HEALTH AND FITNESS

1Do you have any unhealthy habits?

Well, everyone is addicted to some habit which they try to change. And am one among them. My work
priorities are such that I reach home around 8 pm. I feel lazy to cook, so I go to bed with an empty stomach
or order a takeaway. 
2In what ways do you try to stay healthy?
I try to stay healthy by eating a well-balanced, low-fat diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Thereafter, I workout for a minimum of 40 minutes and meditate for 20 minutes. It is important for everyone
to focus on the fitness level to stay healthy. 
3Is it easy to keep fit where you live?
Yes, it’s quite easier for me to stay fit where I live, because there are several fitness centers and gymnasiums
located within the vicinity of my area where many individuals and middle-aged people come to workout. 
4What do you think is more important, eating healthy or doing exercise?
In my opinion, eating a healthy diet and exercise are quite essential for long-term weight loss and overall
health care. We need to balance both food and exercise for healthy living. Therefore, a person must eat
healthily and exercise regularly to achieve long-lasting results.
5What are the health benefits of playing a sport?
There are several health benefits of playing a sport. Physical activity can give a better chance to build your
muscles and burn fat. Sports can give physical fitness and as well mental strength. Active participation in
physical activities and sports have a tremendous impact on the human body. 
6Have you ever had any habits which you consider to be unhealthy?
Well, there are many unhealthy habits that I would like to discard straight away. Some of them are
procrastinating physical exercises, eating junk foods, taking irregular meals, and skipping breakfast or eating
late at night. 
7Do you think more about your health now than when you were younger?
Of course! I do think about my health now more than when I was younger. During the school days, My
mother was concerned about my health and even now she is. But now as I am working and staying in a
hostel, it has all come up on me. Initially, I was careless and didn’t take care of myself. But, with time, I’ve
realized the importance of health and ensure that I practice eating healthy foods and workout on a regular
basis. 
8What are the health benefits of playing a sport?
I think playing sports benefit us both physically and mentally. When you play sports, you are giving your
body time to build muscles, and burn fat. Therefore, you will be fitter and stronger. Also, you are giving
your body time to relax. That’s why I enjoy working out so much.
Describe a time when you were ill
You should say :
 when this was
 what your symptoms were
 how long the illness lasted and say how it affected your life at the time
Sample Answer
Well, I’ve never been seriously ill, but I can remember a couple of weeks ago, I had taken leave for 3 days
because I was under the weather.
I was walking back home from work and it suddenly started to rain cats and dogs, so I got wet. The next
day when I woke up, I was a bit off-color. I still remember feeling poorly, even I got a headache, a sore
throat, chesty cough, and a blocked nose.  I decided to see my GP for a check-up. My GP said that
I caught a heavy cold and had to take a lot of medicines. I was in charge of a project presentation at that
time, and due to the situation, I had no choice but to phone in sick and reschedule the presentation until
this week. But thank God, I was over the worst of it and made a speedy recovery after 3 days of suffering.
Vocabulary For Cue Card
 Take leave: to use time permitted to be away from work
Eg: John has taken leave on half-pay. 
 To be under the weather: (informal) to not feel well
Eg: After returning from her vacation, she felt under the weather and took a leave from work. 
 Rain cats and dogs: rain heavily
Eg: It was raining cats and dogs. 
  A blocked nose: when the nose has excess fluid due to a cold
Eg: Rose has a sore throat and a blocked nose. 
 To be a bit off-color: to feel a little ill
Eg: John’s been a bit off-color for the past two days. 
 A sore throat: inflammation that causes pain when swallowing
Eg: Mary has a severe cold and a sore throat. 
 Chesty cough: a cough caused by congestion around the lungs
Eg: Since He’s a chain smoker, and has a chesty cough.
 Catch a heavy cold: have a bad cold
Eg: Since I got drenched in the rain last, I had caught a heavy cold. 
 To be in charge of: take over something; responsible for something
Eg: The old man is in the charge of taking care of the mansion. 
 To phone in sick: to call work to explain you won’t be attending work due to illness
Eg: Rose has again called in sick today. 
 To be over the worst: to have got through the most serious or uncomfortable stage of an illness
Eg: The damage in his lungs seems to be over the worst
 Made a speedy recovery: to recover quickly from an illness
 Eg: The doctor wished John a speedy recovery. 
1Do you think people pay enough attention to their health today?
