5. Reading Skills Comprehension: A Healthy Body

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A Healthy Body

Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions:-

1. Physical health affects the mind and vice-versa. Which of the two is the more important is like asking the age-old question: what comes first, the chicken or the egg. For our present subject, let us be clear that a sound mind in a sound body is prerequisites for high efficiency and good quality work in the office, factory or field, which lead to a sense of achievement and fulfilment.

2. Our health is, of course, important not only to us but also to our families and even to our employers. No wonder then that companies everywhere have a stake in the health and fitness of their employees and are willing to spend considerable money towards this purpose. Japanese companies particularly excel in this and the more successful among them start off the day with a body bending and stretching session and even singing the company song designed to promote loyalty and motivation among the workforce! This is considered an important factor contributing to high productivity and quality. Here is a lesson which has been emulated elsewhere in the world and could work wonders in India. It is estimated that some 20,000 American firms have established in-house health clubs. Typical of these is the soft drink manufacturer. Pepsi Cola which has spent about $2 million in setting up a health club at its head office in New York State. Such expenditure has proved to be a wise investment in achieving better efficiency and higher productivity. It has, indirectly, also helped reduce the premium on the health insurance of its staff. This business has grown so large that hundreds of consultancies have sprung up for the management of health clubs and fitness centres. In some cases, there is a nominal contribution by the employees on the premise that they will value and use the facilities all the more. Some insurance companies have teamed up with employers in such ventures as better health contributes to a longer life and hence more premium! Though many firms in India have generous medical schemes, the movement towards health clubs and the like is yet to gain momentum.

Answer the following questions briefly:

(i)What are prerequisites for high effect and good quality work?

(ii) How do Japanese companies ensure loyalty and motivation?

(iii) What do you mean by ‘wise investment’?

(iv) Why do companies have health clubs?

(v) What does it mean by saying that “the idea of having health clubs in companies is yet to gain momentum?

(vi) Japanese companies are particularly excellent in which thing?

(vii) Why do companies take care of their employees’ health?

(viii) What is directly affected by physical health?

Answers:-

(i) A healthy body and a healthy mind.

(ii) By ensuring their employees’ health.