Describe unhealthy habits and their health consequences using academic vocabulary
P1Lesson 4 of 12◇ Core language
Unhealthy Habits — Smoking, Alcohol and Risk Behaviours
العادات غَير الصِّحِّيَّة — التَّدخين والكُحول والسُّلوكِيَّات الخَطِرة
Healthy Lifestyles · Health and wellbeing
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Learning Objectives
Focus on these outcomes rather than trying to memorise everything at once.
Use conditional sentences (Type 1) to express health risks and consequences
Write a balanced health risk paragraph (80–90 words) without moralising
Lesson outline
- 8 minStarterHealth statistics — the numbers
- 15 minMain 1Health risk vocabulary and consequence verbs
- 20 minMain 2Balanced health risk paragraph (80–90 words)
- 7 minMain 3Health advice role play
- 10 minPlenaryOne factual sentence per student
Exam connection: Listening: academic health texts, conditional sentences in speech, medical passives (Paper 1 all formats) | Reading: nutrition article, mental health report, healthcare opinion piece (Paper 2 R1–R4, Q5 cross-text) | Writing: 140–150 words health article/email (Paper 4 Q3, 9-criterion Range) | Speaking: health centre role play + topic conversation (conditional sentences required in 2 of 5 questions)
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Vocabulary
Tap each card to reveal the meaning, category and example.
Three-step recall
- Say the Arabic aloud.
- Cover the meaning and recall it.
- Use six items in your own spoken or written sentences.
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Quizzes
Use the two short checks. Errors show you what to revise next.
Quiz 1 — Meaning check
0 / 61. What does مُخَدِّرات mean?
2. What does السَّرَطان mean?
3. What does أَمراض القَلب mean?
4. What does يَزيد من خُطورة mean?
5. What does يُوصف بِأَنَّه mean?
6. What does إِدمان mean?
Quiz 2 — Match Arabic and English
العربية
English
Matched: 0 / 6
Stretch challenge
Choose three matched items and combine them into one accurate sentence or short exchange.
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Grammar
Read the rule, notice the pattern and then produce your own examples.
Core rule / strategy
يُقلِع عَن (Form IV: gives up — root ق-ل-ع): قرَّر أَن يُقلِع عن التدخين. يُلحِق الضرر بـ (Form IV compound: causes harm to — root ل-ح-ق): التدخين يُلحِق الضرر بالرئتَين والقلب. Conditional Type 1 for health risks: إِذا استمرَّ في التدخين، سيُعاني من أمراض القلب. Passive academic register: يُوصف بأنَّه... (is described as...) — impersonal passive. Balanced language note: this lesson addresses sensitive topics (smoking, alcohol, drugs) in an informational, non-preachy register appropriate for Cambridge IGCSE Topic Area A (health and body).
Notice the pattern
- التَّدخين يُلحِق الضَّرر بالرِّئتَين.
- الكُحول يُضَعِّف جِهاز المَناعة.
- المُخَدِّرات خَطِرة على الصِّحَّة.
- الإِدمان مَشكلة صِحِّيَّة ونَفسِيَّة.
Accuracy checklist
- Check the subject and verb or noun/adjective agreement.
- Check gender, number and tense or time frame.
- Use the lesson structure in a complete, meaningful sentence.
- Read the sentence aloud and correct anything that sounds incomplete.
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Skills Practice
Practise listening, reading, speaking and writing with the same lesson language.
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Listening
Listen twice: first for the main idea, then for details.
التَّدخين يُلحِق الضَّرر بالرِّئتَين. الكُحول يُضَعِّف جِهاز المَناعة. المُخَدِّرات خَطِرة على الصِّحَّة. الإِدمان مَشكلة صِحِّيَّة ونَفسِيَّة. يَحتاج المُدمِن إلى دَعم.
- What is the main topic?
- Write three Arabic words you recognise.
- What one detail can you hear or infer?
Teacher/partner guidance and possible answer
Read the Arabic text naturally twice. A successful answer identifies the lesson topic, any three accurate key words and one relevant detail from the text.
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Reading
Underline known words before answering.
التَّدخين يُلحِق الضَّرر بالرِّئتَين. الكُحول يُضَعِّف جِهاز المَناعة. المُخَدِّرات خَطِرة على الصِّحَّة. الإِدمان مَشكلة صِحِّيَّة ونَفسِيَّة. يَحتاج المُدمِن إلى دَعم.
- What is the main topic of the text?
- Find two words or phrases connected with “Unhealthy Habits — Smoking, Alcohol and Risk Behaviours”.
- What specific detail can you identify?
- Which grammar structure from this lesson appears, or could be added?
Reading support
Start with names, numbers, repeated words, connectors and familiar verb patterns. You do not need to translate every word.
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Speaking
Build your answer, then ask a follow-up question.
- Explain the topic “Unhealthy Habits — Smoking, Alcohol and Risk Behaviours” in your own words.
- Use at least five items from the vocabulary section.
- Give an opinion or personal example and justify it.
- Ask and answer two follow-up questions with a partner.
Useful frame:في رَأيي... لِأَنَّ... أَيضاً... وَمِن جِهَةٍ أُخرى...
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Writing
Plan, write, check and improve.
