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Date: Mar 7, 2008
THE ARTICLEStudy doubts aromatherapy’s effectsA new study has cast doubts on the effects and benefits of aromatherapy. The research is from Ohio State University in the USA. It says that despite the popularity of the therapy around the world, there is very little scientific data to show that it works. Researchers found that many of the oils used in aromatherapy had little or no effect on their 56 volunteer test subjects. In some cases, plain water made the volunteers feel better than the oils. The team’s leader, professor Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, suggested that people should question whether aromatherapy products do what manufacturers say they can do, especially for pain relief. She said: "I don't think [they] do harm….I just don't think that [these products] do good in the ways that they suggest they do." She cautioned people to "keep [this] in mind before spending a lot of money on [aromatherapy].”
Aromatherapy has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years, especially in India. It has become increasingly popular in the West and is enjoying a boom. Even Britain’s Prince Charles, a keen believer in the therapy, persuaded the British government to offer it as part of the UK’s health system. Professor Kiecolt-Glaser tried to test whether scents worked in the same way as drugs work. She looked at the two most common oils that are used in aromatherapy, lemon and lavender. Aromatherapists say lemon oil improves our mood, while lavender helps to reduce stress and make us sleep better. Her research concluded that neither smell had any positive impact on the body. One of the volunteers was surprised at the findings and said she would not stop buying the oils. "I know when I smell something like lavender, I feel more relaxed," she said. WARM-UPS1. SMELLS: Walk around the class and talk to other students about smells – nice and not nice, good and bad. Change partners often. After you finish, sit with your original partner(s) and share what you found out. 2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently. 3. OIL MEDICINE: You have a new job. You have to tell people what health benefits are contained in the aroma / scent of these oils. You know nothing about the oils but you get paid lots of money. With your partner(s), make up the things you will lie to people about. Change partners and share your ideas.
4. ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE: Talk with your partner(s) about these “alternative” medicines/therapies. Change partners and share your findings.
5. AROMATHERAPY: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word ‘aromatherapy’. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories. 6. QUICK ROLE PLAY: Students A strongly believe that smelling natural oils can cure our body of different problems; Students B strongly believe that smells cannot make us better. Change partners again and talk about your roles and conversations. BEFORE READING / LISTENING1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):
2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:
3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):
WHILE READING / LISTENINGGAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text.
LISTENING: Listen and fill in the spaces.A new study _________________________ effects and benefits of aromatherapy. The research is from Ohio State University in the USA. It says _________________________ the therapy around the world, there is very little scientific data to show that it works. Researchers found that many of the oils used in aromatherapy _________________________ their 56 volunteer test subjects. In some cases, plain water made the volunteers _________________________. The team’s leader, professor Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, suggested that people should question whether aromatherapy products do _________________________ can do, especially for pain relief. She said: "I don't think [they] do harm….I just don't think that [these products] do good in the ____________________________." She cautioned people to "keep [this] in mind before spending a lot of money on [aromatherapy].” Aromatherapy has been __________________________ thousands of years, especially in India. It has become increasingly popular in the West _________________________. Even Britain’s Prince Charles, a keen believer in the therapy, persuaded the British government _________________________ the UK’s health system. Professor Kiecolt-Glaser tried to test whether scents _________________________ drugs work. She looked at the two most common oils that are used in aromatherapy, lemon and lavender. Aromatherapists say lemon oil improves our mood, while lavender helps to reduce stress ______________________. Her research concluded that neither smell had any positive impact on the body. One of the volunteers was _________________________ and said she would not stop buying the oils. "I know when I smell something like lavender, I feel more relaxed," she said. AFTER READING / LISTENING1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘aroma’ and ‘therapy’.
2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.
3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…? 4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings. 5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how these were used in the text:
STUDENT SMELLS SURVEYWrite five GOOD questions about smells 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.
DISCUSSIONSTUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
-------------------------------------------------------------------- STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
LANGUAGECORRECT WORD: Put the correct words from a–d below in the article. A new study has (1) ____ doubts on the effects and benefits of aromatherapy. The research is from Ohio State University in the USA. It says that (2) ____ the popularity of the therapy around the world, there is very little scientific data to show that it works. Researchers found that many of the oils used in aromatherapy had little or (3) ____ effect on their 56 volunteer test subjects. In some cases, plain water made the volunteers (4) ____ better than the oils. The team’s leader, professor Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, suggested that people should question whether aromatherapy products do what manufacturers say they can do, especially (5) ____ pain relief. She said: "I don't think [they] do harm….I just don't think that [these products] do good in the ways that they suggest they do." She cautioned people to "keep [this] (6) ____ mind before spending a lot of money on [aromatherapy].” Aromatherapy has been used for (7) ____ purposes for thousands of years, especially in India. It has become increasingly popular in the West and is enjoying a boom. Even Britain’s Prince Charles, a keen believer (8) ____ the therapy, persuaded the British government to offer (9) ____ as part of the UK’s health system. Professor Kiecolt-Glaser tried to test whether scents worked (10) ____ the same way as drugs work. She looked at the two most common oils that are used in aromatherapy, lemon and lavender. Aromatherapists say lemon oil improves our mood, while lavender helps to (11) ____ stress and make us sleep better. Her research concluded that neither smell had any positive impact on the body. One of the volunteers was surprised (12) ____ the findings and said she would not stop buying the oils. "I know when I smell something like lavender, I feel more relaxed," she said.
WRITING:Write about smells for 10 minutes. Correct your partner’s paper. _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ HOMEWORK1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word. 2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out about aromatherapy. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson. 3. AROMAS: Make a poster about your favourite aromas and/or your least liked smells. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things? 4. AROMATHERAPY: Write a magazine article about the effects of aromatherapy. Include imaginary interviews an aromatherapist and someone who tried aromatherapy without success. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down new words and expressions. 5. LETTER: Write a letter to professor Janice Kiecolt-Glaser. Ask her three questions about aromatherapy. Give her your thoughts on aromatherapy. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions. ANSWERSTRUE / FALSE:
SYNONYM MATCH:
PHRASE MATCH:
GAP FILL: Study doubts aromatherapy’s effectsA new study has cast doubts on the effects and benefits of aromatherapy. The research is from Ohio State University in the USA. It says that despite the popularity of the therapy around the world, there is very little scientific data to show that it works. Researchers found that many of the oils used in aromatherapy had little or no effect on their 56 volunteer test subjects. In some cases, plain water made the volunteers feel better than the oils. The team’s leader, professor Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, suggested that people should question whether aromatherapy products do what manufacturers say they can do, especially for pain relief. She said: "I don't think [they] do harm….I just don't think that [these products] do good in the ways that they suggest they do." She cautioned people to "keep [this] in mind before spending a lot of money on [aromatherapy].” Aromatherapy has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years, especially in India. It has become increasingly popular in the West and is enjoying a boom. Even Britain’s Prince Charles, a keen believer in the therapy, persuaded the British government to offer it as part of the UK’s health system. Professor Kiecolt-Glaser tried to test whether scents worked in the same way as drugs work. She looked at the two most common oils that are used in aromatherapy, lemon and lavender. Aromatherapists say lemon oil improves our mood, while lavender helps to reduce stress and make us sleep better. Her research concluded that neither smell had any positive impact on the body. One of the volunteers was surprised at the findings and said she would not stop buying the oils. "I know when I smell something like lavender I feel more relaxed," she said. LANGUAGE WORK
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