English Listening Lesson: HEALTH

(upbeat music)

Next we're gonna have, well, we're gonna have this.

(plucky music)

♪ Opening ears, opening minds ♪

♪ It's time for a listening exercise ♪

♪ Maybe a dictation, but without intimidation ♪

♪ Maybe a Listening Bingo ♪

♪ Maybe opening a window ♪

♪ To discover your new listening skills ♪

♪ So listen with me ♪

- Listening, exactly. So listen with me. (chuckles)

Listening Bingo. (grunts)

If you've joined me before,

you'll know what the Listening Bingo is.

It's a listening exercise,

but we're gonna play bingo at the same time.

So if you're a "South Park" fan,

I used to love "South Park" so long ago.

But let's do it. Let's have a look then at Listening Bingo.

Listening Bingo. We're talking about food and health.

We're gonna listen to get a general understanding.

Let's make it easy. Listen to this conversation, okay,

about food and health.

Two people, they're in a coffee bar,

and the question for you is what Asian food is mentioned?

Now then, one thing here, as you are listening,

as you are listening, because they're in a coffee bar,

you're gonna hear some background noise,

people talking, a bit of noise.

It's very distracting, but it's important

because when you listen in everyday life,

there's often background noise.

So whilst it's good to do IELTS listening,

where everything's clear,

it's also good to listen to things that are like real life.

It's like a film.

When you watch a film, the reason often you can't hear

is the background noise.

So it's a good activity.

Like in my lessons, you can hear me,

there's no background noise,

but it's good also sometimes to listen to background noise,

and to get used to that.

Don't let it distract you, okay?

So we are gonna go and listen.

Let's have a listen to the two people.

And the question is what Asian food is mentioned?

Okay, here we go.

- [Karen] Hey, Maria, how are you doing today?

- [Maria] Hi, Karen. I'm good, thanks.

But I've been feeling a bit off color lately.

Do you think I should start eating some superfoods?

- [Karen] Maybe.

But listen, have you heard about the gut microbiome?

They say it has a big impact on how you feel.

- [Maria] The gut what?

- [Karen] The gut microbiome.

It's all the tiny bacteria living in your stomach.

Apparently, having a healthy mix of these bacteria

can help with digestion, energy levels, even your mood.

- [Maria] Wow, I never knew that.

So how do I get a healthy gut?

- [Karen] Well, eating a balanced diet

with lots of fruits and vegetables is a good start.

They have fiber, which those good bacteria love.

- [Maria] Interesting. And what about superfoods?

Are they good for the gut too?

- [Karen] Some might be.

Things like berries, yogurt with probiotics,

and even fermented foods like kimchi could be helpful.

They all have different benefits.

- [Maria] Kimchi? Isn't that really spicy?

- [Karen] It can be, but you don't have to eat just kimchi.

There are lots of other options.

Maybe we can research some healthy recipes

together this weekend.

- [Maria] That sounds great, Karen. Thanks for the advice.

Maybe with a healthier gut, I'll have more energy too.

- [Karen] Cool. See you later.

- Okay, guys, what Asian food is mentioned?

Some of you talk about the gut. Yeah, yeah.

Oh, lovely. Asian food.

Kimchi, kimchi, kimchi, and kimchi.

Oh, let me...

Sorry, let me get rid of this so you can see.

Kimchi, kimchi, yes, kimchi.

There were some other foods,

but the typical Asian food they mentioned was kimchi.

Absolutely, yes, kimchi, kimchi,

which as far as I understand,

is a kind of fermented cabbage, I think.

But you can correct me if I'm wrong.

So kimchi is the answer. Good.

Now you'll notice, I'm sure,

that the background noise is a bit distracting.

You really have to listen,

'cause one of the ladies speaks quieter, more quietly.

So, but it's important.

What we're gonna do next is we're gonna listen again,

but let's take away the background noise,

and let's do the bingo, okay?

Now the bingo is, I want you to listen again,

and then tick the box, maybe in your head,

when you hear the exact words.

