Insurance companies are tracking customers' fitness levels by having them submit data from fitness trackers. Some companies offer lower insurance rates to customers who maintain an active lifestyle. However, others have privacy concerns about insurance companies monitoring their daily behaviors. The document discusses a news story on this topic and provides vocabulary and grammar exercises related to reporting speech.

1. Insurance companies tracking
fitness
Language circle
Lesson adapted from https://www.cbc.ca/learning-
english/insurance-companies-tracking-fitness-level-1-1.4885645

2. Objectives
• Listen and identify reasons why insurance
companies are tracking fitness
• Recall specific details about a news story
• Practice applying your understanding of reported
speech

3. Learning English with CBC
Screenshot of CBC Manitoba website

4. Agenda
1. Speaking
2. Vocabulary
3. Listening
4. Grammar
5. Practice what you have learned!

5. Speaking
• Today’s topic is about insurance
companies tracking people’s fitness
habits.
– What activities do you do to keep fit?
– What are the rewards and benefits of
exercise?
– Do you think that insurance companies should
offer better life insurance for people that try to
stay ‘fit’ and ‘healthy’?

6. Vocabulary

7. to track motivate vitality users
insurance benefit concern policy
1. the state of being strong and active
2. an advantage, improvement, or help that you get from
something
3. a feeling of worrying about something important
4. a contract with an insurance company, or an official
written statement giving all the details of such a contract
5. to make someone want to achieve something and make
them willing to work hard in order to do this
6. an arrangement with a company in which you pay them
money, especially regularly, and they pay the costs if
something bad happens, for example, if you become ill.
7. people that use a product or service
8. to record or study the behaviour or development of
someone or something over time

8. to track motivate vitality users
insurance benefit concern policy
1. the state of being strong and active vitality
2. an advantage, improvement, or help that you get from
something
3. a feeling of worrying about something important
4. a contract with an insurance company, or an official
written statement giving all the details of such a contract
5. to make someone want to achieve something and make
them willing to work hard in order to do this
6. an arrangement with a company in which you pay them
money, especially regularly, and they pay the costs if
something bad happens, for example, if you become ill.
7. people that use a product or service
8. to record or study the behaviour or development of
someone or something over time

9. to track motivate vitality users
insurance benefit concern policy
1. the state of being strong and active vitality
2. an advantage, improvement, or help that you get from
something
benefit
3. a feeling of worrying about something important
4. a contract with an insurance company, or an official
written statement giving all the details of such a contract
5. to make someone want to achieve something and make
them willing to work hard in order to do this
6. an arrangement with a company in which you pay them
money, especially regularly, and they pay the costs if
something bad happens, for example, if you become ill.
7. people that use a product or service
8. to record or study the behaviour or development of
someone or something over time

10. to track motivate vitality users
insurance benefit concern policy
1. the state of being strong and active vitality
2. an advantage, improvement, or help that you get from
something
benefit
3. a feeling of worrying about something important concern
4. a contract with an insurance company, or an official
written statement giving all the details of such a contract
5. to make someone want to achieve something and make
them willing to work hard in order to do this
6. an arrangement with a company in which you pay them
money, especially regularly, and they pay the costs if
something bad happens, for example, if you become ill.
7. people that use a product or service
8. to record or study the behaviour or development of
someone or something over time

11. to track motivate vitality users
insurance benefit concern policy
1. the state of being strong and active vitality
2. an advantage, improvement, or help that you get from
something
benefit
3. a feeling of worrying about something important concern
4. a contract with an insurance company, or an official
written statement giving all the details of such a contract
policy
5. to make someone want to achieve something and make
them willing to work hard in order to do this
6. an arrangement with a company in which you pay them
money, especially regularly, and they pay the costs if
something bad happens, for example, if you become ill.
7. people that use a product or service
8. to record or study the behaviour or development of
someone or something over time

