Breaking News English Lesson: Heart Attacks

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Over 99% of heart attacks have a warning sign (2nd October 2025)

The Reading / Listening - Heart Attacks - Level 3

Doctors say people can take steps to avoid cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes. These are the leading causes of death around the world. A study from doctors at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and Yonsei University in South Korea said that more than 99 per cent of people who had a heart attack or stroke had at least one warning sign. The doctors said there were several major signs: high blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity, high blood sugar, and smoking and drinking. All of these things can be reduced if people change their lifestyles. The most effective changes are to eat a healthier diet, exercise, and quit smoking and drinking.

In the study, doctors analyzed 10 years of health records of nine million people in South Korea and 7,000 people in the USA. Nearly all of the patients could have avoided heart attacks and strokes. Lead researcher Dr Philip Greenland said: "We have known for many years that there is a small number of modifiable risk factors for heart disease, and at least one, but often more than one, is present in the background leading up to heart attacks, heart failure, or strokes." He added: "Efforts need to be made to treat that factor to prevent heart attack, stroke, or heart failure." Dr Greenland said: "The goal now is to work harder on finding ways to control these modifiable risk factors."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Heart Attacks - Level 0, Heart Attacks - Level 1 or Heart Attacks - Level 2

Sources

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-factor-heart-failure-large-scale.html
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/heart-attack-stroke-heart-failure-linked-to-preventable-risk-factors
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/29/health/heart-disease-risk-factors-wellness

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. HEART ATTACKS AND STROKES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about heart attacks and strokes. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
cardiovascular diseases / cholesterol / strokes / high blood pressure / diet / smoking
health / patients / heart attacks / doctors / risk factors / drinking / obesity / goal
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. EXERCISE: Students A strongly believe exercise is better for the heart than a healthy diet; Students B strongly believe a healthy diet is better. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. HEART: What do these "heart idioms" mean? How do they apply to your life? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Meaning	Your Life
Have a heart of gold
Know something by heart
Set your heart on something
With all your heart
Lose heart
Pour your heart out

MY e-BOOK

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

See a sample

5. BLOOD: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "blood". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. GOOD FOR THE HEART: Rank these with your partner. Put the best things for the heart at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

Laughter
Sleep
Vegetables
Exercise
Meditation
Not smoking
No stress
Being a healthy weight

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	steps (noun)	a.	A sudden problem in the brain when blood cannot flow.
2.	avoid	b.	Working well and giving the wanted result.
3.	cardiovascular	c.	Small things a person does, one after another, to reach a goal.
4.	stroke (noun)	d.	About the heart and blood in the body.
5.	leading	e.	Stay away from something or not let it happen.
6.	reduced	f.	Most important, or number one.
7.	effective	g.	Made smaller or less.

Paragraph 2

8.	analyzed	h.	People who are getting medical help from doctors.
9.	patients	i.	Able to be changed.
10.	modifiable	j.	Give medical help to make someone better.
11.	risk (noun)	k.	Studied carefully to understand something.
12.	leading up to	l.	Stop something from happening.
13.	treat (verb)	m.	Happening before something important.
14.	prevent	n.	The chance that something bad may happen.

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

Doctors say people should walk up steps for a healthy heart. T / F
The study is from universities in the USA and South Korea. T / F
A major sign of a heart attack is high blood pressure. T / F
The article says the most effective lifestyle change is to eat vegetables. T / F
Researchers looked at the health records of over nine million people. T / F
The article says nearly all heart attacks in the study could be avoided. T / F
Most heart attacks in the study were from at least two risk factors. T / F
A doctor said the goal is to get people to exercise in gyms. T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

steps
causes
several
reduced
quit
analyzed
at least
treat
finding
goal

not less than
cut
discovering
cure
reasons
stop
looked at
actions
aim
a number of

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

cardiovascular
These are the leading causes
at least one warning
high blood
quit
doctors analyzed 10 years of health
at least
treat that factor to prevent
The goal now is to work
finding ways to

records
sign
smoking
control these
heart attack
diseases
pressure
one
of death
harder

