A new report says that bad eyesight and high cholesterol can make people more likely to get dementia. Dementia is a sickness that makes it hard to remember things. The report says fixing these problems can help stop many people from getting dementia. It is especially important for people who are middle-aged and those in poorer countries. By 2050, a lot more people might have dementia if nothing is done.

A teacher named Professor Gill Livingston says everyone should try to be healthy to help their brain. The report tells governments to help people get hearing aids, exercise, and make friends. A man named Andy Watts wants to stay healthy because he saw how dementia affected his family. Some experts say we should be careful, but they agree being healthy is good for the brain. The report gives hope that we can do things to stop dementia from happening.

Original news source: Two new dementia risks identified by major report (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– CHARADES
Instructions: Students act out words or phrases related to health and dementia (e.g., “exercise,” “doctor,” “memory”) without speaking, while the rest of the class guesses what they are.

– VOCABULARY PICTIONARY
Instructions: Divide students into small groups. Each group chooses a word from the article (e.g., “dementia,” “cholesterol,” “healthy”) and draws it on the board while the others guess the word.

– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Have students walk around the classroom and ask their classmates “What do you think is the most important way to stay healthy?” They will collect answers and share the most common responses with the class.

– THINK-PAIR-SHARE
Instructions: Pose the question “Why is it important to stay healthy?” Students think about their answers individually, then pair up to discuss their thoughts before sharing with the larger class.

– HEADLINE CREATION
Instructions: In small groups, students create a catchy headline for the article that summarizes its main idea. They can present their headlines to the class for discussion.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What can bad eyesight and high cholesterol make people more likely to get?
2. What is dementia?
3. Who says we should try to be healthy for our brain?
4. What does the report tell governments to help people get?
5. Why does Andy Watts want to stay healthy?
6. What do some experts say about being healthy?
7. What does the report give hope for?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A new report (1)______ that bad eyesight and high cholesterol can make people more (2)______ to get dementia. Dementia is a sickness that makes it hard to remember things. The report says fixing these problems can help stop many (3)______ from getting dementia. It is especially important for people who are middle-aged and those in (4)______ countries. By 2050, a lot more people might have dementia if nothing is done.

A teacher named Professor Gill Livingston says everyone should try to be healthy to (5)______ their brain. The report tells governments to help people get (6)______ aids, exercise, and make friends. A man named Andy Watts wants to stay healthy because he saw how dementia (7)______ his family. Some experts say we should be careful, but they agree being healthy is (8)______ for the brain. The report gives hope that we can do things to stop dementia from happening.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is dementia?
2. How would you feel if you forgot things?
3. Do you like to eat healthy food? Why?
4. What is a healthy thing you do every day?
5. Do you think exercise is fun? Why or why not?
6. How would you feel if someone in your family had dementia?
7. What is a good way to make friends?
8. Do you think it is important to help people who are sick? Why?
9. How do you stay happy and healthy?
10. What is a way to help your brain?
11. Do you like to play with friends? Why?
12. How would you feel if you could help someone be healthy?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. eyesight
2. cholesterol
3. dementia
4. remember
5. middle-aged
6. poorer
7. government
8. exercise
9. experts
10. hope

Meanings:
(A) A sickness that makes it hard to think and remember
(B) People who are not young but not old yet
(C) Moving your body to stay healthy
(D) A feeling that something good will happen
(E) To keep something in your mind
(F) A type of fat in your blood
(G) The people who make rules for a country
(H) Having less money
(I) How well you can see
(J) People who know a lot about something
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What can make people more likely to get dementia?
(a) Good sleep
(b) Healthy food
(c) Happy thoughts
(d) Bad eyesight

2. What is dementia?
(a) A type of exercise
(b) A kind of food
(c) A fun game
(d) A sickness that makes it hard to remember things

3. Who should try to be healthy for their brain?
(a) Everyone
(b) Only kids
(c) Only old people
(d) Only teachers

4. What does the report say about fixing problems like bad eyesight?
(a) It makes people sad
(b) It can help stop dementia
(c) It is not important
(d) It costs a lot of money

5. Who is Professor Gill Livingston?
(a) A doctor
(b) A student
(c) A teacher
(d) A chef

6. What does the report want governments to help people get?
(a) Toys
(b) Candy
(c) Hearing aids
(d) Cars

7. Why does Andy Watts want to stay healthy?
(a) He likes to run
(b) He saw how dementia affected his family
(c) He wants to eat sweets
(d) He wants to play games

8. What do some experts say about being healthy?
(a) It is good for the brain
(b) It is boring
(c) It is too hard
(d) It is not helpful

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. People in poorer countries need to be careful about dementia too.
2. Fixing eyesight and cholesterol can help stop dementia.
3. Bad eyesight can make it harder for people to get dementia.
4. The report says we can’t do things to help stop dementia from happening.
5. A teacher named Professor Gill Livingston says being unhealthy is good for the brain.
6. It is unimportant for middle-aged people to stay healthy.
7. Dementia makes it hard for people to remember things.
8. High cholesterol can also make people more likely to get dementia.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What can make people forget things?
2. Who says we should be healthy for our brains?
3. What can help people not get dementia?
4. Why does Andy Watts want to be healthy?
5. What do some experts think about being healthy?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What can bad eyesight and high cholesterol make people more likely to get?
Dementia.

2. What is dementia?
Dementia is a sickness that makes it hard to remember things.

3. Who says we should try to be healthy for our brain?
Professor Gill Livingston.

4. What does the report tell governments to help people get?
Hearing aids, exercise, and friends.

5. Why does Andy Watts want to stay healthy?
Because he saw how dementia affected his family.

6. What do some experts say about being healthy?
They say being healthy is good for the brain.

7. What does the report give hope for?
It gives hope that we can stop dementia from happening.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) says
(2) likely
(3) people
(4) poorer
(5) help
(6) hearing
(7) affected
(8) good
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. eyesight
Answer: (I) How well you can see

2. cholesterol
Answer: (F) A type of fat in your blood

3. dementia
Answer: (A) A sickness that makes it hard to think and remember

4. remember
Answer: (E) To keep something in your mind

5. middle-aged
Answer: (B) People who are not young but not old yet

6. poorer
Answer: (H) Having less money

7. government
Answer: (G) The people who make rules for a country

8. exercise
Answer: (C) Moving your body to stay healthy

9. experts
Answer: (J) People who know a lot about something

10. hope
Answer: (D) A feeling that something good will happen
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What can make people more likely to get dementia?
Answer: (d) Bad eyesight

2. What is dementia?
Answer: (d) A sickness that makes it hard to remember things

3. Who should try to be healthy for their brain?
Answer: (a) Everyone

4. What does the report say about fixing problems like bad eyesight?
Answer: (b) It can help stop dementia

5. Who is Professor Gill Livingston?
Answer: (c) A teacher

6. What does the report want governments to help people get?
Answer: (c) Hearing aids

7. Why does Andy Watts want to stay healthy?
Answer: (b) He saw how dementia affected his family

8. What do some experts say about being healthy?
Answer: (a) It is good for the brain
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. People in poorer countries need to be careful about dementia too. (Answer: True)
2. Fixing eyesight and cholesterol can help stop dementia. (Answer: True)
3. Bad eyesight can make it harder for people to get dementia. (Answer: False)
4. The report says we can’t do things to help stop dementia from happening. (Answer: False)
5. A teacher named Professor Gill Livingston says being unhealthy is good for the brain. (Answer: False)
6. It is unimportant for middle-aged people to stay healthy. (Answer: False)
7. Dementia makes it hard for people to remember things. (Answer: True)
8. High cholesterol can also make people more likely to get dementia. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