Breaking News English

Home | Help This Site

Sitting may be dangerous for your health (9th June, 2015)

The Reading / Listening - Level 6

If you spend most of your days sitting at school, work, at a computer or stretched out on a couch at home, you may be taking up to two years off your life. It is common knowledge that a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and obesity, and can result in premature death. Many people think they can compensate for sitting around by walking, playing sports or going to the gym. Unfortunately, this might not be so. A new study just published in the journal 'Annals of Internal Medicine' suggests the effect on our longevity from sitting for long periods of time cannot be reversed through exercise. Even 60 minutes of daily exercise may not be enough.

The study is from Dr David Alter and his colleagues at Toronto University. Dr Alter and his team analysed 47 studies that tracked different groups of people, who kept notes on how long they sat down each day and how much they exercised. They found that the most sedentary groups had a 24% increased chance of dying during the course of the study than the least sedentary ones. This remained the case even though those who sat a lot also did 60 minutes of daily exercise. Dr Alter writes: "Reducing your sit-down time by 2-3 hours each day by standing up at your desk, taking frequent breaks to stretch and walk, or watching TV…on your feet may be better than an expensive, crowded, smelly gym and be just what the doctor ordered."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 4 or Level 5

Sources

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 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. SITTING: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about sitting. 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?

sitting / stretched out / couch / common knowledge / heart disease / longevity / colleagues / exercised / sedentary / frequent breaks / expensive / crowded / doctor

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

3. HEALTH: Why might these things be bad for our health? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Dangers	How to reduce the dangers
Waiting
Not chewing food
Computers
Cooking
Modern life
Bosses

4. BANNED: Students A strongly believe all chairs should be banned to protect our health; Students B strongly believe this is a stupid idea. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

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. SEDENTARY: Rank these with your partner. Put the riskiest activities to our health at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• Sitting

• Computers

• Too much sleep

• Office work

• Watching TV

• Driving

• Elevators, not stairs

• No exercise

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

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

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

a.	Sitting too much could reduce your life by two years.	T / F
b.	A sedentary lifestyle increases the chances of getting diabetes.	T / F
c.	The study in this article was published in the journal 'Sitting'.	T / F
d.	An hour of daily exercise may not reverse the damage done by sitting.	T / F
e.	The study was conducted by a team from Oxford University.	T / F
f.	A group in the study who sat had a 24% higher chance of dying.	T / F
g.	A doctor recommended sitting down 20-30 minutes less each day.	T / F
h.	A doctor ordered people into gyms.	T / F

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

1.	couch	a.	inactive
2.	sedentary	b.	packed
3.	increases	c.	co-workers
4.	compensate for	d.	examined
5.	periods	e.	cancel out
6.	colleagues	f.	sofa
7.	analysed	g.	regular
8.	chance	h.	heightens
9.	frequent	i.	possibility
10.	crowded	j.	spells

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

1.	stretched out	a.	knowledge
2.	taking up to two years	b.	groups of people
3.	common	c.	be so
4.	this might not	d.	periods of time
5.	sitting for long	e.	the case
6.	studies that tracked different	f.	doctor ordered
7.	a 24% increased	g.	on a couch at home
8.	This remained	h.	to stretch
9.	taking frequent breaks	i.	off your life
10.	be just what the	j.	chance of dying

GAP FILL

If you spend most of your days sitting at school, work, at a computer or (1) ____________ out on a couch at home, you may be taking up to two years off your life. It is (2) ____________ knowledge that a sedentary lifestyle increases the (3) ____________ of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and obesity, and can result in (4) ____________ death. Many people think they can (5) ____________ for sitting around by walking, playing sports or going to the gym. Unfortunately, this might not be so. A new study just (6) ____________ in the journal 'Annals of Internal Medicine' suggests the (7) ____________ on our longevity from sitting for long (8) ____________ of time cannot be reversed through exercise. Even 60 minutes of daily exercise may not be enough.

risk
common
effect
stretched
compensate
periods
premature
published

The study is from Dr David Alter and his (9) ____________ at Toronto University. Dr Alter and his team analysed 47 studies that (10) ____________ different groups of people, who kept (11) ____________ on how long they sat down each day and how much they exercised. They found that the most sedentary groups had a 24% increased (12) ____________ of dying during the course of the study than the least sedentary ones. This remained the (13) ____________ even though those who sat a lot also did 60 minutes of (14) ____________ exercise. Dr Alter writes: "Reducing your sit-down time by 2-3 hours each day by standing up at your desk, taking (15) ____________ breaks to stretch and walk, or watching TV…on your feet may be better than an expensive, crowded, smelly gym and be just what the doctor (16) ____________."

