LONELINESS

The two texts covering loneliness are designed to go together and form the basis of a common writing task

TEXT I: HOW LONELINESS WEARS THE BODY

“New research supports the idea that social isolation is detrimental to physical health – and that companionship may improve it”

By: Jessica Lahey and Tim Lahey

Published: The Atlantic, Dec 3 2015, http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/12/loneliness-social-isolation-and-health/418395/

Level of Difficulty: **

NOW WATCH AND LISTEN:

• Guy Winch: Why we all need to practice emotional first aid https://www.ted.com/talks/guy_winch_the_case_for_emotional_hygiene

QUESTIONS

1. What additional purpose do the food deliveries by Veggie Cares serve?
2. How do the writers support their view that the companionship the volunteers provide may be physically nourishing? They show that social isolation may cause ……………………………………………………….( Two answers, find both and express clearly)
3. Social isolation may have far reaching and seriously detrimental effects because sufferers are more likely to develop…………………or even ……………………………………….
4. Further research has shown that the negative impact of social isolation can/cannot be reversed. This conclusion was reached as a result of observing………………………..
5. Read the paragraph beginning “A few decades ago…” and fill in the blank: It doesn’t make sense that social isolation is still regarded as only a psychological or social issue because research has proven that……………………………………………………………………
6. Which sentence in the paragraph beginning “Yet” best expresses the main idea?
7. It is implied in the text that the best health intervention for the elderly

• May involve a cup of tea
• Should involve medication
• May involve companionship
• Should involve socialization
• May involve story telling

TEXT I: HOW LONELINESS WEARS THE BODY KEY AND TEACHER’S NOTES

This little text touches on an issue we all know but which experts have recently gotten round to trying to prove: the link between physical and psychological health. As such, it should appeal to a lot of people. As for the questions, the toughest are question 2 and question 7; the easiest is the first question. The rest are of a moderate level of difficulty. Correct understanding of the text is a prerequisite to be able to answer the questions.

1. Delivering companionship
2.  Paraphrasing question: The genes responsible for inflammation to be more active , while the genes that help defend against viral infections are depressed. / people to be more prone to inflammation and less able to fight viral infections
3. Paraphrasing question: dementia, die sooner/ earlier / before their peers
4. Higher numbers of circulating blood monocytes, a key type of immune cell
5. There is a link between social life and immune cell genetics
6. The psychological and the physical are inextricably linked
7. May involve companionship

TEXT II: CAN YOU TELL IF YOUR LOVED ONES ARE LONELY?

“A new study suggests yes but it depends on the relationship”

By: Julie Beck

Published: The Atlantic, April 25 2016, http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/04/can-you-tell-if-your-loved-ones-are-lonely/479541/

Level of difficulty: **

NOW WATCH AND LISTEN

·         John Cacciopa on Loneliness http://bigthink.com/videos/john-cacioppo-on-loneliness

QUESTIONS

1.  The findings of the first study mentioned in the text proves that

• People are wrong to deny being lonely
• People are right to deny being lonely

2. Why are people sometimes not completely honest when answering researchers’ questions?
3. The …………the relationship between people ………………….they are able to identify loneliness in each other
4. Who, according to the study, made the most realistic assessment of loneliness? Why?
5. The reason why friends’ and parents’ assessments of loneliness are not as accurate is that they………………………………………………………………….

WRITING TASK

Use all you have learnt in the two videos you have watched and the texts you have studied to write about loneliness: discuss the gravity of the issue (refer to its effects) and how to deal with it.

TEXT II: CAN YOU TELL IF YOUR LOVED ONES ARE LONELY? KEY AND TEACHERS NOTES

1. People are right to deny being lonely
2. So that people will like them
3. Closer, the better
4. Romantic partners, their relationship is more intimate or partners learn about all parts of their lives
5. They don’t learn as much about all parts of the subjects’ lives