Sitting may be dangerous for your health

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

If you spend a long time sitting or relaxing on a couch, you may be taking up to two years off your life. A lazy lifestyle increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and obesity. It can also result in an early death. Many people think they can reduce this risk by exercising. Unfortunately, this might not be true. A new study says exercising (even 60 minutes a day) does not reverse the effect on the length of our life from sitting for a long time.

A team from Toronto University looked at 47 studies on people who kept notes on how long they sat and how much they exercised. The least active people had a 24% greater chance of dying than the active ones. Exercise did not change this. The team advised people to sit down less every day. We should also stand up at our desk, take frequent breaks to stretch, or watch TV standing. This may be better than a gym. It may be "just what the doctor ordered".

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/288333.php
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/spending-half-the-day-on-your-feet-reduces-risk-of-heart-attacks-and-cancer-study-says-10289633.html
http://www.medicaldaily.com/stand-your-office-work-6-ways-improve-health-your-desk-job-335914

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.	taking up to two years off	a.	an early death
2.	A lazy lifestyle increases the	b.	not be true
3.	result in	c.	length of our life
4.	reduce this risk	d.	your life
5.	Unfortunately, this might	e.	for a long time
6.	even 60 minutes	f.	risk of heart disease
7.	reverse the effect on the	g.	a day
8.	sitting	h.	by exercising

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.	47 studies on people	a.	of dying
2.	The least active	b.	than a gym
3.	a 24% greater chance	c.	change this
4.	Exercise did not	d.	doctor ordered
5.	The team advised people	e.	who kept notes
6.	take frequent	f.	to sit down less
7.	This may be better	g.	breaks
8.	just what the	h.	people

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

If you spend a long time sitting or (1) ___________________, you may be taking up to two years off your life. A lazy (2) ___________________ the risk of heart disease, diabetes, (3) ___________________. It can also result (4) ___________________. Many people think they can reduce this risk by exercising. Unfortunately, this (5) ___________________ true. A new study says exercising (even 60 minutes a day) does not (6) ___________________ on the length of our life from sitting for a long time.

A team from Toronto University (7) ___________________ on people who kept notes on (8) ___________________ sat and how much they exercised. The least active people had a (9) ___________________ of dying than the active ones. Exercise did not change this. The team (10) ___________________ down less every day. We should also stand up at our desk, take frequent (11) ___________________, or watch TV standing. This may be better than a gym. It may be "(12) ___________________ ordered".

SITTING SURVEY

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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