The Reading / Listening - Strength Training - Level 3

Researchers have reported that regular strength training may help us to live longer. Scientists followed the exercise habits and health of nearly 150,000 adults for 30 years. The study found that people who did moderate amounts of strength training on a regular basis had a lower risk of dying at a younger age. The researchers suggested that such exercise protected people from cardiovascular problems, such as heart disease and strokes, and mental illnesses. People in the study who did up to two hours of strength training every week had a 13 per cent lower risk of dying. There was a 19 per cent reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 27 per cent lower risk of dying from mental illnesses.

The researchers said our muscles play an important part in keeping us alive for longer. Stronger muscles provide many health benefits. Muscles help to control how much glucose, sugar, and harmful fats are in our body. If we do not keep our muscles active, they do not burn up so much sugar and fat. Instead, they are turned into body fat. Too much body fat can lead to diabetes, heart disease and other health problems. The website ZME Science advised people to do a variety of exercises. It wrote: "Keep walking, cycling, swimming, or doing whatever gets your heart rate up. But add some resistance work too." The study is published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Strength Training - Level 0,  Strength Training - Level 1   or  Strength Training - Level 2

Sources
  • https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-people-weights-longer.html
  • https://www.zmescience.com/strength-medicine/strength-training-longevity-sweet-spot/
  • https://theconversation.com/people-who-lift-weights-live-longer-new-study-284787


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. WEIGHT TRAINING: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about weight training. 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?
       researchers / strength / training / live longer / exercise / cardiovascular / dying / risk
       muscles / sugar / fat / diabetes / heart disease / cycling / swimming / heart rate
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. STRENGTH: Students A strongly believe all schoolchildren should have lessons on strength training; Students B strongly believe not. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. LIVING LONGER: How good are these things at helping us to live longer? Do you do these things? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

How Good?

You?

Exercise

 

 

Eat well

 

 

Sleep well

 

 

No bad habits

 

 

Health checks

 

 

Avoid risks

 

 
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. HABIT: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "habit". 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.

  • Walking
  • Swimming
  • Cycling
  • Jogging
  • Weight training
  • Aerobics
  • Dancing
  • Sit-ups

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. regular a. The chance that something bad may happen.
      2. habits b. Done in a usual way.
      3. moderate (adjective) c. Not too much and not too little.
      4. risk (noun) d. A serious health problem when blood cannot reach part of the brain.
      5. cardiovascular e. Made smaller or less.
      6. stroke (noun) f. Things that people do often in their daily life.
      7. reduced g. Related to the heart and blood vessels.

    Paragraph 2

      8. muscles h. A type of sugar in the blood that gives the body energy.
      9. alive i. Made available (as a book, as a research paper,  on a website, etc.) for people to read.
      10. benefits (noun) j. Different kinds of things.
      11. glucose k. Good things that help you.
      12. diabetes l. A disease that affects how the body uses sugar.
      13. variety m. Parts of the body that help you move and give you power.
      14. published n. Living and not dead.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article people who train with weights live longer.     T / F
  2. Researchers looked at the lifestyles of nearly 150,000 people.     T / F
  3. Strength training helped prevent cardiovascular diseases.     T / F
  4. People who trained for up to 2 hours a week lived 27 years longer.     T / F
  5. Muscles help to control glucose levels in our body.     T / F
  6. The article says not enough body fat can cause diabetes.     T / F
  7. A website urged people to do anything to keep their heart rate up.     T / F
  8. The study is published only in a newspaper.     T / F

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

  1. regular
  2. nearly
  3. protected
  4. illnesses
  5. risk
  6. benefits
  7. active
  8. advised
  9. a variety of
  10. published
  1. sicknesses
  2. working
  3. printed
  4. almost
  5. recommended
  6. chance
  7. frequent
  8. different
  9. pluses
  10. kept safe

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

  1. people who did moderate
  2. on a regular
  3. researchers suggested that such exercise
  4. cardiovascular
  5. a 27 per cent lower risk of dying
  6. muscles play an important part
  7. health
  8. Too much body fat can lead
  9. advised people to do a
  10. doing whatever gets your heart
  1. basis
  2. variety of exercises
  3. from mental illnesses
  4. benefits
  5. amounts
  6. rate up
  7. disease
  8. in keeping us alive
  9. to diabetes
  10. protected people

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
amounts
heart
regular
illnesses
age
risk
habits
lower