So if somebody says,

"Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, feeling blue,"

then you kind of make a note in your head,

"Ah, 'feeling blue.'"

And you mark it, right?

And then when you have three boxes in a row,

either in a line or across or diagonal,

then you type "BINGO" in the chat, okay?

Do remember, you must hear the exact words.

If they say "feeling purple," no. "Feeling blue," yes.

If you hear "digestion levels," yes.

"Female foods," okay, then you would have your three,

and you type in the box the words,

"feeling blue, digestion levels, female foods," okay?

Whoops. That's probably not the answer.

So we're gonna listen again,

and note the words or the boxes that you hear, okay?

Hello, Nino from Georgia. Nice to see you here.

Let's do it. Let's listen.

Hopefully with the background noise,

you'll see there is a difference.

Let's do it.

- [Karen] Hey, Maria. How are you doing today?

- [Maria] Hi, Karen. I'm good, thanks.

But I've been feeling a bit off color lately.

Do you think I should start eating some superfoods?

- [Karen] Maybe.

But listen, have you heard about the gut microbiome?

They say it has a big impact on how you feel.

- [Maria] The gut what?

- [Karen] The gut microbiome.

It's all the tiny bacteria living in your stomach.

Apparently, having a healthy mix of these bacteria

can help with digestion, energy levels, even your mood.

- [Maria] Wow, I never knew that.

So how do I get a healthy gut?

- [Karen] Well, eating a balanced diet

with lots of fruits and vegetables is a good start.

They have fiber, which those good bacteria love.

- [Maria] Interesting. And what about superfoods?

Are they good for the gut too?

- [Karen] Some might be.

Things like berries, yogurt with probiotics,

and even fermented foods like kimchi could be helpful.

They all have different benefits.

- [Maria] Kimchi? Isn't that really spicy?

- [Karen] It can be, but you don't have to eat just kimchi.

There are lots of other options.

Maybe we can research some healthy recipes

together this weekend.

- [Maria] That sounds great, Karen. Thanks for the advice.

Maybe with a healthier gut, I'll have more energy too.

- [Karen] Cool. See you later.

- Okay. Soha has a bingo.

Alexander was a very early bingo.

You were the first one.

Before we even finished, Alexander, you had bingo.

So Minh says off color is one of them.

"Live bacteria." Not sure about that.

"Off color." Okay.

Got a few more bingos. Right.

This is what I want. Yes, Moz, you've got it exactly.

I need you to give bingo and the words.

"Digestion levels, balanced diet, live bacteria."

Ooh, not right. Oh dear.

But good guess.

May says, "Off color, balanced diet, healthy recipes."

Let me bring you down, May.

Mm, or actually let me take this up. Yes.

And let me bring May back up just to help me.

Oh, it's okay actually.

"Off color, balanced diet, healthy recipes."

Okay, we've got another one.

Same one. "Off color, balanced diet, healthy recipes."

Right, we got quite a lot of bingos.

Okay, so let's watch again,

and I will nod when the answer comes up so you can hear it

and you'll be able to check your answers.

Here we go.

- [Karen] Hey, Maria. How are you doing today?

- [Maria] Hi, Karen. I'm good, thanks.

But I've been feeling a bit off color lately.

Do you think I should start eating some superfoods?

- [Karen] Maybe, but listen,

have you heard about the gut microbiome?

They say it has a big impact on how you feel.

- [Maria] The gut what?

- [Karen] The gut microbiome.

It's all the tiny bacteria living in your stomach.

Apparently, having a healthy mix of these bacteria

can help with digestion, energy levels, even your mood.

- [Maria] Wow, I never knew that.

So how do I get a healthy gut?

- [Karen] Well, eating a balanced diet

with lots of fruits and vegetables is a good start.

They have fiber, which those good bacteria love.

- [Maria] Interesting. And what about superfoods?

Are they good for the gut too?

- [Karen] Some might be.

Things like berries, yogurt with probiotics,

and even fermented foods like kimchi could be helpful.