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

doctors
blood
quit
steps
several
leading
effective
least

Doctors say people can take (1) ______________________________________________ to avoid cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes. These are the (2) ______________________________________________ causes of death around the world. A study from (3) ______________________________________________ at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and Yonsei University in South Korea said that more than 99 per cent of people who had a heart attack or stroke had at (4) ______________________________________________ one warning sign. The doctors said there were (5) ______________________________________________ major signs: high blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity, high (6) ______________________________________________ sugar, and smoking and drinking. All of these things can be reduced if people change their lifestyles. The most (7) ______________________________________________ changes are to eat a healthier diet, exercise, and (8) ______________________________________________ smoking and drinking.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

goal
known
often
records
control
failure
patients
small

In the study, doctors analyzed 10 years of health (9) ______________________________________________ of nine million people in South Korea and 7,000 people in the USA. Nearly all of the (10) ______________________________________________ could have avoided heart attacks and strokes. Lead researcher Dr Philip Greenland said: "We have (11) ______________________________________________ for many years that there is a (12) ______________________________________________ number of modifiable risk factors for heart disease, and at least one, but (13) ______________________________________________ more than one, is present in the background leading up to heart attacks, heart (14) ______________________________________________, or strokes." He added: "Efforts need to be made to treat that factor to prevent heart attack, stroke, or heart failure." Dr Greenland said: "The (15) ______________________________________________ now is to work harder on finding ways to (16) ______________________________________________ these modifiable risk factors."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Doctors say people can take steps to avoid cardiovascular diseases ______
     a. liked heart attacks
     b. like hearth attacks
     c. likes hearty attacks
     d. like heart attacks
2) These are the leading causes of death ______
     a. around a world
     b. around them world
     c. around the world
     d. around the worlds
3) people who had a heart attack or stroke had at least ______
     a. one waning sign
     b. one warming sign
     c. one warn in sign
     d. one warning sign
4) several major signs: high blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity, ______
     a. high bleed sugared
     b. high blood sugary
     c. high blood sugar
     d. high bleed sugar
5) The most effective changes are to eat a healthier diet, exercise, ______
     a. and quilt smoking
     b. and quit smoking
     c. and quite smoking
     d. and quiet smoking

6) doctors analyzed 10 years of health records of ______
     a. nine million peoples
     b. nine million people
     c. nine million peopled
     d. nine million peopling
7) We have known for many years that there is ______
     a. a small number
     b. a less number
     c. a few number
     d. a slim number
8) risk factors for heart disease, and at least one, but often more than ______
     a. one, are presence
     b. one, are pretense
     c. one, is presents
     d. one, is present
9) Efforts need to be made to treat that factor to prevent heart attack, stroke, ______
     a. or heart fail lure
     b. or heart fay lure
     c. or heart failure
     d. or heart fail your
10) The goal now is to work harder on finding ways to control these ______
     a. modifiable risk fact tors
     b. modifiable risk factored
     c. modifiable risk factories
     d. modifiable risk factors

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Doctors say people can take (1) __________________________________________________ cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes. These are the leading (2) __________________________________________________ around the world. A study from doctors at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and Yonsei University in South Korea said that more than 99 per cent of people who had a heart attack or stroke (3) __________________________________________________ one warning sign. The doctors said there were several major signs: (4) ________________________________________________, cholesterol, obesity, high blood sugar, and smoking and drinking. All of these things (5) __________________________________________________ if people change their lifestyles. The most effective changes are to eat a healthier diet, (6) __________________________________________________ smoking and drinking.

In the study, doctors analyzed 10 years (7) __________________________________________________ of nine million people in South Korea and 7,000 people in the USA. Nearly all of the patients (8) __________________________________________________ heart attacks and strokes. Lead researcher Dr Philip Greenland said: "We have known for many years that there is a (9) __________________________________________________ modifiable risk factors for heart disease, and at least one, but often more than one, is present in the background (10) __________________________________________________ heart attacks, heart failure, or strokes." He added: "Efforts need to be made to (11) __________________________________________________ to prevent heart attack, stroke, or heart failure." Dr Greenland said: "The goal now is to work harder on (12) __________________________________________________ control these modifiable risk factors."

