Interviews

High-intermediate

Physical Health and Work Habits:

1. How does a sedentary work lifestyle impact physical health?
2. Can you think of any strategies that individuals can use to incorporate more physical activity into their workday?
3. What are some potential challenges people might face in trying to stay active while working a desk job?

Work-Life Balance and Burnout:

1. Why is work-life balance important for overall well-being?
2. How might overworking contribute to burnout and negatively affect different aspects of life?
3. Can you share any personal experiences or observations related to finding the right balance between work and personal time?

Guilt-Free Leisure and Mental Breaks:

1. What does it mean to engage in leisure activities without feeling guilty?
2. Why is it important to take mental breaks during the day?
3. Can you think of some leisure activities that help you unwind and recharge? How do you avoid feeling guilty about them?

Healthy Eating and Access to Nutritious Food:

1. What challenges might individuals face in accessing healthy food options?
2. How can learning to cook with available resources contribute to healthier eating habits?
3. In your opinion, how can communities address the issue of limited access to nutritious foods?

sedentary (adjective): involving much sitting and little physical activity.

– Many office jobs today lead to a sedentary lifestyle, where employees spend hours sitting at their desks.

– Doctors often recommend taking short walks throughout the day to counteract the negative effects of a sedentary routine.

decompress (verb): relax and reduce stress or tension, especially after a period of work or intense activity.

– After a long day at the office, I like to decompress by reading a book or listening to soothing music.

– The weekend offers a chance to decompress from the week’s pressures and recharge for the upcoming week.

privileged (adjective): having special advantages, opportunities, or rights due to social or economic status.

– She acknowledged her privileged position and expressed gratitude for her opportunities to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

implications (noun): the possible consequences or effects of an action, decision, or situation.

– The implications of consistently neglecting self-care can lead to physical and mental health problems over time.

resonate (verb): have a strong emotional or meaningful impact, often evoking a feeling of familiarity or connection.

– The speaker’s experiences on losing weight resonated with many people in the audience.

Now, watch the interview and answer the comprehension questions. You can also turn on the automatically-generated captions for the video once you start it.

Randall: In this video, Aubrey, let’s talk about the topic of how people can maintain a healthy lifestyle. And when I mention that and what I mean by that is not only physically but emotionally, socially, and so forth. What are 2 or 3 tips?

Aubrey: Okay. So guess like if we’re talking physically, let’s go there first. Um, you know, a lot of us have office jobs where you sit around all day, right?

Randall: Right.

Aubrey: So it’s really good if, you know, you’re able to coordinate this with your supervisors to be able to get up and take breaks. Um, I have a standing desk, so, you know, it’s adjustable. So if I’m feeling fidgety or I want to get, you know, some energy out, I just stand the desk up. It’s also really nice if I feel like I’m gonna fall asleep because I’m really tired. I just stand the desk up.

Randall: Right.

Aubrey: Um, you know, we also take walks to the drinking fountain. Um, so that’s really nice. Another thing, you know, is like work-life balance, right? To make sure that you’re, you know, getting the time you need to decompress from work. Because if you’re working all the time, um, you’re gonna burn yourself out. If you are going to do an activity to decompress, like maybe you want to watch TikTok or play video games, it’s important to tell yourself that you’re doing that for a reason, right?

Randall: Good point.

Aubrey: So you’re not being feeling guilty that you’re playing video games or watching TikTok. It’s like, okay, I have an hour where I don’t have to do anything. And that’s the plan. Like I had to get my car worked on the other day and they asked me if they wanted me to take, you know, wanted to have me taken home or if I wanted to wait there and I’m like, “No, I’m gonna wait here because if I stay here for the next hour and a half, I won’t feel guilty playing video games on my Switch” you know, my handheld game gaming device. You know, if I go home, I’m gonna feel like I have to be doing things.

Randall: Right.

Aubrey: So, you know, trying to give yourself mental breaks. Right. And because it’s hard. And I guess the last thing I want to talk about, like, is eating, because it’s so easy to eat badly.

Randall: Yeah.

Aubrey: You know, and part of that is just access to food. Like there’s a lot of sections that are like in food deserts where all you can get is crappy food. Right? Um, you know, you go into like more urban fancy environments where you can get Whole Foods and all this great produce. And don’t get me wrong, I love Whole Foods, but, you know, you got other places where you just don’t have access to that. So like learning how to cook with what you do have. Um, and again, this is something some people don’t have time to do. So this isn’t you know, I do acknowledge that I am privileged in that way. But, you know, making sure that I have food prepped so that not I don’t always, you know, get food delivered to the office.

Randall: Okay.

Aubrey: Because that’s easy, but it’s not healthy.

Randall: Well, great. And thank you for sharing those ideas on maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Personal Application: Which of Aubrey’s tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle do you find most relatable to your own situation? How do you plan to implement this tip in your daily life?

Cultural Consideration: How might the challenges and strategies discussed by Aubrey vary in different cultural contexts? Are there cultural practices in your community that align with or differ from the ideas presented in the interview?

Workplace Wellness: How can employers contribute to creating a healthier work environment based on Aubrey’s suggestions? Share ideas on how workplaces can encourage physical activity, work-life balance, and guilt-free leisure among employees.

Food Access Solutions: Aubrey discussed the concept of food deserts and the importance of learning to cook with available resources. Brainstorm creative solutions for improving access to healthier food options in areas with limited choices. How can local communities or organizations address this issue?

The following activities deal with related topics to give you additional language practice.

• A Healthy Lifestyle
• Diet Plan
• Health Information
• Health Insurance
• Men’s Health