The Reading / Listening - Tai Chi & Parkinson's - Level 4

Researchers say tai chi could slow the progression of Parkinson's disease by years. Tai chi is known to benefit physical and mental health. A study from a university in Shanghai found that Parkinson's progressed at a slower rate in people who practiced tai chi. Researchers observed fewer falls and less dizziness in those who did tai chi. Moreover, the cognitive function of tai chi practitioners worsened more slowly.

Parkinson's is a disorder that affects the nerves and muscles. It causes uncontrollable movements, and difficulty with balance and coordination. A famous person with Parkinson's was the heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali. The researchers said tai chi could keep Parkinson's at bay for years. They said: "The long-term beneficial effect of tai chi…could prolong the time without disability, leading to a higher quality of life."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Tai Chi & Parkinson's - Level 5 or  Tai Chi & Parkinson's - Level 6

Sources
  • https://people.com/tai-chi-slows-down-symptoms-of-parkinsons-disease-study-finds-ozzy-osbourne-8382455
  • https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/parkinsons-disease-slows-down-martial-art-b2435538.html
  • https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-10-tai-chi-curb-parkinson-disease.htm


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. tai chi could slow
  2. benefit physical
  3. A study from a
  4. progressed at
  5. people who
  6. fewer
  7. less
  8. cognitive
  1. a slower rate
  2. falls
  3. function
  4. and mental health
  5. dizziness
  6. practiced tai chi
  7. the progression
  8. university in Shanghai

Paragraph 2

  1. a disorder that affects the nerves
  2. It causes uncontrollable
  3. balance and
  4. heavyweight
  5. keep Parkinson's at
  6. The long-term beneficial
  7. prolong the time without
  8. leading to a higher quality
  1. disability
  2. coordination
  3. bay for years
  4. of life
  5. and muscles
  6. movements
  7. effect of tai chi
  8. boxer

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Researchers say tai chi could (1) ___________________ of Parkinson's disease by years. Tai chi is (2) ___________________ physical and mental health. A study from a university in Shanghai found that Parkinson's (3) ___________________ slower rate in people who practiced tai chi. Researchers observed fewer falls (4) ___________________ in those who did tai chi. Moreover, (5) ___________________ of tai chi practitioners (6) ___________________.

Parkinson's is a disorder that affects the (7) ___________________. It causes uncontrollable movements, and (8) ___________________ and coordination. A famous person with Parkinson's (9) ___________________ boxer Muhammad Ali. The researchers said tai chi could keep Parkinson's (10) ___________________ years. They said: "The long-term beneficial effect of tai chi… (11) ___________________ time without disability, leading to a higher (12) ___________________."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ResearcherssaytaichicouldslowtheprogressionofParkinson'sdisease
byyears.Taichiisknowntobenefitphysicalandmentalhealth.Astudyfr
omauniversityinShanghaifoundthatParkinson'sprogressedataslowe
rrateinpeoplewhopracticedtaichi.Researchersobservedfewerfallsan
dlessdizzinessinthosewhodidtaichi.Moreover,thecognitivefunctiono
ftaichipractitionersworsenedmoreslowly.Parkinson'sisadisorderthat
affectsthenervesandmuscles.Itcausesuncontrollablemovements,an
ddifficultywithbalanceandcoordination.AfamouspersonwithParkins
on'swastheheavyweightboxerMuhammadAli.Theresearcherssaidtai
chicouldkeepParkinson'satbayforyears.Theysaid:"Thelong-termbe
neficialeffectoftaichi…couldprolongthetimewithoutdisability,leadin
gtoahigherqualityoflife."

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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