English Course · Level 5 (B2) · Week 8 of 12
Health Science
Grammar: Noun phrases and complex sentences · compound nouns · noun + preposition · relative and participle clauses
This week's plan
| Day | Learn | Listen / Watch | Practise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Words: The body · Sentences 1–2 | BBC 6 Minute English: “Can we boost the immune system?” (podcast) | Exercise 1 |
| Day 2 | Words: Medical research · Sentences 3–4 | TED: Matt Walker, “Sleep is your superpower” (video) | Exercise 2 |
| Day 3 | Words: Lifestyle and health · Sentences 5–6 | British Council B2: “Joining a gym” (listening) | Exercise 3 |
| Day 4 | Words: Health verbs · Sentences 7–8 | BBC 6 Minute English: “Should we eat ultra-processed food?” (podcast) + BBC The English We Speak: “Tough it out” (podcast) | Exercise 4 |
| Day 5 | Words: Linking ideas · Sentences 9–10 | BBC 6 Minute English: “Ways to live for 100 years” (podcast) | Write & Speak |
| Day 6 | Review all 30 words + 10 sentences | BBC 6 Minute English: “Are we getting more allergic to things?” (podcast) | Redo mistakes |
| Day 7 | Free day ☺ | TED-Ed: “How the food you eat affects your brain” (Mia Nacamulli, animation) (video) | Tick your tracker |
30 minutes a day: review, learn, listen, practise, speak. Day 7 is a free day. Tap a resource to find it.
30 words to learn
Set 1 · The body
- the immune systemجهاز المناعة
- metabolismالتمثيل الغذائي / الأيض
- a geneجين / مورِّثة
- a hormoneهرمون
- blood pressureضغط الدم
- heart rateمعدّل ضربات القلب
Set 2 · Medical research
- a clinical trialتجربة سريرية
- findingsنتائج (البحث)
- a sampleعيّنة
- a placeboدواء وهمي
- a side effectعَرَض جانبي
- a vaccineلقاح
Set 3 · Lifestyle and health
- a sedentary lifestyleنمط حياة خامل / قليل الحركة
- a balanced dietنظام غذائي متوازن
- ultra-processed foodأطعمة فائقة المعالجة
- sleep deprivationالحرمان من النوم / قلة النوم
- mental healthالصحة النفسية
- life expectancyمتوسط العمر المتوقّع
Set 4 · Health verbs
- boostيعزّز / يقوّي
- diagnoseيشخّص
- prescribeيصف (دواءً)
- recover fromيتعافى من
- preventيمنع / يقي من
- triggerيُثير / يسبّب
Set 5 · Linking ideas
- whereasفي حين أن
- even thoughعلى الرغم من أن
- which means thatمما يعني أن
- as a result ofنتيجةً لـ
- due toبسبب
- in terms ofمن حيث
10 sentences to memorise
- 1A recent study found a strong link between lack of sleep and weight gain.وجدت دراسة حديثة صلة قوية بين قلة النوم وزيادة الوزن.
- 2People with a sedentary lifestyle are more likely to suffer from heart disease.الأشخاص الذين يعيشون نمط حياة خاملًا أكثر عرضة للإصابة بأمراض القلب.
- 3The new vaccine, which was tested on 30,000 volunteers, has very few side effects.اللقاح الجديد، الذي جُرِّب على ثلاثين ألف متطوّع، له أعراض جانبية قليلة جدًا.
- 4Regular exercise boosts the immune system.تعزّز التمارين المنتظمة جهاز المناعة.
- 5Even though Ahmed felt fine, his blood pressure was dangerously high.على الرغم من أن أحمد كان يشعر أنه بخير، كان ضغط دمه مرتفعًا بشكل خطير.
- 6The findings of the clinical trial will be published next month.ستُنشر نتائج التجربة السريرية الشهر القادم.
- 7A diet high in sugar and salt can lead to serious health problems.يمكن أن يؤدّي نظام غذائي غني بالسكر والملح إلى مشكلات صحية خطيرة.
- 8Life expectancy in Egypt has risen as a result of better healthcare.ارتفع متوسط العمر المتوقّع في مصر نتيجةً لتحسّن الرعاية الصحية.
- 9Stress can trigger headaches, whereas exercise can help to prevent them.يمكن أن يسبّب التوتّر الصداع، في حين أن الرياضة يمكن أن تساعد على الوقاية منه.
- 10The doctor prescribed a two-week course of antibiotics.وصف الطبيب علاجًا بالمضادّات الحيوية لمدة أسبوعين.
