IELTS FIGHTER
UNIT 2: HEALTH
A. READING
Exercise 1: Read the information. Then complete the sentences. Use the suffixes in the box.
Exercise 2: Complete the words with the correct suffixes. Use the suffixes in the box. One of the
suffixes is used twice.
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Exercise 3: Read the sentences. Then read the statements below about the sentences. Choose
True, False or Not Given.
1 There has for many years been a consensus among medical professionals that a substantial number
of people in the UK consume too much sugar.
2 Mrs Smith was advised by her GP that she was getting insufficient exercise.
3 According to a report by the National Health Service, 19% of British adults smoke.
4 In the USA, there has been a substantial increase in the number of young households who grow their
own food.
5 India has more vegetarians than all of the rest of the world put together.
6 Few hospitals in the country offer a round-the-clock emergency service.
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Exercise 4: Match the halves of the phrases.
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Exercise 5: Read the information. Then read the sentences and choose the correct definitions of
the words and phrases in bold.
Exercise 6: Read the information. Then read the questions and scan the article to choose the
correct answers.
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The advent of sugar taxes
Recent years have seen a series of countries, from the UK to South Africa, debate and then
introduce a tax on products that are high in sugar. Mexico implemented a much-publicised
sugar tax soon after France did in 2012, which was in itself a response to Hungary’s
pioneering new tax the previous year. Other countries, such as Ireland, soon followed suit.
So, what does it take for a country to take a stand against falling standards of health and
rising levels of obesity and introduce a sugar tax that will make a difference? Well, the first
thing is that people need to be made to care. Many British people had been hearing their
doctor tell them for years about the dangers of consuming too much sugar. However, it took
an all-out offensive by a chef, with the media looking on enthusiastically, to raise awareness
and bring the issue to the forefront of national debate in the UK before the average politician
would sit up and listen.
Once passed, sugar taxes can have quite a drastic effect. In Mexico, the introduction of a tax
of 10% made consumers think again about their shopping choices. Poorer households spent
up to 17% less on sugary drinks and across all socioeconomic groups nationwide, the drop
was 12%.
But the key benefit lies in the improvement in people’s health and the fall in the number of
diet-related fatalities that the introduction of a sugar tax could lead to. Estimates put this at
1,600 in Australia, and it is claimed that 4,400 heart attacks – a major cause of death – and
1,100 strokes could be prevented each and every year. The revenues generated by the tax are
expected to be in the region of $400 million, not to mention the reduction in costly healthcare
needed, providing the government with a fund to subsidise healthy food for low-income
Australians.
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Exercise 7: Read the article again. Complete the sentences from a flow-chart. Choose NO
MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the article for each answer.
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Exercise 8: Read the information. Then skim the text and choose the correct answers to
complete the sentences.
Superfoods
Investigative journalist Bjorn Stigsson looks into the science of the so-called ‘superfoods’.
Health bloggers are constantly going on about the so-called superfoods that can do wonders for our
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bodies, or so it is claimed. If you believe all the hype, you’ll probably believe that a diet of mackerel
and broccoli can make you live forever!
So, let’s investigate the claims, and see if the science really backs them up. Curry is said to be a
superfood, and the magical power it lays claim to is that it can help extend life. At least, that’s what
someone has decided on the basis of what happened to a few rats in a laboratory somewhere, which
had a diet rich in capsaicin. Curry also contains a high amount of capsaicin, and so it wasn’t long
before someone concluded that, therefore, humans would live longer if they ate lots of curry. As for
the evidence, oh, well, never mind that – unsubstantiated claims are much more headline-friendly. And
so it wasn’t long before a chef in Bedford, UK, hit the headlines when he claimed to have created the
world’s healthiest meal – chicken curry with blueberries. He claimed that, being loaded with
antibacterials, it could deal ‘a devastating blow’ to cancer. Could it simply be, I wonder, that he just
wanted to go one better than his competitor businesses in Bedford?
Another superfood is beetroot, which is rich in nitrates that can be converted into nitric oxide. It is
believed that people with higher-than-average blood pressure who eat beetroot are able to reduce it to
healthier levels, although evidence gathered from people with heart problems is very limited. In
addition, there is some good data on the benefits of beetroot, but much of it focuses on people with
excellent health, such as the cyclists who were the participants in a well-received piece of research
from 2013. This established that a diet rich in beetroot enabled them to cope better with the lower
oxygen levels at high altitudes. These findings are of use to climbers and mountain residents alike.
