Hello, lovely people of the world.
I'm Maria.
And my name is Rory.
We are the hosts of the IELTS Speaking for Success podcast, the podcast that aims to help you develop your speaking skills, as well as your listening skills along the way.
We started this podcast to give you a look at how a super native speaker would answer some of the most common IELTS speaking questions using gorgeous grammar and advanced vocabulary.
For what score?
A band 9 score.
Rory, you're looking a bit under the weather today.
Well, that's quite a coincidence, because I am actually under a thunderstorm right now, as we are recording this.
Hey, but seriously, we're going to talk about health today.
Dear listeners, in Speaking Part 3, they can ask you questions about health.
Well, actually they can ask questions about health in Speaking Part 1 and Speaking Part 2, but we're going to deal with Speaking Part 3.
Questions today.
Rory, is health awareness important?
Yeah, I think so.
I think you've got to maintain a good physical condition, regardless of where you are, and being healthy and knowing that you're healthy helps with that.
Especially now that we consume so many things that are potentially bad for us.
Do you think people have become more health conscious in recent years?
Oh, definitely.
We're surrounded by advertisements and social media displays pictures of people in various states of health and non-health.
And I suppose on top of that there's a lot of misinformation and old wives tales that have got to be dispelled.
So yeah, I think we're definitely more health conscious in general and then specifically to tackle these problems.
What can be done to make people more aware of their health?
Oh, I don't know.
They can look in the mirror.
I think probably more seriously if people could go for checkups and they can find out their limits in terms of what they can do to their bodies or with their bodies if they go to the gym, for example, making sure they don't hurt themselves.
And then, in addition to that, once they know that their health is important, then they can brainstorm ways to be healthy and try them out.
How does public healthcare help people?
Well, I suppose right now it's more reactive than proactive.
It always seems to focus on the more immediate issues that people face with their health rather than promoting ways of how to prevent problems from happening, which is something I'm in two minds about, actually.
Do you think the government should promote a healthy lifestyle among the citizens?
It's an interesting idea.
I suppose, since I'm a bit more liberal in outlook, I think the least the government could do is not promote unhealthy lifestyles and maybe promote a baseline, something like don't overeat and if you go to the gym you'll feel better.
I think I would draw the line at the government telling people what to do though.
There are so many ways to be healthy and you know, a little bit of unhealthy behavior is not the worst thing in the world.
Could you give me an example of this unhealthy behavior?
Well, for example, alcohol is basically a neurotoxin.
But people still like you can drink it to unwind and relax.
Obviously, you don't want to become an alcoholic, but at the same time, you want to chill out and have fun with your friends.
So and drinking together can be a way to achieve that.
So I think it would be not such a good thing if the government told people suddenly, like stop drinking.
So you're just saying that drinking alcohol is fine?
Well, as long as you don't overdo it.
Like.
It's slightly unhealthy, but it's not.
As long as you don't drink so much that you collapse and die, then it's not really that bad.
Would you say modern science and technology has more of a positive or a negative influence on people's health.
Overall, it's been positive, probably.
For example, people in, even though people and companies can still misuse science to their own ends.
Food now is like cleaner and better and more effectively produced than ever before.
So in that sense, it's had a great impact on people's health.
Similarly, you've got smartwatches that monitor how your body functions, for example.
And I think that's made people more aware of their health as well.
And it's hopefully pushed them in a positive direction.
Rory, thank you very much for your healthy answers.
Just what the doctor ordered.
Rory, when we talk about health, the questions were about awareness.
So health awareness, what is this?
I suppose health awareness is just being aware of how healthy you are and how to be healthy or maintain the level of health that you already have.
If you're already healthy yeah, we can say like I'm aware of my health, so people should be more aware of their health.
Yeah, you said that it's important to maintain a good health condition.
Right, so maintain a good health conditions, like keep fit.
What else can you say?
Be in a good shape?
