English short

Vocabulary

• to take better care of

• jogging

• to wake up extra early

• tennis shoe

• basic stretches

• out of breath

• to blame

• to call it quits

• out of shape

• to run continually

• marathon

• cardio

• to lift weights

• gym

• to commit

• workout program

• back

• shoulder

• leg

• arm

• strenuous effort

• endorphin rush

• to cool down

• to relax

• treadmill

• sweating it out

• sauna

• weightlifting

• too competitive

• intensity

• yoga classes

• to sign up

• stretches and poses

• to loosen the body

• to calm the mind

• lessons

• to sweat

• feeling refreshed

• excited to come back

• extra incentive

• to maintain

Comprehension Questions

1. What kind of shoes did John run in?

A) Cleats

B) Tennis shoes

C) High heels

D) Running boots

2. Why did John stop running?

A) He accomplished his goal.

B) He was tired of getting up early.

C) He was extremely bored.

D) He didn't want to run a marathon.

3. John, Andy, and Joe committed to a workout program that focused on...

A) chest, back, shoulders, legs, and arms.

B) chest, back, running, legs, and cardio.

C) chest, swimming, shoulders, running, and arms.

D) yoga, cardio, jogging, weightlifting, and sports.

4. How do the men relax after working out?

A) Running on the treadmills while listening to music.

B) Doing a quick 10 minute yoga routine.

C) Swimming in the pool or taking a hot shower.

D) Walking on the treadmills or sweating it out in the sauna for 10 minutes.

5. Why did John stop lifting weights?

A) He was extremely bored.

B) The workouts were too intense and competitive.

C) Andy and Joe quit lifting.

D) John suffered an injury.

CHAPTER 4:

HOBBIES

"It would be really nice to go on a date with one of those girls from class," John thinks to himself. "Hopefully, I can find something in common with one of them and maybe make a connection."

His hobbies were somewhat relatable. Everybody likes watching TV and movies, including John, but would he be able to find a girl who likes video games? If not, could he find someone into professional baseball and basketball as much as he was? It would be amazing if he had someone to talk to about politics, history, and government.

The first girl he met from yoga class was Jenny, who seemed really smart right away. She was a big reader, but of fiction rather than non-fiction. Her passion was literature, and she could talk for hours about the current story she was reading. Besides that, she spent a lot of time taking care of her dog and taking him for long walks. And occasionally, she'd treat herself to a bottle of wine and watch horror movies.

Emily was the second girl he got to know from class, although she didn't always have a lot of time to talk. There was always somewhere she needed to be. It was obvious that she was extremely fit and in great shape, and John later learned that she was a female bodybuilding athlete and coach. If she didn't have an appointment with a client, she was busy building her business. Emily had a big social media following and built a clothing brand that sold T-shirts, sweat shirts, hats, and accessories. You

could say she was a workaholic, but you had to admit she was very successful.

The last girl John spent time with was Jessica, who was a bit of a social butterfly. She had a large social circle of friends to talk to and hang out with. It was clear that she was an extrovert. If she wasn't texting, she was out with friends, drinking and clubbing. On the occasion that she did decide to stay home, Jessica would watch Japanese anime and play video games.

John was immediately drawn to Jessica, as he finally found someone he could nerd out with about current and upcoming games. Their personalities, however, didn't seem to match very well. The chemistry just wasn't there. They never seemed to be able to talk about anything outside of their mutual hobby.

Emily never really had much time to talk, but Jenny was more than willing to spend some time together with him. John listened to her talk about all her favorite books and even convinced him to try reading a book via audiobooks. Jenny didn't show much interest in sports or history, but she was attracted to the passion and energy John emitted whenever he spoke about subjects he cared about. Their mutual interest in one another was enough for them to start dating.