Researchers have reported that (1) ______________________________________________ strength training may help us to live longer. Scientists followed the exercise (2) ______________________________________________ and health of nearly 150,000 adults for 30 years. The study found that people who did moderate (3) ______________________________________________ of strength training on a regular basis had a lower risk of dying at a younger                     (4) ______________________________________________. The researchers suggested that such exercise protected people from cardiovascular problems, such as (5) ______________________________________________ disease and strokes, and mental illnesses. People who did up to two hours of strength training every week had a 13 per cent (6) ______________________________________________ risk of dying. There was a 19 per cent reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 27 per cent lower                             (7) ______________________________________________ of dying from mental                            (8) ______________________________________________.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
variety
alive
published
fats
cycling
part
body
benefits

The researchers said our muscles play an important (9) ______________________________________________ in keeping us (10) ______________________________________________ for longer. Stronger muscles provide many health (11) ______________________________________________. Muscles help to control how much glucose, sugar, and harmful (12) ______________________________________________ are in our body. If we do not keep our muscles active, they do not burn up so much sugar and fat. Instead, they are turned into body fat. Too much (13) ______________________________________________ fat can lead to diabetes, heart disease and other health problems. The website ZME Science advised people to do a (14) ______________________________________________ of exercises. It wrote: "Keep walking, (15) ______________________________________________, swimming, or doing whatever gets your heart rate up. But add some resistance work too." The study is (16) ______________________________________________ in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Researchers have reported that regular strength training may help us ______
     a.  to alive longer
     b.  to life longer
     c.  to live longer
     d.  to lively longer
2)  Scientists followed the exercise ______
     a.  habit and health
     b.  habits and health
     c.  habits and healthy
     d.  habitat and health
3)  people who did moderate amounts of strength training on ______
     a.  a regular basis
     b.  a irregular basis
     c.  a regular bases
     d.  a regulate basis
4)  exercise protected people from cardiovascular problems, such as heart ______
     a.  disease and steaks
     b.  disease and stokes
     c.  disease end strokes
     d.  disease and strokes
5)  There was a 19 per cent reduced ______
     a.  risk off dying
     b.  risk of dying
     c.  risk of dye in
     d.  risk of dead

6)  The researchers said our muscles play an important part in ______
     a.  keeping us alive
     b.  keeping us a life
     c.  keeping us live
     d.  keeping us relive
7)  Muscles help to control how much glucose, sugar, ______
     a.  and harms full fats
     b.  and harmfully fats
     c.  and harmful fats
     d.  and harm fully fats
8)  they do not burn up so much sugar and fat. Instead, they are turned ______
     a.  onto body fat
     b.  unto body fat
     c.  into body fat
     d.  as to body fat
9)  body fat can lead to diabetes, heart disease and ______
     a.  another health problems
     b.  other health problem
     c.  others health problems
     d.  other health problems
10)  Keep walking, cycling, swimming, or doing whatever gets your ______
     a.  heart ray top
     b.  heart rate up
     c.  heart rate top
     d.  hearts rate up

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Researchers have reported (1) __________________________________________________ training may help us to live longer. Scientists followed (2) __________________________________________________ and health of nearly 150,000 adults for 30 years. The study found that people who did moderate amounts of strength training on (3) __________________________________________________ had a lower risk of dying at a younger age. The researchers suggested that such exercise protected people from cardiovascular problems, (4) __________________________________________________ disease and strokes, and mental illnesses. People who (5) __________________________________________________ two hours of strength training every week had a 13 per cent lower risk of dying. There was a 19 per cent reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 27 per cent lower (6) __________________________________________________ from mental illnesses.

The researchers said our muscles (7) __________________________________________________ part in keeping us alive for longer. Stronger muscles provide many health benefits. Muscles help (8) __________________________________________________ much glucose, sugar, and harmful fats are in our body. If we do not keep our muscles active, they do not burn up (9) __________________________________________________ and fat. Instead, they are turned into body fat. Too much body fat can lead to diabetes, heart disease and other health problems. The website ZME Science (10) __________________________________________________ to do a variety of exercises. It wrote: "Keep walking, cycling, swimming, or doing whatever gets your (11) __________________________________________________. But add some resistance work too." The study is (12) __________________________________________________ British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Comprehension questions

  1. How many people's health data did the researchers look at?
  2. How often did people do moderate training to reduce death risks?
  3. What disease was mentioned in the article?
  4. What illnesses were mentioned in the article?
  5. What was there a 19 per cent reduced risk of dying from?
  6. What does the article say plays a key role in helping us live longer?
  7. What do muscles help to control besides glucose and sugar?
  8. What can too much body fat lead to?
  9. What did a website advise us to do a variety of?
  10. Where is the study published?

