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BUSINESS ENGLISH · BUSINESS ISSUES · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

STRESS
RELIEF
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1 Warm up

In pairs, discuss the following questions.

1. How often do you feel stressed? What makes you feel like that?
2. What can you do to make yourself feel less stressed?
3. Do you think talking to others can help relieve stress?
4. Is it possible to get stress relief on our own or do we always need somebody else to help?

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2 Focus on keywords

Match the underlined words to the definitions below.

1. He picked up the paper gently and held it between his thumb and his forefinger.

2. I tried to explain the instructions to them, but the students just looked completely blank.

3. As part of the recipe, I had to squish the eggs in the bag so that I could mix them together.

4. Due to his twisted ankle, he groaned every time he had to stand up.

5. He was in such a bad mood that he just snatched his jacket and ran out of the room.

a. (v) make a long deep noise because you are upset, annoyed or in pain

b. (v) take something quickly and aggressively

c. (v) push and mold something so that is out of shape

d. (n) the finger next to the thumb

e. (adj.) showing no feeling, emotion, or interest

3 Video: listening comprehension

Part A: You are going to watch the video named "Funny stress management techniques" ask your
partner the following questions, then watch the video to see if your ideas are mentioned.

1. Do you think it is possible for stress to be funny?

2. What funny techniques could make you feel less stressed?

Part B: Watch the video one more time and write a summary of each of the techniques introduced
by the speaker then talk to your partner about which technique would be the best for you.

Technique one
• .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
• .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
• .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Technique two:
• .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
• .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
• .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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4 Focus on vocabulary

Part A: Let’s look at some vocabulary that will help your understanding of the article. Match the
following vocabulary to the definitions.

Group 1:

1. fuss (n) a. the situation that exists because of a usually unpleasant event
e.g.: war, natural disaster
2. straightforward (adj.) b. in a way that causes problems that keep returning

3. booze (n) c. an informal term used for alcohol

4. aftermath (n) d. excitement, worry or activity that is not needed

5. chronically (adv.) e. easy to do or understand

Group 2:

1. alludes (v) a. very busy and full of activity

2. contentedness (n) b. feeling or showing satisfaction with what you possess

3. mindfulness (n) c. a mental state achieved by thinking about the present moment

4. subjects (n) d. people who belong to a certain country, place, or concept

5. hectic (adj.) e. suggests or calls attention to

Part B: Put the vocabulary from Part A into the correct gaps in the following sentences. You may need
to change the form of the word.

Group 1:

1. When it comes to Christmas time, I can’t seem to stop myself from drinking lots of
.

2. The cupboard was a complete nightmare to build, I just needed some

instructions to make it easier.

3. My boss is late, and he doesn’t even think it is a big issue.

4. It is my mom’s birthday this weekend, but she told us not to make a .

5. In the of the earthquake, it was clear to see how much damage

had been done.

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Group 2:

1. Whenever our dog received her dinner, her face seemed to display a
that made us smile.

2. The town center is just completely during rush hour, I always try
and avoid it.

3. He often to his childhood when he was telling us stories about

South Africa.

4. I was always quite intrigued by , but I just never had the time to
give it a try.

5. The within the camp never seemed to have any interest in the
outside world.

Part C: Now with your partner, discuss the following questions.

1. How much do you know about mindfulness? Have you ever tried it out?
2. Do you like people to make a big fuss when it’s your birthday?
3. Do you drink a lot of booze, or do you just drink a little bit?

5 Reading: skimming for general understanding

You are going to read the article about other methods of dealing with stress (pages five and six).
Before that, read the following paragraph titles and match them to the correct paragraph.

• Search for simple solutions

• The here and now
• Relax and drift away
• Go it alone
• A muscle of sorts
• Forget about the past
• Healthier choices for stress relief
• The power of herbs

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Relieving Stress All on Your Own

Trust yourself to help when things get too much

A.

Have you ever been to the doctor because you were feeling a bit under the weather, and they told you to work
on your stress levels? It is something that many of us have heard but we are not always given simple, low-fuss
ways to help us relieve our stress and start to feel better. Luckily, with a little bit of research, we can find ways to
help ourselves with stress without the added burden of relying on others

B.

One of the primary ways in which you can work on stress relief is by learning to calm your nervous system. If you
look at your nervous system like a muscle, it is possible to do regular exercise and strengthen it to protect yourself.
If you feel like you have hit the wall, then working on your breathwork is a straightforward activity that you can
practice and develop to help reduce stress levels. Breathwork can help you switch into a parasympathetic state
which can relax you more and take you away from the sympathetic state which is the reason you are stressing out
in the first place.

