Looking good, feeling good

Task

Writing an e-mail of encouragement

1. Read the questions carefully before you begin.

2. Skim the passage, and look for main points and key words.

Two guidelines to help you find information quickly:

Skills building 1: finding information

Read this passage and find out

the main points and the key

words.

Dear Dr Health,

I think too many people take weight-loss pills without really knowing that they can damage their health. I read about a Canadian actress who had to go to hospital because she took some weight-loss pills. She lost 7 kg in two months.

However, the pills contained something that causes liver failure so she had to get a new liver. A young Chinese man donated part of his liver to save her life. Recently, my cousin read about a new weight-loss pills and she really wants to try it. I’ve told her the story of the actress, but she won’t listen.

She is only 12, but has become a girl who is worried about her figure and how she looks. She often refuses to eat. My aunt is worried about that children must eat properly as they are growing all the time. What do you think I should do? How can I help my cousin?

Best wishes,

Guo Xilin

Main points: I think too many people take weight-loss pills without really knowing that they can damage their health.

Key words: cause liver failure;

worried about her figure; health is priceless; eat properly

How do you choose a gym?What will you consider when choosing a gym?

Step 1: recommending a gym to a friend

Look at the advertisement and

a web page about a gym.

Underline the main points and

circle the key words.

Listen to the radio advertisement for Better Body Gym. Complete the note sheet.

2. Number of branches in the city:

3. In which roads are the branches?

2

One is in Jinshan Road, and the other one is in Hubei Road.

4. What do you get for free if you join now?

5. How big is each branch?

One-month free membership.

3000 square meters.

6. Is there a health café at the gym?

7. Can you get any advice about exercise?

8. Do you need to be 18 to join?

9. How can you find out more?0

Call 5555 4567.

No

No

Yes

Work in pairs and discuss why Wu Tone should join Better Body Gym.

I think Wu Tong should join the gym because:

1.__________________________________

2.__________________________________

3.__________________________________

4.__________________________________

The membership cost is cheap.

The gym is close by.

He can do exercise and get fit.

He can receive advice on how to become strong.

If you need to write down information quickly, it is important that you make your notes as brief as possible. You can use abbreviations, key words and symbols.

Skills building 2: note taking

An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase.

Dr. = Doctor e.g. = for example

A.D. = advertisement

A contraction is the shortening of a word, syllable, or word group by omission of internal letters.

can’t = cannot

Symbols﹥﹤↑

↓

∵∴→

+

=

more than

nearly/less than

increase

decrease

because

therefore

mean/lead to

and/also

equal

Guess the meaning of the each following emoticons.

:- )

=

:-( = sadness

:-O = surprise

:-D = great joy

:-P = making a face

:~-(

= crying

Listen to the recording and write down the words you hear, using the skills you have just learned.

1.In the mornings, he swims 2500 meters, four times a week.

2.In the afternoons, she rides a bike for 40 kilometers, three times a week.

3.Because it is raining, I ran for only 15 minutes.

4.The population of the city has increased by twenty per cent.

5.Shanghai and Beijing are both bigger than Hong Kong.

Typescript

1. mornings, he swims 2,500 m × 4/wk.

2. afternoons, she rides bike 40 km × 3/wk.

3. ∵ it’s raining, I ran 15 min

4. city pop. 20%

5. Sh. & Bj. HK ﹥

Answers

The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres, which is usually run as a road race. The event was instituted in commemoration of the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens.

Step 2: interviewing a person about exercise and training

Whether you are planning on walking or running a marathon, it is very important to prepare well in advance.

Do you know how to prepare for a marathon?

A reporter is interviewing Lucy about her training programme for taking part in a marathon. Listen to the interview, and complete the notes below.

• Each marathon = _________ (time needed)

• Tue = 800m × 8 (fast)

• 10 miles × 3 days / wk. (slow)

• ____________________ (marathon speed)

• Sun = 18 miles

• _________ = rest

• Runs _______ miles / wk

4.55 hrs.

10 miles × 1 day / wk

Mon

62

In groups talk about how to keep fit. Take notes while your partner is talking, using the skills you have learnt.

Skills building 3: using punctuation

Punctuation marks are symbols that indicate the structure and organization of written language, as well as intonation and pauses to be observed when reading aloud.

Apostrophe (’): showing possession and missing letters.

Colon (:): causal connection, presaging lists and strong contrast.

Comma (,): creating separation and pauses in sentences.

Dash (---): significantly separated aside.

Ellipsis (...): for tension-building pause.

the most common punctuation marks

Hyphen (-): connecting words together.

Exclamation mark (!): usually showing strong feeling.

Full stop (.): ending sentences and in abbreviations.

Quotation marks (“”): showing speech and 'different' words.

Semicolon (;): separation of related text and lists.

Read the e-mail in the textbook and find the sentences that the writer uses to give advice and encouragement.

Step 3: writing an e-mail encouraging a friend

You may want to mention:• weight-loss pills• equipment• going on a diet• sports• healthy eating• fast food• gyms

Write an e-mail, encouraging your friend who has weight problems.