While the game
was on, he would watch it and I would read. After the game we would talk but never about the
football match. Or my book, for that matter.

I have more or less successfully avoided sports since leaving university but, unfortunately, I am
sometimes forced to play. Whenever you live away from home you do need to make friends and
sports are a great way to do that. I have played football or basketball with new friends (because I
was too scared and too lonely to say no) but, apart from that I have successfully avoided sports.

In spite of my dislike of sports, I am nonetheless aware that exercise is very important. I have
always liked walking, for example, and I will sometimes go out for a bike ride with friends.

After so many years of hating physical education classes and playing competitive sports, I finally
realised that sports weren’t important – what is important, though, is doing some exercise and
keeping fit.

In pursuit of fitness
https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/blogs/sport/pursuit-fitness
When I was younger, I was very sporty. My dad is an avid runner who greatly influenced me. My
great passion between the ages of 11 and 14 was long distance, or cross-country, running.
However, when my family moved, my new school was not very focused on sports, and had no
after-school activities like football or running.

Over the next few years, I stopped exercising apart from during Physical Education lessons at
school, and even then, I was very grumpy about having to participate. I'm lucky that I can eat
what I want and – for the most part – not put on any weight, so I looked like I was healthy,
whereas in reality I was very unfit.

When I started university I decided that I would try and get fit, but by then I was worried about
embarrassing myself in front of other people. I signed up for volleyball (which I was terrible at)
then football (but I never went to a training session) then Ultimate Frisbee (and then decided it
was a very uncool sport). Eventually, I decided that I wasn't a sporty person.
However, this year, one of my New Year's resolutions has been to try and get in shape. This
decision came after I was late for a bus, tried to run after it and was very out of breath in under a
minute! I considered taking up running again, but my housemate had a very bad experience with
men shouting after her and beeping at her from their cars when she tried to go for a jog one
evening.

Finally, one of my friends suggested a swimming pool close to my house that she goes to a few
times a week. Now, I'm a convert! I love feeling like I've done something productive with my day,
and I find doing laps in the pool very relaxing. Experts say everyone should do 30 minutes of
moderate exercise every day, so I'm starting with an hour three times a week and building up to
every day. I hope that I will soon start to feel the benefits of regular exercise, and will become
fitter and stronger. In the long term, I know it will be very good for me, and prevent all sorts of
health problems that often occur in later life.

How do you stay fit and healthy?

Give basketball a go!

Being very tall I’m asked on a regular basis if I play basketball. But I have to confess, it’s a sport
that has simply passed me by... until now.

Having recently moved to a small town in Quebec, about six hours from the nearest large town,
I’ve had to adapt a lot; a foreign language, different people, different foods but ultimately different
sports. I’ve learnt to embrace the new challenges thrown at me but the one that’s taken the
longest to adapt to has been the lack of sports in my village. Well, it’s not so much a lack of
sports, they just don’t seem to play the ones I know and have always played. At first, this felt a
little scary; I didn’t know how I was going to cope without my beloved netball or a running club for
the next year. But luckily for me, I didn’t have a shortage of offers for new sports. I had soon
befriended a few of the locals and they were very keen for me to try my hand at basketball. So for
the first time I was going to give it a go.

I showed up in my trainers at the local sports hall not really knowing what to expect. I knew that
there was a basketball and a hoop involved but apart from that my knowledge was pretty minimal.
I was quickly given a short rundown of the very basic rules and then that was it, we were off! I
won’t lie to you - I spent practically the entire session running from one end of the hall to the other
just following everyone around. That’s not to say I didn’t have my chance, I even managed to
score a point! It was my one and only shot, but quite frankly I felt like a new Michael Jordan.

OK, so I’m far from being the best, but I gave it a go! I made some great new friends and I’m
finally trying the sport that everyone has always thought I should be playing. I’m excited to keep
trying and I can’t wait for my next game!