It’s been said that if you’re going to make just one change to your diet, it should be to start eating
blueberries. They’re rich in fibre and vitamin K, but then so are many other things. It’s their levels of
antioxidants that really set them apart, which may be one of the reasons why people who eat them a lot
are less prone to heart disease. Studies conducted among women aged over 70 who had not had a
stroke also found that memory loss was delayed by a couple of years on average among the blueberryeaters. However, before we jump to conclusions, it should also be pointed out that the sample size was
very modest and that berry-eaters tend to have above-average incomes, which in turn can contribute to
good health.
So, do I believe that some foods really are ‘superfoods’? No. Some foods, such as broccoli and
mackerel, are more nutritious than others such as bread. And we all need a rich and balanced diet, so
do by all means cook up some broccoli now and then, but don’t live on it exclusively. And don’t
delude yourself into thinking that it’ll save your life – eating so-called superfoods is a solution, but it’s
not the solution.
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Exercise 9: Read the passage again and complete the table. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO
WORDS from the passage for each answer.
B. WRITING
Exercise 1: In this unit you will focus on a Writing Part 2 Advantages and Disadvantages essay
on the question of having a free public healthcare service compared to a private system. Read
the arguments below. Which ones explain benefits of government-provided healthcare and
which are drawbacks? Choose B for benefits or D for drawbacks.
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Exercise 2: Read the advice below. Decide if the following extracts from students answers would
be relevant to include in an essay about the advantages and disadvantages of public healthcare.
Choose Yes or No.
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Exercise 3: Read the tip box and then look at the sentences. Choose the best synonyms or
paraphrases for the underlined words.
Exercise 4: In IELTS Writing Task 2, you are asked to write in an academic or neutral style.
Read the ten phrases for agreeing and disagreeing in the box. Complete the table with the
phrases.
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Exercise 5: Choose the correct phrases to complete the sentences.
1 Government provision of healthcare is valued by poorer people, and therefore / what’s more, it
prevents the elderly worrying about the affordability of treatment.
2 Private healthcare is extremely expensive, but by the same token / despite this, public healthcare is
not cheap to provide either.
3 Public hospitals can be overcrowded, and as a consequence / by this I mean, there can be long
waiting times for treatment.
4 Both private and public healthcare workers are trained in the same institutions, and as such / having
said that, there can’t be much difference in their overall knowledge.
5 General taxation is used to fund state healthcare. In this way / To give a specific example, we are
already paying for public health services as a country.
Exercise 6: Read the information. Then look at the IELTS Writing Task 2 question and read the
sentences. Do the sentences work as topic sentences? Choose Yes or No.
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Exercise 7: What is the function of the discourse markers in the box? Complete the table with
the discourse markers.
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Exercise 8: Read the paragraph about the advantages of government-provided healthcare.
Choose the correct discourse markers to complete the paragraph.
As for / In addiction / Whereas public healthcare, it is already paid for through general taxation so
there is no need for private provision. Everybody, regardless of income, is entitled to healthcare, as it
is a basic human right. Moreover / Nevertheless / Thus, whether a person lives or dies should not
depend on how much money they earn. Although / As a result / As regards government provision
can use up a lot of the budget available for other public services such as education, providing
healthcare can in addiction / nonetheless / on the other hand prevent serious diseases from
spreading and becoming more prevalent in society. Consequently / Moreover / Regarding, it is
worthwhile for a government to invest in the health of a nation.
Exercise 9: Read the paragraphs about the disadvantages of government-provided healthcare.
Complete the paragraphs with the supporting statements in the box.
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Exercise 10: WRITING TASK 2
You should spend 40 minutes on this task
In many societies in the world, the population is ageing rapidly and this is leading to an
unsustainable increase in the cost of public healthcare.
A nation’s population should pay for their healthcare provision in the future.
To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant
examples from your knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words
Sample answer:
Advances in medical science are resulting in prolonged lifespans but there is a knock-on effect
for public health services with many hospitals struggling to cope with an aging populace. Many
countries enjoy the benefits of free or subsidised national public health services. However, there are
some within senior health management who claim that such provision will become unsustainable, and
I firmly agree that changes need to be made in order to reflect this changing reality.