notes
daily
ordered
tracked
colleagues
frequent
case
chance

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	sitting at school, work, at a computer or stretched out on ______
	a. a catch at home b. account at home c. a cache at home d. a couch at home
2)	a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, ______
	a. cancer or obesity b. cancer nor obesity c. cancer and obesity d. cancer an obesity
3)	people think they can compensate for sitting around by walking, playing sports or ______
	a. going to the gym b. going to a gym c. going to this gym d. going to that gym
4)	the effect on our longevity from sitting for long periods of time ______
	a. cannot be reverse b. cannot be reversed c. cannot get reversed d. cannot in reverse
5)	Even 60 minutes of daily exercise ______
	a. may not be plenty b. may not be sufficient c. may not be ready d. may not be enough
6)	Dr Alter and his team analysed 47 studies that tracked different ______
	a. groups for people b. groups of people c. groups off people d. groups if people
7)	kept notes on how long they sat down each day and how ______
	a. much they exercise b. much they exercised c. much they exercising d. much they exercises
8)	the most sedentary groups had a 24% increased chance of dying ______
	a. during the coarse b. during the curse c. during the coast d. during the course
9)	This remained the case even though those who sat a lot also did 60 minutes ______
	a. of day lie exercise b. of daily exercise c. of daily exercises d. off daily exercise
10)	be better than an expensive, crowded, smelly gym and be just ______
	a. what the doctors ordered b. that the doctor ordered c. that the doctors ordered d. what the doctor ordered

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

If you (1) ___________________ days sitting at school, work, at a computer or stretched out on a couch at home, you (2) ___________________ to two years off your life. It is common knowledge that a sedentary lifestyle increases (3) ___________________ disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and obesity, and can result in premature death. Many people think they can compensate for (4) ___________________ walking, playing sports or going to the gym. Unfortunately, this might not be so. A new study just published in the journal 'Annals of Internal Medicine' (5) ___________________ our longevity from sitting for long periods of time (6) ___________________ through exercise. Even 60 minutes of daily exercise may not be enough.

The study is from Dr David Alter (7) ___________________ Toronto University. Dr Alter and his team analysed 47 studies that tracked different groups of people, (8) ___________________ how long they sat down each day and how much they exercised. They found that the most sedentary groups had a 24% increased (9) ___________________ during the course of the study than the least sedentary ones. This remained the case even though those (10) ___________________ did 60 minutes of daily exercise. Dr Alter writes: "Reducing your sit-down time by 2-3 hours each day by standing up at your desk, (11) ___________________ to stretch and walk, or watching TV…on your feet may be better than an expensive, crowded, smelly gym and be just what (12) ___________________."

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	What did the article say you might be sitting on at home?
2.	What kind of diabetes is mentioned in the article?
3.	What does the article say going to the gym cannot compensate for?
4.	What is the 'Annals of Internal Medicine'?
5.	What may not be reversed through 60 minutes of exercise?
6.	At which university was the study conducted?
7.	How many different studies did the researchers look at?
8.	Who had a 24% increased chance of dying?
9.	How long did a doctor recommend sitting down less each day?
10.	What might watching TV standing up be better than?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	What did the article say you might be sitting on at home?	6.	At which university was the study conducted?
	a) a bed b) a couch c) the floor d) an office chair		a) Toronto b) Brasilia c) Tokyo d) Cape Town
2.	What kind of diabetes is mentioned in the article?	7.	How many different studies did the researchers look at?
	a) 1 b) 4 c) 3 d) 2		a) 45 b) 46 c) 47 d) 48
3.	What does the article say going to the gym cannot compensate for?	8.	Who had a 24% increased chance of dying?
	a) sitting b) exercising c) jogging d) working		a) groups who sat b) doctors c) joggers d) publishers
4.	What is the 'Annals of Internal Medicine'?	9.	How long did a doctor recommend sitting down less each day?
	a) a hospital department b) a government department c) a journal d) a website		a) 2-3 hours b) 2-3 minutes c) 23 minutes d) 23 hours
5.	What may not be reversed through 60 minutes of exercise?	10.	What might watching TV standing up be better than?
	a) driving b) the effects on longevity of sitting c) death d) jogging		a) jogging b) going shopping c) gaming standing up d) going to the gym

ROLE PLAY

Role A – Sitting

You think sitting is the worst thing for our health. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least harmful thing of these (and why): too much sleep, driving or using the elevator instead of the stairs.

Role B – Too much sleep

You think too much sleep is the worst thing for our health. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least harmful thing of these (and why): sitting, driving or using the elevator instead of the stairs.