Listening

https://english-practice.net/listening-exercises-b1-food-and-nutrition/
Exercise 4
People are talking about their eating habits. What
does each person eat? Listen and circle the correct
answer.
1. a. warm pizza and cold milk
b. cold pizza and warm milk
c. cereal with milk
2. a. milk shakes
b. grilled fish
c. steaks
3. a. dairy products
b. fruit and vegetables
c. meat and eggs
4. a. hamburgers and french fries
b. rice and tofu
c. cake and cookies
5. a. bread and cake
b. rice and vegetables
c. baked goods

Answer & Transcript

1b 2c 3b 4 a 5 b
Transcript
1.
I start every morning off with a cold slice of pizza and
a tall glass of warm milk. My friends think I’m crazy.
But what can I say? I think it tastes good.
2.
Hey, my name’s Rocky and I eat six big steaks every
day. I know that sounds strange, but I want to be a
body builder-you know, like Arnold Schwarzenegger.
3.
I used to be a vegetarian, but now I’m a vegan. That
means I don’t eat any animal-based foods at all-no
meat, or eggs, or dairy products, or anything. Mostly I
eat fresh fruit and vegetables.
4.
I eat fast food a lot-usually hamburgers and French
fries. And I’m totally skinny! My doctor says it’s
because I’m young and my body digests food fast. I
think it’s because fast food is good for you. It tastes a
lot better than rice and tofu, I know that!
5.
I’m on a wheat-free diet because I’m allergic to wheat.
That means I can’t have bread, crackers, cake, or any
baked goods at all. My diet consists mostly of rice and
vegetables.

Exercise 5
A doctor is talking to his patients about nutrition.
What advice does he give each person? Listen and
circle the correct answer.
1. a. eat more cheese
b. eat less cheese
c. eat bigger meals
2. a. drink more tea
b. don’t drink tea
c. drink tea every night
3. a. eat carrots for snacks
b. eat fewer vegetables
c. eat more ice cream
4. a. don’t eat vegetables
b. eat smaller meals
c. eat more peas
5. a. eat more bread
b. eat less fruit
c. don’t eat vegetables

Answer & Transcript

1b 2b 3a 4 c 5 a
Transcript
1.
A: Do you eat any dairy products?
B: Yes, I eat a lot of cheese with every meal. Mmm!
A: I see. Well, cheese may taste good, but it’s also got
a lot of fat. I’d like you to eat less of it.
2.
A: I’ve been waking up with a headache every morning this
week.
B: Hmm. Do you drink coffee or tea?
A: Yes, I have a big cup of tea every night when I watch the
news.
B: That’s probably why you get headaches. Why don’t you
stop drinking tea for a while?
3.
A: How’s your diet going?
B: Well, I’m eating salads for lunch and dinner now. But I’m
still hungry a lot. I think about ice cream all the time!
A: You should try eating more vegetables, like carrots.
They’re a much healthier snack than ice cream.
4.
A: I know you don’t want to eat vegetables, but you need to
if you want to be strong and healthy. So how about peas?
Everyone likes peas!
B: I hate peas. Do I have to?
A: Well, I’m afraid you do. I’ll tell your mother to give you
more peas with every meal.
5.
A: So how are you feeling now that you’re eating more fresh
fruit and vegetables?
B: I feel a lot better, thanks.
A: Now let’s try eating more bread. That should give you
more energy.
B: Okay. I’ll try that.

Practice Listening English Exercises for B1 –

Stress and health
English Listening Exercises for B1

Listening task 1: Relax!

A Listen. Mia is feeling stressed out. What activities
does her friend suggest? Number the activities from 1
to 5. (There is one extra activity.)
B Listen again. Will Mia follow her friend’s
suggestions? Check (✓) yes or no.
yes no