Despite the notion that healthcare should be ‘free’, such care is predominantly funded by the
taxpayer. To give a specific example, a recent report in my country established that almost 40% of the
nation’s tax spending is distributed to healthcare and some 80% of that figure is reserved for treating
the elderly. This is a disproportionate amount of money which has greatly increased the burden on the
state and existing funding is no longer sufficient to meet these needs. This is turn impacts on the
standard of care that can be provided as shown by numerous negative media reports about the
conditions for both staff and patients. If we want quality healthcare then, clearly this financial burden
needs to be alleviated.
One way to do so would be to increase the contributions made by citizens through increased
taxation. Alternatively governments could encourage those who can afford it to take up private
healthcare arrangements. By switching to a private model, the well-off can afford a higher quality of
care, while at the same relieving pressure on public services for those who do not have the means to
go private.
One thing is for certain, an ageing population has increased the pressure on existing health
provision. If we are going to maintain the standards of healthcare that we are used to, more funding
needs to be found either through taxation and alternative forms of provision should be considered.
Otherwise, standards will fall and people’s lives will be put at risk.
(323 words)
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C. LISTENING
Exercise 1: In this unit, you will practise the skills you need to do table completion tasks in the
IELTS Listening test. The conversation in this unit is about health. This is a common topic in
IELTS. Match the words and phrases with the definitions.
Exercise 2: Read the information. Then listen to a telephone conversation about gym
membership. Choose the two membership options mentioned by the speakers. ( Track 2.1)
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Exercise 3: Read the information. Then listen to two friends talking about a health spa.
Complete the table. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND / OR A NUMBER for each
answer.( Track 2.2)
Exercise 4: Listen to a conversation between a gym member and a personal trainer. Complete
the notes. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND / OR A NUMBER for each answer.
The first one has been done for you. ( Track 2.3)
Exercise 5: Listen to the rest of the conversation between the gym member and the personal
trainer. Choose the two changes that the personal trainer recommends. ( Track 2.4)
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Exercise 6: Listen to two friends talking about a festival in their town. Complete the table. Write
NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND / OR A NUMBER for each answer. The first one has
been done for you. ( Track 2.5)
D. SPEAKING
Exercise 1: In this unit, you will learn about the differences between IELTS Speaking Part 1 and
Part 3 and learn ways to improve your Lexical Resource mark. Read the information. Then read
the questions. Are the questions more typical of IELTS Speaking Part 1 or Part 3? Choose Part
1 or Part 3.
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Exercise 2: Read the information. Then watch the video of three native English speakers asking
and answering IELTS Speaking Part 1 questions. Put the questions that they ask in the correct
order. ( Video 2.1)
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Answer:
Exercise 3: Read the information. Then read the IELTS Speaking Part 1 question and the
responses given by four students. Which students do the examiner’s comments refer to? Choose
the correct answers.
Examiner: What sports or physical activities do you do or play regularly?
Student 1: I don’t. I hate sports. And exercise. I prefer social media.
Student 2: Well, to be honest, sport doesn’t really interest me. I would say this is partly because I am
not a competitive person and partly because I am not very good at sports, especially those that involve
running. However, I do like to go walking in the countryside, and I cycle to work every day. So, I
would say that these are my main forms of regular exercise.
Student 3: I’m a big fan of football. My team is Manchester United and I try to watch all their games.
I also collect their merchandise; I have posters, football kits and videos, and I follow a number of the
players on social media. There are often two games per week during the football season, so a lot of my
free time is spent watching their games.
Student 4: I think it is very important to do some kind of regular exercise, whether it is sport or
something more relaxing, such as yoga. I think as a society, we are becoming more sedentary; that is
to say, we spend more and more time sat down in front of computers or television screens. We are
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already seeing the effects of this, with increasing numbers of people suffering conditions like diabetes
and obesity. So, in short, I would say that regular exercise is something we should do.
1 While your answer is personalised, you have not really answered the question. The question was
not about the sports that you watch, but those that you actually do. On the positive side, your
language is quite good, and you have tried to give an extended answer.
Student 1 / Student 2 / Student 3 / Student 4
2 You answer the question honestly, but in such a brief way that you would not score highly in the
IELTS Speaking test. Some questions will relate to subjects that you might not be able to talk
about extensively, but you should still try to support your responses with reasons and examples.
Student 1 / Student 2 / Student 3 / Student 4
3 This is a well-constructed answer with some excellent language and use of discourse markers.
The problem is that it is not an answer to the question you were asked. Your answer focuses on
people and society in general rather than your own experiences, which means that your approach
is more suitable for IELTS Speaking Part 3 than for Part 1.