Comprehension questions

What two cardiovascular diseases do doctors say people can avoid?
How many warning signs did doctors say people can have?
How many signs of cardiovascular disease did doctors say there were?
What do people need to change to avoid cardiovascular diseases?
What does the article say people should quit?
How many health records of South Koreans did doctors look at?
How many health records of people in the USA did doctors look at?
Who is Philip Greenland?
What is present in the background leading up to heart attacks?
What do doctors need to work harder on controlling?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What two cardiovascular diseases do doctors say people can avoid?
a) arrhythmia and angina
b) heart attacks and arrhythmia
c) angina and strokes
d) heart attacks and strokes
2) How many warning signs did doctors say people can have?
a) just one
b) at least one
c) seven
d) dozens
3) How many signs of cardiovascular disease did doctors say there were?
a) seven
b) dozens
c) several
d) two
4) What do people need to change to avoid cardiovascular diseases?
a) their lifestyles
b) their diet
c) their medicine
d) their sleeping pattern
5) What does the article say people should quit?
a) fast food
b) using smartphones for a long time
c) smoking and drinking
d) stressful jobs

6) How many health records of South Koreans did doctors look at?
a) seven million
b) nine million
c) seven thousand
d) nine thousand
7) How many health records of people in the USA did doctors look at?
a) seven million
b) nine million
c) nine thousand
d) seven thousand
8) Who is Philip Greenland?
a) the lead researcher
b) an expert on stress
c) a drug company CEO
d) a journalist
9) What is present in the background leading up to heart attacks?
a) too much smartphone use
b) stressful lifestyles
c) at least one modifiable risk factor
d) medicine
10) What do doctors need to work harder on controlling?
a) medicine
b) modifiable risk factors
c) stress
d) diets

Role play

Role A – Laughter
You think laughter is the best thing for the heart. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which of these is the least effective thing to keep the heart healthy (and why): vegetables, sleep or exercise.

Role B – Vegetables
You think vegetables is the best thing for the heart. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which of these is the least effective thing to keep the heart healthy (and why): laughter, sleep or exercise.

Role C – Sleep
You think sleep is the best thing for the heart. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which of these is the least effective thing to keep the heart healthy (and why): vegetables, laughter or exercise.

Role D – Exercise
You think exercise is the best thing for the heart. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which of these is the least effective thing to keep the heart healthy (and why): vegetables, sleep or laughter.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'heart attack'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'stroke'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• Share your findings with your partners.

• Make questions using the words you found.

• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

•Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

steps

leading

least

major

reduced

most

records

nearly

known

present

efforts

harder

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 - Heart Attacks

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

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'heart attack'?
What do you know about heart attacks?
What do you know about strokes?
What can we do to look after our heart?
What do you know about blood pressure?
What can we do to control our cholesterol?
What changes do you need to make to your lifestyle?
How healthy is your diet?
Why do people drink and smoke?

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

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the word 'disease'?
What do you think about what you read?
What do you do to stay healthy?
Do men or women live healthier lifestyles?
What are the unhealthiest things about your lifestyle?
Are people getting healthier or unhealthier?
Why is exercise so good for us?
Why don't more of us lead healthy lifestyles?
What questions would you like to ask the doctors?

Discussion — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

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

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

Doctors say people can take (1) ____ to avoid cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes. These are the (2) ____ causes of death around the world. A study from doctors at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and Yonsei University in South Korea said that more than 99 per cent (3) ____ people who had a heart attack or stroke had at least one warning sign. The doctors said (4) ____ were several major signs: high blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity, high blood sugar, and smoking and drinking. All of (5) ____ things can be reduced if people change their lifestyles. The most effective changes are to eat a healthier diet, exercise, and (6) ____ smoking and drinking.

In the study, doctors analyzed 10 years of health records (7) ____ nine million people in South Korea and 7,000 people in the USA. Nearly all of the patients could have (8) ____ heart attacks and strokes. Lead researcher Dr Philip Greenland said: "We have known for many years that there is a (9) ____ number of modifiable risk factors for heart disease, and at least one, but often more than one, are present in the background leading (10) ____ to heart attacks, heart failure, or strokes." He added: "Efforts need to be made to treat that factor (11) ____ prevent heart attack, stroke, or heart failure." Dr Greenland said: "The goal now is to work (12) ____ on finding ways to control these modifiable risk factors."