1
◻ ◻

2
◻ ◻
 3
◻ ◻

4
◻ ◻

5
◻ ◻
Answer & Audioscripts
1 no 2 no 3 yes 4 yes 5 yes
Audioscripts
1
Friend: Are you OK, Mia? You look really tired.
Mia: I am. I can’t seem to sleep at night. I’ve been
pretty stressed out lately.
Friend: What’s up?
Mia: I’ve got so many things to do. I’m just really busy
at work these days.
Friend: Why don’t you take a vacation, you know, just
a few days off from work? Go someplace warm – to
the beach!
Mia: Gosh, my boss wouldn’t like that at all! We have
this huge project to work on. They really need me
now.
2
Friend: Well, you need to find a way to relax. Are you
getting any exercise?
Mia: No, not really.
Friend: Maybe you should join a gym. You know, take
an aerobics class or something. I always have more
energy after I go to the gym.
Mia: I just don’t have the time. I think I’d be even
more stressed out!
3
Friend: There must be something you can do. Hey,
didn’t you tell me there’s a lunchtime yoga class at
your office?
Mia: Yes, it just started a few months ago.
Friend: Yoga is a great way to deal with stress, and it
would probably help you sleep at night.
Mia: Yeah, and the class is just half an hour, so I’d still
have time to eat lunch. Hmm. That’s a really good
idea.
4
Friend: Oh, I just remembered this article I read in a
health magazine. It was all about relaxation
techniques.
Mia: Really? Like what?
Friend: Well, like yoga, and exercise, and – oh, yeah –
aromatherapy!
Mia: Aromatherapy? You mean like smelling things?
Friend: Yeah. The article said some smells can be very
relaxing.
Mia: Hmm. Sounds interesting. I think that’s
something I’d like to try.
5
Friend: How about going out with me this Friday? It’ll
do you good. We could go out to eat, then maybe see
a movie. You need to have a little fun.
Mia: You know, that does sound good. I could use a
little fun.
Friend: Now you’re talking! Why don’t I pick you up at
six o’clock on Friday?
Mia: Sounds like a plan. But now I’ve really got to get
back to work.
Friend: Mia, you’re hopeless!

Listening task 2: What’s it good for?

A Listen. People are talking about health and
relaxation. Where are they? Circle the correct
answers.

1 a. a tea shop
b. a sports gym
2 a. a doctor’s office
b. an aromatherapist’s office
3 a. a yoga class
b. a massage therapist’s office
4 a. a sports gym
b. a health food store
5 a. a doctor’s office
b. a yoga class
B Listen again. Check (✓) the two health benefits for
each technique.

sleep feel look have more

feel calmer
better younger younger energy

1
◻ ◻ ◻ ◻

2
◻ ◻ ◻ ◻

3
◻ ◻ ◻ ◻

4
◻ ◻ ◻ ◻

5
◻ ◻ ◻ ◻

1
Man: This place is great. They have so many different
choices. What kind are you going to have?
Woman: Hmm, I’m not sure. Here’s a green one with
mint and ginger. That sounds good.
Man: Yeah, the menu says if you drink it every day,
you’ll sleep better, and it will make you look younger,
too!
Woman: Well then, that’s definitely the one for me!
2
Salesclerk: Can I help you?
Man: I hope so. I’ve been feeling kind of tired lately. I
need some more energy.
Salesclerk: Here. Try this.
Man: Mmm … that’s nice. Is it, um, lemon?
Salesclerk: Yes, and there are also some flower scents.
It’ll help you feel younger and have more energy, too.
Man: Wonderful! I think I feel younger already! How
do I use it?
Salesclerk: You just put a few drops on a handkerchief,
like this, and smell it a few times every hour. Or you
can add some hot water…
3
Massage therapist: Is this your first time here?
Woman: Yes, actually. My friend recommended you.
You really helped her with her back problem.
Massage therapist: And what sort of problems are you
having?
Woman: Well, I’m very stressed out. I just can’t seem
to relax.
Massage therapist: Mm-hmm. And where in your body
are you feeling the stress?
Woman: My shoulders and my neck. Sometimes I’m so
stressed out I can’t sleep at night, and that just makes
it worse.
Massage therapist: I see. Well, I think this will help you
sleep better and feel calmer. Let’s start with your
neck.
4
Sandy: Hi, I’m Sandy. I’ll be showing you around today.
Dan: Thanks, I’m Dan.
Sandy: So, Dan, why did you decide to become a
member?
Dan: Well, uh, as you can see, I’m a bit, um, heavyset.
My friends tell me I look older lately… and my energy
has been kind of low, so I thought losing some weight
might help me feel better.
Sandy: Well, you’ve come to the right place! Exercising
regularly can help you look younger. And when you
get in shape, you’ll have more energy, too. Do you do
any exercise now?
Dan: Not much. I do walk to work but, uh, my office is
just down the street from my apartment.
5
Woman 1: Hi, are you new here?
Woman 2: Yeah, I am.
Woman 1: Oh, you’ll love it here. Claire is a great
teacher.
Woman 2: Well, I know I need this. I got an office job
last year, and I’m really stressed out. My muscles are
so tight. I feel like I’m ten years older than I am.
Woman 1: Well, this should help you feel younger and
feel calmer. Come on, I’ll show you where to get your
mat.
https://english-practice.net/practice-listening-english-exercises-for-b1-stress-
and-health/
Todd: OK, Keren, we're talking about health. And, first of all, do you
do anything to stay in shape? Like do you exercise or belong to a
gym or anything?