12. to track motivate vitality users
insurance benefit concern policy
1. the state of being strong and active vitality
2. an advantage, improvement, or help that you get from
something
benefit
3. a feeling of worrying about something important concern
4. a contract with an insurance company, or an official
written statement giving all the details of such a contract
policy
5. to make someone want to achieve something and make
them willing to work hard in order to do this
motivate
6. an arrangement with a company in which you pay them
money, especially regularly, and they pay the costs if
something bad happens, for example, if you become ill.
7. people that use a product or service
8. to record or study the behaviour or development of
someone or something over time

13. to track motivate vitality users
insurance benefit concern policy
1. the state of being strong and active vitality
2. an advantage, improvement, or help that you get from
something
benefit
3. a feeling of worrying about something important concern
4. a contract with an insurance company, or an official
written statement giving all the details of such a contract
policy
5. to make someone want to achieve something and make
them willing to work hard in order to do this
motivate
6. an arrangement with a company in which you pay them
money, especially regularly, and they pay the costs if
something bad happens, for example, if you become ill.
insurance
7. people that use a product or service
8. to record or study the behaviour or development of
someone or something over time

14. to track motivate vitality users
insurance benefit concern policy
1. the state of being strong and active vitality
2. an advantage, improvement, or help that you get from
something
benefit
3. a feeling of worrying about something important concern
4. a contract with an insurance company, or an official
written statement giving all the details of such a contract
policy
5. to make someone want to achieve something and make
them willing to work hard in order to do this
motivate
6. an arrangement with a company in which you pay them
money, especially regularly, and they pay the costs if
something bad happens, for example, if you become ill.
insurance
7. people that use a product or service users
8. to record or study the behaviour or development of
someone or something over time

15. to track motivate vitality users
insurance benefit concern policy
1. the state of being strong and active vitality
2. an advantage, improvement, or help that you get from
something
benefit
3. a feeling of worrying about something important concern
4. a contract with an insurance company, or an official
written statement giving all the details of such a contract
policy
5. to make someone want to achieve something and make
them willing to work hard in order to do this
motivate
6. an arrangement with a company in which you pay them
money, especially regularly, and they pay the costs if
something bad happens, for example, if you become ill.
insurance
7. people that use a product or service users
8. to record or study the behaviour or development of
someone or something over time
to track

16. LISTENING

17. Listening
• Let’s listen to the story from Learning
English with CBC, Insurance Companies
Tracking Fitness.
https://www.cbc.ca/learning-english/insurance-
companies-tracking-fitness-level-1-1.4885645

18. 1- Listening for details
This story is about how insurance companies
have begun to track the fitness of some
Canadians. In this sentence, the meaning of 'to
track' is:
a.to move in a particular direction
b.to follow the progress of someone or something
c.to try to find someone or something
d.to make marks by bringing dirt or mud indoors
Link to original lesson CBC website

19. 1- Listening for details
This story is about how insurance companies
have begun to track the fitness of some
Canadians. In this sentence, the meaning of 'to
track' is:
a.to move in a particular direction
b.to follow the progress of someone or something
c.to try to find someone or something
d.to make marks by bringing dirt or mud indoors
Link to original lesson CBC website

20. 2-Listening for details
These companies give customers a better price
for their insurance if the customers send in
their fitness information. In this sentence,
'fitness' means:
a.being proper and acceptable
b.being suitable for a purpose
c.being physically healthy and strong
d.having the necessary skills
Link to original lesson CBC website

21. 2-Listening for details
These companies give customers a better price
for their insurance if the customers send in
their fitness information. In this sentence,
'fitness' means:
a.being proper and acceptable
b.being suitable for a purpose
c.being physically healthy and strong
d.having the necessary skills
Link to original lesson CBC website

22. 3-Listening for details
Cameron MacIntosh from the CBC found that
John Hancock Insurance in the United States is
giving its customers an option to use fitness
tracking. In this sentence, 'option' is closest in
meaning to:
a.choice
b.concern
c.cost
d.company
Link to original lesson CBC website

23. 3-Listening for details
Cameron MacIntosh from the CBC found that
John Hancock Insurance in the United States is
giving its customers an option to use fitness
tracking. In this sentence, 'option' is closest in
meaning to:
a.choice
b.concern
c.cost
d.company
Link to original lesson CBC website