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) steps (b) stairs (c) ladders (d) feet
(a) lending (b) loading (c) leading (d) landing
(a) by (b) at (c) of (d) on
(a) which (b) what (c) that (d) there
(a) them (b) so (c) these (d) that
(a) quite (b) quit (c) quilt (d) quiet
(a) to (b) of (c) at (d) on
(a) avoids (b) avoided (c) avoid (d) avoiding
(a) less (b) many (c) small (d) slim
(a) down (b) in (c) out (d) up
(a) by (b) of (c) for (d) to
(a) hardship (b) harden (c) hardly (d) harder

Spelling

Paragraph 1

take steps to odavi cardiovascular diseases
there were vsaerel major signs
high blood sreepsru
people change their setllfysie
The most fetveifec changes
iqut smoking and drinking

Paragraph 2

doctors dlenaayz 10 years of health records
Nearly all of the eansptti
Efforts need to be made to ttear that
netrvpe heart attack
heart aeurlfi
lobidifema risk factors

Put the text back together

(    )        doctors at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and Yonsei University in South Korea
( 1 )   Doctors say people can take steps to avoid cardiovascular diseases like
(    )        heart attacks and strokes. These are the leading causes of death around the world. A study from
(    )        high blood sugar, and smoking and drinking. All of these things can be reduced if people change their
(    )        in the background leading up to heart attacks, heart failure, or strokes." He added: "Efforts need
(    )        In the study, doctors analyzed 10 years of health records of nine million people in South Korea and 7,000 people
(    )        in the USA. Nearly all of the patients could have avoided heart attacks and strokes. Lead
(    )        lifestyles. The most effective changes are to eat a healthier diet, exercise, and quit smoking and drinking.
(    )        number of modifiable risk factors for heart disease, and at least one, but often more than one, is present
(    )        researcher Dr Philip Greenland said: "We have known for many years that there is a small
(    )        said that more than 99 per cent of people who had a heart attack or stroke had at least one warning
(    )        said: "The goal now is to work harder on finding ways to control these modifiable risk factors."
(    )        sign. The doctors said there were several major signs: high blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity,
(    )        to be made to treat that factor to prevent heart attack, stroke, or heart failure." Dr Greenland

Put the words in the right order

can People steps take avoid to diseases cardiovascular .
These the are causes leading death of around .
who People a had attack heart stroke or .
The said doctors were there major several signs .
of All things these be can reduced .
analyzed Doctors years 10 health of records .
patients The have could heart avoided attacks .
a There's number small modifiable of factors risk .
The leading background to up heart a attack .
ways Finding control to modifiable these factors risk .

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

Doctors say people can take steps to void / avoid cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes. These are the leading causes of die / death around the world. A study from doctors / doctor at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and Yonsei University in South Korea said that most / more than 99 per cent of people who had a heart attack or stroke had at last / least one warning sign. The doctors said there were several majors / major signs: high blood pressure, cholesterol, obese / obesity, high blood sugar, and smoking and drinking. All of these / them things can be reduced if people charge / change their lifestyles. The most effective changes are to eat a healthier diet, exercise, and quite / quit smoking and drinking.

In the study, doctors analyzed 10 years of healthy / health records of nine million people in South Korea and 7,000 people in the USA. Nearly / Near all of the patients could have avoided heart attacks and strokes. Lead researcher Dr Philip Greenland said: "We have known / knowing for many years that there is a small number / numbers of modifiable risk factors for heart disease, and at least one, but often more / most than one, is present in the background leading down / up to heart attacks, heart failure, or strokes." He add / added: "Efforts need to be made to threat / treat that factor to prevent heart attack, stroke, as / or heart failure." Dr Greenland said: "The goal now is to work harder on / of finding ways to control these modifiable risk factors."

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

D_ct_rs s_y p__pl_ c_n t_k_ st_ps t_ _v__d c_rd__v_sc_l_r d_s__s_s l_k_ h__rt _tt_cks _nd str_k_s. Th_s_ _r_ th_ l__d_ng c__s_s _f d__th _r__nd th_ w_rld. _ st_dy fr_m d_ct_rs _t N_rthw_st_rn _n_v_rs_ty's F__nb_rg Sch__l _f M_d_c_n_ _n Ch_c_g_ _nd Y_ns__ _n_v_rs_ty _n S__th K_r__ s__d th_t m_r_ th_n 99 p_r c_nt _f p__pl_ wh_ h_d _ h__rt _tt_ck _r str_k_ h_d _t l__st _n_ w_rn_ng s_gn. Th_ d_ct_rs s__d th_r_ w_r_ s_v_r_l m_j_r s_gns: h_gh bl__d pr_ss_r_, ch_l_st_r_l, _b_s_ty, h_gh bl__d s_g_r, _nd sm_k_ng _nd dr_nk_ng. _ll _f th_s_ th_ngs c_n b_ r_d_c_d _f p__pl_ ch_ng_ th__r l_f_styl_s. Th_ m_st _ff_ct_v_ ch_ng_s _r_ t_ __t _ h__lth__r d__t, _x_rc_s_, _nd q__t sm_k_ng _nd dr_nk_ng.

