The Reading / Listening - Level 1

Scientists say happy things can also make us brokenhearted. A broken heart is a real illness. It's not just sadness we feel. We get something called broken heart syndrome because of stress, and during bad times, such as relationship breakups, deaths in a family, or the loss of a job. The medical name for this is Takotsubo Syndrome (TTS). People can get it when happy things happen. Doctors have called it "happy heart syndrome".

The study is in the European Heart Journal. Dr Jelena Ghadri analysed data from 1,750 patients with TTS from nine countries. She found that 20 of these had TTS because of a happy event. The patients had heart problems after birthdays, weddings, favourite sports teams winning, and the birth of grandchildren. Dr Ghadri said our body thinks happy and sad events are similar, so both can result in Takotsubo Syndrome.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-03-happiness-heart.html
  • http://www.healthaim.com/happy-heart-syndrome-scientists-find-happiness-can-break-heart-kill-people/43668#ixzz41q69o85e
  • http://www.livescience.com/53919-broken-heart-syndrome-linked-to-positive-emotions.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.

A broken heart

a.

bad times

2.

It's not just sadness

b.

Takotsubo Syndrome

3.

during

c.

of a job

4.

relationship

d.

syndrome

5.

the loss

e.

is a real illness

6.

The medical name for this is

f.

things happen

7.

People can get it when happy

g.

breakups

8.

happy heart

h.

we feel



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 is in the European

a.

events are similar

2.

analysed data from

b.

teams winning

3.

from nine

c.

in Takotsubo Syndrome

4.

because of a happy

d.

1,750 patients

5.

favourite sports

e.

Heart Journal

6.

the birth of

f.

event

7.

our body thinks happy and sad

g.

countries

8.

both can result

h.

grandchildren

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Scientists say happy things (1) ___________________ brokenhearted. A broken heart is (2) ___________________. It's not just sadness we feel. We get something called broken heart syndrome (3) ___________________, and during bad times, such as relationship breakups, deaths in a family, (4) ___________________ a job. The medical name for this is Takotsubo Syndrome (TTS). People (5) ___________________ happy things happen. Doctors (6) ___________________ "happy heart syndrome".

The (7) ___________________ European Heart Journal. Dr Jelena Ghadri analysed (8) ___________________ patients with TTS from nine countries. She (9) ___________________ of these had TTS because of a happy event. The patients had heart problems after birthdays, weddings, (10) ___________________ winning, (11) ___________________ grandchildren. Dr Ghadri said our body thinks happy and sad events are similar, (12) ___________________ Takotsubo Syndrome.

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Scientistssayhappythingscanalsomakeusbrokenhearted.Abrokenh
eartisarealillness.It'snotjustsadnesswefeel.Wegetsomethingcalled
brokenheartsyndromebecauseofstress,andduringbadtimes,suchasr
elationshipbreakups,deathsinafamily,orthelossofajob.Themedicaln
ameforthisisTakotsuboSyndrome(TTS).Peoplecangetitwhenhappyt
hingshappen.Doctorshavecalledit"happyheartsyndrome".Thestudy
isintheEuropeanHeartJournal.DrJelenaGhadrianalyseddatafrom1,7
50patientswithTTSfromninecountries.Shefoundthat20ofthesehadT
TSbecauseofahappyevent.Thepatientshadheartproblemsafterbirth
days,weddings,favouritesportsteamswinning,andthebirthofgrandc
hildren.DrGhadrisaidourbodythinkshappyandsadeventsaresimilar,s
obothcanresultinTakotsuboSyndrome.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

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g)

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h)

________________________________________________________

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Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

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h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about broken hearts for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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