Multiple choice quiz

1) How many people's health data did the researchers look at?
a) around 150,000
b) just over 150,000
c) exactly 150,000
d) nearly 150,000
2) How often did people do moderate training to reduce death risks?
a) daily
b) on a regular basis
c) once every two days
d) twice a day
 
3) What disease was mentioned in the article?
a) influenza
b) asthma
c) cancer
d) heart disease
 
4) What illnesses were mentioned in the article?
a) cancer
b) respiratory illnesses
c) mental illnesses
d) asthma
5) What was there a 19 per cent reduced risk of dying from?
a) old age
b) stress
c) mental illnesses
d) cardiovascular disease

6) What does the article say plays a key role in helping us live longer?
a) sleep
b) protein
c) muscles
d) sunshine
7) What do muscles help to control besides glucose and sugar?
a) harmful fats
b) mood
c) intelligence
d) sleep
8) What can too much body fat lead to?
a) blisters
b) cramps
c) diabetes
d) headaches
9) What did a website advise us to do a variety of?
a) warm ups
b) exercises
c) breathing exercises
d) games
10) Where is the study published?
a) in a journal
b) in a book
c) in a newspaper
d) online

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 least enjoyable of these (and why): swimming, cycling or dancing.

Role  B – Swimming
You think swimming 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 least enjoyable of these (and why): walking, cycling or dancing.

Role  C – Cycling
You think cycling 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 least enjoyable of these (and why): swimming, walking or dancing.

Role  D – 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 least enjoyable of these (and why): swimming, cycling or walking.

After reading / listening

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

'strength'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'training'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • 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:

    • live
    • 30
    • age
    • protected
    • 13
    • 27
    • part
    • control
    • burn
    • variety
    • keep
    • journal

    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 - Strength Training

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'strength'?
    3. How strong are you?
    4. What exercise do you do?
    5. How much do you like exercising?
    6. What do you know about cardiovascular diseases?
    7. What do you know about strokes?
    8. What exercise would you like to take up?
    9. Is your smartphone making you exercise less?
    10. What advice do you have for people who hate exercise?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'training'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you know about muscles?
    5. How important are big muscles to you?
    6. What can we do to stay a healthy weight?
    7. What do you know about diabetes?
    8. Which is better - walking, cycling, or swimming?
    9. Would you like to read the published study?
    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)

    Researchers have (1) ____ that regular strength training may help us to (2) ____ longer. Scientists followed the exercise habits and health of nearly 150,000 adults for 30 years. The study found that people who did moderate amounts of strength training (3) ____ a regular basis had a lower risk of dying at a younger age. The researchers suggested that (4) ____ exercise protected people from cardiovascular problems, such as heart disease and strokes, and mental illnesses. People who did (5) ____ to two hours of strength training every week had a 13 per cent lower risk of dying. There was a 19 per cent reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 27 per cent (6) ____ risk of dying from mental illnesses.

    The researchers said our muscles play an important part (7) ____ keeping us alive for longer. Stronger muscles provide many health benefits. Muscles help to control how much glucose, (8) ____, and harmful fats are in our body. If we do not keep our muscles active, they do not burn up so much sugar and fat. Instead, they are turned into body fat. Too much body fat can (9) ____ to diabetes, heart disease and other health problems. The website ZME Science (10) ____ people to do a variety of exercises. It wrote: "Keep walking, cycling, swimming, or (11) ____ whatever gets your heart rate up. But add some resistance work too." The study is (12) ____ in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     reporter     (b)     reported     (c)     report     (d)     reporting    
    2. (a)     lively     (b)     life     (c)     alive     (d)     live    
    3. (a)     in     (b)     on     (c)     as     (d)     by    
    4. (a)     so     (b)     of     (c)     such     (d)     many    
    5. (a)     up     (b)     of     (c)     at     (d)     on    
    6. (a)     lower     (b)     lowly     (c)     low     (d)     lows    
    7. (a)     up     (b)     to     (c)     on     (d)     in    
    8. (a)     sugar     (b)     sugared     (c)     sugary     (d)     sugaring    
    9. (a)     leads     (b)     lead     (c)     leader     (d)     leading    
    10. (a)     advice     (b)     advise     (c)     advised     (d)     advising    
    11. (a)     do     (b)     does     (c)     doing     (d)     done    
    12. (a)     publish     (b)     published     (c)     publishes     (d)     publisher

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. lergrua strength training
    2. rscxeiee habits
    3. people who did omeetdar amounts
    4. tcrpedteo people from cardiovascular problems
    5. heart eidaess and strokes
    6. dying from mental lslenesis

    Paragraph 2

    1. ecssuml play an important part
    2. health esbifent
    3. control how much gucsleo
    4. body fat can lead to bitasede
    5. do a virayet
    6. the study is bpesulhid

