IELTS Speaking topic – Health and well-being #3

IELTS Speaking Part 2

Model answer

I haven’t had any experience looking after sick people, so instead I’ll share a story about my pet who got hit by a car. It happened many years ago, when I was a teen. We lived in a small town with very few cars – we didn’t even have proper roads to start with. Anyway, I was walking with my dog, and it just so happened that a car out of nowhere rushed past us and the dog barely managed to avoid getting hit. They did hit one of his hind paws.

The dog limped back home with me, whimpering. Later that day, we took it to an x-ray and it turned out to be a fractured bone. The vet put a splint on it to prevent the broken ends from moving, and he instructed me on how to take care of the dog. I had to make sure it remained still for at least a week and I had to it having food and water right next to him at all times. The challenging task was to keep the dog from moving too much, because he was very active. Well, after a week, the dog made an almost full recovery. I guess we both learned a valuable lesson: to pay extra attention whenever we are in the immediate vicinity of roads and motorways.

IELTS Speaking Part 3

Health and age

How does a person’s health change as they grow older?
It is a common sentiment that, as you age, you inevitably grow weak and frail and eventually fall apart. While it may be true for some, it is not necessarily the path everyone has to go down. If you keep exercising and challenging your mind, neither of those will ever let you down. The expression “use it or lose it” exists for a reason. Of course, age does impose certain limits. Senior citizens have to fight an uphill battle against lowering testosterone or estrogen levels and general hormonal shifts. This shouldn’t mean that it is a fight not worth fighting, though. There are many living examples of people in their later stages of life who still look and think almost as good as they did in their fourties.

To sum up, I believe that ultimately it comes down to your lifestyle choices and your idea of sustainable health. A strong mind and body are not programmed to go downhill after a certain cut-off age – that is, unless you tell them to. So if one sets out to remain a well-functioning member of society, there should be little to stop them.

What can the government do to improve the quality of life for older people?
The two most common issues older people face are related to their finances and health. I believe both of these could be alleviated with enough support from the state. The second issue could be made better in a variety of ways. For instance, the government could make healthcare more affordable to senior citizens through subsidies, free drugs as well as preventive care that would stop the development of more serious health conditions. Addressing the financial struggles of the elderly might prove more challenging. Another consideration is establishing additional pensions funds to contribute to the retirement money old people have. A good idea would be to make it directly proportional to their employment history to make it more fair for those who worked harder. This would also incentivize adults to stay employed longer in order to reap the benefits of such programmes.

How do attitudes towards ageing and health vary across different cultures?
I will risk making some sweeping statements here. I think western culture in general has less respect for the elderly than eastern culture. Asian cultural groups in particular tend to look up to the seniors as sources of wisdom and experience. They see age and ageing as blessings rather than an inevitable, unpleasant fact of life. The West mostly focuses on the perks and merits of youth. Attractiveness, boundless energy, and great learning capacity are the main things westerners laud in younger people. Another good example is the cultures of the Middle East, where old age is connected to elevated spirituality and religiousness.

All in all, it seems that most cultures have a prevalently positive attitude towards both old people and ageing. I concur with this point of view. I’d say it would be silly to see the final years of your life as something dreadful. Instead, it is a good time to reflect on the things that you have done and all the experiences you have had.

Attitude towards health

How can a person’s attitude towards health affect their overall well-being?
Caring about your health can have nothing but positive effects. Following a balanced diet rich in nutrients and avoiding processed foods will make sure that you get enough daily intake of all the necessary vitamins and minerals. You have no idea how much your productivity and mood are affected by what you eat. Exercising or otherwise exposing yourself to reasonable physical activity infuses you with endorphins which makes you happy and full of a sense of purpose. Finally, staying away from drugs and alcohol—I think that goes without saying. Nobody would seriously consider taking these substances if they were aware of how much long-lasting damage they cause.

Sure, you can miss out on social parties that revolve around alcohol, but it is worth the price. You might want to miss the joy of pigging out on fast food, but that joy is fleeting and has serious consequences. Laying on the couch all weekend might seem fun for a while, but the effects of a passive lifestyle will soon follow, especially as you grow older. At the end of the day, it’s all about your attitude towards your mind and body and how far ahead you can think to understand the impact of the decisions you make today.

Do social media and the Internet affect our health? If so, are these effects positive or negative?
I think the problem with both is that they are awfully addictive. One of the issues that stems from spending too much time online is an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. We spend a mind-blowing part of our day hunched over at the computer screen or slouched on the couch scrolling our phone news feed. People of today often do not feel compelled to go outside, because, evidently the most engaging events take place online, not in the real world. Bad posture affects our spine and leads to conditions like scoliosis. I guess it is also obvious that the eyes go through a lot of strain, and you often become myopic – or shortsighted. Finally, staying indoors too much means you do not get enough sun, which is a rich natural source of vitamin D—one that makes you feel better and has many other benefits.

Should schools pay more attention to educating students on the importance of staying healthy?
Well, yes, they probably should. However, I think this responsibility should not lie on schools exclusively. I believe that propagating the idea of a healthy lifestyle has to take place at home, work, and your place of study. It has been scientifically proven that we are more likely to follow the advice of a person we hold in high regard. Unfortunately, with teachers, it is not always the case – some students might resent theirs or studying in general. That is why it has to come from somebody one respects—maybe it is their family or colleagues—it can vary from one individual to another.

All things considered, spreading the knowledge about health and its importance has numerous benefits. One that deserves particular attention is that a healthy individual contributes more to society as a whole. They are more productive and creative, eager to work overtime and participate in their community. Financial aspect of healthcare is not to be overlooked either – we all know how crazy high those hospital bills can get. Finally, I guess very few would spend their time in a hospital bed voluntarily.

