P a g e 1 IELTS Speaking Practice Speaking Task Speak about something you, or someone you know, does that is a good thing to do for your health You should say: How it is good for your health How popular this thing is If there are any possible negative effects And say if you think this thing will become more or less popular in the future, and why. Extract 1 [Why Exercise?] Benefits of regular physical activity include a reduced risk of: heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, osteoporosis, and obesity. In addition, many people feel better in themselves. Regular physical activity helps you to control your weight, and may help ease stress, anxiety, and depression. Ideally, you should do at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity, at least five days per week For example, a daily brisk walk of about two miles is a realistic goal for many people and can have a big impact on health risk. Aerobic activities are those that make the heart and lungs work harder. Basically, anything that makes your heart rate increase, and makes you at least mildly out of breath. For example: brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, dancing, badminton, tennis, etc. You can even use normal activities as part of your physical activity routine. For example, fairly heavy housework, DIY, or gardening can make you mildly out of breath and mildly sweaty. Consider a brisk walk to work or to the shops instead of using a car or bus. P a g e 2 To gain health benefits you should do at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity, on most days (at least five days per week). · 30 minutes per day is probably the minimum to gain health benefits. However, you do not have to do this all at once. For example, cycling to work and back 15 minutes each way adds up to 30 minutes. Try to increase the amount to 40-60 minutes per day if you can. · Moderate physical activity means that you get warm, mildly out of breath, and mildly sweaty. It does not have to be intense. · On most days. You cannot 'store up' the benefits of physical activity. You need to do it regularly. At least five days a week is recommended. Realistically, walking is likely to be the activity chosen by many people. This is fine as brisk walking is an excellent moderate physical activity. P a g e 3 Extract 2 [Eating Healthily] Why is healthy eating important? In adults, healthy eating can help you manage your weight and will improve your overall feeling of well-being. It can also reduce your risk of developing illness and serious disease. For children, the right balance of foods will give them all the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development. It also helps to educate them to eat healthily and can reduce the risk of serious diseases later in life. What is a healthy diet? A healthy diet contains: · plenty of starchy foods like bread, rice, pasta, breakfast cereals, potatoes, yams and sweet potatoes -look for higher fibre versions where possible (like wholemeal bread or pasta) · at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables daily · moderate amounts of dairy products (or alternatives) -look for low fat versions where possible · moderate amount of meat, fish or alternatives like eggs, beans, peas and lentils -look for lower fat versions where possible · the occasional treat (foods that are higher in fat, salt or added sugar should only be eaten in moderation) · little salt -always read the label Healthy eating tips -getting your five a day Eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day is an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet. By following the 5-aday guidelines, you could reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease and other conditions. Fruit and vegetables help set you up for a healthier lifestyle. Best of all, there is so much variety to choose from, all year long, there's enough to keep even the fussiest eaters happy. P a g e 4 To get the best health benefits, your 5 A DAY portions should include a combination of a variety of fruit and vegetables. That's 5 portions altogether, not 5 portions of fruit and 5 portions of veg. Here are 5 great reasons to eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables A DAY · They're packed with vitamins and minerals. · They can help you to maintain a healthy weight. · They're an excellent source of fibre and antioxidants. · They help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers. · They taste delicious and there's so much variety to choose from. Extract 3 [Smoking Tobacco] What are the dangers of smoking? Smoking is hazardous and the dangers of smoking are serious. A smoker inhales a substance containing 43 cancer-causing (carcinogenic) compounds besides four hundred other toxins including nicotine and tar. Nicotine leads to a smoking addiction. Tar clogs the lungs and inhibits the body’s capacity to breathe; it causes lung and throat cancer, heart disease, emphysema, bronchial and lung disorders. Smoking is the one of the main cause of death every year. Smoking causes a number of smoke related diseases such as lung, respiratory problems and heart ailments and these dangers of smoking are increasing yearly. Certain breathing disabilities are also the dangers of smoking. It could also result in a decreased capability to enjoy physical activity because of ailments or side effects like breathing problems. Smoking leads to reduction in life expectancy. Over the years a smoker will be more likely to develop respiratory ailments, thickening of the arteries, blood clots, cancer of the lung, cervix, larynx, mouth, oesophagus, bladder, pancreas and kidney. Smokers may also exhibit symptoms such as reduced stamina, poor athletic performance, wheezing, coughing, dizziness, and nausea. P a g e 5 Extract 4 [Injuries] Sports Injuries Exercising is good for you, but sometimes you can injure yourself when you play sports or exercise. Accidents, poor training practices or improper gear can cause them. Some people get hurt because they are not in shape. Not warming up or stretching enough can also lead to injuries. The most common sports injuries are · Sprains and strains · Knee injuries · Swollen muscles · Achilles tendon injuries · Pain along the shin bone · Fractures · Dislocations If you get hurt, stop playing. Continuing to play or exercise can cause more harm. Treatment often begins with the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) method to relieve pain, reduce swelling and speed healing. Other possible treatments include pain relievers, keeping the injured area from moving, rehabilitation and sometimes surgery. P a g e 6 Plan: Introduction: I am going to talk about the things I do to keep myself healthy….... You should say: How it is good for your health · Talk about why people should exercise and the benefits of exercise. · Say how much exercise people should try to do each day. · Talk about the importance of healthy eating and 5 a day · Talk about the dangers of smoking · Talk about the things you do to keep healthy. How popular this thing is · Say that a lot of people enjoy sporting activities such as cycling, swimming etc · Say that you and your friends play a sport regularly · Talk in general of how people are trying to become healthier through eating healthily. · Mention that fewer and fewer people are smoking. If there are any possible negative effects · Say that there may be some sports injuries from different activities and give examples of the type of injuries that could occur. · Say the benefits of living a healthy active life far outweigh the dangers of, for example a broken leg. And say if you think this thing will become more or less popular in the future, and why. · Say that you think that people are more aware of how to live a healthy lifestyle. · Say that you think these activities will become more popular in the future. P a g e 7 Follow up Questions Is it the Government’s responsibility to make people healthier? Should fast food restaurants be banned in an effort to tackle obesity? Should healthcare be free to people who haven’t taken care of their own health?