EF p 162. The Impact Of Food and Exercise On Our Health. Speaking Interaction Sample. Cloze

 

Tom: Hi, Emily! Lovely to see you—how have you been?

Emily: Hi, Tom! I’m doing really well, thanks. Just wrapped up a session at the gym, actually.

Tom: Oh really? Good for you! I must admit, I’ve been meaning to get back into exercising, but somehow I keep putting it (1)__________________. Has it made much of a difference for you?

Emily: Absolutely! It’s been transformative, both physically and mentally. Not only (2)_____________ I feel fitter, butI’ve also noticed a boost in my mood and energy levels. To be honest, I never expected it to have such a wide-ranging impact.

Tom: Wow, that’s impressive. I’ve been feeling sluggish lately, and frankly, a bit out of shape. If I’d known it would make such a difference, I might (3)_____________ started sooner! Any suggestions for getting back into it?

Emily: Definitely. First and foremost, start small—setting unrealistic goals only leads to frustration. For instance, even going for a brisk walk every (4)_____________ day can be a great place to begin.

Tom: That seems doable. I always thought I needed to go all in from the start, but your way sounds more sustainable.

Emily: Exactly. And another thing—choose activities you actually enjoy. Were you to pick something dull just for the sake of fitness, chances (5)_____________ you won’t stick with it. Dancing, swimming, football—whatever keeps you moving and smiling.

Tom: That’s a good point. I’ve always loved playing football, so perhaps I should join a casual team or have a kickabout with some friends.

Emily: That’s the spirit! And finally, consistency is key. (6)_______________ missing a session now and then is no disaster, making exercise a habit is what really brings results.

Tom: Thanks for the encouragement, Emily. I genuinely feel more motivated now. Speaking of health, I suppose food plays an equally important role, doesn’t it?

Emily: It certainly does! In fact, even if you exercise regularly, a poor diet can seriously undermine your efforts. You know what they say— you are (7)______________ you eat!

Tom: I’ve heard that one before. I must confess, though, my diet’s been rather dreadful lately—too much fast food and not enough greens.

Emily: Don’t beat yourself up—we all fall into bad habits sometimes. The good news is, making even a few changes can have a big impact. For starters, try to prioritise whole, unprocessed foods—think fresh vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.

Tom: Right, makes sense. And I suppose cutting back (8)______________ snacks is part of the plan too?

Emily: Spot on. Portion control is another game-changer. All (9)____________ often, we eat mindlessly, especially when we’re stressed or distracted. Smaller plates, conscious eating—it all helps.

Tom: Guilty as charged! I definitely snack more when I’m anxious or bored.

Emily: You’re not alone. Being aware of that is already a step in the right direction. Oh, and one more thing—stay hydrated. People often underestimate how vital water is for everything from digestion to concentration.

Tom: I always forget that! I’ll start keeping a bottle of water on me more often.

Emily: That’s a great idea. Remember, making lasting changes isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being consistent. Small, manageable steps will get you there.

Tom: Thanks, Emily. I really appreciate all the advice—you’ve given me a lot to think about!

Emily: Anytime, Tom. I’m rooting (10)_______________ you! Let me know how it goes—I’d love to hear about your progress.

 

 

 

 

 

KEY

 

 

1. off 

2. do

 

 

 

 

3. have 

4. other

 

 

 

 

 

5. are 

6. Although

 

 

 

 

7. what 

8. on

 

 

 

 

9. too 

10. for

EF C1.1 p 129. Health and Medicine

 

EF p 129. Health and Medicine. Speaking Monologue. Sample Answer. Cloze 

Health. Extra Speaking

EF p 129. Health and Medicine. Speaking Mock Exam

EF p 129. Health and Medicine. Speaking Mock Exam

 TOPIC 4: HEALTH                                                                    Preparation time: 5 minutes

PART 1. CONVERSATION

Talk to each other about some or all of the following. (8 minutes approx.)

1. What do you think about our health care system? 

2. How can we help teens to develop healthy eating habits?

3. What are the negative effects of not living a healthy lifestyle?

4. Traditional versus alternative medicine. Which one do you prefer? Why?

PART 2. MONOLOGUE

Talk about at least two of the following ideas. (4 minutes approx.) The examiner may ask you further questions about the topic.

