Разработка урока 'Laughter is the Best Medicine'

Unit I

Pre-reading

1. Translate the following words, learn them and make up sentences with them:

1. to respond to

2. to improve one's health

3. to laugh, laughter

4. to lower blood pressure

5. to have an accident

6. a stress relief valve

7. to get rid of

8. to acquire a stress-related disorder

9. destructive

10. to assert oneself

11. to take risks

12. to combat the stresses and strains

2. How can these words be connected with the title of the text?

Reading

1. Read and translate the text and find active words in it.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

At least nine out of every ten illnesses are caused - or at least made worse - by stress, pressure and anxiety. It seems that the way we respond to problems and troubles can produce many symptoms of ill health. But although our minds can make us ill, they can also make us better and help us to stay healthy.

There are a number of ways in which you can use your mind to improve your health:

1. Laugh as much as you can. Laughter is a positive, natural phenomenon which helps by improving respiration, lowering blood pressure and 'toning up' the heart.

2. Don't be cool or unemotional. Insurance companies in the USA have shown that if a wife kisses her husband before he goes to work, then he'll be less likely to have an accident on the road. He will, on average, live five years longer than if she doesn't give him a morning kiss.

3. If you feel sad, then cry. Research has shown that tears don't just provide an important stress relief valve - they help the body get rid of harmful chemical wastes. If you suppress your natural instinct to cry, than you are increasing your chances of acquiring a stress-related disorder.

4. Anger is a killer. Diseases such as high blood pressure, strokes and heart disease are all common consequences of uncontrolled anger. Find a positive way to release it, such as through physical exercise or talking about your problems.

5. A lack of confidence can be very destructive, so build it up. You can do this by imagining that you are creating an advertisement for yourself, writing down all your good points. You'll probably be surprised to find out how many virtues you have.

6. Smile as much as you can. We all respond to the face we see - for example, if you see someone yawn, you feel tired and if you see someone scowling, then you'll feel cross. If people see you smiling, then they'll smile back at you. They'll like you, too.

7. Learn to assert yourself. In hospitals the patients who live longest are the ones who stick up for themselves. The same is true of life.

8. Boredom is one of the biggest killers in our society. Be prepared to take risks and chances to add excitement to your life. If you don't take risks, you'll never know what you can achieve.

9. Put purpose into life. By adding ambition, hope and purpose, you'll give yourself new powers with which to combat the stresses and strains associated with frustrations, boredom and pressure.

10. Get into the habit of following your instincts. Practise first with minor decisions - what to eat and wear. You'll be surprised at how good your unconscious mind is at making decisions for you.

by Dr John Winsor - The Sunday Times of Malta

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After reading

1. Read the extracts about the origin of the words from Online Etymology Dictionary and find out what words they are about.

1) Origin: late 14c., from Old English (Anglian) hlæhhan, earlier hlihhan, from Proto-Germanic *klakhjanan (cf. Old Norse hlæja, Danish le, Old Frisian hlakkia, Old Saxon hlahhian, Middle Dutch and Dutch lachen, Old High German hlahhan, German lachen, Gothic hlahjan), from PIE *kleg-, of imitative origin (cf. Latin cachinnare "to laugh aloud," Sanskrit kakhati "laughs," Old Church Slavonic chochotati "laugh," Lithuanian klageti "to cackle," Greek kakhazein). Originally with a "hard" -gh- sound, as in Scottish loch; the spelling remained after the pronunciation shifted to "-f."

2) Origin: from Old French medecine (Modern French médicine) "medicine, art of healing, cure, treatment, potion," from Latin medicina "the healing art, medicine; a remedy," also used figuratively, perhaps originally ars medicina "the medical art," from fem. of medicinus (adj.) "of a doctor," from medicus "a physician" (see medical); though OED finds evidence for this is wanting. Meaning "a medicinal potion or plaster" in English is mid-14c.

3) Origin: Old English heorte "heart; breast, soul, spirit, will, desire; courage; mind, intellect," from Proto-Germanic *khertan- (cf. Old Saxon herta, Old Frisian herte, Old Norse hjarta, Dutch hart, Old High German herza, German Herz, Gothic hairto), from PIE *kerd- "heart" (cf. Greek kardia, Latin cor, Old Irish cride, Welsh craidd, Hittite kir, Lithuanian širdis, Russian serdce "heart," Breton kreiz "middle," Old Church Slavonic sreda "middle").

2. Give corresponding words for the following definitions:

1. to make one's breathing better;

2. a sudden disabling attack or loss of consciousness caused by an interruption in the flow of blood to the brain, especially through thrombosis;

3. a sudden occurrence of coronary thrombosis, typically resulting in the death of part of a heart muscle and sometimes fatal;

4. to make or become more vigorous, healthy

5. to successfully bring about or reach (a desired objective or result) by effort, skill, or courage;

6. the state of feeling weary and impatient because one is unoccupied or lacks interest in one's current activity;

7. the feeling of being upset or annoyed as a result of being unable to change or achieve something

3. Find the synonyms of the following words:

1. to get into the habit

2. to improve respiration

3. to be surprised at

4. to cause anxiety

5. to have an accident

6. to make decisions

7. heart disease

4.Work with the dictionary and translate the following word combinations and learn them:

A mental stress, a virus-carrying bacterial strain, to make smb yawn, a reproductive instinct, to put someone in mind of, health education, a destructive disease, congenital immunodeficiency disorder

5.Find in the text

1. one sentence in the Passive voice,

2. two sentences in the Present Simple Tense,

3. one sentence in the Future Simple tense.

Put 4 types of questions to every sentence.

6. Answer the following questions:

1. What produces many symptoms of ill health?

2. Why is laughter one of the ways to improve your health?

3. Why should a person cry, when s/he feels sad?

4. Do you share the author's point of you? If yes/no, give your reasons

What do you think?

Do you agree that many illnesses are caused by stress, pressure and anxiety? Give your reasons for it.