This lesson is designed to build your critical-thinking skills in English as you read, listen, and answer different types of comprehension and discussion questions.

Although these questions are related to classroom instruction, independent learners can reflect on the ideas and topic to prepare for the listening portion of the lesson.

1. Mind Mapping: Provide students with the central theme of the story, “Fitness and Humor,” and ask them to create a mind map by writing down any related words, ideas, or questions that come to mind. Encourage them to think about personal experiences, stereotypes, and common perceptions related to fitness and humor.

2. Vocabulary Brainstorm: Present a list of fitness-related vocabulary words on the board or through a handout. Ask students to brainstorm additional words or phrases related to fitness and humor. Have them share their ideas with the class, discussing the meaning and relevance of each word.

3. Discussion Starter: Show a humorous image or cartoon related to fitness or gym culture and ask students to discuss it in pairs or small groups. Encourage them to share their initial thoughts, opinions, and predictions about the story based on the image.

4. Real-Life Connections: Engage students in a short class discussion about their personal experiences with fitness, exercise, or funny moments related to physical activities. Encourage them to share anecdotes, challenges, or funny stories to connect their lives and the upcoming story.

5. Predictions and Questions: Based on the story’s title and any provided background information, have students write down their predictions about the plot, the main character’s journey, and the role of humor in the story. Ask them to formulate questions they hope to have answered by listening to the story.

Listen and read the story and answer the questions. You have two options:

• listen to the story in the embedded player below (allowing you to click on words in the transcript for immediate playback)
• use the regular audio player with the story below it.

Choose which format works best for you.

There was a man named Bob, and he was a bit of a couch potato, but he had a great sense of humor and loved to make his family and friends laugh.

One day, Bob realized that he wasn’t getting any younger and he needed to start taking better care of himself. He decided to join a health club to get in shape and impress his family and friends.

Bob arrived at the health club with a big smile on his face, ready to show everyone what he was made of. He signed up for a membership, got a tour of the facilities, and then headed to the weight room.

Bob walked over to the weight bench and attempted to lift the bar. To his surprise, he couldn’t even lift it! It was so heavy that it didn’t budge an inch.

Feeling embarrassed, Bob looked around to see if anyone was watching him. Unfortunately, his family and friends had all decided to come to the health club that day to cheer him on.

Bob’s wife, children, and friends were all gathered around the weight bench, watching him struggle to lift the bar. His wife chuckled and said, “I thought you said you were in shape!”

Bob looked at her and replied, “I AM in shape! Round is a shape, right?”

Everyone burst out laughing, and Bob’s embarrassment quickly turned into a joke. He continued to work out at the health club, but he never took himself too seriously. He knew the most important thing was to have fun and enjoy the process of getting healthier.

In the end, Bob did get in shape, and his family and friends were proud of him, but they were even prouder of his ability to make them laugh and bring joy into their lives, even during his most awkward moments.

1. What motivated Bob to join the health club?
a) His friends’ encouragement
b) His desire to impress his family and friends
c) His passion for fitness
d) His doctor’s recommendation

2, How did Bob cope with his embarrassing moment at the gym?
a) He laughed it off and made a joke about it.
b) He immediately left the gym in embarrassment.
c) He complained to the gym staff.
d) He pretended it didn’t happen and continued with his workout.

3. What role did humor play in Bob’s journey to achieving his fitness goals?
a) It helped him stay motivated and positive.
b) It hindered his progress and distracted him.
c) It had no impact on his fitness journey.
d) It made him feel more self-conscious and embarrassed.

4. How did social support contribute to Bob’s success?
a) It pushed him to work out excessively.
b) It made him feel ashamed of his progress.
c) It provided encouragement and motivation.
d) It caused him to give up on his goals.

5. What lesson can be learned from Bob’s story?
a) Fitness goals are not important; humor is all that matters.
b) Fitness goals should be pursued without any social support.
c) Humor and social support can help overcome obstacles and achieve success.
d) Bob’s story emphasizes the need for education in personal change.

1. b) His desire to impress his family and friends.

This answer can be found in the initial part of the story, where it is mentioned that Bob joined the health club to impress his family and friends.

2. a) He laughed it off and made a joke about it.

This can be inferred from the story as Bob coped with his embarrassing moment by using humor and making a joke about it.

3. a) It helped him stay motivated and positive.

Throughout the story, humor is shown to be a tool for Bob to cope with challenges, stay positive, and persevere in his fitness journey.

4. c) It provided encouragement and motivation.