Student 1 / Student 2 / Student 3 / Student 4
4 This is a well-constructed answer and would score well in IELTS Speaking Part 1.
Student 1 / Student 2 / Student 3 / Student 4
Exercise 4: Read the information. Then watch the videos of the three native English
speakers answering IELTS Speaking Part 3 questions. Choose the questions that the speakers
are discussing.
1) ( Video 2.2)
o What are the main health issues affecting your society?
o Why do you think so many people suffer from health problems that didn’t exist in the
past?
2) ( Video 2.3)
o Do you think people should use the internet to research their own illnesses?
o Will internet doctors ever replace real doctors?
3) ( Video 2.4)
o Do governments need to do more research into mental health problems?
o It has been said that the fast pace of modern life is bad for our mental health. Do you
agree?
4) ( Video 2.5)
o What do you think are the major health issues affecting your country today?
o What do you think were the biggest health issues affecting your country 30 years ago?
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5) ( Video 2.6)
o What medical breakthroughs would you like to see in the next ten years?
o What were the most important medical breakthroughs of the last 50 years?
6) ( Video 2.7)
o What are the possible effects of increased life expectancy?
o Why is life expectancy increasing in many countries?
Exercise 5: Read the information. Then watch the discussions again. Choose the ten discourse
markers that the speakers use to extend their answers.
Exercise 6: Read the information. Then look at the discourse markers in the box. What are their
functions? Complete the table with the discourse markers. The first one has been done for you.
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Exercise 7: Read the information. Then read the examiner’s questions and the student’s
answers. Choose the incorrect words and phrases.
Examiner: Who do you think should be responsible for ensuring that children eat healthily?
Student: I would say that the parents are responsible for ensuring that their children eat healthily as /
because / so it is the parents who understand the effects of a poor diet far better than a child. As well /
In addiction, / I would add that I think teachers and schools should play a role in educating children. I
would argue that nutrition is so important that it should have a place on the curriculum, say, / such as /
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that said, in a biology class. Having said that, / That said, / Whereas I do think the age of the child is
important when answering this question. Once a child hits their teenage years, they should really start
taking some responsibility for themselves, and this should include what they put into their bodies.
Examiner: It has been said that the fast pace of modern life is bad for our mental health. Do you
agree with this?
Student: To some extent. I do believe that certain aspects of modern life, an example of this is / for
instance / such as long working hours, can have an enormous effect on mental health. Many people
feel a lot of pressure at work to do extra hours and to meet deadlines and as a consequence / as a
result / the reason being , put too much pressure on themselves. This can cause stress-related
illnesses. Having said that / However / Moreover, it should be remembered that many aspects of
modern life are much easier for us than they were for, say, our grandparents, so perhaps life nowadays
is no more stressful than it was in the past.
Examiner: Should physical education be a compulsory subject at school?
Student: Personally speaking, I would say so. Exercise is a habit that needs to be learnt when you are
young. If children learn sports at school or get accustomed to doing exercise, they are more likely to
continue this habit in later life. Having said that/ On the one hand / That said, I do believe that there
should be more options available for physical education. Many school children don’t enjoy certain
sports, especially / in particular / specially competitive sports or ones that involve hand–eye
coordination. Perhaps if schools offered other alternatives, like yoga or t’ai chi, more children would
want to participate. In a nutshell / In the end / When all is said and done, the important thing is to help
children find physical activities that can become lifelong habits.
Exercise 8: Read the information. Then watch the video of a native English speaker answering
questions. Match the idiomatic expressions with the parts of the video in which they are used.
There are more idiomatic expressions than you need. ( Video 2.8)
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Exercise 9: Match the idiomatic expressions with the definitions.
Exercise 10: You are going to do IELTS Speaking Parts 1 and 3 on the subject of health and
sports.
Part 1
1) What activities do you do to stay fit?
2) What are the sports facilities like where you live?
3) Are there any sports or forms of excersice that you would like to try?
4) How important is it for you to eat healthily?
Part 3
5) How important is sport within your society?
6) Are famous sports people good role models for young people today?
7) Do you think famous sports people are paid too much money?
8) What are the benefits of hosting an important sporting event such as the Olympic Games to the host
country?
