The Reading / Listening - Weekend Warriors - Level 6

There is good news for those who only have time to exercise at the weekend – the so-called 'weekend warriors'. Cramming your recommended weekly exercise into several weekend sessions is sufficient to help you live longer. Researchers from Loughborough University and the University of Sydney found that there were few differences in health benefits from working out daily or only at the weekends as long as people burnt enough calories. The researchers discovered that weekend warriors lowered their risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases by 41 per cent and from cancer by 18 per cent, compared with those who did no exercise. Those who exercised regularly reduced their risks by 41% and 21%.

The researchers' article is published in the journal 'JAMA Internal Medicine'. Their findings are based on a survey of around 64,000 adults aged over 40. The researchers recommended people engage in a total of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity once or twice a week. They said: "The present study suggests that less frequent bouts of activity, which might be more easily fit into a busy lifestyle, offer considerable health benefits." They added: "A particularly encouraging finding was that a physical activity frequency as low as one or two sessions per week was associated with lower mortality risks."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Weekend Warriors - Level 4  or  Weekend Warriors - Level 5

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/health-38560616
  • http://www.livescience.com/57425-weekend-warrior-exercise-health.html
  • http://www.heart.co.uk/news/uk-world/weekend-warriors-exercising-even-just-once-a/


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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. EXERCISE: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about exercise. 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?

       good news / weekend / warriors / weekly / differences / health benefits / cardiovascular /
       researchers / article / survey / activity / frequent / busy / lifestyle / encouraging / risks

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. COMPULSORY: Students A strongly believe daily exercise should be compulsory; Students B strongly believe otherwise.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

4. ACTIVITIES: What kind of activities could people do at these times / places? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Activities

Pros

Cons

After waking up

 

 

 

In the shower

 

 

 

In the shopping mall

 

 

 

Lunch time

 

 

 

After work / school

 

 

 

On the train / bus

 

 

 

MY e-BOOK
See a sample

5. WEEKEND: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "weekend". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

6. EXERCISE: Rank these with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • cycling
  • tennis
  • hiking
  • weight training
  • walking
  • aerobics
  • dancing
  • swimming

 

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article brings good news for weekend warriors.     T / F
  2. The research was conducted by two different universities.     T / F
  3. Daily exercise and working out at weekends brings similar benefits.     T / F
  4. Those who exercised regularly reduced risks of cancer by 41%.     T / F
  5. Researchers looked at the health of about 64,000 adults.     T / F
  6. Researchers recommended 150 minutes of vigorous exercise a day.     T / F
  7. Researchers said it was impossible to exercise with a busy lifestyle.     T / F
  8. Exercise just once or twice a week increased mortality risks.     T / F

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

  1. warriors
  2. recommended
  3. sufficient
  4. burnt
  5. reduced
  6. published
  7. survey
  8. engage
  9. considerable
  10. encouraging
  1. participate
  2. enough
  3. promising
  4. issued
  5. advised
  6. sizeable
  7. lowered
  8. fighters
  9. study
  10. used up

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

  1. the so-
  2. several weekend
  3. health benefits from
  4. cardiovascular
  5. reduced their
  6. 75 minutes of vigorous
  7. might be more easily fit
  8. particularly
  9. frequency as low as
  10. associated
  1. one or two sessions
  2. diseases
  3. risks by 41%
  4. activity
  5. with lower mortality
  6. called 'weekend warriors'
  7. encouraging
  8. working out daily
  9. sessions is sufficient
  10. into a busy lifestyle

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
burnt
few
called
risks
daily
compared
several
diseases

There is good news for those who only have time to exercise at the weekend – the so-(1) ____ 'weekend warriors'. Cramming your recommended weekly exercise into (2) ____ weekend sessions is sufficient to help you live longer. Researchers from Loughborough University and the University of Sydney found that there were (3) ____ differences in health benefits from working out (4) ____ or only at the weekends as long as people (5) ____ enough calories. The researchers discovered that weekend warriors lowered their risk of dying from cardiovascular (6) ____ by 41 per cent and from cancer by 18 per cent, (7) ____ with those who did no exercise. Those who exercised regularly reduced their (8) ____ by 41% and 21%.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
encouraging
survey
vigorous
fit
published
mortality
bouts
total