C.

To get started on your breathing, try to get to grips with a three-to-five-minute guided meditation session. This
type of meditation can help promote your sense of calm and balance which can give you almost immediate stress
relief. Guided meditation asks you to imagine a place that you find relaxing, and due to this type of visualization,
your mind is likely to slow itself down allowing you to forget about what is winding you up.

D.

A session on the booze or a bucket of greasy chicken are the kinds of things people run towards when stress gets
a little bit too much for them. However, sometimes you might realize that you have bitten off more than you can
chew and the physical aftermath of too much alcohol or junk food can often leave us back at square one when
it comes to stress. So, what can we take that can help reduce stress without the horrible side effects? There is
growing evidence that the use of particular natural supplements can help with stress and there are a number of
different variations available in what is a growing market.

E.

Rhodiola is a non-toxic herb that can help to stimulate your stress response. An eight-week study of 100 people
saw an improvement in fatigue and poor sleep patterns which can be side effects of too much stress. Another
supplement, Ashwagandha was used in a study which discovered that a 600mg dosage taken each day for 60 days
improved the stress levels of a group of chronically stressed adults.

F.

If the idea of popping pills isn’t up your street, then turn your mind and think about what you are doing now. The
definition of the term "be present" is quite a simple one. "Being present" basically alludes to the concept of looking
no further than where you are at this exact moment- paying close attention to your thoughts, your feelings and
your surroundings. It is thought that this type of awareness can be crucial in helping you to lower your stress
levels.

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G.

The concept of being present is often found under the broader term, Mindfulness. Mindfulness promotes a
heightened state of awareness to help alleviate the stresses of the modern world and to stop you from pulling
your hair out. One of the most important factors in being present is not to compare the then to the now. When
you think about how things were better in the past, this can prove to be one of the fastest ways to drag you away
from the present and therefore reduce your contentedness. Mindfulness is something that can be built upon and
something that you can become better at over time, and researchers are beginning to see clear links between its
practices and reduced levels of stress among its subjects.

H.

Finding ways to relieve stress can be a weight off our shoulders especially when we all live busy, hectic lives, but
sometimes the responsibility of relying on another can increase our stress levels. It is therefore useful to know
that there are many practical and simple ways that we can start to take care of our stress levels all by ourselves.

Sources: US News, MindBodyGreen, Healthline

6 Reading comprehension

Read the following statements and decide if they are True (T), False (F) or Not Given (NG).

1. It’s impossible to learn to help ourselves when it comes to stress.

2. Working on your breathing is a simple way to help with stress.

3. Guided meditation helps you forget what is annoying you.

4. Drinking or eating fast food gets us nowhere when it comes to stress.

5. Lots of fruit and vegetables are essential when reducing stress levels.

6. Rhodiola is a slightly poisonous herb, but it has lots of positive side effects.

7. "Being present" asks you to focus on the near future.

8. Thinking about how the past was always better is not helpful when it comes to being happy with
yourself.

7 Talking point

In pairs, discuss the following questions.

1. What was the most interesting thing in the article for you?
2. Are there any stress-relieving techniques that you would like to try out?
3. Do you have any other ways that you can reduce stress by yourself?
4. What is the difference between mindfulness and meditation?
5. Do you think stress is just a part of modern life or do you think governments could do more to
help us?

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Transcripts

3. Video: listening comprehension

Karyn Buxman: I want you to think about the last time you had a really good laugh. Same sea of
blank faces I see from coast to coast. We’re going, we’re going to do a little research
because boy AQ is all about research and education.

Karyn Buxman: And so, what we’re going to do here is on the count of three if you’re physically able
I’ll ask you to stand, if not do this from a seated position.

Karyn Buxman: But on the count of three, stand and then facing me I want you to just take a deep
breath and then I want you to put the shape of a smile on your face for the purpose
of this research, this does not have to be a real smile okay?

Karyn Buxman: I will give you one last set of instructions and then you can sit down and groan loudly
and we will give you the reasons for this research. All right count of three, one two
three stand, take a deep breath. Now put the shape of a smile on your face and I
need to see teeth I don’t care if they’re yours, okay. Now last set of instructions, turn
and make eye contact with a victim to your left or right, and now sit down groaning
loudly “ah”. This is great, this is great, all right.

