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Education Helps Keep Blood Pressure Down (28th February, 2011)

A new study shows that staying in education for a long time helps blood pressure. Scientists have found a link between the number of years spent studying and low blood pressure. The research looked at data from 4,000 people in the USA. They found that those who had a university education had lower blood pressure than people who did not enter higher education. Study leader Eric Loucks said people who left school early were more likely to have a stressful job and low income. He said both these things contributed to stress.

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Many people think it is more stressful to stay on in education. University exams are famous for causing students lots of stress. It also seems strange that people with university degrees have lower blood pressure than those without. Graduates usually become managers in companies, or teachers and those positions are very stressful. The report looked at blood pressure levels at the end of a 30-year period. It could be that people who were in education longer were richer and had a better standard of living. Money worries often cause lots of stress.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.

staying in education

a.

from 4,000 people

2

the number of years

b.

a stressful job

3.

research looked at data

c.

education

4.

higher

d.

for a long time

5.

more likely to have

e.

to stress

6.

these things contributed

f.

spent studying

 

Paragraph 2

1.

it is more stressful to stay

a.

become managers

2

famous for causing students

b.

of living

3.

Graduates usually

c.

on in education

4.

blood pressure

d.

education longer

5.

people who were in

e.

lots of stress

6.

a better standard

f.

levels


LISTENING GAP FILL

A new study _____________________ education for a long time helps blood pressure. Scientists have _____________________ the number of years spent studying and low blood pressure. The research looked _____________________ 4,000 people in the USA. They found that those who had a university education had lower blood pressure than people _____________________ higher education.  Study leader Eric Loucks said people who left school early _____________________ to have a stressful job and low income. He said both these things contributed to stress.

Many people think it is _____________________ on in education. University exams are famous for causing students lots of stress. It _____________________ that people with university _____________________ blood pressure than those without. Graduates usually become managers in companies, or teachers _____________________ are very stressful. The report looked at blood pressure levels _____________________ 30-year period. It could be that people who were in education longer were richer and had a better _____________________. Money worries often cause lots of stress.


MULTIPLE CHOICE

A new (1) ____ shows that staying in education for a long time helps blood pressure. Scientists have found a link between the number of years spent studying and (2) ____ blood pressure. The research looked at data from 4,000 people in the USA. They found that (3) ____ who had a university education had lower blood pressure (4) ____ people who did not enter higher education.  Study leader Eric Loucks said people who left school (5) ____ were more likely to have a stressful job and low income. He said both these things contributed (6) ____ stress.

Many people think it is more stressful to stay (7) ____ in education. University exams are famous for causing students lots of stress. It also (8) ____ strange that people with university degrees have lower blood pressure than those without. Graduates usually become managers in companies, or teachers and those (9) ____ are very stressful. The report looked (10) ____ blood pressure levels at the end of a 30-year period. It (11) ____ be that people who were in education longer were richer and had a better standard of living. Money worries often (12) ____ lots of stress.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

studying

(b)

studied

(c)

study

2.

(a)

low

(b)

below

(c)

lows

3.

(a)

them

(b)

those

(c)

they

4.

(a)

than

(b)

from

(c)

by

5.

(a)

fast

(b)

quick

(c)

early

6.

(a)

at

(b)

to

(c)

on

7.

(a)

on

(b)

at

(c)

with

8.

(a)

seem

(b)

seen

(c)

seems

9.

(a)

position

(b)

positions

(c)

post

10.

(a)

at

(b)

on

(c)

in

11.

(a)

will

(b)

going to

(c)

could

12

(a)

because

(b)

cause

(c)

course


SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1

1.

A new dsuty

2.

Scientists have oufdn a link

3.

tenyirisuv education

4.

more ekylil to

5.

low einmco

6.

contributed to srtess

 

Paragraph 2

7.

University measx

8.

It also seems sagrtne

9.

asenrmga in companies

10.

blood pressure leesvl

11.

standard of vnglii

12.

Money oireswr


PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

Many people think it is more stressful to stay on in education. University exams are famous

(    )

in companies, or teachers and those positions are very stressful. The report looked at blood pressure

(    )

and low income. He said both these things contributed to stress.

(    )

people who left school early were more likely to have a stressful job

1  )

A new study shows that staying in education for a long time helps blood pressure. Scientists have

(    )

levels at the end of a 30-year period. It could be that people who were in education

(    )

for causing students lots of stress. It also seems strange that people with university

(    )

degrees have lower blood pressure than those without. Graduates usually become managers

(    )

blood pressure than people who did not enter higher education.  Study leader Eric Loucks said

(    )

longer were richer and had a better standard of living. Money worries often cause lots of stress.

(    )

at data from 4,000 people in the USA. They found that those who had a university education had lower

(    )

found a link between the number of years spent studying and low blood pressure. The research looked


WORD JUMBLE

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.

helps time long a for education in Staying pressure blood.

2.

from 000 the Data , in 4 people USA.

3.

education higher enter not did who People.

4.

early school left who People.

5.

to these contributed stress Both things.

6.

is it think people Many stressful more.

7.

students stress are causing of Exams for lots famous.

8.

become in usually managers companies Graduates.

9.

levels pressure blood at looked report The.

10.

often worries Money stress of lots cause.


DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________


WRITING

Write about blood pressure for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________


HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. BLOOD PRESSURE: Search the Internet and find more information about blood pressure. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about blood pressure. Include imaginary interviews with doctors who work with blood pressure. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to a blood pressure expert. Ask him/her three questions about blood pressure. Give him/her three of your opinions on how to avoid stress. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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