Role C – Driving

You think driving is the worst thing for our health. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least harmful thing of these (and why): too much sleep, sitting or using the elevator instead of the stairs.

Role D – Elevator not stairs

You think using the elevator instead of the stairs is the worst thing for our health. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least harmful thing of these (and why): too much sleep, driving or sitting.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

internal

medicine

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:

spend
common
think
so
effect
enough

colleagues
47
24
lot
2-3
doctor

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.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

SITTING DISCUSSION

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 'sit'?
3)	What are your sitting habits?
4)	How sedentary is your lifestyle?
5)	What do you think about what you read?
6)	Would you stop sitting down if it meant you lived longer?
7)	How can you exercise while sitting down?
8)	How possible is it for you to not sit down for most of the day?
9)	In what ways is standing better than sitting?
10)	What exercise do you get every day?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

11)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12)	What are the best things to do while sitting?
13)	What do you think of the idea of a standing up chair?
14)	Should governments be telling us to stand up more often?
15)	How would life be better if you sat down a lot less?
16)	Do you believe reports that tell us things are bad for us?
17)	What do you think of the idea of watching TV standing up?
18)	How would houses and offices be different if we never sat?
19)	How likely are you to change your lifestyle from now?
20)	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)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE - CLOZE

If you spend most of your days sitting at school, work, at a computer or stretched (1) ____ on a couch at home, you may be (2) ____ up to two years off your life. It is common knowledge that a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and obesity, and can result (3) ____ premature death. Many people think they can compensate for sitting around by walking, playing sports or going to the gym. Unfortunately, this might not be (4) ____. A new study just published in the journal 'Annals of Internal Medicine' suggests the effect on our (5) ____ from sitting for long periods of time cannot be (6) ____ through exercise. Even 60 minutes of daily exercise may not be enough.

The study is from Dr David Alter and his (7) ____ at Toronto University. Dr Alter and his team analysed 47 studies that tracked different groups of people, who kept notes (8) ____ how long they sat down each day and how much they exercised. They found that the most sedentary groups had a 24% increased (9) ____ of dying during the course of the study than the least sedentary ones. This (10) ____ the case even though those who sat a lot also did 60 minutes of daily exercise. Dr Alter writes: "Reducing your sit-down time by 2-3 hours each day by standing up at your desk, taking (11) ____ breaks to stretch and walk, or watching TV…on your feet may be better than an expensive, crowded, smelly gym and be just what the doctor (12) ____."

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.	(a)	in	(b)	up	(c)	out	(d)	on
2.	(a)	taking	(b)	making	(c)	raking	(d)	faking
3.	(a)	in	(b)	of	(c)	for	(d)	up
4.	(a)	so	(b)	such	(c)	as	(d)	on
5.	(a)	livelihood	(b)	lively	(c)	lengthen	(d)	longevity
6.	(a)	reverses	(b)	reversing	(c)	reserved	(d)	reversed
7.	(a)	colleagues	(b)	colleges	(c)	collages	(d)	collocates
8.	(a)	by	(b)	at	(c)	in	(d)	on
9.	(a)	opportunity	(b)	possible	(c)	chance	(d)	risky
10.	(a)	remaining	(b)	remained	(c)	reminded	(d)	reminding
11.	(a)	frequented	(b)	frequent	(c)	frequently	(d)	frequents
12.	(a)	lectured	(b)	sat	(c)	ordered	(d)	learnt

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	a nstryeaed lifestyle
2.	result in meaepurrt death
3.	they can nomteecaps for sitting around
4.	published in the jraonlu
5.	the effect on our gtieylonv
6.	be sdvrreee through exercise
Paragraph 2
7.	his oleuaclegs at Toronto University
8.	his team yadsnale (UK) / ynaeazdl (USA) 47 studies
9.	a 24% sreadicen chance
10.	This arnediem the case
11.	daily icrxeese
12.	taking fneuqret breaks

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	lifestyle increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and obesity, and can result in premature
( )	reversed through exercise. Even 60 minutes of daily exercise may not be enough.
( )	those who sat a lot also did 60 minutes of daily exercise. Dr Alter writes: "Reducing your sit-down time by 2-3 hours
( )	death. Many people think they can compensate for sitting around by walking, playing sports or
( )	going to the gym. Unfortunately, this might not be so. A new study just published in the journal
( )	The study is from Dr David Alter and his colleagues at Toronto University. Dr Alter and his team analysed
( )	be better than an expensive, crowded, smelly gym and be just what the doctor ordered."
( 1 )	If you spend most of your days sitting at school, work, at a computer or stretched
( )	out on a couch at home, you may be taking up to two years off your life. It is common knowledge that a sedentary
( )	'Annals of Internal Medicine' suggests the effect on our longevity from sitting for long periods of time cannot be
( )	each day by standing up at your desk, taking frequent breaks to stretch and walk, or watching TV…on your feet may
( )	47 studies that tracked different groups of people, who kept notes on how long they sat down each
( )	of dying during the course of the study than the least sedentary ones. This remained the case even though
( )	day and how much they exercised. They found that the most sedentary groups had a 24% increased chance