Absolutely yep um, i think those are the ones that are referred to the most often like to be in shape and to have um, a good physical condition.
There are other ones like for varying levels of health and fitness.
Also, one of the questions was about being health conscious.
So, what is it?
I'm health conscious?
Yeah, so, well, it's the same thing as awareness, to be honest.
You have different levels of awareness, but if you're health conscious, then you have more awareness of how healthy you are.
You said like health versus non-health.
So I can actually say non-health.
You probably can't.
I think I just made it up.
But because I was struggling to think of the word, I just added non on the end of it.
And it's clear from what I was saying that I meant, like the difference between a good thing and a bad thing.
But of course, we're talking about health.
So I didn't want to say good and bad.
I wanted to say healthy and unhealthy, for example, or... health and not being so healthy.
Yeah, when we talk about not being so healthy, we can say most people lead a sedentary lifestyle.
Well, I don't know.
It depends.
You can have a sedentary lifestyle, but maybe still be a little bit healthy.
You just don't move around so much.
Although that might be pushing it slightly.
Yeah, you've also mentioned the word overeat.
Yeah.
Do you sometimes overeat?
I don't think so.
I think I eat more than I do normally, but then that's just because I'm lifting heavier weights than before.
So it's logical.
Have you started eating bananas and raisins?
No.
I don't like bananas and raisins and I never will.
Yeah, Rory hates bananas and raisins.
Check out our episodes on what?
Food?
I think it was food.
Yeah, food.
Okay.
You've mentioned myths that should be dispelled.
Yes.
Well, I think it was Old Wives Tales, actually.
But an Old Wives Tale is just a similar thing.
It's like a myth or a piece of advice that's...
It's not actually good advice.
It's just something that people say and it's been around for a long time.
So, for example, I think...
An old wives tale, which was not an accurate piece of advice, was if you touch a toad, then you'll get warts on your hand, for example.
And that's...
Yeah, so obviously this needs to be stopped.
And by stopped, you mean like you stop it and you correct the information.
So when you stop something and correct it, then you dispel it.
Yep.
You've mentioned checkups.
So people can go for checkups, right?
So medical checkups.
Or you can say, for example, you can have your blood tested, your eyes tested.
Yeah.
What about this reactive versus proactive?
Reactive is when you have the problem and then you deal with it when the problem comes to you.
But if you're proactive you take steps to stop the problem.
So reactive healthcare would be like someone smoked too much and gave themselves cancer, so now we have to treat the cancer.
But proactive healthcare would be like encouraging people to give up smoking in order to stop them from getting cancer in the first place.
Yeah, and the government should promote healthy lifestyles.
Or at least try.
I don't know if... I mean, I think there's a role for the government, but...
It might not be so simple as just the government telling you what's a good idea.
You've mentioned a good one.
I'm into mines about that.
Hmm...
Do you have two minds?
Nope, not quite.
I'm not that clever.
But if you're in two minds about something, it just means that you Well, you haven't made a final decision about.
Well, about something that requires two choices.
So, for example, I'm in two minds about the role of government in healthcare, because I can't decide if it's a positive thing or a negative thing on balance.
Yes, and that's a nice one to use.
For example, the examiner asks you, what would you like to do in the future in speaking part one?
And you go, I'm into minds about that.
Perhaps I'll become president of the world or I'll become a model.
Yeah, the thing is, it's got to be about two choices.
It can't be about more than two.
You've used a nice expression, I would draw the line.
Hmm.
So if you draw the line at something, it just means this is the point where you stop doing something, or you would tell people to stop doing something.
It's like the expression, like to draw a line in the sand.
Usually when you do this, people cannot cross over this line.
It's like the absolute limit of what is possible for people.
Could you give us an example?
Sure.
I draw the line at giving examples.
Yeah, and we always say draw the line, right?
In this expression.
You could draw a line at it.
Draw a line at it?
So, draw the line at it and draw a line at it?
Yeah, I think draw the line is more appropriate here because we're talking about a specific topic.