Karyn Buxman: Two things here, one, now everybody has a tool if you had to leave right this minute
and please don’t but if you had to leave right now you would have a tool. The next
time you go back to work and you’re sitting at your desk and you think if one more
person puts one more thing on my desk I’m going to have to snatch him bald-headed.

Karyn Buxman: Now all you have to do is facing your entryway doorway or hallway sitting or
standing just do this... because the next person to walk in and see you looking like
this, they’re going to know that now is not the time to bother you.

Karyn Buxman: You can play with your pain, you can be intentional. Doing little exercises here’s
another one that you may have known you just forgot you knew it. Hold out your
right thumb forefinger about an inch apart, close your left eye, now find someone’s
head across the room, bring your thumb and forefinger together and squish. They
don’t even know they were hit, oh. It’s amazing, it’s amazing.

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Key

1. Warm up

5 mins.
This gives the teacher an opportunity to set the context and allows the students time to talk about their previous
knowledge in relation to stress and their own preferences when it comes to dealing with stress. Monitor and
provide on-the-spot feedback when appropriate.

2. Focus on keywords

5 mins.
Make sure students can correctly pronounce the target vocabulary. Ask them to complete the task by themselves
first, and then compare answers with a partner.

1. → d. 2. → e. 3. → c. 4. → a. 5. → b.

3. Video: listening comprehension

Part A:
5 mins.
This stage provides students with a quick introduction to the concept of stress and allows them to be exposed to
it in a more light-hearted way.
Part B:
5 mins.
Students give their own ideas here but you can provide them with suggested answers during feedback. The video
may need to be played more than once to allow students to fill in the table accurately.
Sample answers:
Technique one:
You need to take a deep breath, put the shape of a smile on your face and make sure you show your teeth. Then
the next time you are stressed, and someone comes into your office, turn and look at them with that smile.
Technique two:
Place your thumb and your forefinger about an inch apart, close your left eye and find a person’s head that will fit
in that gap. Bring your thumb and forefinger together and pretend to squish that person.

4. Focus on vocabulary

Part A:
5 mins.
Ensure students can correctly pronounce the target vocabulary. Ask them to complete the task by themselves
first and then compare answers with a partner.
Group 1:

1. → d. 2. → e. 3. → c. 4. → a. 5. → b.

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Group 2:

1. → e. 2. → b. 3. → c. 4. → d. 5. → a.
Part B:
5 mins.
Ask students to identify which parts of speech could be used to fill the gaps before completing the exercise. When
they have finished, ask them to discuss the questions in order to practice using the vocabulary. Circulate and help
as needed.
Group 1:

1. booze 2. straightforward 3. chronically 4. fuss 5. aftermath

Group 2:

1. contentedness 2. hectic 3. alluded 4. mindfulness 5. subjects

Part C:
5 mins.
Students discuss the question using vocabulary that they’ve learned in previous exercises. Monitor and assist as
needed.

5. Reading: skimming for general understanding

5 mins.
You may want to set a time limit and highlight the differences between skimming and scanning at this point.

A. Search for simple solutions B. A muscle of sorts

C. Relax and drift away D. Healthier choices for stress relief
E. The power of herbs F. The here and now
G. Forget about the past H. Go it alone
Sources:
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/running-as-escape-news
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamins-for-stress#our-picks
https://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/vitamins-for-stress-do-they-work
https://www.mondaycampaigns.org/destress-monday/reduce-stress-by-being-present
https://tinybuddha.com/blog/living-in-the-now-when-its-stressful-4-mindfulness-tips/

6. Reading comprehension

10 mins.
Ask students to read in more detail and complete the exercise. Ask them to underline where they find the answer.
If the information is not in the article, then they should write Not Given.

1. F - "...with a little bit of research, we can find ways to help ourselves with stress..."
2. T - "...working on your breathwork is a straightforward activity that you can practice and develop to help reduce
stress levels..."
3. T - "...allowing you to forget about what is winding you up."
4. F - "...too much alcohol or junk food can often leave us back at square one when it comes to stress..."
5. Not given

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6. F - "...Rhodiola is a non-toxic herb that can help to stimulate your stress response..."
7. F - "...the concept of looking no further than where you are at this exact moment..."
8. T - "...one of the fastest ways to drag you away from the present and therefore reduce your contentedness..."

7. Talking point

10 mins.
Ask students to discuss the questions in pairs or small groups. Monitor and provide feedback where required.

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