Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a hack
    • ex. During cooking class, the chef taught us a hack for cutting onions without crying.
  2. snoring
    • ex. I couldn't sleep last night because my brother's snoring was very loud.
  3. a disorder
    • ex. His eating disorder made it difficult for him to enjoy meals with friends.
  4. obstructive sleep apnea
    • ex. His obstructive sleep apnea stops his breathing for short times during sleep. So, he’s very tired during the day.
  5. irritated
    • ex. Anna’s eyes became irritated after she spent too much time looking at the computer screen.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Some people are using tape on their mouths at night to sleep better. They believe this sleep hack can stop snoring and improve rest. Many TikTok users are posting videos of themselves trying this method. But doctors disagree. They say mouth taping is not safe and not supported by science. In fact, it can lead to serious problems.

One risk is a disorder called obstructive sleep apnea. This condition causes breathing to stop frequently during sleep because the nose or throat is blocked. As a result, people may feel very tired during the day. It can also affect the heart and other parts of the body. In addition, experts say mouth taping can cause a dry mouth or an irritated throat in the morning.

Instead of using tape, doctors suggest safer options. These include special mouth devices or machines that help with breathing at night. At the same time, lifestyle changes can help too. Losing weight or quitting smoking may improve sleep. According to health experts, the best way to treat snoring is to take a sleep test and find the real cause.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Sleeping Problems and Disorders

  • Do you sometimes have problems falling asleep? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • How do you feel when you don’t sleep well? Discuss.
  • What kind of lifestyle changes do you think help people sleep better? Discuss.

Social Media Tips and Hacks

  • Do you think social media is a good place to learn about health tips? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Why do you think some people try tips or hacks from TikTok or other social media apps (ex. it’s interesting, it’s easy to do)? Discuss.
  • What do you think about the sleep hack of using tape on the mouth while sleeping (ex. it’s dangerous, it’s weird)? Discuss.