The story highlights the importance of social support in Bob’s success by mentioning that his family and friends supported him and motivated him along the way.

5. c) Humor and social support can help overcome obstacles and achieve success.

This is the main message of the story, emphasizing the role of humor and social support in Bob’s journey towards achieving his fitness goals.

Easy (Recall and Comprehend):

1. Why did Bob decide to join a health club?
2. How came to the sports club to watch him?
3. What was he doing exactly with these people saw him?
4. What lesson can be learned from Bob’s story?

Intermediate (Analyze and Interpret):

1. How did Bob use humor to cope with his embarrassing moment at the gym?
2. As portrayed in Bob’s story, discuss the significance of social support in achieving fitness goals.

Advanced (Analyze and Interpret):

1. Analyze the psychological and emotional benefits of humor in overcoming challenges and setbacks in fitness pursuits, drawing examples from Bob’s story.
2. Reflect on the potential downsides of societal pressure and body image expectations in the context of Bob’s experience. How can individuals navigate these challenges and maintain a positive mindset?
3. Explore the concept of self-compassion and its relevance to Bob’s journey. How might self-compassion impact motivation, resilience, and overall well-being while pursuing fitness goals?

These post-listening activities add visual (seeing), auditory (listening), kinesthetic (moving), and tactile (touching) elements to engage students in meaningful ways based on their learning styles.

Visual (Seeing):

1. Create a storyboard or comic strip that illustrates the key moments in Bob’s fitness journey, including his struggles, humorous moments, and eventual success.
2. Design a motivational poster featuring a quote from the story that highlights the importance of humor and perseverance in achieving fitness goals.

Auditory (Listening):

1. Organize a class discussion where students take turns sharing their thoughts on the story, focusing on the themes of humor, resilience, and the importance of social support.
2. Conduct a mock interview with Bob, where students take turns playing the role of an interviewer and Bob, discussing his fitness journey, challenges, and the role of humor.

Kinesthetic (Movement):

1. Organize a fitness-themed role-play activity, where students act out different scenarios of providing social support to someone pursuing fitness goals, incorporating movement and gestures.
2. Lead a group exercise session where students perform simple exercises while sharing their reflections on the story, discussing how physical activity can be both enjoyable and beneficial.

Tactile (Hands-on):

1. Create a collage using magazine cutouts or drawings that represent different aspects of Bob’s fitness journey, such as humor, support, and physical activity.
2. Develop a tactile activity where students work in pairs to create a mini obstacle course using various materials (e.g., cones, hula hoops, mats) that represent the challenges and successes Bob encountered during his fitness journey.

Game Title: Fitness Charades

Objective: To practice vocabulary related to fitness and physical activities through charades, fostering non-verbal communication and comprehension.

Instructions:

For Beginner Level Students:

1. Prepare a list of simple fitness-related actions or exercises suitable for beginners.
2. Divide the class into small groups.
3. Choose one student from each group to be the “actor” for the first round.
4. Without using any words or sounds, the actor must act out the fitness-related action or exercise to their group members.
5. The group members guess the action or exercise being portrayed.
6. Once the action or exercise is guessed correctly, rotate the actor’s role to another student in the group.
7. Repeat the process until all students have had a chance to act out.

List of Words for Beginner Level:

1. Jumping jacks
2. Running
3. Push-ups
4. Stretching
5. Squats
6. Skipping
7. Sit-ups
8. Swimming
9. Bicycling
10. Dancing

For Intermediate Level Students:

1. Prepare a list of more challenging fitness-related actions, exercises, or sports suitable for intermediate students.
2. Follow the same instructions as the beginner level, but adjust the difficulty level of the words accordingly.

List of Words for Intermediate Level:

1. Yoga poses
2. Lunges
3. Plank
4. High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
5. Zumba
6. Tennis
7. Basketball
8. Hiking
9. Martial arts
10. Pilates

For Advanced Level Students:

1. Prepare a list of complex fitness-related actions, exercises, or sports suitable for advanced students.
2. Follow the same instructions as the beginner and intermediate levels, but adjust the difficulty level of the words accordingly.

List of Words for Advanced Level:

1. CrossFit workouts
2. Rock climbing
3. Triathlon
4. Parkour
5. Weightlifting techniques (e.g., clean and jerk, snatch)
6. Ballet moves
7. Kickboxing combinations
8. Advanced yoga poses 
9. Marathon running
10. Aerial silks moves

Note: Adjust the difficulty level and word choices based on the proficiency and familiarity of your students with fitness-related vocabulary.