Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- hone / hoʊn / (v.) – to improve a skill or ability
Example:The dancer honed her technique by practicing every day.
- pharmaceutical / ˌfɑːr mə ˈsuː t̬ɪ kəl / (adj.) – relating to the production of drugs and medicines
Example:A pharmaceutical company donated medicine to the hospital.
- outlet / ˈaʊt lɛt / (n.) – a way to express strong feelings or emotions
Example:Writing in a journal gives him an outlet for his emotions.
- resilience / rɪ ˈzɪl jəns / (n.) – the ability to stay strong, recover quickly, or keep going after something difficult or stressful happens
Example:The residents showed great resilience after the typhoon.
- attendee / ə tɛnˈdi / (n.) – a person who joins or is present in an event, meeting, or class
Example:She was a regular attendee at the weekly fitness class.
Article
Read the text below.
From arm stretches to gentle Pilates, a group of pensioners in Croatia are keeping active well into their later years.
At the heart of it all is 95-year-old fitness trainer Djurdja Vukovic—still leading the way, and showing no signs of slowing down.
Twice a week, she guides elderly women through a mix of light aerobics, stretching and Pilates—movements she’s honed herself over more than five decades.
A former pharmaceutical engineer, Vukovic’s passion for movement began in 1964. She says she has made friendships that have endured beyond the gym.
“For me, I found a haven here. … Because it’s not just about physical exercise, it’s just as much about talking to people and mingling. There are invitations to go to the theater, there are book recommendations for this author or that one. … Outside of very close friends, you can’t share your problems with anyone else, like you can here. So, it works as an emotional outlet, which helped me a great deal in my private life,” she says.
For Vukovic, these sessions are more than fitness. They’re a lifeline, weaving together community, healing, and resilience.
“This is also great because it allows people to stare at TV screens much less, and spend less time with this disastrous daily news, which actually makes you ask yourself what’s living about. But life is merely a blink of an eye. We get born, we live through some period, one way or another—and then you disappear from the world, like you were never here in the first place.”
The classes are small, but the impact is large.
For many here, it’s a space to care for their bodies, and their spirits.
Bozica Birin, a class attendee, says, “I decided to do this because of health problems, that was my number one reason. But also, spending time together is also important. After our training, we like to go have coffee, hang out together, we sometimes go on day trips together. So, this kind of continues outside of the gym, and it allows us to have an active lifestyle.”
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- The trainer says the fitness classes help people spend less time watching TV and listening to negative news. Do you think it’s a good idea to take breaks from watching or listening to the news sometimes? Why or why not? Discuss.
- How do you try to protect your mental well-being when there is a lot of disastrous news? Do you think joining a group activity like exercise classes could help you spend less time on screens? Why or why not? Discuss.
Discussion B
- The fitness classes also give people a strong feeling of connection. Why do you think being part of a group can improve someone’s well-being, especially as they get older? Do you think group fitness classes would help people in your community feel more connected? Why or why not? What kinds of group activities are popular in your community? Discuss.
- Some of the class members have formed close friendships by sharing the same routine. Do you think it’s easier to build strong friendships when you do something regularly with others? What kinds of group activities make you feel supported or help you connect deeply with people? Discuss.
