6A Writing and Vocabulary An article

1 SPEAKING In pairs, look at the photos on the opposite page and answer the questions.

1 What do you think the people in the photos are doing? Why?

2 What do you think the benefits of these activities might be?

2 Quickly read the article on page 13 and decide on the best title A–D.

A Three ways to fight stress

B Bathing – without getting wet

C The beautiful forests of Japan

D Nature – why we need it

3 Read the article again and match the headings below to paragraphs A–D. There are two extra headings.

1 Sensory engagement

2 Blossoming benefits

3 Not a minute’s peace

4 Environmental protections

5 Eastern origins

6 Family activities

4 Study the Writing box and complete it with the words from the box.

appropriate complex directly engage intriguing memorable paragraphs vary

WRITING | An article

• Give your article a/an 1 ___ title to interest the reader.
• 2 the reader immediately with an interesting opening sentence.
• Speak 3 to the reader to involve him/her.
• Organise your article by dividing it into clear 4 ___ which connect to each other.
• Use 5 sentences which use a range of different structures and linking devices.
• Use sentences which 6 ___ in length.
• Conclude with a 7 ___ ending, such as a question or personal comment.
• Understand who your audience is and use an 8 ___ style for them.

5 In pairs, find examples of the advice from the Writing box in the article for the first seven bullet points. Who do you think the target audience for this article would be?

6 Write the highlighted vocabulary in the article next to the correct definitions.

1 completely occupied with an activity

2 think deeply about something ___

3 a period where everything changes

4 attitudes and feelings about something

5 begin to use something ___

6 a large amount of something ___

7 to produce something such as gas, light or sound ___

8 the encouragement of something to make it develop or be more active ___

7 Complete the sentences with a different part of speech of the words in brackets. Use a dictionary if necessary.

1 The government is taking action to reduce industrial ___ . (emit)

2 When I saw my brother last night, he was in a ___ mood. (contemplate)

3 My mother works as an educational for a group of schools. (psyche)

4 I’m afraid I can’t stay long as I have another in about an hour. (engage)

8 WRITING TASK Read the advertisement.

Write an article using the advice from the

Writing box. Remember to use a range of vocabulary and check you’ve used the correct parts of speech. WANT TO HELP PROMOTE STRESS RELIEF? As part of our campaign to help people reduce stress and put down their electronic devices, we are looking for articles written for students in other countries about activities in Jordan that can help people relax and improve their health. Tell us where to go, what to do, and how it helps.

Use the Graphic Organiser to help you plan your writing.

□ I can write an article. I can write an article.

People! Traffic! Texts! Work! Modern life can be so stressful, can’t it? Given the relentless pace of life and the ever-present screens that we all rely on for our jobs, studying and entertainment, it can be very difficult to really escape from it all.

The situation begs the question: were humans really meant to live with this amount of constant stimulation? It's difficult to reasonably conclude that the answer is ‘yes’.

One increasingly popular response to this constant blur of activity is forest bathing, or as it is known in

Japan where it originated:

shinrin-yoku. The term was coined by

Tomohide Akiyama, who was then the

Director of the

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for Japan. He was party to the findings of several studies which had shown that the compounds and essential oils which trees naturally emit had very positive effects on human health. With this in mind, Akiyama used his position to get the practice of shinrin-yoku officially recognised, thereby increasing the value of the nation’s forests within the nation’s psyche. Interestingly, this happened during the

1980s when much of the world, and Japan in particular, was on the edge of the technological revolution that meant speed of communication, and stress levels, both began to rise. This may explain why forest bathing has become popular in other countries such as the USA, the UK,

Finland and South Korea.

So what exactly do forest bathers do? Firstly, leave your phone and any other gadgets behind. The aim is to completely immerse yourself in natural surroundings; it’s not a photo shoot or a chance to catch up on your favourite podcasts. Obviously, a forest is ideal, but studies have shown that spending time in a park or any other place with an abundance of nature can also yield great results. You’ll also want to set aside plenty of time, ideally four to six hours.

This is so you can contemplate, relax and slow your heart rate. Focus on engaging your senses:

listen to birdsong, inhale the fresh air and smells which surround you. You can also watch the creatures you see and touch the plant life that you find along your way while ensuring you leave everything as you find it.

Following time spent forest bathing, practitioners report improved mood and mental health, decreased blood pressure and stress and an increased ability to fight sickness and disease. So, why not try spending an afternoon quietly walking through a forest? Alternatively, perhaps you could simply slip off your shoes and walk barefoot on the grass for a while? Either way, your body and mind will thank you for taking a break from screens and reconnecting with nature.

A

B

C

D