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	may You life your off years two to up taking be .
2.	sedentary the heart A increases of lifestyle risk disease .
3.	compensate around people can sitting Many they for think .
4.	effect on our longevity from sitting for long periods The .
5.	enough Even 60 minutes of daily exercise may not be .
6.	analysed that groups team studies different His 47 tracked .
7.	Kept how sat day on they each notes long down .
8.	increased 24% a had groups sedentary Most dying of chance .
9.	Those daily 60 lot who exercise minutes also sat of did a .
10.	day sit each by your hours time Reducing 2-3 down - .

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

If you spend most of your days sitting at school, work, at a computer or stretched up / out on a couch at home, you may be giving / taking up to two years off your life. It is commonly / common knowledge that a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk / risky of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and obesity, and can result on / in premature death. Many people think they can compensate to / for sitting around by walking, playing sports or going for / to the gym. Unfortunately, this might not be so / such. A new study just published in the journey / journal 'Annals of Internal Medicine' suggests the effect on our longevity from sitting for long periods of time cannot be revered / reversed through exercise. Even 60 minutes of daily exercise may not be enough.

The study is from Dr David Alter and his colleagues / collages at Toronto University. Dr Alter and his team analysed 47 studies that tacked / tracked different groups of people, who kept notes on / by how long they sat down each day and how much / many they exercised. They found that the most sedentary groups had a 24% increased chancing / chance of dying during the course of the study than the least / lest sedentary ones. This remained the case / cause even though those who sat a lot also did 60 minutes of daily / dailies exercise. Dr Alter writes: "Reducing your sit-down time by 2-3 hours each day by standing up / out at your desk, taking frequent breaks to stretch and walk, or watching TV…on your feet may be better than an expensive, crowded, smelly gym and be just what the doctor / vet ordered."

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)

_f y__ sp_nd m_st _f y__r d_ys s_tt_ng _t sch__l, w_rk, _t _ c_mp_t_r _r str_tch_d __t _n _ c__ch _t h_m_, y__ m_y b_ t_k_ng _p t_ tw_ y__rs _ff y__r l_f_. _t _s c_mm_n kn_wl_dg_ th_t _ s_d_nt_ry l_f_styl_ _ncr__s_s th_ r_sk _f h__rt d_s__s_, typ_ 2 d__b_t_s, c_nc_r _nd _b_s_ty, _nd c_n r_s_lt _n pr_m_t_r_ d__th. M_ny p__pl_ th_nk th_y c_n c_mp_ns_t_ f_r s_tt_ng _r__nd by w_lk_ng, pl_y_ng sp_rts _r g__ng t_ th_ gym. _nf_rt_n_t_ly, th_s m_ght n_t b_ s_. _ n_w st_dy j_st p_bl_sh_d _n th_ j__rn_l '_nn_ls _f _nt_rn_l M_d_c_n_' s_gg_sts th_ _ff_ct _n __r l_ng_v_ty fr_m s_tt_ng f_r l_ng p_r__ds _f t_m_ c_nn_t b_ r_v_rs_d thr__gh _x_rc_s_. _v_n 60 m_n_t_s _f d__ly _x_rc_s_ m_y n_t b_ _n__gh.

Th_ st_dy _s fr_m Dr D_v_d _lt_r _nd h_s c_ll__g__s _t T_r_nt_ _n_v_rs_ty. Dr _lt_r _nd h_s t__m _n_lys_d 47 st_d__s th_t tr_ck_d d_ff_r_nt gr__ps _f p__pl_, wh_ k_pt n_t_s _n h_w l_ng th_y s_t d_wn __ch d_y _nd h_w m_ch th_y _x_rc_s_d. Th_y f__nd th_t th_ m_st s_d_nt_ry gr__ps h_d _ 24% _ncr__s_d ch_nc_ _f dy_ng d_r_ng th_ c__rs_ _f th_ st_dy th_n th_ l__st s_d_nt_ry _n_s. Th_s r_m__n_d th_ c_s_ _v_n th__gh th_s_ wh_ s_t _ l_t _ls_ d_d 60 m_n_t_s _f d__ly _x_rc_s_. Dr _lt_r wr_t_s: "R_d_c_ng y__r s_t-d_wn t_m_ by 2-3 h__rs __ch d_y by st_nd_ng _p _t y__r d_sk, t_k_ng fr_q__nt br__ks t_ str_tch _nd w_lk, _r w_tch_ng TV…_n y__r f__t m_y b_ b_tt_r th_n _n _xp_ns_v_, cr_wd_d, sm_lly gym _nd b_ j_st wh_t th_ d_ct_r _rd_r_d."

