lingua house

TM

Innovation in Learning

A A GENERAL ENGLISH

Smart but lazy

Lesson code: NFKS-KCQB-DJ83-R UPPER-INTERMEDIATE

1 Warm-up
How do you spend your free time? Do you do a lot of active things or relax?

2 Key words
Match the words to their definitions.

1. reveal a. a person who is involved in an activity

2. brainy b. a quality that makes someone behave in a certain way
3. external c. clever
4. a participant d. happening outside your mind
5. quote e. results of research or an investigation
6. findings f. strong and reliable
7. robust g. to make something known to others
8. a tendency h. to say or write something that someone else has said or written

3 Reading
You are going to read an article about a scientific study that discovered that being lazy can be linked
with high intelligence. Before you read, discuss what you think the reasons might be for this connection.
Use the lines below to write down your ideas. Then read the text on the next page.

...........................................................................................
...........................................................................................
...........................................................................................
...........................................................................................
...........................................................................................
LE

You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex 1/4

AB

Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
PI

O
c

Linguahouse.com OC
P H OT

Smart but lazy
A A A A
Research suggests being lazy is a sign
of high intelligence
Results of the study revealed the thinking group were far less active than the
non-thinkers
1 New research seems to prove the theory that
brainy people spend more time lazing around.
2 Findings from a US-based study seem to support
the idea that people with a high IQ get bored less
easily, leading them to spend more time lost in
thought.
3 And active people may be more physical as they
need to stimulate their minds with external
activities, either to escape their thoughts or
because they get bored quickly.
4 Researchers from the Florida Gulf Coast
University gave a test that has been used for
decades to a group of students.
5 The questionnaire asked participants to rate how
strongly they agreed with statements such as "I
really enjoy a task that involves coming up with
new solutions to problems", and "I only think as
hard as I have to".
6 The researchers, led by Todd McElroy, then
selected 30 'thinkers' and 30 'non-thinkers' from
the candidates.
7 Over the next seven days, both groups wore a
device on their wrist which tracked their
movements and activity levels, providing a
constant stream of data on how physically active
they were.
8 Results showed the thinking group were far less
active during the week than the non-thinkers.
9 The findings of the study, published in the Journal
of Health Psychology, were described as "highly
significant" and "robust".
You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex
Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
c
Linguahouse.com
lingua house
TM
Innovation in Learning
GENERAL ENGLISH
10 But the weekends showed no difference between
the two groups, something which could not be
explained by the researchers.
11 Researchers suggested the findings could lend
weight to the idea that non-thinkers get bored
more easily, so need to fill their time with physical
activity.
12 But the downside to being brainier - and lazier -
warned Mr McElroy was the negative impact of a
sedentary lifestyle.
13 He suggested that the less active people, no
matter how clever they are, should aim to raise
their overall activity levels to improve their health.
14 The British Psychological Society quoted the
study, saying: "Ultimately, an important factor that
may help more thoughtful individuals fight their
lower average activity levels is awareness."
15 "Awareness of their tendency to be less active,
together with an awareness of the cost associated
with inactivity, more thoughtful people may then
choose to become more active throughout the
day."
16 Despite highlighting an unusual trend, researchers
said the results should be treated with caution, as
the study did not test a huge number of
participants.
Adapted from the Independent by Rebecca Flood,
August 6 2016
LE
2/4
AB
PI
O
OC
P H OT
 lingua house
TM
Smart but lazy
Innovation in Learning

A A A A GENERAL ENGLISH

4 Checking understanding
Put true (T) or false (F) next to the following statements. Say why the false answers are false.

1. The study claims more active people exercise because they want to stop thinking.
2. The study was based on a questionnaire that was developed recently.
3. Participants in the survey were put into two categories.
4. All the groups showed the same level of activity on the weekends.
5. The study may help less active people to do more exercise.
6. The results of the study were not a surprise.

5 Find the words

Find a word or phrase in the text which means ...

1. show that an idea is correct (phrase, P.1):

2. suggesting or thinking of an idea or plan (phrasal verb, P.5):
3. a continuous flow of things (collocation, P.7):
4. very important (collocation, P.9):
5. a way of living where you do little or no exercise (collocation, P.12):
6. makes no difference (phrase, P.13):
7. the consequences of not doing any physical activity (phrase, P.15):
8. knowledge or understanding of a situation (noun, P.14):

6 Collocations
Match the verbs on the left to the words on the right.

1. escape a. the theory

2. stimulate b. weight
3. treat c. with caution
4. prove d. your mind
5. lend e. your movements
6. track f. your thoughts
LE

You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex 3/4

AB

Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
PI

O
c
Linguahouse.com OC
P H OT
 lingua house
TM
Smart but lazy
Innovation in Learning

A A A A GENERAL ENGLISH

7 Talking point
Discuss any of the questions below.

1. Do you agree with what the article says? Why/why not?

2. Do you think that the number of people that they tested was large enough?
3. Do you think that you are a 'thinker' or a 'non-thinker'? Do you think that two categories were enough
for the survey? What other categories could there have been?

LE

You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex 4/4

AB

Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
PI

O
c
Linguahouse.com OC
P H OT
 lingua house
TM
Smart but lazy - Key
Innovation in Learning

A A A A GENERAL ENGLISH

1- Warm-up

Encourage a short discussion.

2- Key words

Give examples of each word where necessary. Students can work in pairs and then check with the teacher.
1. g 2. c 3. d 4. a 5. h 6. e 7. f 8. b

3- Reading

Students can work in pairs or small groups. Then discuss ideas as a class. The main conclusion of the study was
that people with a high IQ spend more time thinking, so are less likely to do active things.

4- Checking understanding

1. T
2. F - The study was based on a test that has been used for decades.
3. T - Thinkers and non-thinkers
4. F - There was no difference in activity levels on the weekends.
5. T - It could help to raise their level of awareness about being inactive.
6. F - The results highlighted an unusual trend.

5- Find the words

1. prove the theory 2. coming up with (something)

3. a constant stream 4. highly significant
5. sedentary lifestyle 6. no matter how
7. the cost associated with inactivity 8. awareness

6- Collocations

1. f 2. d 3. c 4. a 5. b 6. e

7- Talking point

Monitor the activity. Make a note of any typical errors write up useful language on the board.
LE

You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex i

AB

Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
PI

O
c
Linguahouse.com OC
P H OT