The Reading / Listening - Level 5

If you spend most of the time sitting or stretched out on a couch, you may be taking up to two years off your life. It is well known that a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and obesity, and can result in an early death. Many people think they can reduce this risk by walking, playing sports or going to the gym. Unfortunately, this might not be true. A new study just published suggests the effect on the length of our life from sitting for a long time cannot be reversed through exercise. Even 60 minutes of daily exercise may not be enough.

Dr David Alter and his colleagues at Toronto University looked at 47 studies that tracked different people. They all kept notes on how long they sat down and how much they exercised. The least active people had a 24% greater chance of dying than the active ones. This was true even if those who sat a lot also did 60 minutes of daily exercise. Dr Alter advised people to sit down by up to three hours less every day. He said we should stand up at your desk, take frequent breaks to stretch, or watch TV standing. This may be better than a gym, and be "just what the doctor ordered".

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 4 or  Level 6

Sources
    Article by Paul Alexy
  • 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.

sitting or stretched

a.

in an early death

2.

you may be taking up to

b.

lifestyle

3.

a sedentary

c.

published

4.

increases the risk

d.

not be enough

5.

result

e.

of our life

6.

A new study just

f.

out on a couch

7.

the effect on the length

g.

of heart disease

8.

daily exercise may

h.

two years off your life



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.

Dr David Alter and

a.

of daily exercise

2.

47 studies that tracked

b.

breaks

3.

They all kept notes on how

c.

different people

4.

a 24% greater

d.

ordered

5.

60 minutes

e.

his colleagues

6.

Dr Alter advised

f.

chance of dying

7.

take frequent

g.

long they sat down

8.

just what the doctor

h.

people to sit down

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

If you (1) ___________________ time sitting or stretched out on a couch, you may (2) ___________________ two years off your life. It is well known that a sedentary lifestyle (3) ___________________ of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and obesity, and can result in an early death. Many people think they can reduce this risk by walking, playing sports or going to the gym. Unfortunately, (4) ___________________ true. A new study just published suggests (5) ___________________ length of our life from sitting for a long time cannot be reversed through exercise. Even 60 minutes of daily exercise (6) ___________________.

Dr David Alter (7) ___________________ Toronto University looked at 47 studies that tracked different people. They (8) ___________________ how long they sat down and how much they exercised. The least active people had a 24% (9) ___________________ dying than the active ones. This was true even if those who sat a lot also did 60 minutes of daily exercise. Dr Alter advised people to sit (10) ___________________ three hours less every day. He said we should stand (11) ___________________, take frequent breaks to stretch, or watch TV standing. This may be better than a gym, and (12) ___________________ doctor 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.

 

 

 

 

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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