UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE COLOMBIA

DIRECCIÓN ACADÉMICA – SEDE BOGOTÁ

FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS HUMANAS

PROGRAMA DE SEGUNDA LENGUA – PLE

 PROGRAMA DE SEGUNDA LENGUA- PLE

INGLÉS LEVEL IV

SUBJECT CODE: 1000047

CONTENT: UNITS 7 T0 12

LEVEL: PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

 UNIT 7
How to overcome stress!
WELCOME TO UNIT 7
● Welcome!

In this unit we are going to talk about the causes and effects on the stress
in people’s lives, and how to overcome it.
Syllabus
(Check the file)
OBJECTIVES
• Students will talk about the causes and effects of the stressful situations in people’s
lives.
• Students will give pieces of advice to relieve stress.
PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE – CONTENT
Before completing this unit, it is necessary to remember:

• How to make an instant decision, promise or prediction

• How to express a suggestion or offer.
SPEAKING

Activity 1 (Classwork)
Discussion:
Have you ever been stressed out? As you may know, it is the disease of the century.

Read the statements below, and tick the ones that probably make you mad or stress you out. If none
of them do, you are unique!

❑ Tossing and turning all the night.

❑ Having conflicts with your parents/ relatives / colleagues / friends.
❑ Having an important meeting/event and getting stuck in a traffic jam on Transmi.
❑ Not having enough time to complete your assignment in your university or job.
❑ Leaving the house late and arriving late to work / university / an appointment.
❑ Being super hungry and your order takes forever, and finally, when it comes, it’s cold.
SPEAKING
Activity 2 (Classwork)
In pairs, discuss with your partner the following questions:

• Why do people get stressed? What factors contribute?

• How often do people get stressed?
• What do you think are the most stressful situations for
people?

EXPRESSING DISCOMFORT

I don’t like it when…

I hate it when…
I can’t stand it when…
… bothers me a lot
… gets on my nerves
What bothers me is when …
LISTENING
Activity 3
Watch the video ‘ON the street: Living with stress’. Based on what you hear, complete the
following chart with at least three causes and solutions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DybUc_aR5gs
LISTENING
STRESS

CAUSES SOLUTIONS

1. Studying for midterms and finals 1. Going to the skate park.

2. Money, ___________________________________ 2. _________________

3. Kids: ______________________ 3. Try to look at the bigger picture.

4. Parents:
4. Having a glass of wine or two (or three).
__________________________________________

5. Saving patients’ lives or having to deal with critical

5. Netflix. ____________________________________
conditions

6. News is very stressful. 6. Having a strong spiritual life.

7. Tattoos and ________________________.

READING
Activity 4
Read the following article ‘Myths of Stress’. After reading, match each heading with its corresponding
paragraph.

❑ Stress is everywhere, so you can't do anything about it.

❑ Stress is the same for everybody.
❑ Only major symptoms of stress require attention
❑ No symptoms, no stress.
❑ The most popular techniques for reducing stress are the best
ones.
❑ Stress is always bad for you.

Myth 1: _____________________________________________________________.
Completely wrong. Stress is different for each of us. What is stressful for one person may or
may not be stressful for another; each of us responds to stress in an entirely different way.

Myth 2: _____________________________________________________________.
According to this view, zero stress makes us happy and healthy. Wrong. Stress is to the
human condition what tension is to the violin string: too little and the music is dull and raspy;
too much and the music is shrill or the string snaps. Stress can be the kiss of death or the
spice of life. The issue, really, is how to manage it. Managed stress makes us productive and
happy; mismanaged stress hurts and even kills us.
READING

Myth 3:
____________________________________________________.
Not so. You can plan your life so that stress does not overwhelm you.
Effective planning involves setting priorities and working on simple
problems first, solving them, and then going on to more complex
difficulties. When stress is mismanaged, it's difficult to prioritize. All
your problems seem to be equal and stress seems to be everywhere.

Myth 4:
____________________________________________________.
Again, not so. No universally effective stress reduction techniques
exist. We are all different, our lives are different, our situations are
different, and our reactions are different. Only a comprehensive
program tailored to the individual works.
READING
Myth 5: _____________________________________________________________.
Absence of symptoms does not mean the absence of stress. In fact, camouflaging symptoms
with medication may deprive you of the signals you need for reducing the strain on your
physiological and psychological systems.

Myth 6: _____________________________________________________________.
This myth assumes that the "minor" symptoms, such as headaches or stomach acid, may be
safely ignored. Minor symptoms of stress are the early warnings that your life is getting out of
hand and that you need to do a better job of managing stress.
WRITING
ACTIVITY 5 (Classwork)
Identifying your stressors?
For this activity, write a paragraph where you
1) Identify what things in your life bring you the most stress
2) What needs to change for those ‘stressors’ to become less difficult in your
life?

OVERCOMING STRESS
Problem

Solutions
LISTENING
PRE-LISTENING
Activity 6 (Classwork)
In groups, read the following statement, do you agree with it? Why? Why not?

“Nowadays, being busy and stressed seems to be the new norm”

Now, discuss the following question.

▪ Is there anybody who doesn’t suffer stress these days?

