What it means to be part of modern life

Modern life moves faster than ever. Technology saves us time, yet we fill that time with more tasks, screens, and pressure. How we choose to live — our daily habits, our diet, and our sleep — shapes not only our physical health, but also our identity and sense of self.

Reading · Habits for a Healthy Lifestyle

Synthesized and adapted by the national curriculum development team from the World Health Organization, Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour (2020); Guthold et al., Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 2019.

Read the first paragraph carefully. Underline the words that refer to healthy actions.

1. Exercise and Physical Activity

Health experts recommend that teenagers do at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-hard physical activity every day. This doesn’t necessarily mean competitive sport. Activities such as cycling to school, swimming, or even a brisk walk, all count towards the daily target. What makes exercise particularly powerful is its effect on the brain: physical activity causes the release of endorphins, chemicals that reduce feelings of stress and anxiety at the same time as boosting mood and self-confidence.

Furthermore, teenagers who exercise regularly tend to sleep more deeply and report higher levels of concentration during school hours. Despite these well-documented benefits, a landmark WHO-led study found that more than 80% of teenagers worldwide fail to meet the recommended daily activity levels, largely due to sedentary screen-based habits.

Read this paragraph and give a sentence that summarizes the main idea.

2. Nutrition, Sleep, and Recovery

A balanced diet is widely seen as the foundation of physical and mental well-being. Nutritionists advise that teenagers consume a varied range of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, while limiting their intake of processed foods, too much sugar, and high-caffeine drinks. Poor nutrition has been directly linked to fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and mood changes, all of which affect academic performance.

Sleep is equally important, but it is often underestimated. Teenagers require from eight to ten hours of sleep per night to support brain development, emotional control, and physical recovery. Research published in the journal Sleep Medicine found that teenagers who slept fewer than seven hours per night were more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression. Setting up a regular bedtime routine, such as avoiding screens for one hour before sleeping, has been shown to improve sleep quality.

Read and discuss with your partner how to improve your mindfulness. Then, write down your notes.

3. Mindfulness, Social Connection, and Mindful Consumption

In recent years, mindfulness has moved from specialist wellness programs into common education. Mindfulness involves paying deliberate attention to the present moment, and can take many forms: meditation, slow breathing exercises, yoga, or simply sitting quietly without a device. Studies suggest that even ten minutes of daily mindfulness practice leads to measurable reductions in stress hormones over a period of four to six weeks.

Alongside mindfulness, social connection plays a very important role in emotional health. Spending quality time with friends and family — face to face rather than through screens — has been shown to reduce loneliness and build the emotional resilience needed to cope with life’s pressures. Finally, many psychologists advise us to be conscious not only of what we eat, but also of the media, products, and information we absorb daily.

B. State whether each statement is True (T), False (F), or Not Given (NG). Justify your answer.

Note. The first statement’s answer is the textbook’s own. The other four are worked out from the reading, and each shows the exact sentence it was decided from — so you can check the reasoning rather than trust a key. If you mark a statement Not Given, the book asks you to write in one line what the text would need to say for you to decide, and where you looked.

Vocabulary · Match the words with their meanings

well-being

a state of being comfortable, healthy, and happy

sedentary

involving little physical movement

mindfulness

paying careful attention to the present moment

nutritionist

a health expert who gives advice on what to eat to stay healthy

underestimated

not valued enough

measurable

noticeable or able to be tracked, counted, or seen

processed food

any food changed from its natural state, often by adding sugar, salt or chemicals to make it last longer

Write TWO sentences using the vocabulary in bold that you identified in the text.

Start with a clear opinion that answers the question.

Example: Physical activity is more influential than diet in improving overall well-being.

Explain WHY you believe your claim is well supported.

Example: This is because exercise directly affects both physical health and mental well-being.

Support your idea using information from the text, examples or facts.

Example: According to the text, physical activity releases endorphins, which reduce stress and improve mood.

Explain how your evidence supports your claim.

Example: This shows that exercise not only improves physical health but also has a strong impact on mental well-being.

End by reinforcing your main idea.

Example: Therefore, physical activity plays a more significant role than diet in shaping overall well-being.