Health and well-being vocabulary

Look after (phr v) – to take care of somebody, especially if they can’t do that themselves. Pet shelters are always on the lookout for volunteers willing to look after the animals.
Limp back – to limp means to step carefully because one of the limbs is damaged. To limp back means to return somewhere slowly and carefully because of an injury or damage. Can be used figuratively. My car barely started to I had to limp it back home.
Fractured bone – the term ‘fractured’ is a more medical one and means ‘broken’. Fractured bones heal much easier if you are younger.
Splint (n) – a special medical casing that tightens two pieces of a fractured bone in place so they don’t move, to prevent from damaging surrounding tissues and help recovery.
Full recovery – if somebody has fully recovered,  it means they are back to normal. Full recovery from this illness might take years.
Frail (adj) – weak and easily damaged or broken. With age, bones become porous and much more frail.
Nutrients (n) – substances that feed our body with elements necessary for survival. This bread is rich with nutrients even though it is not that tasty.
Processed foods – types of food that undergo chemical treatment to last longer. Used negatively. Dietologists suggest avoiding processed foods, even if it means paying extra for alternatives.
Daily intake – the total amount of something that you eat or drink during the day. I am trying to cut down on my daily carb intake to lose some weight.
Endorphins (n) – natural hormones released during painful or stressful situations. They act like painkillers to mitigate the negative effects of such situations.
Pig out on – to eat something in great amount, especially because of stress or as part of binge eating.
Sedentary (adj) – characterised by low mobility and spending a lot of time sitting. His job is pretty sedentary – he sits at his desk and answers phone calls 10 hours a day.
Hunch over (phr v) – to sit with your head and neck extended forward relative to the rest of your body. If your eyesight is poor you tend to hunch over when working with computers.
Slouch (v) – to sit or lie with your back not firmly against the back of the chair or sofa. Leads to poor posture.
Strain (n) – pain or discomfort caused by overstretching or overuse of a muscle or tendon, such as during physical activity or sports.

General vocabulary

To start with – to begin with, in the first place. In order to be fired from work I would need to find one to start with.
Hind (adj) – (about limbs) relating to the back; rear. The hind legs of hares are extremely strong and allow quick locomotion by leaping over great distances.
Whimper (n) – a low high animals like dogs make when they are physically hurt or very upset. I could hear a dog whimper in a dark alley next to the park.
Immediate vicinity – very close to or right next to something. There are no shops in the vicinity, we might have to walk a while to find one at this late hour.
A common sentiment – a popular idea held by many people. The common sentiment nowadays is that jobs related to programming might be taken over by AI relatively soon.
Use it or lose it – an idiomatic expression that means if you don’t use something like a skill, you tend to forget it or get worse at it.
Impose (v) – to introduce certain rules or limitations, especially if you have authority in the matter. The imposed sanctions hit the country’s economy rather hard.
Fight an uphill battle – to deal with a task or a problem that is especially difficult due to certain factors. Many countries fight an uphill battle to save the economy while keeping unemployment at an acceptably low level.
Sustainable (adj) – something that can be maintained for extended periods of time. Investing in sustainable sources of energy is a lucrative business and it is attractive ethically.
Alleviate (v) – to make something slightly better. Take the pill three times a day to alleviate pain.
Subsidy (n) – a financial initiative by some body, such as the government, to partially or fully cover the cost of something. Manufacturing subsidies help small businesses start making things without exposing themselves to much financial risks.
Incentivize (v) – to make something more attractive through various means. To incentivize getting better marks, I take my kids to an ice-cream parlour as long as their marks are good.
Look up to – to respect and try to learn something from people who are older or more experience/successful than you are.
Boundless (adj) – limitless, seemingly infinite. His boundless energy comes from enthusiasm and youthfulness.
Laud (v) – praise somebody. The committee lauded the girl for showing exemplary academic performance throughout the year.
Reap the benefits – to benefit from something that was done before by either you or somebody else. My children will hopefully get to reap the benefits of my investments.
Sweeping statement – a generalisation that, due to its nature, might be unfair or untrue in all cases. To say that all Asian students are great at Math is a sweeping statement.
Elevated (adj) – higher than usual, either literally or figuratively. Jose’s elevated mood was mostly because of his recent success with girls.
Prevalently (adv) – (here) mostly, predominantly. A prevalently middle-class neighbourhood.
Concur (v) – to agree, to have the same opinion.
To reflect on smth – (here) to think about something carefully, to analyse it. You should take your time and reflect on your achievements before moving forward.
Fleeting (adj) – passing, disappearing quickly. The fleeting sensation of grand celebration was gone shortly after the opening ceremony.
News feed – a list of news and events that gets updated in real time, usually as part of the interface of some app or piece of software.
Compelled (adj) – motivated, forced to do something.
Propagate (v) – to spread something, such as a belief or an idea.
Hold in high regard – to respect somebody or think highly of them. We should hold all of our teachers in high regard for the immense contribution to our lives.
To be the case – to be so, to be the way it is. Jane is usually the first to answer the teacher’s question, but today wasn’t the case. Jason, the new students, was much quicker to find the right answer.
Resent (v) – to dislike something bitterly. I resent doing math homework because I hardly understand anything in it.
Vary (v) – to be different. Pronunciation is very similar to ‘very’. Watermelons can vary in shapes and sizes, depending on their variation.
Overlook (v) – to fail to notice something.

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