_n th_ st_dy, d_ct_rs _n_lyz_d 10 y__rs _f h__lth r_c_rds _f n_n_ m_ll__n p__pl_ _n S__th K_r__ _nd 7,000 p__pl_ _n th_ _S_. N__rly _ll _f th_ p_t__nts c__ld h_v_ _v__d_d h__rt _tt_cks _nd str_k_s. L__d r_s__rch_r Dr Ph_l_p Gr__nl_nd s__d: "W_ h_v_ kn_wn f_r m_ny y__rs th_t th_r_ _s _ sm_ll n_mb_r _f m_d_f__bl_ r_sk f_ct_rs f_r h__rt d_s__s_, _nd _t l__st _n_, b_t _ft_n m_r_ th_n _n_, _s pr_s_nt _n th_ b_ckgr__nd l__d_ng _p t_ h__rt _tt_cks, h__rt f__l_r_, _r str_k_s." H_ _dd_d: "_ff_rts n__d t_ b_ m_d_ t_ tr__t th_t f_ct_r t_ pr_v_nt h__rt _tt_ck, str_k_, _r h__rt f__l_r_." Dr Gr__nl_nd s__d: "Th_ g__l n_w _s t_ w_rk h_rd_r _n f_nd_ng w_ys t_ c_ntr_l th_s_ m_d_f__bl_ r_sk f_ct_rs."

Punctuate the text and add capitals

doctors say people can take steps to avoid cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes these are the leading causes of death around the world a study from doctors at northwestern universitys feinberg school of medicine in chicago and yonsei university in south korea said that more than 99 per cent of people who had a heart attack or stroke had at least one warning sign the doctors said there were several major signs high blood pressure cholesterol obesity high blood sugar and smoking and drinking all of these things can be reduced if people change their lifestyles the most effective changes are to eat a healthier diet exercise and quit smoking and drinking

in the study doctors analyzed 10 years of health records of nine million people in south korea and 7000 people in the usa nearly all of the patients could have avoided heart attacks and strokes lead researcher dr philip greenland said we have known for many years that there is a small number of modifiable risk factors for heart disease and at least one but often more than one are present in the background leading up to heart attacks heart failure or strokes he added efforts need to be made to treat that factor to prevent heart attack stroke or heart failure dr greenland said the goal now is to work harder on finding ways to control these modifiable risk factors

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Doctorssaypeoplecantakestepstoavoidcardiovasculardiseaseslikeh
eartattacksandstrokes.Thesearetheleadingcausesofdeatharoundth
eworld.AstudyfromdoctorsatNorthwesternUniversity'sFeinbergSch
oolofMedicineinChicagoandYonseiUniversityinSouthKoreasaidthat
morethan99percentofpeoplewhohadaheartattackorstrokehadatlea
stonewarningsign.Thedoctorssaidtherewereseveralmajorsigns:hig
hbloodpressure,cholesterol,obesity,highbloodsugar,andsmokingan
ddrinking.Allofthesethingscanbereducedifpeoplechangetheirlifestyl
es.Themosteffectivechangesaretoeatahealthierdiet,exercise,andqu
itsmokinganddrinking.Inthestudy,doctorsanalyzed10yearsofhealth
recordsofninemillionpeopleinSouthKoreaand7,000peopleintheUSA.
Nearlyallofthepatientscouldhaveavoidedheartattacksandstrokes.Le
adresearcherDrPhilipGreenlandsaid:"Wehaveknownformanyyearst
hatthereisasmallnumberofmodifiableriskfactorsforheartdisease,an
datleastone,butoftenmorethanone,ispresentinthebackgroundleadi
nguptoheartattacks,heartfailure,orstrokes."Headded:"Effortsneedt
obemadetotreatthatfactortopreventheartattack,stroke,orheartfailu
re."DrGreenlandsaid:"Thegoalnowistoworkharderonfindingwaystoc
ontrolthesemodifiableriskfactors."

Free writing

Write about heart attacks for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

Governments should make us change our lifestyles to be healthier. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Homework

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. HEART ATTACKS AND STROKES: Make a poster about heart attacks and strokes. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. LIFESTYLE: Write a magazine article about all of us changing our lifestyle to be healthier. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on heart attacks and strokes. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to look after your heart. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

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Answers

(Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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