Keren: At the moment, I don't belong to a gym but I go jogging.

Usually I go jogging four times a week, and I always go in the
morning because for me it's the best time to exercise because it
keeps me awake all day, but at the moment I don't do any other
exercise.

Todd: Wow, just the running.

Keren: Just the running.

Todd: Yeah, well, that's pretty good that you get up and go running
in the morning, I have a hard time like running early in the morning.

Keren: Yeah, I think it's easy in the summer because it's really
light and the weather's better but in the winter I find it really
difficult and actually the last few weeks I've stopped jogging.

Todd: It's OK, I'm kind of in the same boat. I'm in the same boat...
OK, so let's change the talk to diet.

Keren: OK.

Todd: Do you have a healthy diet?

Keren: Reasonably healthy. I'm semi-vegetarian so I don't eat

meat. I only eat fish and I eat lots of fruit and vegetables, but I also
like my junk food and usually once a day I eat either potato chips or
cake, so yeah, I have a balanced diet.

Todd: And lastly, do you do anything else to stay healthy? Like for
example, do you do yoga or do you meditate or do you get so many
hours of sleep night?

Keren: It would be great if I could get eight hours sleep a night but I
don't and I don't do yoga. I actually find walking very relaxing and
usually when I'm at home in Britain I walk a lot.

Todd: OK, thanks a lot Keren.

Keren: That's OK.

https://elllo.org/english/0701/T740-Keren-Healthy.htm

I never used to worry about my health until recently. When I was

a kid, I did loads of exercise. Even in my twenties and thirties I
was very fit and never ill. I have been lucky all my life – always in
the best of health. I rarely get even a cold. I suppose time
catches up with you. Now I seem to be getting lots of little aches
and pains. I should go to the doctor for a health check, but I’m
too busy. The older you get, the more you worry about your
health. One good thing is that I’m eating more healthily now than
ever before. I no longer have fast food and midnight snacks. I
also sleep a lot more. I’ve read that getting seven or eight hours
sleep every night is one of the best things you can do for your
health.

https://www.listenaminute.com/h/health.html

These days, I feel a little bit lazy. It’s time to make some lifestyle changes! My
friend Martin says that exercise and healthy eating are really important. I’m
going to be more like Martin. I’m going to join the gym and get fit. I’m going to
eat five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. I’m going to have three
healthy meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner – and I’m going to cook all my food
myself with fresh ingredients – no more fast food for me! I’m going to drink lots
of water. I’m going to stop smoking. I’m going to stop going to the pub. I’m
going to stop driving and start walking. I’m going to stop watching TV and start
running. I’m going to go to bed early and get at least eight hours’ sleep every
night. From now on, I’m going to be so healthy! …Tomorrow, I’m going to get
fit and healthy…

https://esol.excellencegateway.org.uk/content/learners/skills/listening/being-fit-
and-healthy

https://www.talkenglish.com/listening/lessonlisten.aspx?ALID=114
A: "Hi Mike. What have you been up to?"
B: "Not much. I started exercising."
A: "Trying to get in shape?"
B: "Yeah, and I need to start improving my health."
A: "Me too. What are you doing besides exercising?"
B: "That's about all."
A: "I think if you eat better, it will help tremendously."
B: "Sleep is good too. I heard people who sleep an average of eight hours a day
have less health problems."
A: "Looks like there are a lot of things to do to stay healthy."
B: "True. But I think it is worth it. When you get old, you want to be healthy and
active."

Play / pause

Listen to Dialog

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Basic Listening Lesson #15

Step 1: Listen to Dialog

Do not view the questions until after you have listened to the audio file. Reading the
questions first will not help you improve your English listening skills.

Step 2: Quiz - View Questions

1. There are several topics in this short discussion, what is the main topic?

Exercising

Eating

Sleeping

Health

2. How many hours is one person recommending to sleep?

7 hours

8 hours

10 hours

12 hours
3. Why did mike start exercising?

To burn off fat

A girl he likes joined the local gym

Because he was bored

To improve his health

4. When you get old, Mike recommends that you want to be what?

Handsome and tall

Smart and successful

Healthy and active

Rich and independent

Healthy living tips for students

https://www.gooduniversitiesguide.com.au/education-blogs/student-life/healthy-
living-tips-for-students
Hello everyone, today we’re going to look at another aspect about Healthy living and I will
talk about some tips for students to stay healthy. As a student, you are familiar with Late
nights, irregular schedules, work commitments, and food choices so maintaining a healthy
lifestyle can be difficult to some extent. How to keep you stay on track? Here are 4 tips for
you to follow.