They all have different benefits.

- [Maria] Kimchi? Isn't that really spicy?

- [Karen] It can be, but you don't have to eat just kimchi.

There are lots of other options.

Maybe we can research some healthy recipes

together this weekend.

- [Maria] That sounds great, Karen. Thanks for the advice.

Maybe with a healthier gut I'll have more energy too.

- [Karen] Cool. See you later.

- Cool. See you later.

Okay, so the answer, clearly there you can see, right?

"Off color, balanced diet, and healthy recipes."

She said "A healthy gut." It wasn't...

Yes, I was gonna change it. I didn't change it.

So, "off color, balanced diet, healthy recipes."

Those were the ones that we hear.

We heard. Heared?

Heard, in the past. The ones that we heard.

Excellent. Well done.

So now then, we're gonna listen one more time,

and you can follow the script, okay?

But we're gonna go and listen back

with the background noise.

So again, the reason I want you to listen again

with the background noise

is to get used to the background noise.

Now you understand a lot more,

it should be easier to understand and to focus.

If there is background noise, my tip is to pick out keywords

like "kimchi," "gut biome."

What we're doing really in the bingo is picking out keywords

like "balanced diet," "healthy recipes."

It's picking out those keywords,

and that's a skill you want to develop

when there's background noise.

It really helps, okay? So let's do it.

Let's watch it. Watch it?

Let's listen with the background noise,

and you can read it and follow it at the same time.

Here we go.

- [Karen] Hey, Maria, how are you doing today?

- [Maria] Hi, Karen. I'm good, thanks.

But I've been feeling a bit off color lately.

Do you think I should start eating some superfoods?

- [Karen] Maybe.

But listen, have you heard about the gut microbiome?

They say it has a big impact on how you feel.

- [Maria] The gut what?

- [Karen] The gut microbiome.

It's all the tiny bacteria living in your stomach.

Apparently, having a healthy mix of these bacteria

can help with digestion, energy levels, even your mood.

- [Maria] Wow, I never that. So how do I get a healthy gut?

- [Karen] Well, eating a balanced diet

with lots of fruits and vegetables is a good start.

They have fiber, which those good bacteria love.

- [Maria] Interesting. And what about superfoods?

Are they good for the gut too?

- [Karen] Some might be.

Things like berries, yogurt with probiotics,

and even fermented foods like kimchi could be helpful.

They all have different benefits.

- [Maria] Kimchi? Isn't that really spicy?

- [Karen] It can be, but you don't have to eat just kimchi.

There are lots of other options.

Maybe we can research some healthy recipes

together this weekend.

- [Maria] That sounds great, Karen. Thanks for the advice.

Maybe with a healthier gut I'll have more energy too.

- [Karen] Cool. See you later

- From the start.

Very quickly, then. Very quickly.

Off color, sick.

The gut. The gut is your stomach inside.

The microbiome is the bacteria in your gut.

Bacteria.

So the gut microbiome,

it's all the tiny bacteria living in your stomach.

Bacteria is this, these little cells.

Now the thing is, most people think bacteria is bad

'cause bacteria leads to sickness,

but there's bad bacteria and there's good bacteria.

And in your gut, your stomach, it's your stomach,

there are good bacteria

that you get like from yogurts, fermented food,

and they grow, but it's really good for you.

Yeah, I know. I didn't know this, but it's interesting.

Go and research.

A healthy mix of these.

Healthy gut. Go and Google "healthy gut."

It's very, very interesting.

Fermented.

So the example I gave you with fermented food

is take some vegetables, take some water,

and put salt in the water.

Put the vegetables in the salt in the water,

and it ferments.

So the salt and the bacteria start working, and it's alive.

The vegetable is alive.

And at a certain point you can eat it,

and it's really good for your health, your gut health.

Go and check it out. Gut health.

Really important. (chuckles)

Not as important as turning on your microphone, but...

(chuckles) That's it.

Healthy recipes. Okay.

(upbeat music)