MAC 2_Lesson 8_Listening

How often do you exercise in a week? Is it enough?

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Do you think that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important?

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What types of exercise do you prefer doing?​ Why?

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​Exercise Routines:

​Answer the following questions.​

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​Let's practise listening!

Before we start, make sure that you are in a quiet location so that you can focus on the audio.

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-Make sure to take notes of important information from the conversation.

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-As you're listening, try to think how you would paraphrase the conversation in your own words.

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-Don't be afraid of new vocabulary. Try to determine its meaning from the context of the conversation. ​

Go to the next page when you are ready to begin​.

Open Ended

Listen to a woman discussing health and exercise with her friend, Rashmi, who is a doctor.

What does Rashmi say about the following?

1. intensive exercise versus gentle exercise

2. the kinds of exercises that she does

Take notes so that you can answer using complete ideas from the audio. (listen several times if necessary)

ANSWERS

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1. She says intensive exercise is less effective than gentle exercise and that intensive exercise means your body demands calorie compensation afterwards; this isn’t the case with less intensive exercise.

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2. She does active things that she enjoys, e.g. road cycling (rather than going to the gym or going for a run).

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​Were you able to understand all of the words in the audio? If not, how can the context of the listening topic help you in these situations? Answer: This listening is about health and fitness, most new words you hear will be related to this topic.

Check your answers:​

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Listen to the audio again:

​Listen carefully to the audio one more time. ​

This time, pay attention to any words or expressions that you didn't understand the first time.

​Try to write down these words or expressions based on the sounds​ as well as the context of the conversation. Since the context is exercise, most new vocabulary should be connected to this idea. You can do this several times if you don't understand the entire audio at first.

Now, go to the next page and follow along.​

​Read the text while listening to the audio. Were you able to take notes of new words or expressions? Research any words or expressions you didn't know.

w: How do you advise people to stay fit and healthy, Rashmi?

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r: You know, there’s so much contradictory information out there about how to keep in shape: whether you should watch your weight by controlling what you eat or by exercising; what kind of exercise regime is best, and so on. I was reading a scientific journal just this morning saying that intensive exercise, like working out at the gym, is actually less effective than gentle exercise, like going for a walk regularly in the park.

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w: Really? Why did it say that?

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r: I think the idea is that if you do really intensive exercise, then your body demands calorie compensation afterwards – in other words, you’re more likely to reward yourself with a bigger snack at the end of the session. Whereas if you just stretch your legs often or take regular gentle exercise, it doesn’t have the same effect.

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w: So what do you do? You’re in pretty good shape.

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r: Well, mainly I try not to obsess too much about my weight. I don’t go on diets and I don’t weigh myself every day. I just do active things that I enjoy. I’ve never been a fan of the gym, I have to say, and I never go for a run – I find it boring. The kids keep me pretty active anyway. But recently I’ve got into road cycling. Every couple of weeks a few of us go out for a ride in the countryside – forty or fifty kilometres. We often go up in the woods and hills around the South Downs. The scenery’s beautiful and it’s a great way to enjoy nature and stay fit at the same time.​

​Listen to the audio again. This time pause the audio after each sentence and try to repeat the text using the same pronunciation and intonation as the speaker. Make sure to put stress on the correct words.

w: How do you advise people to stay fit and healthy, Rashmi?

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r: You know, there’s so much contradictory information out there about how to keep in shape: whether you should watch your weight by controlling what you eat or by exercising; what kind of exercise regime is best, and so on. I was reading a scientific journal just this morning saying that intensive exercise, like working out at the gym, is actually less effective than gentle exercise, like going for a walk regularly in the park.

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w: Really? Why did it say that?

​

r: I think the idea is that if you do really intensive exercise, then your body demands calorie compensation afterwards – in other words, you’re more likely to reward yourself with a bigger snack at the end of the session. Whereas if you just stretch your legs often or take regular gentle exercise, it doesn’t have the same effect.

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w: So what do you do? You’re in pretty good shape.

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r: Well, mainly I try not to obsess too much about my weight. I don’t go on diets and I don’t weigh myself every day. I just do active things that I enjoy. I’ve never been a fan of the gym, I have to say, and I never go for a run – I find it boring. The kids keep me pretty active anyway. But recently I’ve got into road cycling. Every couple of weeks a few of us go out for a ride in the countryside – forty or fifty kilometres. We often go up in the woods and hills around the South Downs. The scenery’s beautiful and it’s a great way to enjoy nature and stay fit at the same time.​

Multiple Select

Look at these expressions related to exercise. Some of the expressions need a preposition to complete them.

Choose from below which expressions require a preposition.

Listen to the audio before submitting the answers to make sure they are correct.

• keep___shape

  take___exercise

• watch___your weight

  stay___fit

• stretch___your legs

  keep___active

• go___a walk/run

  go___a diet

• work___at the gym

Check your answers:

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1. keep in shape

2. take up exercise

3. go for a walk / run

4. watch your weight (no preposition)

5. go on a diet

6. stay fit (no preposition)

7. work out at the gym

8. stretch your legs (no preposition)

9. keep active (no preposition)

Your turn to practise!

Use the expressions in the last exercise and write three questions to ask a friend or classmate about their exercise routine.

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Share your questions and answers with your peers next class.

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Ex: Have your ever been on a diet?
How often do you work out at the gym?​