The Reading / Listening - Level 2

For 100 years, people said middle age was about 50 years old. This is when we grow 'old'. However, new research says this should change. A study from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIAS) in Austria says middle age now starts at 60, 65, or older. The biggest reason is that we are living longer. We are also healthier, we eat better, we exercise more and we have nicer lifestyles. The IIAS said: "Life expectancies have increased over the past several decades.…People once considered 'old' should actually be viewed as more middle aged."

The study was not a worldwide one. The researchers looked at people in 39 European countries. Britain's National Health Service (NHS) warned against thinking this study is 100 per cent true. It said the researchers did not look at things that could reduce life expectancy and make us die younger. It said we don't know if researchers looked at the possible impact of diseases and infections. Another problem might be antibiotic resistance, or the increased number of people with diabetes because of obesity. The NHS said healthy eating and exercise was the way to live longer.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.today.com/health/60-really-new-50-scientists-say-t15411
  • http://www.nhs.uk/news/2015/04April/Pages/60-the-new-40-claims-media.aspx
  • http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/16/60-is-the-new-middle-age_n_7079006.html


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.

For 100 years, people said middle age

a.

several decades

2.

new research says this should

b.

starts at 60

3.

middle age now

c.

middle aged

4.

The biggest reason is that

d.

change

5.

we have nicer

e.

we are living longer

6.

Life expectancies

f.

was about 50

7.

over the past

g.

have increased

8.

viewed as more

h.

lifestyles



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 study was not a

a.

die younger

2.

look at things that could

b.

study is 100 per cent true

3.

make us

c.

to live longer

4.

the possible impact of diseases

d.

resistance

5.

antibiotic

e.

worldwide one

6.

warned against thinking this

f.

reduce life expectancy

7.

healthy eating and

g.

and infections

8.

the way

h.

exercise

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

For 100 years, people said middle (1) ___________________ 50 years old. This (2) ___________________ 'old'. However, new research says this should change. A study from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIAS) in Austria says middle (3) ___________________ 60, 65, or older. The biggest reason is that we are living longer. We (4) ___________________, we eat better, we exercise more and we have nicer lifestyles. The IIAS said: "Life expectancies have increased (5) ___________________ several decades.…People once considered 'old' should actually be (6) ___________________ middle aged."

The study was not (7) ___________________. The researchers looked at people in 39 European countries. Britain's National Health Service (NHS) (8) ___________________ this study is 100 per cent true. It said the researchers did (9) ___________________ that could reduce life expectancy and make us die younger. It said we don't know if researchers looked at (10) ___________________ of diseases and infections. Another problem might be antibiotic resistance, or the increased (11) ___________________ with diabetes because of obesity. The NHS said healthy eating and exercise was (12) ___________________.

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

For100years,peoplesaidmiddleagewasabout50yearsold.Thisiswhen
wegrow'old'.However,newresearchsaysthisshouldchange.Astudyfr
omtheInternationalInstituteforAppliedSystemsAnalysis(IIAS)inAus
triasaysmiddleagenowstartsat60,65,orolder.Thebiggestreasonisth
atwearelivinglonger.Wearealsohealthier,weeatbetter,weexercisem
oreandwehavenicerlifestyles.TheIIASsaid:"Lifeexpectancieshavein
creasedoverthepastseveraldecades.…Peopleonceconsidered'old'sh
ouldactuallybeviewedasmoremiddleaged."Thestudywasnotaworld
wideone.Theresearcherslookedatpeoplein39Europeancountries.Bri
tain'sNationalHealthService(NHS)warnedagainstthinkingthisstudyi
s100percenttrue.Itsaidtheresearchersdidnotlookatthingsthatcouldr
educelifeexpectancyandmakeusdieyounger.Itsaidwedon'tknowifre
searcherslookedatthepossibleimpactofdiseasesandinfections.Anoth
erproblemmightbeantibioticresistance,ortheincreasednumberofpeo
plewithdiabetesbecauseofobesity.TheNHSsaidhealthyeatingandexe
rcisewasthewaytolivelonger.

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)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about middle age for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

Help Support This Web Site

  • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Thank You