Grammar: Noun phrases and complex sentences · compound nouns · noun + preposition · relative and participle clauses
Formal and scientific English puts a lot of information into noun phrases: noun + noun (a blood test) · number-noun adjective (a two-week course) · noun + prepositional phrase (a diet high in sugar, the effect of stress on sleep) · noun + relative or participle clause (the patients who took part / taking part in the trial). Complex sentences join ideas with words like although, whereas, even though and which.
في العربية نقول «تحليل الدم» فيكتب المتعلم the test of the blood ✗ أو a bloods test ✗. في الإنجليزية الاسم الأول في الاسم المركّب يعمل كصفة ويبقى مفردًا: a blood test · a three-day course (وليس three-days). وترتيب العبارة الاسمية يختلف عن العربية: «نظام غذائي غني بالسكر» = a diet high in sugar أو a high-sugar diet. وانتبه لحرف الجر الصحيح بعد الاسم: the effect of X on Y · a cure for · a rise in · a reason for · a link between.
| Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|
| noun + noun (compound noun) | a heart attack · blood pressure · a sleep study · health insurance |
| number-noun adjective (always singular) | a ten-minute walk · a two-week course · a 30-year-old patient |
| noun + prepositional phrase | the effect of sugar on the brain · a rise in obesity · a cure for cancer |
| noun + relative / participle clause | the volunteers who took part · the patients taking part · the results published last week |
| complex sentence (subordinator) | Although the trial was small, the results were promising. |
Noun + preposition: an increase / a rise / a fall in · an effect / impact / influence on · the cause of · a solution / cure / reason for · a link / difference between · demand for.
For a formal style, change verbs into nouns: Obesity is increasing → There is an increase in obesity.
Don't overload one noun: two or three modifiers are enough.
Exercises
Exercise 1 · Rewrite as a shorter noun phrase.
- 1) a test of your blood
- 2) a walk that lasts twenty minutes
- 3) a patient who is 45 years old
- 4) a programme for losing weight
- 5) the rate of your heart
- 6) a course that lasts three days
Show the answers
Exercise 2 · Complete with the correct preposition.
- 1) There has been a sharp rise ___ diabetes.
- 2) Scientists are studying the effect of caffeine ___ sleep.
- 3) Is there a cure ___ the common cold?
- 4) Researchers found a link ___ stress and heart disease.
- 5) The main cause ___ the illness is a virus.
- 6) There is a growing demand ___ healthy snacks.
Show the answers
Exercise 3 · Combine the sentences into one, using the words in brackets.
- 1) The trial was small. The results were very promising. (Although)
- 2) The vaccine was developed in 2020. It has saved millions of lives. (which)
- 3) Some people need eight hours' sleep. Others feel fine after six. (whereas)
- 4) Obesity rates are rising. Children eat a lot of ultra-processed food. (as a result of)
- 5) He exercises every day. He still has high blood pressure. (Even though)
Show the answers
Exercise 4 · Translate into English.
- 1) أجريت تحليل دم الأسبوع الماضي.
- 2) هناك صلة بين قلة النوم والاكتئاب.
- 3) المرضى الذين شاركوا في التجربة تحسّنوا بسرعة.
- 4) أتمشّى ثلاثين دقيقة كل صباح.
Show the answers
Do each exercise in pencil first, then open the answers to check.
Write & Speak
Example: Small changes, big results: how to live a healthier life Most of us know that we should eat better and move more, yet very few people manage to change their habits for good. The good news is that small, realistic changes can have a surprisingly large effect on our health. The first change is to protect your sleep. Sleep scientists have found a clear link between sleep deprivation and a wide range of problems, from weight gain to poor concentration. Even though many of us stay up late scrolling on our phones, adults need seven to nine hours a night. Switching off screens thirty minutes before bed is a simple way to start. The second change is to break up long periods of sitting. A sedentary lifestyle, which is common among office workers and students, increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes. A ten-minute walk after lunch, or taking the stairs instead of the lift, can lower blood sugar and boost your mood. Finally, cut down on ultra-processed food. Products high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats are cheap and convenient, whereas home-cooked meals made from fresh vegetables, beans and whole grains keep you full for longer. Egyptian classics such as ful and lentil soup are perfect examples of healthy, low-cost dishes. None of these changes requires a gym membership or an expensive diet plan. Start with one habit this week, add another next month, and within a year you may well feel like a different person.