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E. GRAMMAR & VOCABULARY
Exercise 1: Read the information. Then complete the table. Use the suffixes in the box.
Exercise 2: Match the adjectives with the definitions.
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Exercise 3: Match the sentence halves.
Exercise 4: Read the information. Then choose the correct words to match the definitions.
1 harmful and harmless
A not able or likely to cause harm: harmless
B causing harm: harmful
2 dieter and dietician
A a person who studies and gives advice about food and eating: dietician
B someone who is trying to lose weight by dieting: dieter
3 addicted and addictive
A unable to stop doing something as a habit: addicted
B makes it hard to stop doing something once you have started: addictive
4 nutrition and nutritious
A containing many of the substances needed for life and growth: nutritious
B the substances that you take into your body and the way they influence your health: nutrition
5 preventable and prevention
A describes something that can be avoided: preventable
B the act of stopping something from happening: prevention
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6 effect and effective
A something that is successful or achieves the results you want: effective
B the result of a particular action or influence: effect
Exercise 5: Read the words and phrases in the box. What are their functions? Complete the
table with the words and phrases.
Exercise 6: Choose the correct words and phrases to complete the sentences.
A recent study has found that there are numerous factors that can reduce your life expectancy. These
include not exercising, not eating enough fruit and vegetables and, in particular/ largely thanks
to, smoking.By this I mean / That said, you can do something to correct these and other unhealthy
habits. As such / On the other hand, you need to change your lifestyle. As such / By this I mean don’t
overeat, start walking for 30 minutes a day and spend less time looking at a screen. As well as /
Largely thanks to this, try to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
By this I mean / Ultimately, research shows that you are at greater risk of depression without a strong
network of friends and family. As such / Because of this , work hard at ensuring that you maintain
regular contact with all your loved ones.
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Exercise 7: Read the information. Then complete the sentences. Use the words and phrases in the
box.
Exercise 8: Complete the sentences. Use the words and phrases in the box.
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Exercise 9: Put the words in the correct order to complete the sentences.
 Both of these problems can have serious health implications.
 The whole of the medical profession agrees with the report.
 The majority of people are overweight or obese.
 Many hospitals have reduced waiting times by almost three hours.
 Much of the increase in obesity is taking place in the developed world.
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A number of reports focus on the increasing addiction to junk food.
 I don’t agree with either of those so-called health experts.
 It’s worrying that all four of their children have health problems.
Exercise 10: Read about how attitudes to diet and health have changed over time. Choose the
correct words and phrases to complete the sentences.
Nowadays, nearly all / most adults understand what a healthy diet should contain. This is because / largely
thanks to the fact that more nutrition / nutritional information is available. This is a huge improvement
on the situation 50 years ago, when few / many knew what to eat and drink to keep healthy. Today,
the majority / whole of people say that eating lots of fruit and vegetables, as well as / in particular doing
regular exercise, is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Because of this / That said, many people still say
they would like to improve their diets and a number of / much of studies show that the global obesity rate
has actually increased over the last 50 years. One reason for this is that more and more people are
becoming addicted / addictive to junk food. While there is a lot of information about the negative affects /
effects of fatty foods, it is up to individuals to ensure that their own diets remain balanced and healthy.
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LISTENING SCRIPT
Exercise 2.
Receptionist: Be Fit Gym ... how can I help you?
Customer: I’d like to enquire about membership.
Receptionist: Great! We have a number of options. Are you interested in individual or family membership?
Customer: Hmmm, I’m not sure.
Receptionist: Right, well, we’ve got a good corporate deal running. It includes unlimited weekend use with
entry at any time after the gym opens at six thirty. Last entry is nine thirty, and we close at 10 p.m. That’s quite
unusual these days, as most gyms exclude Saturday entry from this type of deal. During the week, you can come
anytime after our busy period, so after 9 a.m.
Customer: What about family deals?
Receptionist: Well, there’s a great family membership package which includes two adults – that’s anyone over
the age of 18 – and up to four kids. With that one, you can use the pool at any time during the week, with a
small fee for Saturday and Sunday use, although under-13s are still permitted to use it free of charge. Does
either of these packages interest you?
Exercise 3.
Friend 1: Oh, look at this! A new spa’s opened, and they’re offering some great treatments. Shall we go?
Friend 2: Oh, yes! I could do with treating myself. I’ve been working far too hard on this thesis!
