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A2 Reading • 12 Mins

Fears and Being Brave: What the NHS Says

Learn common phobias, body reactions, and simple ways to feel better.

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💡 How to use this lesson

For Teachers

What to do: Guide learners through the short article in 12 minutes and discuss common fears together.

How to check: Let students complete the 8 practice questions below and review the instant explanations together.

For Learners

What to do first: Read the article slowly and look at the yellow word chips below it.

What to do next: Answer the 8 questions step-by-step from easy to main ideas.

Sentence pattern example:

"We are excited about the trip, but my sister is worried about the long bus ride."

What the NHS Says About Fears and Phobias

School Article

The NHS is the National Health Service of the United Kingdom. The NHS says a phobia is a strong fear of one thing or situation, and a kind of anxiety. The NHS says a phobia is usually caused by one object or situation. The NHS says common phobias are dogs, insects, snakes, flying, heights, or small spaces. When anxious, the NHS says the body releases stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. The NHS says these make the heart beat faster, sweat, feel dizzy, or shake. The NHS says talking to a friend, family, or counsellor helps. It says exercise, breathing exercises, spending time in the situation, and treatment help.

📖 Hard Words in This Article

NHS The National Health Service of the United Kingdom.

Phobia A very strong fear of one specific object or situation.

Anxiety A worried, nervous, or uneasy feeling inside you.

Stress Hormones Chemicals (adrenaline & cortisol) made by your body when scared.

Counsellor A trained person who talks with you to help solve problems.

⚡ Key Body Fact

"When a person feels scared, stress chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol travel through the body. This can quickly speed up your heartbeat and make you sweat."

✏️ Practice Questions (1 to 8)

Answer each question to check your understanding of the NHS facts.

1 True / False • Easy

The NHS is the National Health Service of the United Kingdom, and it says a phobia is a kind of anxiety.

____ True ____ False

2 True / False • Easy

The NHS says a phobia is usually caused by many different objects at the same time.

____ True ____ False

3 Multiple Choice • Medium

Which of the following are listed by the NHS as common phobias?

____ a. Dogs, flying, and heights ____ b. Cars, reading books, and soft music ____ c. Cooking dinner, swimming, and sleeping ____ d. Cold rain, writing stories, and walking

4 Multiple Choice • Medium

What stress hormones does the body release when a person feels anxious or scared?

____ a. Oxygen and sugar ____ b. Adrenaline and cortisol ____ c. Water and vitamins ____ d. Salt and protein

5 Matching • Medium

Match each body reaction description to what it can make a person do or feel:

Body Symptom

Feel dizzy or shake

Faster heart & sweat

Stress chemicals

____Feel dizzy or shake ____Faster heart & sweat

Other phobia signs

____Feel dizzy or shake ____Faster heart & sweat

6 Multiple Choice • Upper-Medium

According to the NHS, who can you talk to about your feelings to help with a phobia?

____ a. Only a famous person online ____ b. A friend, family member, or counsellor ____ c. A stranger in the park ____ d. Nobody at all

7 Short Answer • Upper-Medium

Complete the missing word:

The NHS says that doing [ ___ ] and calming breathing exercises can help with a phobia.

____

8 Short Answer • Challenging

What can a person slowly spend more time in, alongside getting treatment, to help with a phobia?

Write the phrase or word from the passage:

____

Reading: Understanding Fears and Phobias

Fears and Being Brave: What the NHS Says

💡 How to use this lesson

For Teachers

For Learners

What the NHS Says About Fears and Phobias

📖 Hard Words in This Article

✏️ Practice Questions (1 to 8)

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