Yoga—A Way of Life

Given: A passage about the benefits of yoga with seven blanks to be filled using words from the box: sleep, lifestyle, health, strength, calm, stress, balance.

Concept: Read each sentence carefully and choose the word that fits the meaning and grammar of the sentence.

Answers:
1. health — Yoga improves mental health.
2. lifestyle — It leads to a healthier lifestyle.
3. strength — Asanas increase muscular strength.
4. balance — Yoga leads to a better body and mind balance.
5. calm — Breathing techniques and meditation make the mind calm.
6. stress — Yoga lessens stress.
7. sleep — Yoga improves the quality of sleep.

Completed passage:
Yoga is a practise that not only improves physical flexibility but also improves mental health and leads to a healthier lifestyle. It involves a series of asanas, which increase muscular strength. Practising yoga also leads to a better body and mind balance and reduces body pain such as the lower back. Moreover, the focus on breathing techniques and meditation makes the mind calm, lessens stress, and improves the quality of sleep. This helps to adopt a more positive lifestyle.

Given: The chapter 'Yoga — A Way of Life' describes yoga and its purposes.

Concept: Recall the key ideas from the passage about what yoga seeks to achieve.

Answer:
The aim of yoga is to bring about a complete sense of well-being by uniting the body, mind, and spirit. Yoga aims to improve physical health, increase flexibility and muscular strength, promote mental calmness, reduce stress, and help a person lead a balanced and healthy lifestyle. In essence, yoga seeks to create harmony between the physical and mental aspects of a human being so that a person can live a healthier and more positive life.

Given: The chapter discusses yoga as a holistic practice.

Concept: The word 'yoga' itself comes from a Sanskrit root meaning 'to yoke' or 'to unite'.

Answer:
The idea of unity in yoga refers to the union of the body, mind, and spirit. Yoga does not treat physical health and mental health as separate concerns; instead, it brings them together as one. Through asanas (physical postures), pranayama (breathing exercises), and meditation, yoga works on the body and the mind simultaneously. This unity means that when a person practises yoga regularly, they become physically strong and flexible while also becoming mentally calm and focused. The practice thus creates a complete, unified sense of well-being in a person.

Given: The WHO (World Health Organization) launched the mYoga app containing video and audio files to teach yoga.

Concept: The involvement of a global health organisation like WHO indicates the worldwide recognition of yoga's benefits.

Answer:
The launch of the WHO mYoga app tells us that yoga has been recognised as an important tool for health and well-being at a global level. The fact that the World Health Organization — the leading international body for public health — created a free and easy-to-use app to encourage people across the world to practise yoga shows that yoga is not just a traditional or cultural practice but a scientifically acknowledged method of maintaining good health. It highlights that yoga is beneficial for people of all ages and backgrounds, and that its importance goes beyond any one country or culture.

Given: The passage describes various benefits of yoga including physical and mental improvements.

Concept: Long-term practice of any discipline brings lasting changes in a person's character and habits.

Answer:
One long-term effect of practising yoga is the development of a calm and positive mindset. When a person practises yoga regularly over a long period, the breathing techniques and meditation gradually train the mind to remain composed even in stressful situations. This calmness becomes a part of the person's nature over time. They become more patient, focused, and emotionally balanced. This inner peace also helps them make better decisions and maintain healthier relationships, making yoga a practice that improves not just the body but also a person's overall character and outlook on life.

Given: The distinction between 'practice' (noun) and 'practise' (verb).

Concept:
- practice = noun (a habit, a session, or the application of a skill)
- practise = verb (to repeatedly perform an activity to improve)

Working through each sentence:

(i) 'a regular ______' — the blank follows an article 'a' and adjective 'regular', so a noun is needed.
→ practice

(ii) 'I ______' — the blank follows the subject 'I', so a verb is needed.
→ practise

(iii) 'a lot of ______' — the blank follows 'a lot of', so a noun is needed.
→ practice

(iv) 'asked us to ______' — the blank follows 'to', forming an infinitive, so a verb is needed.
→ practise

(v) 'I ______' — the blank follows the subject 'I', so a verb is needed.
→ practise

(vi) 'a daily ______' — the blank follows the adjective 'daily' and article 'a', so a noun is needed.
→ practice

Final Answers:
(i) practice
(ii) practise
(iii) practice
(iv) practise
(v) practise
(vi) practice

Given: 'advice' is a noun and 'advise' is a verb, similar to the practice/practise pair.

Concept:
- advice = noun (a recommendation or suggestion given to someone)
- advise = verb (to give a recommendation or suggestion to someone)

Two sentences using 'advice' (noun):
1. My grandfather gave me very useful advice about staying healthy by eating well and sleeping on time.
2. The doctor's advice was to drink plenty of water and avoid junk food.

Two sentences using 'advise' (verb):
1. I would advise you to practise yoga every morning for at least fifteen minutes.
2. Our physical education teacher always advises us to warm up before playing any sport.

Note: This question depends on an image (a letter grid) that cannot be viewed here. Students should refer to their textbook for the exact letters provided.

General approach to solve this activity:

Step 1: Identify all the letters given in the image, making sure to note the central letter 'A' which must be used in every word.