Friend 1: Right, let’s look at what they’ve got to offer us. Well, they’ve got a lot of treatments on offer. How
about a nice foot massage using seaweed? Apparently, it’s for tired, aching feet and helps with dead skin
removal.
Friend 2: Hmmm, well, I’m not sure I want anyone touching my feet, and I don’t really like the sound of all
that seaweed. What else have they got?
Friend 1: Hmmm, that’s probably for the best – there are no special offers for it. How about a relaxing head
massage? It’ll ease your stress and give you more energy and concentration.
Friend 2: Now that I do need. How long is it?
Friend 1: Well, you can have a 60-minute massage for £60, or they’ve got a taster session on offer for 30 if you
pay upfront. We could do that, I guess.
Friend 2: Let’s sign up for the taster! What’s next?
Friend 1: OK, well, I quite fancy the rejuvenating facial for tired eyes and skin!
Friend 2: But you’re not that old!
Friend 1: Ha ha, yes, apparently it will give me back my young appearance and get rid of bags and circles, and
I definitely have those!
Friend 2: OK, how much is that?
Friend 1: For 1 hour and 30 minutes, it’s £80 – that’s the normal price, but if you have it with something else,
it’s £50.
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Friend 2: Hmmm, sounds expensive for a few bags under the eyes!
Friend 1: I like the sound of it!
Exercise 4.
You will hear a conversation between a gym member and a personal trainer. Before you listen, you have some
time to look at questions one to five. [pause] Now listen and answer questions one to five. On this occasion
only, an example has been done for you.
Personal trainer: Hello. You’re interested in some personal training sessions, I understand?
Gym member: Yes, that’s right.
Personal trainer: Right, well I’ve got your membership details here. It’s Sue Lewis, isn’t it?
Gym member: Yes. Well, actually, I got married recently, so my surname’s changed.
Personal trainer: Congratulations, Sue. What’s your new surname?
Gym member: It’s Lanesdown, that’s L-A-N-E-S-D-O-W-N.
The member said her surname was Lanesdown, so that has been written in the space. Now listen and answer
questions one to five.
Personal trainer: Right then, Sue. What are you hoping to get out of the sessions?
Gym member: Well, I’d like to get fitter and lose a few kilos.
Personal trainer: OK, I’m sure that’s doable with a bit of dedication. How often do you work out at the
moment?
Gym member: Hmmm, well, I was coming to the gym about four or five times a week before I got married but,
well, I’ve not had much free time recently. So, I guess it’s about twice every four weeks.
Personal trainer: Ah, I see. That’s not enough to make much difference. I think five times a week is a bit
unrealistic, but you should be coming at least two or three times for no less than 60 minutes.
Gym member: OK, I think I can manage that.
Personal trainer: What do you do when you’re here?
Gym member: Well, I use the treadmill for a bit. Oh, and I do some stretching, but that’s about it really.
Personal trainer: Would you say you lead an active life generally?
Gym member: Oh, no. I’m far too inactive. That’s why I’ve put on weight.
Personal trainer: OK, I think we need to get you on the cross-trainer and lifting a few weights. Both of those
would be good – nothing too strenuous, but we need to get you more active.
Exercise 5.
Before you listen to the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 6 and 7. [pause] Now
listen and answer questions six and seven.
Personal trainer: OK, so let’s talk about changes you can make outside the gym, Sue.
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Gym member: What do you mean?
Personal trainer: Well, I’m thinking of things like your diet and how active you are.
Gym member: Oh, I see. I guess if I’m going to do this, then I ought to do it properly.
Personal trainer: OK. So, how healthy is your diet?
Gym member: Hmmm, I do have a sweet tooth. I usually have pudding after dinner, but only at the weekend,
and I love fish and chips!
Personal trainer: There’s a lot of debate about how much fat we should eat. It’s argued that good fats, found in
fish and avocado, for example, have health benefits – though I’m not sure about fish and chips! Too much sugar
isn’t good though. Can you cut down on one or the other?
Gym member: Yes, I think so. I could give up chocolate and cake, I guess – maybe just have it on special
occasions.
Personal trainer: And are you eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day?
Gym member: Hmmm, I don’t like fruit at all, but I do eat a lot of leafy veg and I love carrots and broccoli, so
I think so.
Personal trainer: You should try to eat more fruit – it contains a lot of nutrients. But it sounds like you’re
eating enough vegetables. Do you walk to work?
Gym member: Er, no – I take the car.