CANDIDATE A

1. Health benefits of regular physical activity.

2. Ways to cope with work stress and avoid burnout

3. What do you think about new diet trends? Are they all healthy?

CANDIDATE B

1. Health benefits of social interaction .

2. What advice do you hear about getting and staying healthy?

3. What do you think are the benefits or potential dangers of online medical advice? Would you consult a medical service on the Internet?

EF p 129. Health and Medicine. Monologue. Sample Answer. Cloze

1. To what extent should alternative medicine be integrated into conventional healthcare systems? What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of such integration?

2. Although mental health is just as important as physical health, it is often neglected. Why do you think this is the case, and what measures could be taken to address the imbalance?

3. With increasing access to online health information, many people are experiencing 'cyberchondria' — excessive health anxiety fuelled by internet searches. What are the causes and consequences of this trend, and how might it be managed?

Sample answer:

Health in the Modern World: A Holistic Approach

To begin (1)____________, health – in all its forms – is absolutely fundamental to our well-being, both as individuals and as a society. In today’s fast-paced and highly connected world, we’re no longer just focused on curing illness. We’re increasingly looking at how to integrate alternative therapies, prioritise mental health, and cope with the overwhelming (2)______________ of online health information. So today, I’d like to explore these three key aspects and how they interconnect.

---

1. Alternative Medicine: A Complementary Approach?

First and (3)________________, let’s take a look at the integration of alternative medicine into conventional healthcare systems. It is generally accepted that treatments (4)________________ acupuncture, herbal remedies, and chiropractic care have grown in popularity in recent years. From my (5)_____________ of view, there is value in incorporating some of these therapies – but only when they’re backed by scientific evidence and properly regulated.

For example, mindfulness programmes and acupuncture are now used alongside traditional treatments for stress and chronic pain – a sign that collaboration can work. However, there can be no (6)______________ that many alternative therapies still lack the rigorous testing that conventional medicine requires. What’s (7)_________________, inconsistent regulation could lead to confusion or even exploitation of patients.

(8)____________ short, I believe we need a balanced approach: openness to new ideas, but always grounded in solid, evidence-based research.

---

2. Mental Health: Ending the Stigma

(9)________________ examining that, let’s now (10)_______________ on to the topic of mental health – something which, as everyone (11)________________, is just as important as physical health, yet still often neglected.

Why is this the case? I strongly (12)______________ that the stigma surrounding mental illness plays a major (13)_____________. To my (14)______________, many people still feel embarrassed or even ashamed to seek help. On (15)_____________ of that, healthcare systems often prioritise physical conditions, leaving mental health services chronically underfunded.

So what can be (16)_______________? First of (17)______________, we must educate people from an early age – mental health should be (18)_______________ about as openly as physical health. Besides, governments need to invest more heavily in accessible support services. Let’s not forget workplaces either – they can play a crucial role in promoting well-being through supportive workplace practices and mental health days.

All things (19)___________________, a healthy society requires both body and mind to be equally (20)________________ for.

---

3. Cyberchondria: The Perils of Dr Google

This (21)________________ directly to my next point – cyberchondria, or the anxiety caused by compulsively searching for symptoms online. Have you ever (22)______________ why something so simple can cause so much distress?

It (23)_______________ to me that the combination of easy access to information and a lack of medical training creates the perfect (24)______________. People want answers quickly, and the internet often shows the most extreme possibilities first. As a (25)______________, a mild headache can suddenly seem life-threatening.

The consequences are serious – unnecessary panic, self-diagnosis, wasted resources, and sometimes even delaying proper medical treatment.

So how do we manage this? Firstly, public education is vital – people need to learn how to distinguish between reliable and (26)_______________ sources. In (27)________________, healthcare providers should offer vetted online tools to help guide patients. And finally, tech platforms must take more responsibility (28)________________ how they present health content.

---

Conclusion

All things (29)_______________, health today is about much more than medication or hospital visits. It’s about finding balance – between traditional and alternative approaches, between body and mind, and between knowledge and anxiety in the digital age.

As I (30)_____________ it, the future of health depends on three key principles: open-mindedness, critical thinking, and collaboration – between medical professionals, policymakers, and the public.

To put it simply: take care of your body, nurture your mental health, and use technology wisely – to empower us, not to overwhelm us.

To (31)_________________ up, health is no longer just a medical issue — it’s a human one. 

Well, I truly appreciate you (32)______________ the time to listen, it’s been a pleasure sharing these thoughts with you.

