Housework not good exercise, says study

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

A study says people should not think housework is quality exercise. It said that people who did the most housework were usually the most overweight. The study questioned whether housework keeps us healthy. It tried to find out if activities like do-it-yourself, gardening and housework met recommendations for health. It said any activity is better than none, but that there is a danger that people might incorrectly think housework is proper exercise.

A total of 4,563 adults took a survey about their weekly activities. The research showed that people who included housework as exercise were heavier. Professor Marie Murphy said any physical activity will burn calories. However, her study found that fatter people did the most housework. She said people overestimate housework as exercise, or they eat too much because they think they have lost lots of calories doing the washing and cleaning.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131017214855.htm
http://www.medicaldaily.com/household-chores-may-not-help-you-stay-thin-people-who-consider-housework-exercise-are-most-260345
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24570276

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.	people should not think housework	a.	for health
2.	The study questioned whether housework	b.	is quality exercise
3.	activities like do-it-yourself,	c.	exercise
4.	recommendations	d.	keeps us healthy
5.	any activity is better	e.	gardening and housework
6.	housework is proper	f.	than none

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PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	A total of 4,563 adults	a.	exercise were heavier
2.	people who included housework as	b.	housework as exercise
3.	any physical activity	c.	the most housework
4.	fatter people did	d.	doing the washing
5.	She said people overestimate	e.	took a survey
6.	lost lots of calories	f.	will burn calories

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

A study says people should not think (1) ___________________ exercise. It said that people who did the most housework were usually the most overweight. The (2) ___________________ housework keeps us healthy. It tried to find out if activities (3) ___________________, gardening and housework (4) ___________________ health. It said any activity is better than none, (5) ___________________ a danger that people might incorrectly think housework (6) ___________________.

A total of 4,563 adults (7) ___________________ about their weekly activities. The research (8) ___________________ who included housework as exercise were heavier. Professor Marie Murphy said any physical activity will burn calories. However, her study (9) ___________________ people did the most housework. She said people (10) ___________________ as exercise, or (11) ___________________ because they think they have lost lots of calories (12) ___________________ and cleaning.

HOUSEWORK SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about housework 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.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about housework for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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