The Reading / Listening - Level 2

A new study shows that a low social status can be bad for your health. Researchers from Duke University in the USA looked at the behaviour and health of 45 female monkeys. The monkeys with a lower social status had more health problems. The monkeys were split into five groups. The researchers gave the monkeys time to get to know each other. Then they took one monkey from each group and put her into another group. This meant she was the "new girl" at the bottom of the group. Researchers found that the "new girl" was unhealthier than the other monkeys.

The researchers said that although their study focused on monkeys, the findings could also be true for humans because we share a lot of our DNA with monkeys. Professor Graham Rook, from University College London, told the BBC News that governments need to understand that people with a lower social status have more health problems. He said "people at the bottom" have got cars and TVs, but that does not mean they are happy. If they feel they are at the bottom, their health will get worse. People who are richer can live up to two decades longer than those who are poorer.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.nhs.uk/news/2016/11November/Pages/Low-social-status-damages-immune-function.aspx
  • http://www. bbc.com/news/health-38092146
  • https://www.newscientist.com/article/2114070-being-popular-is-good-for-health-in-monkeys-at-least/


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. A new
  2. a low social status can
  3. the behaviour and health of
  4. had more
  5. The monkeys were split
  6. time to get to
  7. the "new girl" at the bottom
  8. the "new girl" was
  1. 45 female monkeys
  2. into five groups
  3. unhealthier
  4. study
  5. know each other
  6. of the group
  7. be bad for your health
  8. health problems

Paragraph 2

  1. their study focused
  2. the findings could also be
  3. we share a lot of
  4. governments need
  5. have more
  6. people at
  7. their health will
  8. live up to two
  1. our DNA with monkeys
  2. get worse
  3. health problems
  4. true for humans
  5. decades longer
  6. on monkeys
  7. the bottom
  8. to understand

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A new study (1) ___________________ social status can be bad for your health. Researchers from Duke University in the USA looked at the behaviour and (2) ___________________ female monkeys. The monkeys with a lower social status (3) ___________________ problems. The monkeys (4) ___________________ five groups. The researchers gave the monkeys time to get to know each other. Then they took one monkey from each group (5) ___________________ another group. This meant she was the "new girl" at the bottom of the group. Researchers found that (6) ___________________ unhealthier than the other monkeys.

The researchers said that although (7) ___________________ on monkeys, the findings could (8) ___________________ humans because we share (9) ___________________ DNA with monkeys. Professor Graham Rook, from University College London, told the BBC News that governments need (10) ___________________ that people with a lower social status have more health problems. He said "(11) ___________________" have got cars and TVs, but that does not mean they are happy. If they feel they are at the bottom, their health will get worse. People who are richer (12) ___________________ decades longer than those who are poorer.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Anewstudyshowsthatalowsocialstatuscanbebadforyourhealth.Rese
archersfromDukeUniversityintheUSAlookedatthebehaviourandheal
thof45femalemonkeys.Themonkeyswithalowersocialstatushadmor
ehealthproblems.Themonkeysweresplitintofivegroups.Theresearch
ersgavethemonkeystimetogettoknoweachother.Thentheytookone
monkeyfromeachgroupandputherintoanothergroup.Thismeantshe
wasthe"newgirl"atthebottomofthegroup.Researchersfoundthatthe"
newgirl"wasunhealthierthantheothermonkeys.Theresearcherssaidt
hatalthoughtheirstudyfocusedonmonkeys,thefindingscouldalsobetr
ueforhumansbecausewesharealotofourDNAwithmonkeys.Professor
GrahamRook,fromUniversityCollegeLondon,toldtheBBCNewsthatg
overnmentsneedtounderstandthatpeoplewithalowersocialstatusha
vemorehealthproblems.Hesaid"peopleatthebottom"havegotcarsan
dTVs,butthatdoesnotmeantheyarehappy.Iftheyfeeltheyareatthebot
tom,theirhealthwillgetworse.Peoplewhoarerichercanliveuptotwode
cadeslongerthanthosewhoarepoorer.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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