Nonfiction · Level 2 · 154 words

Move at Your Desk

Original passage © Studio AM, written for Fluency.

Sitting still for hours is hard on the body, even if it does not feel that way. When you sit hunched at a desk all day, your muscles grow tight, your back aches, and your blood moves more slowly. The body was built to move, not to hold one shape for eight hours.

The good news is that the fix is easy and free. You do not need to leave your chair for long. Every half hour or so, stand up, roll your shoulders, and stretch your arms above your head. Walk to fill a glass of water. Look away from the screen and let your eyes rest. These small breaks keep the blood flowing and loosen tight muscles. They also refresh the mind, so you often work better after them, not worse.

The trick is not one long stretch at the end of the day. It is many small moves, spread across it.

Comprehension questions

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4 questions
1. What is the main idea of the passage?

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A. Frequent small movements at a desk protect the body and refresh the mind
The passage advises many small breaks through the day to help body and mind.

2. According to the text, how often should you stand and stretch?

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B. Every half hour or so
The text says "Every half hour or so, stand up, roll your shoulders, and stretch."

3. Why does the passage say you often "work better" after small breaks?

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B. The breaks refresh the mind as well as the body
The text says the breaks "refresh the mind," so you work better after them.

4. In this passage, "hunched" most nearly means

Show answer for question 4

B. bent forward with rounded shoulders
You "sit hunched at a desk" and your back aches, so hunched means bent forward with rounded shoulders.

Source: Written for Fluency. Original passage © Studio AM, written for Fluency.