24. 4-Listening for details
Sean Brown thinks that when a company asks
its customers for their fitness information, it
will _________________ them to stay fit.
a.track
b.promise
c.encourage
d.participate
Link to original lesson CBC website

25. 4-Listening for details
Sean Brown thinks that when a company asks
its customers for their fitness information, it
will _________________ them to stay fit.
a.track
b.promise
c.encourage
d.participate
Link to original lesson CBC website

26. 5-Listening for details
Some people have concerns about the fitness
tracking programs. These people think that we
should not let insurance companies watch us all
the time and keep track of our behavior. The
meaning of 'concerns' here closest to:
a.options
b.benefits
c.discounts
d.worries
Link to original lesson CBC website

27. 5-Listening for details
Some people have concerns about the fitness
tracking programs. These people think that we
should not let insurance companies watch us all
the time and keep track of our behavior. The
meaning of 'concerns' here closest to:
a.options
b.benefits
c.discounts
d.worries
Link to original lesson CBC website

28. 6-Listening for details
Companies like Manulife say that they will only
give a reward to customers for making good
choices. An example of a reward would be:
a.a discount on insurance
b.a higher cost for insurance
c.more expensive insurance
d.fewer options for insurance
Link to original lesson CBC website

29. 6-Listening for details
Companies like Manulife say that they will only
give a reward to customers for making good
choices. An example of a reward would be:
a.a discount on insurance
b.a higher cost for insurance
c.more expensive insurance
d.fewer options for insurance
Link to original lesson CBC website

30. Grammar

31. Reported speech
Sometimes when we hear someone tell us
something, we may need to share this with
someone else. Then we can use reported
speech. Note: (Reported speech is also
called indirect speech.)
For example:
Direct speech: I like fried rice.
Reported speech: She said (that) she likes fried rice.

32. Reported speech
In the second example, we need to change
the subject and conjugate the verb. The verb
‘like’ stays in the present tense.
Direct speech: I like fried rice.
Reported speech: She says (that) she likes fried rice.

33. Reported speech
“Says” is used with the present tense, and
“said” is used with the past tense. The main
word is “say.” The present tense is “says,”
the past is “said,”.
She says (that) she likes fried rice.
She said (that) she likes fried rice.

34. Reported speech
Usually the tense from direct to reported
speech changes. For example:
Simple present  simple past
I like you.
She said that she liked me.
Simple past  past perfect
I worked at 2 pm.
He said that he had worked at 2 pm.

35. Reported speech
The relative pronoun that is used after the reporting
verb. “That” is optional, but usually it is used. There
is no difference in meaning.
Simple present  simple past
I like you.
She said that she liked me.
Simple past  past perfect
I worked at 2 pm.
He said that he had worked at 2 pm.

36. Reported speech
A simple present verb can be reported in the
simple present instead of past when the
action has just happened.
For example:
John said that he cares for me.

37. Reported speech
A simple present verb can be reported in the
simple present instead of past when that
sentence is a fact or is still true. However,
speakers still like to change the tense.
For example:
The grass is green.
He said that the grass is green.
He said that the grass was green.
She said she lives in Canada.

38. Reported speech
How is reported speech used in the news
story, Insurance Companies Tracking
Fitness ? Let‘s discuss!

39. Reported speech
Examples of reported speech using the target
vocabulary.
John said he would buy life insurance.
Sharon says she benefits from exercise.
Moe said he helped the new users navigate the
website.
She said that the workers like to track their hours.
He says the prizes motivate the students.

40. Practice reported speech
• Try this short quiz to test your
understanding of reported speech
https://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/courses/elc/stud
yzone/490/grammar/reported-speech1.htm

41. Resources

42. Additional resources
• Watch the story, ‘Insurance company
wants to track Fitbit data from customers’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4mFuB6
wWas&t=221s

43. Homework
• Go to the CBC lesson
https://www.cbc.ca/learning-
english/insurance-companies-tracking-
fitness-level-1-1.4885645
Work on other skills in the lesson

45. Date or Other Description Goes Here
See you next time!