▪ What signs or behaviours make you realise that you are stressed out?
▪ Can you notice when other people are stressed?
▪ What do you do to relieve stress?
LISTENING
Activity 7
Watch the video ‘Stress management strategies: ways to unwind’. After watching, drag the
causes of stress and the symptoms that identified stress.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fL-pn80s-c
LISTENING
CAUSES SYMPTOMS

Increase the risk of heart attack Memory loss High blood pressure

Disrupted sleep Upset stomach

Tense sore muscles Headaches

Increased heart
Shallow breath
rate
LISTENING
Activity 8
Watch the video ‘Stress management strategies: ways to unwind’ again, and complete the chart with the information
missing.
STRESS RELIEF
TIP ADVICE REASON
1. Stay in and a. Do a ____________ activity a. Allows _________ _________ to pare down,
____________ and focus
b. Take a ____________ bath or hot ____________ b. Triggers _________ in the body and
_________
c. Try ____________ muscle relaxation c. Allows you to _________ as a _________

2. Get out for a. Do yoga and ____________ a. Helps _________ the mind a stave off
____________ feelings of _________
b. Go ____________ for a good dose of ____________ light b. Lessens anxiety and _________ maintaining
and little ____________ (exercise) relax of calm

c. ____________ up with friends and get in a c. Creates feelings of _________ and euphoria
good____________
3. Treat yourself a. Eat ____________ a. Helps _________the blood vessels which
to ____________ reduces blood _________
b. Appeal to your ____________ of smell b. Have de-stressing _________
LISTENING
POST-LISTENING
Activity 9 (Classwork)
In groups, choose the correct option according to the last part of the video.

1. Why the incorporation of stressful strategies into your daily routine is it important?
a. because you’re feeling neurotic.
b. because life is filled with ups and downs.
c. because it is good to exercise.
SPEAKING
Activity 10 (Classwork)
Get in groups of 4 or 5. Each one of the members must think about an extreme
situation that somebody else has experienced in his/her life and has caused harmful
effects. Give him/her an advice or recommendation to help him/her overcome the
situation. Check and use the prompts in the ‘REMINDER’ section.
SPEAKING
REMINDER
GIVING ADVICE & RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Form: Should / shouldn’t

Example:

• You should do more exercise.

• You shouldn’t argue with your relatives.
• I think you should take some days off.
• I don’t think you should eat too much chocolate.

ought to or ought not to can be used instead of should or shouldn’t

• You ought to quit your job if you don’t like it.

• You ought not to spend too much money in unnecessary things.
SPEAKING
REMINDER
GIVING ADVICE, RECOMMENDATIONS, SUGGESTING & INVITING

2. Form: Why don’t you…? / How about…?

Why don’t you + verb…

How about + a noun or a noun phrase (verb-ing)...

Example:
▪ Why don’t you do some more exercise?
▪ How about doing some more exercise?
▪ How about some exercise?
SPEAKING
REMINDER
GIVING ADVICE

3. Form: If I were you, I would (not) + verb…

Example:

• If I were you, I would take a warm shower to relieve stress.

• If I were you, I wouldn’t have heavy meals before going to bed.
SPEAKING
REMINDER
GIVING ADVICE, RECOMMENDATIONS & SUGGESTIONS

4. Form: I would suggest / I would recommend

I would suggest not / I would recommend not + verb-ing…

Example:

• I would suggest taking yoga classes to get some relaxation.

• I would recommend doing some more exercise to keep you fit.
• I would suggest not wasting too much time changing diets.
SPEAKING
REMINDER

GIVING A STRONGER ADVICE OR WARNING

5. Form: ‘d better + verb … (You’d better + verb…)

‘d better not + verb… (You’d better not + verb…)

Example:
• You’d better sleep at least 7 hours, otherwise, you’ll feel tired all day long.
• You’d better not drink alcohol before driving.
WRITING
ACTIVITY 11 (Classwork)
OVERCOMING STRESS!
After having shared the extreme situations within your groups, decide which is
the most difficult to cope with. Now, create an original poster giving
recommendations and pieces of advice for relieving stress in that specific
situation. Use the following chart to write down your ideas. Share it with your
classmates!. (To do this activity, use the expressions in the reminder section).

OVERCOMING STRESS
Problem

Recommendations
READING
FREE-ACTIVITY
Activity 12
Do you know how much stress is there in your life? To figure it out, in your free time go to the
‘Greater Good Magazine’ website and take the ‘Stress and Anxiety quiz’

Click on the link: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/quizzes/take_quiz/stress_and_anxiety

CONGRATULATIONS!
You have finally completed this unit. Now you can:

● Talk about the causes and effects of the stress in people’s lives.
● Give advice on how to relieve stress.
 REFERENCES

• Video – ‘ON the street: Living with stress’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAX3FbzmfE4

• Video – ‘Stress management strategies: ways to unwind’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fL-pn80s-c
• Article – ‘Myths of Stress’: http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-myths.aspx
• Quiz – ‘Stress and Anxiety quiz’ https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/quizzes/take_quiz/stress_and_anxiety
Credits
PLE Coordinator: Nohra Vargas B., M.A. in ELT

ELT Designer/Editor: Paula Melissa Vera Diettes, M.A. in Linguistics

ELT Editor: Bridget Mary Roche, B.A. in Linguistics, English as an Additional

Language Education. Fulbright English Teaching Assistant.