The researchers' article is (9) ____ in the journal 'JAMA Internal Medicine'. Their findings are based on a (10) ____ of around 64,000 adults aged over 40. The researchers recommended people engage in a (11) ____ of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of (12) ____ activity once or twice a week. They said: "The present study suggests that less frequent (13) ____ of activity, which might be more easily (14) ____ into a busy lifestyle, offer considerable health benefits." They added: "A particularly (15) ____ finding was that a physical activity frequency as low as one or two sessions per week was associated with lower (16) ____ risks."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  those who only have time to exercise at the weekend – ______ 'weekend warriors'
     a.  the such-called
     b.  the so-calling
     c.  the now-called
     d.  the so-called

2)  Cramming your recommended weekly exercise into several weekend ______
     a.  sessions is sufficiently
     b.  sessions are sufficiency
     c.  sessions is sufficient
     d.  sessions were sufficient

3)  benefits from working out daily or only at the weekends as long as people ______
     a.  burn enough calories
     b.  burnt enough calories
     c.  burn it enough calorie
     d.  burning enough calories

4)  weekend warriors lowered their risk of dying from ______ diseases
     a.  cardiovascular
     b.  cardio muscular
     c.  cardiac muscular
     d.  cardiology insular

5)  Those who exercised regularly reduced their ______
     a.  risky by 41%
     b.  risque by 41%
     c.  risked by 41%
     d.  risks by 41%

6)  published in the journal 'JAMA ______'
     a.  Intern All Medicine
     b.  Internal Medicine
     c.  Internally Medicine
     d.  External Medicine

7)  Their findings are based on a survey of around 64,000 adults ______
     a.  ages over 40
     b.  age over 40
     c.  ageless over 40
     d.  aged over 40

8)  150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of ______
     a.  viscous activity
     b.  vigorous activity
     c.  vacuous activity
     d.  virtuous activity

9)  be more easily fit into a busy lifestyle, offer considerable ______
     a.  health beneficial
     b.  healthy benefit
     c.  healthy beneficial
     d.  health benefits

10)  one or two sessions per week was associated with lower ______
     a.  more totality risks
     b.  mortality risks
     c.  mortal at tea risks
     d.  mortal a tea risks

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

There is good news for those who (1) ___________________ to exercise at the weekend – the so-called 'weekend warriors'. Cramming your recommended weekly (2) ___________________ several weekend sessions is sufficient to help (3) ___________________. Researchers from Loughborough University and the University of Sydney found that there were few differences in health benefits (4) ___________________ daily or only at the weekends as long as people burnt enough calories. The researchers discovered that weekend warriors lowered (5) ___________________ dying from cardiovascular diseases by 41 per cent and from cancer by 18 per cent, compared with (6) ___________________ exercise. Those who exercised regularly reduced their risks by 41% and 21%.

The researchers' article (7) ___________________ the journal 'JAMA Internal Medicine'. Their findings (8) ___________________ survey of around 64,000 adults aged over 40. The researchers recommended people engage in a total of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity (9) ___________________ minutes of vigorous activity once or twice a week. They said: "The present study suggests that less (10) ___________________ of activity, which might be more easily fit into a busy lifestyle, (11) ___________________ health benefits." They added: "A particularly encouraging finding was that a physical activity frequency (12) ___________________ or two sessions per week was associated with lower mortality risks."

Comprehension questions

  1. What kind of news did the article say there was?
  2. How many weekend sessions did the article say was sufficient to cram in?
  3. How many universities conducted the research?
  4. What did researchers say people had to burn enough of?
  5. By how much did regular exercisers reduce their risk of cancer?
  6. How many adults did researchers look at?
  7. What kind of activity did researchers suggest 150 minutes of?
  8. How many minutes of vigorous activity did researchers recommend?
  9. What might be fit into a busy lifestyle?
  10. What did researchers say 1 or 2 sessions a week was associated with?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What kind of news did the article say there was?
a) health
b) exercise
c) good
d) world

2) How many weekend sessions did the article say was sufficient to cram in?
a) several
b) many
c) seven
d) ten

3) How many universities conducted the research?
a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4

4) What did researchers say people had to burn enough of?
a) fuel
b) wood
c) coal
d) calories

5) By how much did regular exercisers reduce their risk of cancer?
a) 12%
b) 18%
c) 21%
d) 41%

6) How many adults did researchers look at?
a) a little more than 64,000
b) around 64,000
c) exactly 64,000
d) just fewer than 64,000

7) What kind of activity did researchers suggest 150 minutes of?
a) vigorous activity
b) walking
c) enjoyable activity
d) moderate-intensity activity

8) How many minutes of vigorous activity did researchers recommend?
a) 65
b) 75
c) 105
d) 120

9) What might be fit into a busy lifestyle?
a) vigorous activity
b) less frequent bouts of activity
c) yoga
d) running and swimming

10) What did researchers say 1 or 2 sessions a week was associated with?
a) lower mortality risks
b) better eating
c) a healthy appetite
d) pain

Role play

Role A — Walking

You think walking is the best exercise. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their kinds of exercise. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): dancing, aerobics or weight training.

