Keeping cold could keep you thinner

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

Scientists in California found that the cold could help us lose weight. Being in the cold increases levels of a protein that makes brown fat. This burns energy and helps us lose weight. White fat stores energy and so we put on weight. The researchers said air conditioning and heating keep us warm. This means we do need so much brown fat. Workers who work in cold temperatures outside have a lot more brown fat than people who work indoors.

The research was on two groups of mice. One group was given the brown-fat protein. This group gained 30 per cent less weight after having a high-fat diet. This research could help obese people, who have lower levels of brown fat than thinner people. The head researcher said the protein could greatly help the treatment and prevention of obesity. Higher levels of the protein could lead to weight loss, even if people eat the same amount of food.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-01-trigger-energy-burning-brown-fat-chill.html
https://www.yahoo.com/health/science-gives-us-a-potential-new-reason-to-love-107512716382.html
http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20150108/cooler-temps-may-boost-calorie-burning-brown-fat-mouse-study-suggests

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.	the cold could help	a.	energy
2.	the cold increases levels of	b.	temperatures
3.	This burns	c.	a protein
4.	we put	d.	indoors
5.	air	e.	us lose weight
6.	we do need so	f.	conditioning
7.	Workers who work in cold	g.	much brown fat
8.	people who work	h.	on weight

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	The research was on two	a.	less weight
2.	One group was given the brown-	b.	amount of food
3.	This group gained 30 per cent	c.	fat diet
4.	a high-	d.	thinner people
5.	help obese	e.	groups of mice
6.	lower levels of brown fat than	f.	prevention of obesity
7.	help the treatment and	g.	people
8.	if people eat the same	h.	fat protein

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Scientists in California found (1) ___________________ help us lose weight. Being in the cold increases (2) ___________________ that makes brown fat. This burns energy (3) ___________________ weight. White fat stores energy and so (4) ___________________. The researchers said air conditioning and heating keep us warm. This means (5) ___________________ much brown fat. Workers who work in cold temperatures outside have a lot more brown fat than people (6) ___________________.

The research (7) ___________________ of mice. One group was given the brown-fat protein. This group gained 30 per cent (8) ___________________ having a high-fat diet. This research (9) ___________________ people, who have lower levels of brown fat than thinner people. The head researcher said the protein (10) ___________________ the treatment and prevention of obesity. Higher levels of the protein could (11) ___________________ loss, even if people eat the (12) ___________________ food.

THE COLD SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about the cold 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 the cold for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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