    Put the text back together

    (    )   age. The researchers suggested that such exercise protected people from cardiovascular problems, such as heart
    (    )   disease and strokes, and mental illnesses. People who did up to two hours of strength training every
    (    )   fats are in our body. If we do not keep our muscles active, they do not burn
    (    )   habits and health of nearly 150,000 adults for 30 years. The study found that people who did moderate amounts
    (    )   longer. Stronger muscles provide many health benefits. Muscles help to control how much glucose, sugar, and harmful
    (    )   of strength training on a regular basis had a lower risk of dying at a younger
    (  1  )   Researchers have reported that regular strength training may help us to live longer. Scientists followed the exercise
    (    )   risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 27 per cent lower risk of dying from mental illnesses.
    (    )   The researchers said our muscles play an important part in keeping us alive for
    (    )   to diabetes, heart disease and other health problems. The website ZME Science advised people to do a
    (    )   up so much sugar and fat. Instead, they are turned into body fat. Too much body fat can lead
    (    )   up. But add some resistance work too." The study is published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
    (    )   variety of exercises. It wrote: "Keep walking, cycling, swimming, or doing whatever gets your heart rate
    (    )   week had a 13 per cent lower risk of dying. There was a 19 per cent reduced

    Put the words in the right order

    1. Strength   help   live   longer   may   to   training   us   .
    2. amounts   did   moderate   of   People   strength   training   who   .
    3. cardiovascular   exercise   from   people   problems   protected   Such  .
    4. A   cardiovascular   disease   dying   from   of   reduced   risk   .
    5. A   dying   from   illnesses   lower   mental   of   risk   .
    6. an   important   muscles   our   part   play   researchers   said   The   .
    7. burn   do   much   not   so   sugar   They   up   .
    8. Too   body   can   diabetes   fat   lead   much   to   .
    9. a   Advised   do   exercises   of   people   variety   to   .
    10. Doing   gets   heart   rate   up   whatever   your   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Researchers have reporting / reported that regular strength training may help us to live length / longer. Scientists followed the exercise habits and health / healthy of nearly 150,000 adults for 30 years. The study find / found that people who did moderate amounts to / of strength training on a regular basis had a lower risky / risk of dying at a younger age. The researchers suggested that such exercise protected / protection people from cardiovascular problems, such as heart disease and strokes, and mental illnesses. People who did down / up to two hours of strength training every week had a 13 per cent lower risk of / on dying. There was a 19 per cent reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 27 per cent lower risk of dying from mentally / mental illnesses.

    The researchers said our muscles playing / play an important part in keeping us alive for longer. Stronger muscles provide much / many health benefits. Muscles help to control how much glucose, sugary / sugar, and harmful fats are in our body. If we do not keep / take our muscles active, they do not burn up so much sugar and fat. Instead, they are turned into / onto body fat. Too much body fat can lead for / to diabetes, heart disease and other health problems. The website ZME Science advised / advice people to do a variety of exercises. It wrote: "Keep / Keeping walking, cycling, swimming, or doing whatever gets your heart late / rate up. But add some resistance work too." The study is published in / of the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

    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)

    R_s__rch_rs  h_v_  r_p_rt_d  th_t  r_g_l_r  str_ngth  tr__n_ng  m_y  h_lp  _s  t_  l_v_  l_ng_r.  Sc__nt_sts  f_ll_w_d  th_  _x_rc_s_  h_b_ts  _nd  h__lth  _f  n__rly  150,000  _d_lts  f_r  30  y__rs.  Th_  st_dy  f__nd  th_t  p__pl_  wh_  d_d  m_d_r_t_  _m__nts  _f  str_ngth  tr__n_ng  _n  _  r_g_l_r  b_s_s  h_d  _  l_w_r  r_sk  _f  dy_ng  _t  _  y__ng_r  _g_.  Th_  r_s__rch_rs  s_gg_st_d  th_t  s_ch  _x_rc_s_  pr_t_ct_d  p__pl_  fr_m  c_rd__v_sc_l_r  pr_bl_ms,  s_ch  _s  h__rt  d_s__s_  _nd  str_k_s,  _nd  m_nt_l  _lln_ss_s.  P__pl_  wh_  d_d  _p  t_  tw_  h__rs  _f  str_ngth  tr__n_ng  _v_ry  w__k  h_d  _  13  p_r  c_nt  l_w_r  r_sk  _f  dy_ng.  Th_r_  w_s  _  19  p_r  c_nt  r_d_c_d  r_sk  _f  dy_ng  fr_m  c_rd__v_sc_l_r  d_s__s_  _nd  _  27  p_r  c_nt  l_w_r  r_sk  _f  dy_ng  fr_m  m_nt_l  _lln_ss_s.

