Activity 4

Name: Grosu Doriana

1. Read the text and get its central idea. Guess the meaning of the words ‘foundation’, ‘to endure’ and
‘flexible’.

All-around fitness is the foundation of good health and well-being. The term “fitness” refers to the ability to
endure or withstand stress and to be able to perform daily tasks vigorously and alertly, to enjoy leisure time
activities and to effectively meet emergency demands. Fitness is also the state of a body that can work at its
best. Physically fit people can work or play harder, and with less effort than people who are not fit.
Despite the well-known benefits of physical activity, many adults and many children lead a relatively
sedentary lifestyle. They remain inactive for most of the day with little or no exercise. Excessive inactivity is
detrimental to our health and it can contribute to a lot of preventable causes of death. Lack of exercise causes
muscle atrophy and increases susceptibility to physical injury. People who don’t exercise have higher death
rates. Low levels of activity can also increase a person’s risk of developing heart disease, cancer, obesity and
other diseases. It is well-known that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death all over the world.
On the contrary, physical activity reduces the risk of premature mortality in general, and of coronary heart
disease, high blood pressure and diabetes in particular. Proper exercise can improve the health of the organs
that help us breathe. It can strengthen our heart and make our blood flow better. As a result, the health of all
our cells is improved in a way that we can feel. Our body needs exercise to stay healthy. Exercise gives our
body strength. It makes our body flexible, or able to bend and stretch easily. Exercise also builds up our
endurance, that is, the ability of our body to work for a long time without tiring.
By including moderate amounts of physical activity in their daily lives, people can substantially improve
their health and enhance the quality of their lives. Physical activity also influences a person’s mental alertness
and emotional stability. Exercise helps to reduce stress, tension, anxiety and depression, and improves the
efficiency of the body’s systems, thus slowing down the aging process. Regular exercise, especially aerobics,
can boost our self-image and self-esteem.

The central idea: Physical activity is the foundation of good health, by enhancing the quality of our lives.
Foundation- a basis (such as a principle, or a fact) upon which something is supported ;
To endure- to suffer something painful patiently;
Flexible- the ability of the human body to bend/stretch easily.

2. Answer the questions below about details.

a. What keeps people from living balanced lives?

Nowadays, people tend to lead a relatively sedentary lifestyle, mainly because of their busy schedule. They put
other interests first, such as work, money, fun, and forget about the importance of physical activity which can
provide a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Thus, folks who don’t exercise have higher death rates.

b. What are some advantages of leading a more active lifestyle?

An active lifestyle can: improve the health of the organs that help us breath; strengthen our heart; make our
body flexible; build up our endurance, that is, our body's ability to work for a long time without tiring.

c. How can physical activity increase people’s life expectancy?

Physical activity can increase people’s life expectancy, by influencing a person’s emotional stability (reduces
stress, anxiety and depression), improving the efficiency of the body’s systems, and by boosting our self-
esteem.
3. Say which of the facts mentioned in the passage may be used to support the points below.

A sedentary lifestyle is one of the top risk factors for heart disease.

“Low levels of activity can also increase a person’s risk of developing heart disease... It is well-known that
cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death all over the world.”

At its core, physical fitness involves the performance of the heart, lungs and muscles.

“Proper exercise can improve the health of the organs that help us breathe. It can strengthen our heart and
make our blood flow better... It makes our body flexible, or able to bend and stretch easily.”

Exercise reduces stress and improves the quality of life.

“By including moderate amounts of physical activity in their daily lives, people can substantially improve
their health and enhance the quality of their lives. Exercise helps to reduce stress, tension, anxiety and
depression...”