Practice English Listening B1+ Exercises – Do you belong to a gym?

A

c

B

1   He wants to be healthier.

2   She fills a bottle in the morning and makes sure to finish it by the end of the day.

3   Lan doesn’t get enough sleep. Ahmet always gets enough sleep.

A B

Lan:   Ooh! Donuts! Who brought those?

Ahmet:   Marcos. Wouldn’t you know, I was going to start my diet this week, but then he brought these in.

Lan:   Ah, one donut isn’t going to hurt you.

Ahmet:   I ate two.

Lan:   But why are you starting a diet?

Ahmet:   Well, it’s mostly about health. I eat too much sugar and I don’t exercise enough.

Lan:   I have the same problem. I need to get more exercise, too. My hotel has a really nice gym. I was planning on going there every day, but I’ve been here for a week and I haven’t gone once!

Ahmet:   Do you belong to a gym at home?

Lan:   No. I go to yoga classes sometimes, not as often as I should. I’m just so busy all the time.

Ahmet:   I know what you mean. I was thinking about joining the gym near my house, but by the time I get home from work, I’m always too tired to go.

Lan:   Why don’t you join one around here? You could bring your gym clothes to work and go at lunchtime.

Ahmet:   That’s a good idea. I might do that. Want some water?

Lan:   Yeah, thanks. That’s also on my health resolutions list. I need to drink more water instead of so much coffee.

Ahmet:   I’m the same way. Especially when it’s cold outside. My wife is really good about it. She fills up a big bottle in the morning and makes sure she finishes it by the end of the day.

Lan:   Oh, that’s a good idea.

Ahmet:   Yeah… I was going to do it too, but…

Lan:   I know… it’s so hard to get into a new routine! Well, I should get going. I’m flying back to Vietnam tonight.

Ahmet:   You are? Well, have a good flight! I hope you get lots of sleep.

Lan:   I never sleep well on airplanes. I’ll be lucky if I get two hours.

Ahmet:   Oh, that’s too bad.

Lan:   Yeah… That’s another one of my health resolutions, actually, even when I’m not on a plane, I need to get more sleep.

Ahmet:   Oh, not me. I get eight hours every night. I’d say sleeping is one thing I’m really good at.

C

Lan:   My hotel has a really nice gym. I was planning on going there every day, but I’ve been here for a week and I haven’t gone once!

Ahmet:   Do you belong to a gym at home?

Lan:   No. I go to yoga classes sometimes, not as often as I should. I’m just so busy all the time.

Ahmet:   I know what you mean. I was thinking about joining the gym near my house, but by the time I get home from work, I’m always too tired to go.

A

They decide to go to the race to cheer the runners on.

B

1   It’s a run to raise money for charity.

2   A lot of people from the office.

3   He picked up a heavy box and pulled a muscle in his back.

A B

Marcos:   Hi Ahmet.

Ahmet:   Hey Marcos. What’s up?

Marcos:   I saw this flyer about a Fun Run.

Ahmet:   Oh yeah, that’s this weekend.

Marcos:   Is it a race?

Ahmet:   Well, no, not really. It’s just for fun. We run as a team to raise money for the Children’s Hospital.

Marcos:   That’s great! I like the idea of raising money for charity.

Ahmet:   Yeah, so do I. And everyone has a good time.

Marcos:   Is everybody going?

Ahmet:   A lot of people are. Do you want to do it? I think you can still register.

Marcos:   Hmm. I don’t know. I’m not in very good shape right now. I haven’t been working out much lately.

Ahmet:   Neither have I! And I –

Marcos:   And besides that, my back is really sore.

Ahmet:   Oh? What happened? Did you hurt yourself?

Marcos:   Yeah. I picked up a really heavy box yesterday. And you know, I did it the right way–I bent my knees and everything–but somehow I think I pulled a muscle in my back. It’s really sore.

Ahmet:   Ouch.

Marcos:   So I guess I can’t do the Fun Run.

Ahmet:   Well, I can’t either.

Marcos:   Oh, no! What happened to you?

Ahmet:   I fell during a practice run and broke my ankle. It got really swollen, and was so painful.

Marcos:   Oh, man, that’s too bad.

Ahmet:   I know. I was looking forward to the run. But I am going—to cheer them on! I can at least do that!

Marcos:   I can, too! That’s a great idea!

C

Marcos:   So I guess I can’t do the Fun Run.

Ahmet:   Well, I can’t either.

Marcos:   Oh, no! What happened to you?

Ahmet:   I fell during a practice run and broke my ankle. It got really swollen, and was so painful.

Marcos:   Oh, man, that’s too bad.

Ahmet:   I know. I was looking forward to the run. But I am going—to cheer them on! I can at least do that!

Marcos:   I can, too! That’s a great idea!

A

b

B

1   longer, higher

2   healthier, happier, clearer

C

1 a, c, d   2 b, c, d   3 a, d

Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

Do you find yourself dozing off in the afternoon when you should be working? Do you keep hitting the snooze button when your alarm rings in the morning?

If your answers are yes and yes, chances are you don’t sleep enough.

Maybe you intend to go to bed early, but end up watching TV until late. Or you mean to get up at seven, but instead you wake up at six and start worrying about how tired you’ll soon be.

Lack of sleep is a big problem nowadays, and can be much worse than just falling asleep at work. People who don’t sleep enough have trouble concentrating. They’re also more likely to get colds or the flu, more likely to get depressed, and to be overweight. They may take longer to recover from illnesses and have higher risks of diabetes and heart disease. Believe me, not sleeping enough is a problem you need to fix.