Role B — Dancing

You think dancing is the best exercise. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their kinds of exercise. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): walking, aerobics or weight training.

Role C — Aerobics

You think aerobics is the best exercise. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their kinds of exercise. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): dancing, walking or weight training.

Role D — Weight Training

You think weight training is the best exercise. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their kinds of exercise. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why):  dancing, aerobics or walking.

After reading / listening

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

'weekend'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • and 'warrior'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • • 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:

    • published
    • 40
    • 75
    • less
    • fit
    • associated
    • good
    • several
    • few
    • long
    • dying
    • 21%

    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 - Weekend-only exercise enough to live longer

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What springs to mind when you hear the word 'exercise'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. How good are you at exercising?
    5. How could you fit more exercise into your day?
    6. Who is the fittest person you know?
    7. What exercise would you like to do if you had time?
    8. What do you think of the term 'weekend warrior'?
    9. Is it better to exercise every day or a few times a week?
    10. How healthy do you think you are?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. Would you like to read the article?
    3. What kind of exercise is moderate activity?
    4. What kind of exercise is vigorous activity?
    5. Is being busy a good exercise?
    6. How busy is your lifestyle?
    7. What is your favourite kind of exercise, and why?
    8. Why are people exercising less these days?
    9. What advice do you have for 'weekend warriors'?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the researchers?

    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)

    There is good news for (1) ____ who only have time to exercise at the weekend – the so-called 'weekend warriors'. Cramming your recommended weekly exercise into (2) ____ weekend sessions is sufficient to help you live longer. Researchers from Loughborough University and the University of Sydney found that there were few differences (3) ____ health benefits from working (4) ____ daily or only at the weekends as long as people burnt enough calories. The researchers discovered that weekend warriors (5) ____ their risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases by 41 per cent and from cancer by 18 per cent, compared (6) ____ those who did no exercise. Those who exercised regularly reduced their risks by 41% and 21%.

    The researchers' article is published in the (7) ____ 'JAMA Internal Medicine'. Their findings are based on a survey of around 64,000 adults aged over 40. The researchers recommended people (8) ____ in a total of at least 150 minutes of moderate-(9) ____ activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity once or twice a week. They said: "The present study suggests that less frequent (10) ____ of activity, which might be more easily (11) ____ into a busy lifestyle, offer considerable health benefits." They added: "A particularly encouraging finding was that a physical activity frequency as low as one or two sessions per week was associated with lower (12) ____ risks."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     these     (b)     them     (c)     they     (d)     those    
    2. (a)     severance     (b)     servile     (c)     severe     (d)     several    
    3. (a)     to     (b)     in     (c)     at     (d)     on    
    4. (a)     up     (b)     on     (c)     out     (d)     in    
    5. (a)     downed     (b)     fell     (c)     lowered     (d)     plummeted    
    6. (a)     with     (b)     at     (c)     of     (d)     on    
    7. (a)     diary     (b)     journal     (c)     memo     (d)     notes    
    8. (a)     engage     (b)     wed     (c)     betroth     (d)     marry    
    9. (a)     intense     (b)     intensity     (c)     intensely     (d)     intensive    
    10. (a)     boots     (b)     boats     (c)     bouts     (d)     boost    
    11. (a)     fitting     (b)     fitted     (c)     fit     (d)     fitter    
    12. (a)     morality     (b)     immoral     (c)     immortal     (d)     mortality

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. your enmmrceeodd weekly exercise
    2. aeervsl weekend sessions
    3. sfuietnicf to help you live longer
    4. health nfeteibs
    5. people burnt enough rocsiael
    6. Those who exercised ylaerlurg

    Paragraph 2

    1. published in the aljonru
    2. uoisogvr activity
    3. dbnaisceleor health benefits
    4. A particularly nconauggire finding
    5. nfeqcyeru as low as one or two
    6. caedassoit with lower mortality risks

    Put the text back together

    (    )     total of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity once

    1  )     There is good news for those who only have time to exercise at the weekend – the so-

    (    )     long as people burnt enough calories. The researchers discovered that weekend warriors lowered their

    (    )     as one or two sessions per week was associated with lower mortality risks."