Personal trainer: Is that something you could do?
Gym member: It’ll take about three-quarters of an hour on foot, but it’s doable. I do use the stairs when I get to
work though. I’m on the second floor.
Personal trainer: That’s great. Taking the stairs instead of the lift is a great way to keep fit. Well done! What
about the weekend?
Gym member: I could walk in the park a bit more?
Personal trainer: That would be a good idea, Sue. If you could do at least half an hour on Saturday and Sunday
and walk to work, I’d be happy.
Gym member: Great. Let’s do it!
Exercise 6.
You will hear a conversation between two friends about a festival in their town. Before you listen, you have
some time to look at questions 1 to 5. [pause] Now listen and answer questions 1 to 5. On this occasion only, an
example has been done for you.
Friend 1: Oh, look! There’s a festival on.
Friend 2: What? A music festival?
Friend 1: No, healthy eating. Oh, and lifestyle.
The name of the festival is Healthy Eating and Lifestyle, so ‘lifestyle’ has been written in the space. Now listen
and answer questions 1 to 5.
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Friend 2: That sounds interesting. When’s it on? I’m busy during the week now I’ve got a job.
Friend 1: Um, let’s see. OK, well, it’s for one weekend in July, so that’s great. It’s on the third.
Friend 2: Hmmm. And what can we do there? Apart from eat salad!
Friend 1: Well, they have different stuff going on around town and lots of speakers, too! And some of them are
quite famous. Let’s see. OK, so there’s something called Grow Your Own. That’s at the City Allotments.
Friend 2: What, like growing carrots and stuff?
Friend 1: Yeah. It’s recommendations about growing your own vegetables – much better than going to the
supermarket, if you ask me. That woman is going to be there. You know, the one that came to speak at our
college once. She was really knowledgeable. Sheila something?
Friend 2: Oh, I know, Sheila Aider.
Friend 1: Acre? Are you sure?
Friend 2: Not Acre, Aider. A-I-D-E-R.
Friend 1: OK. So, what else? Let me see. There’s something about going organic. I’m not sure I see the point
of that. Isn’t it expensive?
Friend 2: Not always. Where is it?
Friend 1: Oh, it’s at the open-air market you go to every Wednesday to get that artisan bread you like. We’re
going to be told why we need to buy produce which is grown organically.
Friend 2: I can tell you’re not keen.
Friend 1: I just think it’s a waste of money, and I’ve never heard of Ken Miller – he’s the speaker. Now,
sustainable fish I am interested in. I think it’s terrible what we’re doing to our oceans.
Friend 2: I agree!
Friend 1: That one’s being held in Centre Square. No, not Centre, sorry – Central. That’s near the station, isn’t
it?
Friend 2: That’s right. We were there last Friday for Tom’s birthday.
Friend 1: Ah, yes, I know. Well, it’s about fish farms, the techniques being used and the dangers of them. Percy
Green is speaking. I’ve read one of his articles. It was quite an eye-opener.
Before you listen to the rest of the conversation, you now have time to look at questions 6 to 10. [Pause] Now
listen and answer questions 6 to 10.
Friend 2: All this talk of food is making me hungry! Anything else?
Friend 1: Ha ha. Not food, no. But there’s something about your heart and how to improve it.
Friend 2: That’s always useful!
Friend 1: Yes, we can see that at Billings Park. There’s a special guest speaker, but I can’t quite remember her
name.
Friend 2: Oh yes, I know, it’s Harriet Asam, the famous TV doctor.
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Friend 1: That’s it! She’s giving a talk about exercising every day and why it’s good for you.
Friend 2: I like her. Let’s go. How much is it?
Friend 1: OK, let me see. It’s £15.50. Unless you’re over 65 – then it’s £12.
Friend 2: Very funny!
Friend 1: I might mention it to my sister, actually. I know she’d like to go with her kids.
Friend 2: She’s got two, hasn’t she? Do they have to pay?
Friend 1: Um, it’s £10.25 for the ten-year-old, but her younger son is still only two, so it will be free for him –
so that’s something!
Friend 2: Brilliant! Where can we get tickets?
Friend 1: We need to buy them online. There’s a website address. Can you write it down?
Friend 2: Sure.
Friend 1: It’s www dot healtheeme dot com. It’s an unusual spelling: H-E-A-L-T-H, double E, M-E.
Friend 2: Got it! Right let’s get those tickets!
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