No, I don’t think so. Nowadays, most people are leading a sedentary lifestyle where they don’t have enough
time to look after themselves. They don’t pay attention to their diet and hardly workout. But there are a few
self-conscious people who are aware of their health and prefer eating a healthy diet and doing some physical
activities in their life to ensure they’re healthy.
2What costs are involved when you are ill in your country?
In my country, the costs depend upon the kind of hospitals we prefer. There are government hospitals that
are less expensive than private hospitals. In private hospitals, we have to pay a fortune to get our treatment
done. However, it is up to us to choose the hospitals wisely.
3Do you think most people worry more about their health as they get older?
Of course! In my opinion, once a person hits the 40s, they’re more likely to get signs of diseases and
conditions like blood pressure, heart attack etc. So they become health-conscious and take precautionary
measures. 
4How can people be encouraged to stay healthy?
One of the best ways a person can be encouraged to stay healthy is by talking to them about the health
benefits. They can even promote health benefits through advertisements. People will get motivated and
adopt a healthy lifestyle.
5What are the most popular ways of keeping healthy in your country?
 There are many ways to stay healthy and in my country, a majority of the youngsters prefer working out in
gym and fitness center, while the middle-aged men and women prefer doing yoga, pilates, squats, and other
exercises, and the old people prefer walking or jogging in the early morning to remain healthy. 
6Why do you think some people continue bad habits when they know that they are damaging to their
health?
Although some people know that bad habits are damaging their health, they continue to follow them. This is
because they have attached themselves to bad habits.  As the saying goes ‘bad habits die hard’  it becomes
difficult for the people to stop doing things that they’ve inculcated in their daily routine. 
7Do women pay more attention to their health than men?
Not exactly! Women in my country always pay more attention to the health of their husbands and kids rather
than paying attention to themselves. But they make sure that they don’t involve themselves in bad habits that
would have an impact on their health. 
8Do you think people have become more health-conscious in recent years?
Obviously, Yes! Nowadays, many people have become health conscious which is a positive sign. It may be
because of the influence of their favorite actors who portray the importance of health benefits on television.
Moreover, everyone wishes to live a long and illness-free life. So they have realized the importance of a
healthy lifestyle.
9How can children learn to have a healthy lifestyle?
Children should be taught to stay healthy from the day they start going to school. Moreover, they are
influenced by people around them. So, as a society, we should adopt a healthy lifestyle which will influence
the children. Instilling a healthy lifestyle in children can help in building the framework of healthy habits till
the end of their life. 
10Do you think the government should promote a healthy lifestyle among the citizens?
According to me, yes, the government should promote a healthy lifestyle among the citizens by setting up
campaigns about the awareness of chronic diseases. They can impose tax on junk foods, build a public park
for the citizens to exercise in the morning, forecast a program and advertisement regarding the healthy
lifestyle on TV and radio. 
11Would you say modern science and technology has more of a positive or a negative influence on
people’s health?
There are various ways in which modern science and technology has helped the human race such as curing
diseases through operations/surgeries. Modern Science has simplified the concept of  health in daily life, by
giving important details and opportunities for treatment quickly and accurately. Yet, there are some negative
impacts of using these technologies. But they are minimal.
A Healthy Lifestyle and the Workplace
1What would be the results of having employees who are not healthy?
If an employee is unhealthy, he may be a negative influence on the other employees. They may follow suit.
As the saying goes “one bad apple may ruin the entire bunch”, the negative demeanor of the employee can
affect the people around him. This would affect the company’s productivity, reputation, and profitability. 
2Do you think this might have an effect on the economy of the country?
Well, I think it might affect the economy of the country as health impacts economic growth in several ways.
For example, it leads to production losses due to worker illness and increased absenteeism rates.
3Do you think work stress is a health issue?
It may not exactly be called a health issue but work stress certainly has adverse effects on employee’s
mental health such as decreased energy levels and insomnia. Employees stressed at work are found to
engage themselves in unhealthy habits such as cigarette smoking, consumption of alcohol, and poor eating
habits. 
4How could work stress be reduced?
Work stress can affect a person’s physical and emotional well-being. To reduce the work stress levels, a
person can meditate for 10 to 15 minutes, organise and prioritize his tasks by making notes. He/She can
form a healthy relationship with colleagues and talk to them or do a 5-minute exercise to relieve the stress.
They can make it a practice to take a deep breath and start work in a calm and composed manner.