Science & Technology
How Bad Odours Can Affect Your Body and Mind
2 Jul 2026
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a Level
Warm-up → Read & Listen → Check Understanding → Language → Use It
WARM UP
Think Ahead:
Which detail do you think appears in this story?
a) Bad smells can help people sleep better.
b) Bad smells can make people feel stressed.
c) Bad smells are only found inside schools.
Ask:
(1) What is your favourite smell in the kitchen?
(2) Do you like the smell of old rubbish?
VOCABULARY
Odour
noun
Protect
verb
Healthy
adjective
Brain
noun
Notice
verb
Safe
adjective
A smell, especially a bad one.
Example: There was a strange odour coming from the old kitchen bin.
To keep someone or something safe from danger.
Example: Wearing a thick coat will protect you from the cold winter wind.
Strong and not sick.
Example: Eating fresh fruit helps to keep your body healthy.
The part inside your head that thinks and feels.
Example: Your brain sends messages to the rest of your body.
To see, hear, or feel something.
Example: Did you notice the bright flowers growing in the garden?
Not in danger or hurt.
Example: It is safe to cross the road when the light turns green.
We use our noses to smell many things every day. Some smells are lovely, like flowers or baking bread. Other smells are bad, like old rubbish or dirty water. Scientists say that a bad odour can affect how we feel. When you smell something bad, your brain quickly notices it. This happens to protect your body from danger. A bad smell can tell you that food is old and not safe to eat. Sometimes, a strong bad smell can make you feel tired or give you a small headache. It can also make people feel cross or stressed. Clean air is very important for a healthy life. If a room smells bad, opening a window can bring in fresh air. Fresh air helps us feel happy, relaxed, and safe again. Our sense of smell is an amazing tool that keeps our bodies healthy every day.
Listen
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What are some bad smells that you do not like?
2. How do you feel when you smell something bad?
3. What can you do if a room smells unpleasant?
4. Why do you think our bodies notice bad smells so quickly?
5. What is a smell that makes you feel happy?
6. Do you think fresh air is important for our health?
FILL IN THE GAPS
Section 1: Fill in the Gaps
Word Bank: brain, odour, protect, safe
We use our noses to smell many things every day. Some smells are lovely, like flowers or baking bread. Other smells are bad, like old rubbish or dirty water. Scientists say that a bad _______(1) can affect how we feel. When you smell something bad, your _______(2) quickly notices it. This happens to _______(3) your body from danger. A bad smell can tell you that food is old and not _______(4) to eat. Sometimes, a strong bad smell can make you feel tired or give you a small headache. It can also make people feel cross or stressed. Clean air is very important for a healthy life. If a room smells bad, opening a window can bring in fresh air. Fresh air helps us feel happy, relaxed, and safe again. Our sense of smell is an amazing tool that keeps our bodies healthy every day.
Section 2: Main Idea
What is the main idea of this article?
a) Flowers have a lovely smell.
b) Bad smells can change how we feel and keep us safe.
c) Opening windows can make a room cold.
UNDERSTANDING
Section 3: True or False
1. Scientists say that bad odours can affect how we feel. T/F
2. A bad smell tells us that old food is safe to eat. T/F
3. Fresh air can help us feel happy and relaxed. T/F
Section 4: Put Events in Order
Put these events in the correct order from 1 to 3:
A) Your brain notices the bad smell to protect you.
B) You feel more relaxed after fresh air enters the room.
C) Your nose smells a bad odour from old rubbish.
LANGUAGE
Section 5: Vocab Match
1. Odour
2. Brain
3. Notice
4. Healthy
a) To see, hear, or feel something.
b) A smell, especially a bad one.
c) Strong and not sick.
d) The part inside your head that thinks and feels.
USE IT
Section 6: Discussion Builder
Choose the best word to complete the conversation.
1. Student A: This room has a terrible _______!Student B: Let us open the window for some fresh air.
a) brain b) odour c) healthy
2. Student A: I always wash my hands to stay _______.Student B: That is a great way to protect your body.
a) safe b) healthy c) notice
Section 7: Sentence Unscramble
Unscramble the words to make complete sentences.
1. A) smells B) affect C) how D) bad E) we feel
2. A) protects B) from C) our nose D) danger E) us
ANSWER KEY
Section: Warm Up
Correct Answer: b
Section 1: Fill in the Gaps
(1) odour (2) brain (3) protect (4) safe
Section 2: Main Idea
Correct Answer: b
Section 3: True or False
T
F
T
Section 4: Put Events in Order
C
A
B
Section 5: Vocab Match
b
d
a
c
Section 6: Discussion Builder
b
b
Section 7: Sentence Unscramble
D-A-B-C-E (Bad smells affect how we feel)
C-A-E-B-D (Our nose protects us from danger)
Section 8: Discussion Questions
Student's own answers.