Also, if you draw a line, it's usually draw a line under something, and that means something very different.
Right.
What about this one?
Misuse it to their own ends.
Oh, God.
So an end is like, well, a goal, for example, but the expression is not misuse it to your own goals.
It's misuse it to your own ends.
And, of course, if you misuse something, you use it for a purpose that it's not designed or intended for.
Yeah, you've used some nice grammar like present perfect, it's been positive blah blah, blah and nice structure, even though the government blah blah blah blah, blah.
Yeah, like to give a contrast.
Speaking about technology, you've mentioned smartwatch, right?
Mm-hmm.
And smartwatch monitors... I think I said like smartwatches monitor your bodily functions.
Is that right?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Your body function or bodily?
Bodily functions.
Yeah, so bodily functions like heart rate.
I think some of them can tell you what your body fat percentage is.
And that's really weird.
I don't know how on earth they calculate that, but okay.
Yes, yes, I have these smart scales and they tell me that I should have more fat.
I lack fat, basically.
You can have some of mine if you want, dear listener.
Thank you very much for listening.
Now you can listen to Rory's answers again and notice absolutely gorgeous vocabulary he's just used.
Stay healthy and wealthy And remember.
A podcast a day keeps a doctor away.
No, what could it be?
Keeps Rory and Maria happy.
Oh, yeah.
Rory, is health awareness important?
Yeah, I think so.
I think you've got to maintain a good physical condition, regardless of where you are, and being healthy and knowing that you're healthy helps with that.
Especially now that we consume so many things that are potentially bad for us.
Do you think people have become more health conscious in recent years?
Oh, definitely.
We're surrounded by advertisements and social media displays pictures of people in various states of health and non-health.
And I suppose on top of that there's a lot of misinformation and old wives tales that have got to be dispelled.
So yeah, I think we're definitely more health conscious in general and then specifically to tackle these problems.
What can be done to make people more aware of their health?
Oh, I don't know.
They can look in the mirror.
I think probably more seriously if people could go for checkups and they can find out their limits in terms of what they can do to their bodies or with their bodies if they go to the gym, for example, making sure they don't hurt themselves.
And then, in addition to that, once they know that their health is important, then they can brainstorm ways to be healthy and try them out.
How does public healthcare help people?
Well, I suppose right now it's more reactive than proactive.
It always seems to focus on the more immediate issues that people face with their health rather than promoting ways of how to prevent problems from happening, which is something I'm in two minds about, actually.
Do you think the government should promote a healthy lifestyle among the citizens?
It's an interesting idea.
I suppose, since I'm a bit more liberal in outlook, I think the least the government could do is not promote unhealthy lifestyles and maybe promote a baseline, something like don't overeat and if you go to the gym you'll feel better.
I think I would draw the line at the government telling people what to do though.
There are so many ways to be healthy and you know, a little bit of unhealthy behavior is not the worst thing in the world.
Could you give me an example of this unhealthy behavior?
Well, for example, like alcohol is basically a neurotoxin, But people still like you can drink it to unwind and relax.
Obviously, you don't want to become an alcoholic, but at the same time, you want to chill out and have fun with your friends.
So and drinking together can be a way to achieve that.
So I think it would be not such a good thing if the government told people suddenly, like stop drinking.
So you're just saying that drinking alcohol is fine?
Well, as long as you don't overdo it.
Like.
It's slightly unhealthy, but it's not.
As long as you don't drink so much that you collapse and die, then it's not really that bad.
Would you say modern science and technology has more of a positive or a negative influence on people's health.
Overall, it's been positive, probably.
For example, even though people and companies can still misuse science to their own ends, food now is like cleaner and better and more effectively produced than ever before.
So in that sense, it's had a great impact on people's health.
Similarly, you've got smartwatches that monitor how your body functions, for example.
And I think that's made people more aware of their health as well.
And it's hopefully pushed them in a positive direction.