KEY

1. with

2. amount

3. foremost

4. like

5. point

6. doubt

7. more

8. In

9. After

10. move

11. knows

12. believe

13. role

14. mind

15. top

16. done

17. all

18. talked

19. considered

20. cared

21. leads

22. wondered

23. seems

24. storm

25. result/ consequence

26. unreliable

27. addition

28. for

29. considered

30. see

31. sum

32. taking

EF p 85. The Conversation: Stress. Listening

 Do you think life today is more stressful than it used to be?

 

Sample answer:

I Do you think life today is more stressful than it used to be?
J I (1)____________ think it’s more stressful than it used to be, and I think a big part of that is, sort of, online culture and social media. (2)______________, everything you do is online, everyone can comment on what you’re doing. You’re, sort of, seeing yourself against – you’re pitted against everyone else in your career field, doing everything, the same things as you and, and you never, sort of, get satisfaction anymore, because you’ll do something and think you’ve done really well, and then you’ll go online, share it, look at what other people have done and then suddenly everyone else seems to be doing so much more than you.
Id I think it’s – using that phrase ‘pitted against other people’ is really interesting, because it, it sort of highlights the fact that life at the moment is more about being in competition with other people (3)_________ than achieving things for yourself. And I think you’re (4)_____________ right, it’s all about comparing yourself, this constant comparing, (5)____________ consciously or unconsciously, with other people. I (6)____________, I remember a time – I imagine you do as well – where things were slower, as well. The pace of life and the things that you did were slower so that was a different kind of stress. So, you know if you’d write a letter to achieve something you’d have to wait for that response and there was nothing you could do in between, (7)_______________ now you send an email, you’re expected to do a million things before you get a response and you’re expected to be reachable at all times, whereas before it was more about doing things because of need, rather than want, I think.
Jo Sure, sure. There’s no hiding place nowadays, that’s the problem, and you are so easily exposed to everybody around you and there’s reality shows and all sorts of things. People want to succeed so quickly, whereas many, many times, years ago, you, you (8)____________ never succeed that quickly, you would begin to build a career for yourself, or, um, meet people and, and then open yourself out to the outside world. But nowadays it’s like ‘Now. I want it now.’
Id Yeah.
Jo And it’s a need, rather than a want.
Id And I think the definition of success has changed as well.
Jo (9)_________________. 

KEY

 

 

 

1. definitely 

2. So

 

 

 

 

3. rather 

4. absolutely

 

 

 

 

 

5. whether 

6. mean

 

 

 

 

 

7. whereas  

8. would

 

 

 

 

9. Absolutely

EF p 84. Talking About Stress and Relaxation. Part 3. Listening

Not only can life at University be fun and exciting, but it may also be (1)________________.

 

Apart from feeling the stress of their studies, young people may miss the (2)_____________ they were used to getting when they were at home. 

 

When people are under the influence of stress they may find it much more challenging to (3)___________ information. 

Another source of stress is in some cases what (4)__________ students after they finish their studies i.e. (5)___________ to repay.

 

The five-minute free back (6)___________ are given in order to provide students with other stress reduction and wellness (7)____________. 

 

The stressbusters experiences help students complete the tasks at (8)____________.

 

 

 

 

KEY 

1. rewarding

 

 

 

 

 

2. support

 

 

 

 

 

3. recall 

4. awaits

 

 

 

 

5. loans 

6. rubs

 

 

 

 

7. resources 

8. hand

buster: (usually in compounds; often used in newspapers) a person or thing that stops or gets rid of something. Sp. que combate, destructor. E.g. crime-busters.

 

task at hand: the work someone is doing now. Sp. tarea en cuestión/ que nos ocupa. E.g. I need to concentrate on the task at hand. 