Task: Write about Unhealthy Habits — Smoking, Alcohol and Risk Behaviours. Use at least eight vocabulary items, the lesson grammar and two connectors. Target: 80–100 words, extending to 130–140 words for an extended exam-style task.
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Activities
Complete the activities in order, or choose the one that addresses your weakest area.
Starter8 min
Health statistics — the numbers
Study 3–4 WHO/health statistics about the Arab world: smoking rates in Arab countries (above global average in several countries), rising rates of non-communicable diseases. Ask: "What do these numbers tell us? How would you present them in Arabic?" You attempt one statistical sentence using يُمَثِّل (from D4): "يُمَثِّل التدخين من الأسباب الرئيسية لأمراض القلب في العالم العربي." This factual, statistical framing establishes the lesson's academic (not moralistic) tone.
Main 115 min
Health risk vocabulary and consequence verbs
Present health risk vocabulary. Focus: يُضَعِّف (weakens), يُلحِق الضرر بـ (causes harm to), يَزيد من خُطورة (increases the risk of). Write 6 factual sentences about health risks: "التدخين يُلحِق الضرر بالرئتَين ويَزيد من خُطورة الإصابة بالسرطان. الكحول يُضَعِّف جهاز المناعة." Deliberately factual, not judgmental. Then: يُقلِع عن vs يَتوقَّف عن — both mean "give up" but يُقلِع عن is more formal and decisive: "قرَّر أَن يُقلِع عن التدخين نهائياً." You practise both verbs in sentences.
Main 220 min
Balanced health risk paragraph (80–90 words)
Task: Write an informational paragraph about one health risk (smoking, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, or screen addiction) for a school health magazine. Must be balanced and factual — not preachy. Structure: P1 (scope of the problem — statistics + passive يُوصف بأنَّه): "يُوصف التدخين بأنَّه من أخطر العادات على الصحة." P2 (health consequences — يُلحِق، يُضَعِّف، يَزيد من + conditional): "إِذا استمرَّ الشخص في التدخين، سيَزيد خطر الإصابة بأمراض القلب." P3 (solutions/options — يُقلِع عن، يتوقَّف عن، يَسعى إلى): "يمكن للمدخن أَن يُقلِع عن التدخين بمساعدة الأطباء والدعم النفسي." teacher or partner focus: is the register factual and formal? Are the consequences stated as facts not opinions?
Main 37 min
Health advice role play
Pairs: one student plays a health counsellor (مُرشِد صحي)، one plays a client seeking help to quit a habit. 4 exchanges using conditional sentences (إِذا توقَّفتَ عن X، سـ...) and يُقلِع عن/يتوقَّف عن. teacher or partner listens — checking conditional Type 1 accuracy in spontaneous speech.
Plenary10 min
One factual sentence per student
Rapid round: each student says ONE factual Arabic sentence about a health risk using one of today's vocabulary items. No repetition. teacher or partner keeps a class tally of which vocabulary items have been used. Final count: how many different health risk terms used across the class? You add health risk vocabulary to vocabulary books.
Useful resources
- Health risk vocabulary reference
- Health statistics infographic (WHO data on Arab world)
- Balanced risk paragraph writing frame
- Role play: health advice scenario
Stretch / heritage-reader challenge
Heritage readers: write an Islamic health ethics essay (100+ words) on the concept of حِفظ النفس (preservation of the self/life) as one of the five مقاصد الشريعة (objectives of Islamic law) — and how this Islamic principle aligns with modern health science on avoiding harm. Formal academic Arabic throughout.
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Plenary
Finish with a quick check and one clear next step.
Key takeaways
- Describe unhealthy habits and their health consequences using academic vocabulary
- Use conditional sentences (Type 1) to express health risks and consequences
- Write a balanced health risk paragraph (80–90 words) without moralising
- Grammar focus: يُقلِع عَن (Form IV: gives up — root ق-ل-ع): قرَّر أَن يُقلِع عن التدخين. يُلحِق الضرر بـ (Form IV compound: causes harm to — root ل-ح-ق): التدخين يُلحِق الضرر بالرئتَين والقلب. Conditional Type 1 for health risks: إِذا استمرَّ في التدخين، سيُعاني من أمراض القلب. Passive academic register: يُوصف بأنَّه... (is described as...) — impersonal passive. Balanced language note: this lesson addresses sensitive topics (smoking, alcohol, drugs) in an informational, non-preachy register appropriate for Cambridge IGCSE Topic Area A (health and body).
Exit ticket
Health risk vocabulary sentences (collected — يُلحِق/يُضَعِّف accuracy). Balanced health risk paragraph (collected — factual register, conditional Type 1). Role play (teacher or partner observation).
Optional follow-up
Write a health information leaflet (70–80 words) on one risk behaviour: describe it factually, give 2–3 health consequences using يُلحِق/يُضَعِّف/يَزيد من، include 2 conditional sentences (إِذا + present → سـ), and end with practical advice for those who want to change using يُقلِع عن and يتوقَّف عن.
Confidence check
How secure do you feel after this lesson?
Remember: quick revision works best when you revisit weak vocabulary and correct errors, not when you try to complete everything in one sitting.