英语听力精选进阶版 14445（在线收听）

BBC Learning English 

Video Words in the News  

14 May 2014 

The active office

Transcript:

Not the gym, but the office.  

British researchers believe sedentary work can increase the risk of heart disease. 

They're trying to make people change their habits.  

Children are taking part in the experiment too. In this school, some pupils takelessons standing.  

Meetings might never be the same again. Next time you take a stand, why not do it standing up?

Vocabulary:

sedentary

sitting down most of the time; not doing much physical activity

heart disease

medical condition affecting the heart

habits

things people do regularly, often without much active thought

experiment

scientific test that is done in order to discover or confirm something

take a stand

express an firm opinion, often opposing the currently accepted view

Exercise:

Use one of the words or phrases below to complete each of these sentences from news reports. 

Note that you may have to change the form of a word to complete the sentence correctly.

sedentary / heart disease / habits / experiment / take a stand

1. Living alone is linked to ________ that are bad for health. For example, eating poorly and having less motivation to be physically active can be a consequence of being physically isolated.

2. "I get a sense of euphoria every time I stand up," she said. "When someone is sitting down the whole time not only does the spirit die but the body begins to die. We are not meant for a ________ life."

3. Though it is only a simple game, rock-paper-scissors is seen as a useful model for studying competitive behaviour in humans - in financial trading for example. A previous ________ found that players unconsciously mimic the actions of their opponents - a surprising result because advantage is usually gained by acting differently.

4. Many studies have sought to explain why there is a low incidence of________ in France, despite many of its inhabitants eating a high-fat diet. 

5. Union members have voted to ________ against the risks of wearing high heels in the workplace in favour of more "sensible shoes". Delegates at the TUC congress in Liverpool backed a motion requiring some employers to carry out risk assessments about workers' footwear.

Answers:

1. Living alone is linked to habits that are bad for health. For example, eating poorly and having less motivation to be physically active can be a consequence of being physically isolated.

2. "I get a sense of euphoria every time I stand up," she said. "When someone is sitting down the whole time not only does the spirit die but the body begins to die. We are not meant for a sedentary life."

3. Though it is only a simple game, rock-paper-scissors is seen as a useful model for studying competitive behaviour in humans - in financial trading for example. A previous experiment found that players unconsciously mimic the actions of their opponents - a surprising result because advantage is usually gained by acting differently.

4. Many studies have sought to explain why there is a low incidence of heart disease in France, despite many of its inhabitants eating a high-fat diet.

5. Union members have voted to take a stand against the risks of wearing high heels in the workplace in favour of more "sensible shoes". Delegates at the TUC congress in Liverpool backed a motion requiring some employers to 

carry out risk assessments about workers' footwear.