Step 2: Try forming words of 2, 3, 4, and more letters using the available letters, always including 'A'.

Step 3: Check that each word you form is a real English word.

Example (if the letters given are Y, O, G, A, L, I, F, E):
- 2-letter words: at, an, as, am (using A + any available consonant)
- 3-letter words: ago, age, ale, ail, lay, gay, fag, lag, gal
- 4-letter words: goal, foal, gale, yoga, opal, logy
- 5-letter words: agile, oafly

Students should write down all the words they find and share them with classmates and the teacher as instructed.

Given: A listening task where students hear a girl speak about yoga and must identify four true statements.

Note: This is a listening activity. Students must listen to the audio provided by the teacher or available with the textbook. The transcript is given on page 129 of the textbook.

Based on the transcript (page 129), the four TRUE statements are:

| Statement | T / F |
|---|---|
| 1. The girl sees people at the park doing breathing exercises. | F |
| 2. Her grandfather began practising yoga sixteen years ago. | F |
| 3. The girl practises some easy yoga exercises with her grandfather. | T |
| 4. The girl practises breathing exercises to relax. | T |
| 5. Her grandfather is fit even though he has untimely meals. | F |
| 6. Her grandfather's regular yoga practise has kept him strong. | T |
| 7. The girl wishes to learn asanas over the weekend. | T |

The four TRUE statements are: 3, 4, 6, and 7.

(Students should verify these answers by listening carefully to the audio and cross-checking with the transcript on page 129.)

Given: A speaking activity where students share their personal thoughts about yoga in groups of four.

Concept: This is an open-ended speaking task. Students should speak honestly about their own experience or wishes regarding yoga. Below is a sample response for guidance.

Sample response (for a student who has tried yoga):

- I practise yoga because it helps me feel calm and energetic at the start of the day.
- My favourite thing about yoga is the breathing exercises because they help me focus better in class.
- I feel refreshed and peaceful after a yoga session because the stretching relaxes my muscles and the deep breathing clears my mind.
- The one thing in yoga that I want to practise is the Vrikshasana (Tree Pose) because it improves balance and concentration.

Sample response (for a student who has not tried yoga yet):

- I wish to practise yoga because I have seen how it has helped my family members stay healthy and stress-free.
- I hope that once I begin practising yoga, I will become more flexible and feel less tired after school.
- The kind of exercise I want to try in yoga is Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) because it is a full-body workout and is said to give energy for the whole day.

Note: Students should use these as a guide and speak in their own words, sharing their genuine thoughts with their group.

Given: A writing task asking students to write a short paragraph on 'The Benefits of Yoga' using the provided sentence starters.

Concept: A good paragraph has an opening line (topic sentence), supporting ideas (body), and a concluding line.

Sample Paragraph:

The Benefits of Yoga

Yoga is important because it improves both our physical and mental health in a natural and gentle way. One benefit of yoga that interests me is how it helps reduce stress and anxiety through breathing exercises and meditation. Practising yoga can help people become more flexible, build muscular strength, and maintain a healthy body weight. A popular yoga pose is the Tadasana (Mountain Pose) because it improves posture and helps develop a sense of balance and stability. Yoga is not just physical exercise; it also trains the mind to stay calm, focused, and positive even in difficult situations. Finally, yoga can be a great way to bring harmony between the body and the mind, helping us lead a healthier, happier, and more balanced life.

Tips for students:
- Write 6–8 sentences.
- Use the sentence starters provided but add your own ideas.
- Make sure your paragraph flows logically from the opening to the conclusion.
- Proofread for spelling and grammar before submitting.

Given: Historical and global facts about yoga.

Key facts to remember:

1. Ancient origins: Yoga dates back to at least 2700 BC, as evidenced by seals found from the Sindhu-Sarasvati (Indus Valley) Civilisation. This shows that yoga is one of the oldest known practices of human civilisation.

2. International recognition: On 11th December 2014, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), with all 193 member nations, accepted the proposal to declare 21st June as International Yoga Day.

3. Significance: The unanimous acceptance by 193 countries shows that yoga is valued globally as a practice that promotes health, peace, and well-being for all of humanity.

Reflection: Yoga began in India thousands of years ago and has now become a gift that India has shared with the entire world. Celebrating International Yoga Day every year on 21st June reminds us of the importance of this ancient practice in our modern lives.

Given: Students are asked to research two yoga asanas and their benefits.

Concept: An asana is a physical posture practised in yoga. Each asana has specific physical and mental benefits.

Asana 1: Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

- How to do it: Stand straight with feet together, arms by the sides, spine erect, and gaze forward. Breathe deeply and hold the posture for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Benefits:
- Improves posture and body alignment.
- Strengthens the thighs, knees, and ankles.
- Increases awareness and concentration.
- Helps reduce flat feet.

Asana 2: Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)

- How to do it: Stand on one leg, place the sole of the other foot on the inner thigh of the standing leg, join the palms together above the head, and balance for 30 seconds.
- Benefits:
- Improves balance and stability.
- Strengthens the legs, spine, and core muscles.
- Enhances concentration and mental focus.
- Builds confidence and a sense of calm.

Note: Students should visit the websites mentioned in the textbook to explore more asanas and present their findings to the class with pictures or demonstrations if possible.