    Th_  r_s__rch_rs  s__d  __r  m_scl_s  pl_y  _n  _mp_rt_nt  p_rt  _n  k__p_ng  _s  _l_v_  f_r  l_ng_r.  Str_ng_r  m_scl_s  pr_v_d_  m_ny  h__lth  b_n_f_ts.  M_scl_s  h_lp  t_  c_ntr_l  h_w  m_ch  gl_c_s_,  s_g_r,  _nd  h_rmf_l  f_ts  _r_  _n  __r  b_dy.  _f  w_  d_  n_t  k__p  __r  m_scl_s  _ct_v_,  th_y  d_  n_t  b_rn  _p  s_  m_ch  s_g_r  _nd  f_t.  _nst__d,  th_y  _r_  t_rn_d  _nt_  b_dy  f_t.  T__  m_ch  b_dy  f_t  c_n  l__d  t_  d__b_t_s,  h__rt  d_s__s_  _nd  _th_r  h__lth  pr_bl_ms.  Th_  w_bs_t_  ZM_  Sc__nc_  _dv_s_d  p__pl_  t_  d_  _  v_r__ty  _f  _x_rc_s_s.  _t  wr_t_:  "K__p  w_lk_ng,  cycl_ng,  sw_mm_ng,  _r  d__ng  wh_t_v_r  g_ts  y__r  h__rt  r_t_  _p.  B_t  _dd  s_m_  r_s_st_nc_  w_rk  t__."  Th_  st_dy  _s  p_bl_sh_d  _n  th_  Br_t_sh  J__rn_l  _f  Sp_rts  M_d_c_n_.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    researchers have reported that regular strength training may help us to live longer scientists followed the exercise habits and health of nearly 150000 adults for 30 years the study found that people who did moderate amounts of strength training on a regular basis had a lower risk of dying at a younger age the researchers suggested that such exercise protected people from cardiovascular problems such as heart disease and strokes and mental illnesses people who did up to two hours of strength training every week had a 13 per cent lower risk of dying there was a 19 per cent reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 27 per cent lower risk of dying from mental illnesses

    the researchers said our muscles play an important part in keeping us alive for longer stronger muscles provide many health benefits muscles help to control how much glucose sugar and harmful fats are in our body if we do not keep our muscles active they do not burn up so much sugar and fat instead they are turned into body fat too much body fat can lead to diabetes heart disease and other health problems the website zme science advised people to do a variety of exercises it wrote keep walking cycling swimming or doing whatever gets your heart rate up but add some resistance work too the study is published in the british journal of sports medicine

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Researchershavereportedthatregularstrengthtrainingmayhelpustol
    ivelonger.Scientistsfollowedtheexercisehabitsandhealthofnearly15
    0,000adultsfor30years.Thestudyfoundthatpeoplewhodidmoderate
    amountsofstrengthtrainingonaregularbasishadalowerriskofdyingat
    ayoungerage.Theresearcherssuggestedthatsuchexerciseprotected
    peoplefromcardiovascularproblems,suchasheartdiseaseandstrokes
    ,andmentalillnesses.Peoplewhodiduptotwohoursofstrengthtraining
    everyweekhada13percentlowerriskofdying.Therewasa19percentre
    ducedriskofdyingfromcardiovasculardiseaseanda27percentlowerris
    kofdyingfrommentalillnesses.Theresearcherssaidourmusclesplaya
    nimportantpartinkeepingusaliveforlonger.Strongermusclesprovide
    manyhealthbenefits.Muscleshelptocontrolhowmuchglucose,sugar,
    andharmfulfatsareinourbody.Ifwedonotkeepourmusclesactive,they
    donotburnupsomuchsugarandfat.Instead,theyareturnedintobodyfa
    t.Toomuchbodyfatcanleadtodiabetes,heartdiseaseandotherhealthp
    roblems.ThewebsiteZMEScienceadvisedpeopletodoavarietyofexerc
    ises.Itwrote:"Keepwalking,cycling,swimming,ordoingwhatevergets
    yourheartrateup.Butaddsomeresistanceworktoo."Thestudyispublis
    hedintheBritishJournalofSportsMedicine.

    Free writing

    Write about strength training for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    We should all do everything we can to live longer. Discuss.

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    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. WEIGHT TRAINING: Make a poster about weight training. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. STRENGTH: Write a magazine article about all schoolchildren being required to work on their strength. 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 weight training. Ask him/her three questions about weight training. Give him/her three of your ideas. 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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