Script:

Part 3
I Are some age groups more susceptible to stress than others?
J Stress is a very democratic occurrence, so older people are stressed, college students are stressed, babies get stressed, 30-somethings get stressed, men are stressed, women are stressed, so, er, it’s hard to say if one group is more stressed than another.
I What makes students stressed? How does stress affect their lives or their studies, and what are the most stressful times in a typical student's life?
J College, and being a student can be really fun and exciting and rewarding. There are also a lot of stressors associated with it: there’s the studying, there’s the pressure to do well on exams so that you can get a better job and perhaps make more money. You are in a different environment that doesn’t have the same support that you used to have, especially if you were back home. Er, there is the social stress of needing to meet new people, and also for a lot of young people, especially those in their teens and twenties, we see a lot of mental, er, health issues arise and there’s a greater need to get help for, er, them while in school, but if you’re not with your usual support network, it’s even more challenging sometimes to do so. Stress makes it difficult to study, to focus, to concentrate. When you’re sitting down to take an exam and you studied really hard for the exam, and then all of a sudden you're having trouble remembering what you studied, stress can play a big role in making it more difficult for us to recall information. If you're doing a presentation, public speaking, that can be very stressful for a lot of students as well as professionals. In fact, still, public speaking is feared more than death by most people. Then there’s the financial stress of being in school, not only, er, not having a lot of money to spend on things that you want to do, fun activities, but what awaits you when you graduate, which for many, er, students is a lot of financial, er, stress and loans to repay. So being a student – great fun, and also can provide a lot of – great stress.
I You set up Stressbusters as an anti-stress programme for students. Can you tell us something about it and how it works?
J We train teams of students to provide five-minute free back rubs at events all over campus, all year long, and people on campus come to the events, and not only do they get an amazing stress-relieving back rub, but they also learn about other stress reduction and wellness resources on campus that we train our students to provide. And we have seen incredible reductions in feelings of stress, tension, anxiety, lowering of feelings of being overwhelmed, from before someone has the Stressbusters experience to after. We also find students telling us that they're better able to cope with their stressors and they're better able to complete the tasks that they have at hand after they have one of our Stressbusters experiences.

EF p 77. The Chocolate Meditation. Listening

It is believed that mindfulness (1)_________________ the delights of everyday living. As a matter of fact, even the most insignificant experiences can become (2)________________ again.

Firstly, before (3)___________________ the chocolate bar, choose one you are not so familiarised with. It doesn't matter if it's dark and (4)___________________, organic, or (5)________________. It could be one you consume only (6)_______________.

As you unwrap it, become aware of how the (7)_____________________ feels.

While you are (8)_____________________ the aroma, let it (9)_________________ over you.

Having broken a piece off, let your eyes (10)______________/ ______________ its appearance at the same time that you also examine every (11)______________/ _____________/ _____________.

When (12)________________ it in your mouth, observe how the tongue receives it.

Pay attention to any attempts to (13)_____________ it.

In case your mind starts (14)_____________________ imagine gently (15)_________________ it back to the present moment.

While you are (16)_____________________ it let it (17)____________________ down your throat.

What do you (18)____________/_____________ the fact that it seemed to taste better?

If we weren't on (19)_____________________, we wouldn't miss so much of our everyday lives.

Mindfulness helps us to bring (20)______________________ to the ordinary tasks of daily living.

KEY

1. (greatly) enhances

2. captivating

3. unwrapping

4. flavoursome

flavoursome: having a lot of flavour 

E.g. The sauce was particularly flavoursome.

5. fair-trade

fair-trade: involving trade that supports producers in low-income countries by paying fair prices and making sure that workers have good working conditions and fair pay.

E.g.

We buy our bananas from fair-trade sources. 

a range of fair-trade foods

6. rarely

7. wrapping

8. inhailing

9. sweep 

sweep over: to move over and cover someone or something.

E.g. 

Floodwaters swept over the small town.

10. drink in

drink something in ​to look at or listen to something with great interest and pleasure. Sp. absorber.

E.g.

We just stood there drinking in the scenery.

11. nook and cranny

every nook and cranny every part of a place; every aspect of a situation.

E.g.

The wind blew into every nook and cranny. 

We looked in every nook and cranny. Sp. buscamos hasta el último rincón

She always explored every nook and cranny of a business deal.

12. popping

13. chew

14. wandering

wander: 

(mind) to move without much control to other ideas.

E.g.

Try not to let your mind wander.

15. escorting

16. swallowing

17. trickle

trickle: to flow slowly in a thin stream.

E.g.

Tears were trickling down her cheeks.

18. make of

make of something: If you ask a person what they make of something, you want to know what their impression, opinion, or understanding of it is.

19. autopilot

autopilot: /ˈɔːtəʊpaɪlət/ (also automatic pilot /ˌɔːtəmætɪk ˈpaɪlət/)

be on autopilot/automatic pilot ​to do something without thinking because you have done the same thing many times before.

E.g.

I got up and dressed on autopilot.

20. awareness