    (    )     that there were few differences in health benefits from working out daily or only at the weekends as

    (    )     risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases by 41 per cent and from cancer by 18 per cent, compared

    (    )     benefits." They added: "A particularly encouraging finding was that a physical activity frequency as low

    (    )     or twice a week. They said: "The present study suggests that less frequent bouts

    (    )     on a survey of around 64,000 adults aged over 40. The researchers recommended people engage in a

    (    )     of activity, which might be more easily fit into a busy lifestyle, offer considerable health

    (    )     to help you live longer. Researchers from Loughborough University and the University of Sydney found

    (    )     The researchers' article is published in the journal 'JAMA Internal Medicine'. Their findings are based

    (    )     with those who did no exercise. Those who exercised regularly reduced their risks by 41% and 21%.

     (    )     called 'weekend warriors'. Cramming your recommended weekly exercise into several weekend sessions is sufficient

    Put the words in the right order

    1. exercise   weekend   only   to   the   who   time   at   Those   have   .
    2. exercise   Weekly   sessions   weekend   several   into   .
    3. in   out   health   daily   benefits   Few   from   differences   working   .
    4. 41%  risk  diseases  of  by  dying  Lowered  from  their  cardiovascular .
    5. exercised   reduced   risks   who   regularly   their   Those   .
    6. on   findings  64,000   around  a   are  adults  survey  based  Their  of  .
    7. least   People   a   at   minutes   in   of   150   engage   total   .
    8. minutes   activity   twice   75   vigorous   or   week   of   once   a   .
    9. busy   lifestyle  Activity   which  might   be  more   easily  fit   into   a   .
    10. frequency  as   low  as   one  or   two  sessions   A  physical   activity   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    There is good news for them / those who only have time to exercise at the weekend – the so-called 'weekend warriors'. Cramming / Clamming your recommended weekly exercise into / onto several weekend sessions is sufficiently / sufficient to help you live / alive longer. Researchers from Loughborough University and the University of Sydney found that there were few difference / differences in health benefits from working up / out daily or only at the weekends as long as people burning / burnt enough calories. The researchers discovered that weekend warriors lowered their risk / risky of dying from cardiovascular diseases by 41 per cent and from cancer by 18 per cent, compared with those who did no exercise. Those who exercised regularly / regular reduced their risks by 41% and 21%.

    The researchers' article is published / publishing in the journal 'JAMA Internal Medicine'. Their findings are based to / on a survey of around 64,000 adults aged / age over 40. The researchers recommended people engage in a total / totally of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of victorious / vigorous activity once or twice a week. They said: "The present study suggest / suggests that less frequent bouts / boots of activity, which might be more easily / easy fit into a busy lifestyle, offer considerable health benefits." They added: "A particular / particularly encouraging finding was that a physical activity frequency as low as one or two sessions per week was associated with lower mortality / mortal risks."

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

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

    Th_r_ _s g__d n_ws f_r th_s_ wh_ _nly h_v_ t_m_ t_ _x_rc_s_ _t th_ w__k_nd – th_ s_-c_ll_d 'w__k_nd w_rr__rs'. Cr_mm_ng y__r r_c_mm_nd_d w__kly _x_rc_s_ _nt_ s_v_r_l w__k_nd s_ss__ns _s s_ff_c__nt t_ h_lp y__ l_v_ l_ng_r. R_s__rch_rs fr_m L__ghb_r__gh _n_v_rs_ty _nd th_ _n_v_rs_ty _f Sydn_y f__nd th_t th_r_ w_r_ f_w d_ff_r_nc_s _n h__lth b_n_f_ts fr_m w_rk_ng __t d__ly _r _nly _t th_ w__k_nds _s l_ng _s p__pl_ b_rnt _n__gh c_l_r__s. Th_ r_s__rch_rs d_sc_v_r_d th_t w__k_nd w_rr__rs l_w_r_d th__r r_sk _f dy_ng fr_m c_rd__v_sc_l_r d_s__s_s by 41 p_r c_nt _nd fr_m c_nc_r by 18 p_r c_nt, c_mp_r_d w_th th_s_ wh_ d_d n_ _x_rc_s_. Th_s_ wh_ _x_rc_s_d r_g_l_rly r_d_c_d th__r r_sks by 41% _nd 21%.

