Learning English

(Image: Getty)
___________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Hard: Upper intermediate level and above, B2 and above 

Introduction

Read the article and answer the questions below. To listen to this article, click here for an audio download.

Read 

1      We have four seasons in the UK. I like to think that spring gets its name from the flowers springing up to bloom. Next is my personal favourite – summer. I love the long, balmy evenings. Autumn, as some call fall, comes after. It's characterised by the orange and red leaves. Winter rolls around, and most of the vegetation is either decomposing or already dead, and the days are short and gloomy.

2     It's no wonder that, according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, about three in every hundred people in the UK experience seasonal affective disorder, otherwise known as SAD. However, researchers at the Royal College of Psychiatrists have discovered that all seasons have an impact on our psychological functioning. It's also been found that hormones play an important role in seasonal mood changes as they fluctuate throughout the year.

3     An article published on Springer Nature Link observes positive emotional and physical changes to volunteers who were exposed to UVA from the Sun. Serotonin, known as 'the happy hormone', and dopamine, which is linked to motivation and pleasure, increases in months where there is a boost of sunlight. Similarly, lovers of spring recalibrate their energy and mood. After the cold, dark seasons of autumn and winter, it can feel like a biological reset.

4    Speaking of cold and dark, this is when those with naturally higher serotonin levels feel their mood regulating. They no longer feel overwhelmed by the high-level serotonin seasons of spring and summer. Reduced sunlight triggers higher melatonin, the sleepy hormone. There is the notion of preparing to slow down and get cosy, like that of animals in hibernation. It also rains more in autumn and winter. The Mind Company says that rain sounds reduce cortisol, the stress hormone, and helps you relax, focus and even sleep better.

5   We might like one season more than others. Our experience of seasons differs depending on location and environment. But one thing is for sure – our feelings change from season to season, and recognising these changes can help us act in ways that are in-line with our mental, emotional and physical capabilities.

Questions

1.   Choose the best summary for the article.

a. How we feel doesn't change season to season.
b. How we feel may change depending on the season.
c. How we feel will determine the weather.

2.    Choose the correct option based on the content of the article.

1. Which season in the UK sees leaves on the trees change from green to orange?
a. autumn
b. winter
c. spring

2. Our hormones change throughout the year.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

3. Sunny weather may increase _______ levels.
a. cortisol
b. dopamine
c. melatonin

4. People may prefer autumn and winter because…
a. there is less rainfall than spring and summer.
b. there is more sunlight than in spring and summer.
c. they feel overwhelmed by spring and summer.

5. The writer understands that people experience seasons differently.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

3.    Use the words from the list to complete the summary of the article.

When we welcome a new season, our hormones 1) _______. This 2) _______ some changes in how we feel and behave. Some of us feel like we need a 3) _______ in sunlight to be happy. Others find peace in 4) _______ nights spent inside by a fireplace. Regardless of which season you prefer, it’s good to check in with yourself. This will help 5) _______ your emotions and direct your actions towards positivity.

balmy
boost
cosy
fluctuate
recalibrates
regulate
triggers

Vocabulary 

spring up
appear or develop suddenly

bloom
produce flowers

balmy
pleasantly warm and mild

roll around
come again, especially a time or date

decompose
break down naturally

gloomy
dark, depressing, or sad

disorder
an illness or condition affecting normal function

functioning
working or operating properly

fluctuate
rise and fall irregularly

UVA
long-wave ultraviolet radiation

boost
increase or improve

recalibrate
adjust again to improve accuracy

reset
return to the starting or original state

regulate
control or maintain stability

overwhlem
affect too strongly; be too much to handle

trigger
cause or set off something

overwhelm
affect too strongly, be too much to handle

notion
an idea or belief

cosy
comfortable, warm, and pleasant

hibernation
a prolonged winter sleep in animals

in-line with
matching or consistent with

Answers

1.    Choose the best summary for the article.

b. How we feel may change depending on the season.

2.    Choose the correct option based on the content of the article. 

1. a.Autumn, as some call fall, comes after. It's characterised by the orange and red leaves.

2. a. True. It's also been found that hormones play an important role in seasonal mood changes as they fluctuate throughout the year.

3. b. Serotonin, known as the happy hormone, and dopamine, which is linked to motivation and pleasure, increases in months where there is a boost of sunlight.

4. c. Speaking of cold and dark, this is when those with naturally higher serotonin levels feel their mood regulating. They no longer feel overwhelmed by the high-level serotonin seasons of spring and summer.

5. a. True. We might like one season more than others. Our experience of seasons differs depending on location and environment.

3.    Use the words from the list to complete the summary of the article.

When we welcome a new season, our hormones fluctuate. This triggers some changes in how we feel and behave. Some of us feel like we need a boost in sunlight to be happy. Others find peace in cosy nights spent inside by a fireplace. Regardless of which season you prefer, it’s good to check in with yourself. This will help regulate your emotions and direct your actions more positively.

Next

Listen to the article

Explore our environment page

Explore our feelings and emotions page