First, please follow a healthy diet. Make yourself a healthy sandwich before attending your
first class. Bring yourself lunch from home to avoid snacks or processed food in the cafeteria
between classes. If you must eat fast foods, choose wisely and limit high fat offerings. For
example, a pizza with half the cheese, a regular size roast beef sandwich, baked potato or
green salad with reduced calorie dressing. Eat less French fries or fried chicken.

Second, avoid studying late at night which can increase your stress levels. When you’re tired,
it is hard to do your best work. So be well-planned by starting doing assignment before they
are are due, for example. It will help you avoid late-night studying and minimize your stress.

Third, keep everything balanced. it’s better if you can balance your study with a part-time job,
relationships and social commitments outside classroom. Balancing your commitments will
help you to do well academically and also keep your health in check.

Finally, exercise will benefit students in many aspects like focusing better in school,
performing a better academic, and building more self-confindence. Some scientists say that
when the brain activates following exercise, it can better concentrate and helps improve
memory and information retention. This helps students to perform better and learn more
information during lessons with more energy. So please joining a gym class, running,
climbing or playing football is a great way for you to keep fit, control weight and combat
health disease and study more affectively.

as a student. Late nights, irregular schedules, work commitments, tight budgets and food
choices all take their toll on your health. Luckily, there are a few simple tips to keep in mind
that will help you stay on track. Whether you’re getting ready to start tertiary study for the
first time or you’re in your last few semesters, our five tips could be just what you need.

Follow a healthy diet

It’s important to maintain a balanced diet, so take advantage of dinner leftovers
or get up a little earlier to make yourself a sandwich before you head out the
door to your first class. Not only does bringing lunch from home help you avoid
making unhealthy decisions in the cafeteria between classes, but it also saves
you a bit of money throughout the week. For those living out of home who need
to cook dinners as well, the best tip is to ‘shop smart’ — look for special deals,
visit your local market and buy in bulk. If you’re short on time, you can even try
cooking extra meals over the weekend and freezing them to reheat throughout
the week.

Stay fit
When you’re in classes throughout the day, studying in the evenings and working on the
weekend, mustering up the motivation to exercise isn’t always easy. The best way to get
around this is to establish a routine or — better still — get your friends involved. Join the
local gym (or the one on campus), plan activities over the weekend that get you moving and
look for opportunities to increase your ‘incidental’ exercise. If you normally take public
transport to class, why not get off a stop early and walk the rest of the way?

Avoid late-night studying

It’s okay to stay up finishing an assignment once in a while, but it’s not a good idea to make
‘all-nighters’ a habit. Not only does staying up late increase your stress levels, but you’ll also
find that you are not doing your best work when you’re tired and frantically working towards
a deadline. Even if you are getting good marks, think about how much better they would be if
you put in the time and effort ahead of the due date. We recommend keeping a schedule of
assignment due dates so you can plan ahead, and starting assignments at least two weeks
before they are due so there’s no last-minute rush.

Balance your commitments

Ask graduates about what they struggled with most during their studies and many will tell you
that they found it difficult to balance their commitments. This could mean balancing study
with a part-time or casual job, or perhaps with relationships and social commitments. It’s
important to maintain a life outside of study — keeping everything balanced will help you to
do well academically and will also keep your health in check. If you are worried that your job
is affecting your studies, ask your manager if you can cut back your shifts or change your
roster. If social outings are interfering with your assessments, try to limit the amount of times
you go out per week or promise yourself an early night every now and then.

Find ways to manage stress levels

Assessment stress can have a negative impact on your health, particularly your immune
system. The key is to manage your stress levels before they hit their peak and to find study
methods that work for you (remember, these might be different to what works for your friends
or family). Many students find it effective to structure their study sessions and take study
breaks between each session. This might involve a quick jog around the block to clear your
head, sitting down with a book or your favourite movie, or catching up with friends for a
coffee. You can also avoid stress by being prepared and organised throughout the semester —
maintaining a good attendance record, doing your class readings and starting assignments
early can all help to minimise your stress levels when the assessment period comes around.