    Th_ r_s__rch_rs' _rt_cl_ _s p_bl_sh_d _n th_ j__rn_l 'J_M_ _nt_rn_l M_d_c_n_'. Th__r f_nd_ngs _r_ b_s_d _n _ s_rv_y _f _r__nd 64,000 _d_lts _g_d _v_r 40. Th_ r_s__rch_rs r_c_mm_nd_d p__pl_ _ng_g_ _n _ t_t_l _f _t l__st 150 m_n_t_s _f m_d_r_t_-_nt_ns_ty _ct_v_ty _r 75 m_n_t_s _f v_g_r__s _ct_v_ty _nc_ _r tw_c_ _ w__k. Th_y s__d: "Th_ pr_s_nt st_dy s_gg_sts th_t l_ss fr_q__nt b__ts _f _ct_v_ty, wh_ch m_ght b_ m_r_ __s_ly f_t _nt_ _ b_sy l_f_styl_, _ff_r c_ns_d_r_bl_ h__lth b_n_f_ts." Th_y _dd_d: "_ p_rt_c_l_rly _nc__r_g_ng f_nd_ng w_s th_t _ phys_c_l _ct_v_ty fr_q__ncy _s l_w _s _n_ _r tw_ s_ss__ns p_r w__k w_s _ss_c__t_d w_th l_w_r m_rt_l_ty r_sks."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    there is good news for those who only have time to exercise at the weekend – the so-called 'weekend warriors' cramming your recommended weekly exercise into several weekend sessions is sufficient to help you live longer researchers from loughborough university and the university of sydney found that there were few differences in health benefits from working out daily or only at the weekends as long as people burnt enough calories the researchers discovered that weekend warriors lowered their risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases by 41 per cent and from cancer by 18 per cent compared with those who did no exercise those who exercised regularly reduced their risks by 41% and 21%

    the researchers' article is published in the journal 'jama internal medicine' their findings are based on a survey of around 64000 adults aged over 40 the researchers recommended people engage in a total of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity once or twice a week they said "the present study suggests that less frequent bouts of activity which might be more easily fit into a busy lifestyle offer considerable health benefits" they added "a particularly encouraging finding was that a physical activity frequency as low as one or two sessions per week was associated with lower mortality risks"

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Thereisgoodnewsforthosewhoonlyhavetimetoexerciseattheweeken
    d–theso-called'weekendwarriors'.Crammingyourrecommendedwe
    eklyexerciseintoseveralweekendsessionsissufficienttohelpyoulivelo
    nger.ResearchersfromLoughboroughUniversityandtheUniversityof
    Sydneyfoundthattherewerefewdifferencesinhealthbenefitsfromwor
    kingoutdailyoronlyattheweekendsaslongaspeopleburntenoughcalor
    ies.Theresearchersdiscoveredthatweekendwarriorsloweredtheirris
    kofdyingfromcardiovasculardiseasesby41percentandfromcancerby
    18percent,comparedwiththosewhodidnoexercise.Thosewhoexercis
    edregularlyreducedtheirrisksby41%and21%.Theresearchers'articl
    eispublishedinthejournalJAMAInternalMedicine.Theirfindingsareba
    sedonasurveyofaround64,000adultsagedover40.Theresearchersre
    commendedpeopleengageinatotalofatleast150minutesofmoderate-
    intensityactivityor75minutesofvigorousactivityonceortwiceaweek.T
    heysaid:"Thepresentstudysuggeststhatlessfrequentboutsofactivity
    ,whichmightbemoreeasilyfitintoabusylifestyle,offerconsiderablehea
    lthbenefits."Theyadded:"Aparticularlyencouragingfindingwasthata
    physicalactivityfrequencyaslowasoneortwosessionsperweekwasass
    ociatedwithlowermortalityrisks."

    Free writing

    Write about weekend warrior for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Academic writing

    People who do not exercise should pay more for health care. 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 exercise. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

    3. CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: Make a poster about cardiovascular disease. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

    4. DAILY EXERCISE: Write a magazine article about compulsory daily exercise. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against it.

    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 exercise. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how we can exercise more each day. 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

    Buy my book

    $US 9.99

    Answers

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

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