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

if you spend most of your days sitting at school work at a computer or stretched out on a couch at home you may be taking up to two years off your life it is common knowledge that a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of heart disease type 2 diabetes cancer and obesity and can result in premature death many people think they can compensate for sitting around by walking playing sports or going to the gym unfortunately this might not be so a new study just published in the journal 'annals of internal medicine' suggests the effect on our longevity from sitting for long periods of time cannot be reversed through exercise even 60 minutes of daily exercise may not be enough

the study is from dr david alter and his colleagues at toronto university dr alter and his team analysed 47 studies that tracked different groups of people who kept notes on how long they sat down each day and how much they exercised they found that the most sedentary groups had a 24% increased chance of dying during the course of the study than the least sedentary ones this remained the case even though those who sat a lot also did 60 minutes of daily exercise dr alter writes "reducing your sit-down time by 2-3 hours each day by standing up at your desk taking frequent breaks to stretch and walk or watching tv…on your feet may be better than an expensive crowded smelly gym and be just what the doctor ordered"

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Ifyouspendmostofyourdayssittingatschool,work,atacomputerorstr
etchedoutonacouchathome,youmaybetakinguptotwoyearsoffyourli
fe.Itiscommonknowledgethatasedentarylifestyleincreasestheriskof
heartdisease,type2diabetes,cancerandobesity,andcanresultinprem
aturedeath.Manypeoplethinktheycancompensateforsittingaroundb
ywalking,playingsportsorgoingtothegym.Unfortunately,thismightn
otbeso.Anewstudyjustpublishedinthejournal'AnnalsofInternalMedic
ine'suggeststheeffectonourlongevityfromsittingforlongperiodsoftim
ecannotbereversedthroughexercise.Even60minutesofdailyexercise
maynotbeenough.ThestudyisfromDrDavidAlterandhiscolleaguesat
TorontoUniversity.DrAlterandhisteamanalysed47studiesthattracke
ddifferentgroupsofpeople,whokeptnotesonhowlongtheysatdownea
chdayandhowmuchtheyexercised.Theyfoundthatthemostsedentary
groupshada24%increasedchanceofdyingduringthecourseofthestud
ythantheleastsedentaryones.Thisremainedthecaseeventhoughthos
ewhosatalotalsodid60minutesofdailyexercise.DrAlterwrites:"Reduc
ingyoursit-downtimeby2-3hourseachdaybystandingupatyourdes
k,takingfrequentbreakstostretchandwalk,orwatchingTV…onyourfee
tmaybebetterthananexpensive,crowded,smellygymandbejustwhat
thedoctorordered."

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

"All people should work standing up." 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 the health effects of sitting. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. SITTING: Make a poster about sitting. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. SEDENTARY: Write a magazine article about leading a sedentary lifestyle. 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 a health expert. Ask him/her three questions about sitting. Give him/her three of your opinions. 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

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

T

b

T

c

F

d

T

e

F

f

T

g

F

h

F

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	couch	a.	sofa
2	sedentary	b.	inactive
3.	increases	c.	heightens
4.	compensate for	d.	cancel out
5.	periods	e.	spells
6.	colleagues	f.	co-workers
7.	analysed	g.	examined
8.	chance	h.	possibility
9.	frequent	i.	regular
10.	crowded	j.	packed

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	A couch
2.	Type 2
3.	Sitting
4.	A journal
5.	The effect of sitting on longevity
6.	The University of Toronto
7.	47
8.	Groups who sat
9.	2-3 hours
10.	Going to a gym

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

b

2.

d

3.

a

4.

c

5.

b

6.

a

7.

c

8.

a

9.

a

10.

d

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

Back to the top

Help Support This Web Site

Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Download a sample of my book "1,000 Ideas & Activities for Language Teachers".

Breaking News English

Home | Help This Site

Sitting may be dangerous for your health (9th June, 2015)

PRINT

LISTEN

READ

GRAMMAR

SPELL

WORDS