“But how?” you ask. Listen closely. I’ll share seven ways you can get a better night’s sleep.

First, no electronics. Turn off your TV, your computer, and your phone. Your body is programmed to sleep in darkness. And light, especially the blue light on many electronics, disturbs your rest, even if you’re not looking directly at it. Of course, actually looking at your devices—for example, checking the time or checking your messages when you should be sleeping—is even worse.

Second, avoid naps. Instead, take a short walk, drink a big glass of water, or call a friend. If you have to nap, do it early in the day and for no longer than 20 minutes. Napping later, or for too long, impacts your sleep at bedtime.

Third, get comfortable in bed. Buy a good pillow that supports your neck—not too thin or too thick. And don’t sleep on your stomach; it twists your neck. If you have back pain, try a pillow under your knees or between your legs. It helps keep your back straight.

Fourth, about an hour before bed, relax your mind and your body. Keep the lights low, listen to relaxing music, take a warm bath, or read something calming. Put aside your problems and worries before even going into your bedroom.

Fifth, watch what you eat and drink. Avoid heavy meals before bed. A full stomach can keep you awake. Coffee in the morning is fine, but not in the afternoon or evening.

Sixth, exercise. You know exercise is good for you in so many different ways, and now you can add a better night’s sleep to the list. However, the extra energy you can get from working out can keep you awake if you exercise too close to bedtime. Work out in the morning, or at least three hours before bed.

Finally, the seventh point may be the hardest one: keep a regular schedule. Plan to wake up and go to bed around the same time every day. When your body gets used to the schedule, falling asleep will come naturally.

So, there you have it: seven ways to get a better night’s sleep. If you’re not getting enough sleep, start following this advice immediately. You’ll be healthier and happier, your mind will be clearer, and you won’t fall asleep at work!

A

b

B

1 c   2 b   3 a

REACHING THE PEAK

How can Yuzuru Hanyu do those amazing spins and jumps on the ice? How does Serena Williams win so many tennis tournaments? How is Lionel Messi able to make so many goals? You might think the answer is “practice, practice, practice,” but according to a new study from psychologist Brooke Macnamara, you would be wrong. Practice is important for all athletes, of course, but there are other things that make the difference between being good and being one of the best. To reach peak performance, athletes need to watch their diets carefully, get plenty of sleep, and achieve the right state of mind. And when you think about it, those are habits we could all bene­fit from.

Top athletes know that their bodies need the right fuel. For them, diet is not about body shape—it’s about strength, endurance, and energy levels. Of course, their diets vary a lot. Williams eats a lot of nuts, beans, and fruit. Hanyu has soup with pork and soy before every competition. In addition to healthy food, a good diet also includes good hydration. It’s important for athletes to get plenty of water and other fluids. The best athletes know that everything they put into their bodies affects their performance.

When athletes train for six hours a day, six days a week, it does a lot of damage to their muscles, and sleep is the only way to repair that damage. Athletes need eight to ten hours of sleep a night—more sleep than the average person. Messi often gets twelve! And many top athletes make an extra effort to get deep, high-quality sleep. A very dark room and cool temperatures are the solution for some. Others use a fan or a white noise machine to block out other sounds. Their speci­fic habits may vary, but all elite athletes know that they need a good night’s sleep every night to be at their best.

Finally, the right mental state can make the difference between a good performance and peak performance. Many athletes prepare for competitions by concentrating on positive thoughts or repeating calming words to themselves. They also work hard to keep a positive attitude about the endless hours of training. They make an active effort to enjoy improving their skills rather than just viewing training as a means to an end. And when they are injured, they don’t let it get them down but instead focus on what’s necessary for recovery. When Hanyu was injured, he continued preparing for the next Olympics with visualization exercises—imagining himself doing his jumps. Many athletes will say that these habits of mental discipline are what put them on top of their game.

For elite athletes, the commitment to peak performance affects every part of their lives. From what they eat for breakfast to when they go to bed at night to how they deal with stress, every habit can make a difference. That’s how they make leaping on the ice or slamming the ball over the net look so easy. Most of us are not athletes, but we can apply some of their strategies for success in our own lives.

A

home remedies

B

Who doesn’t hate being sick or in pain? I know I don’t like it, and you probably don’t either. When I don’t feel well, I’ll try almost anything to recover as soon as possible. Of course, you need to see a doctor for serious problems, like broken bones. For minor problems, though, you can try simple home remedies.

One problem that I’ve used a home remedy for is a sunburn after spending too much time at the beach. I rubbed the liquid from an aloe vera plant on my sunburn, and it really was really soothing! You’ve probably seen the aloe vera plant; it looks like a cactus with long, green, pointed leaves, and the liquid from this plant can be very helpful. Aloe vera is the most common ingredient in treatments for sunburn sold in stores, so I felt comfortable doing this myself.

I’ve heard a home remedy for minor aches and pains. If you have a pulled muscle, a sore back, or swollen ankles, you can try Epsom salts, which have minerals that can help your muscles to feel better. You put about 200 grams, or two cups, in a bath. You soak for 15 minutes to help with any aches you have. I haven’t done this yet, but I would try it because it sounds relaxing.

There are also several home remedies for colds. One of these remedies is putting an onion on your foot underneath a sock and sleeping with it there. This is an interesting idea, but it sounds uncomfortable, and I don’t want my feet to smell like onions. I’d rather have some hot tea or chicken soup. I don’t think I’ll try this suggestion.

Last, if you’re feeling exhausted but have trouble falling asleep at bedtime, try a cup of warm milk. Even if that home remedy doesn’t help you fall asleep, at least it’s good for your bones. Thank you.