Unit Review & Progress Test

Unit review — Mental Health, Therapy & Stigma

Al finalizar esta unidad, deberías ser capaz de participar en debates complejos sobre salud mental, utilizando un vocabulario preciso y matizado para evitar generalizaciones. Habrás aprendido a expresar opiniones sobre temas sensibles con la diplomacia y el registro adecuados para un nivel C1, evitando términos coloquiales inapropiados en contextos formales.

Asimismo, habrás dominado el uso de las cleft sentences para enfatizar puntos clave en tus argumentos, una técnica esencial para demostrar control gramatical en el examen de Writing y Speaking. Ahora podrás estructurar tus ideas de manera que el foco recaiga exactamente donde tú lo desees, mejorando la cohesión y el impacto de tu discurso.

Grammar consolidation

Rewrite or correct the following sentences using cleft sentences (It is / What...) to achieve the required emphasis.

1. Transformation: I only realised how much stress I was under when I started seeing a therapist. What...
2. Transformation: The stigma surrounding mental health is what prevents people from seeking help. It is...
3. Error Correction: What I need is a break from work, that is why I am exhausted. (Rewrite to make it a single, cohesive cleft sentence).
4. Transformation: We must address the lack of funding for mental health services first. It is...
5. Transformation: I find the constant pressure to be productive most overwhelming. What...
6. Error Correction: It is the social media that causes anxiety to many teenagers. (Rewrite to make it more natural/sophisticated).
7. Transformation: She only felt better after she joined a support group. It was...
8. Transformation: You need to establish healthy boundaries to protect your well-being. What...
9. Transformation: The most difficult part of therapy was confronting my childhood traumas. It was...
10. Transformation: I just want people to stop judging those with mental illnesses. What...

Vocabulary activation

A. Collocations: Complete the sentences with the correct word (e.g., stigma, toll, coping, burnout, resilience, triggers).

1. The constant pressure at work has taken a heavy ____ on her mental health.
2. Developing emotional ____ is key to handling life's inevitable setbacks.
3. Many people suffer in silence due to the social ____ attached to depression.
4. He is developing healthy ____ mechanisms to deal with anxiety.
5. Sudden loud noises can act as ____ for individuals with PTSD.
6. Severe occupational ____ can lead to complete emotional exhaustion.

B. Word Formation: Complete the sentences using the correct form of the word in brackets.

7. The ____ of the patient's condition was evident from the first session. (SEVERE)
8. There is a growing _ regarding how we treat mental illness in the workplace. (AWARE) print 9. Seeking professional help is a sign of _ rather than weakness. (COURAGE)
9. The therapist provided ____ support during the most difficult weeks. (EMPATHY)

C. Register Choice: Rewrite the following informal sentences into a formal C1 level suitable for an academic essay or professional report.

11. Informal: People think it's weird to go to a shrink. Formal: __________.
12. Informal: Getting help is a big deal for your brain. Formal: __________.

Integrated skills task

Reading Text

The prevailing attitude towards mental health in many modern societies remains a paradoxical one. While awareness campaigns have proliferated, a deep-seated stigma continues to shadow those seeking psychological assistance. This social friction often results in individuals delaying treatment, fearing that a diagnosis might lead to professional marginalisation or social isolation. Furthermore, the "culture of productivity" imposes an invisible burden, where mental struggles are often dismissed as mere lack of discipline. Consequently, the psychological toll is exacerbated by the very structures meant to support us. To move forward, we must transition from mere awareness to genuine acceptance, ensuring that mental health is treated with the same urgency and lack of judgement as physical health.

Writing Task

Instrucciones: Basándote en el texto anterior, escribe una respuesta de entre 180 y 220 palabras. Debes argumentar si estás de acuerdo con la idea de que la "cultura de la productividad" es el principal factor que alimenta el estigma. Utiliza estructuras de énfasis (cleft sentences) y el vocabulario aprendido en la unidad para dar fuerza a tu argumento.

Speaking checkpoint

Responde a estas preguntas de forma oral, intentando hablar durante 1-2 minutos por cada una, utilizando un lenguaje avanzado.

1. Compare: Compare the way mental health is perceived by your generation versus that of your parents' generation.
2. Speculate: How might the rise of AI and remote work affect the mental well-being of the global workforce in the future?
3. Evaluate: To what extent do you think social media is responsible for the current mental health crisis among young adults?
4. Justify: Some argue that therapy should be a fundamental human right provided by the state. Justify your position on this matter.
5. Evaluate: Evaluate the effectiveness of "self-help" culture compared to professional clinical therapy.
6. Speculate: If society successfully eliminated the stigma around mental illness, how would our daily lives change?

Self-assessment rubric

Answer key

Grammar consolidation 1. What I only realised was how much stress I was under. 2. It is the stigma surrounding mental health that prevents people from seeking help. 3. What I need is a break from work, which is why I am exhausted. (Or: It is a break from work that I need, which is why I am exhausted). 4. It is the lack of funding for mental health services that we must address first. 5. What I find most overwhelming is the constant pressure to be productive. 6. It is social media that causes anxiety in many teenagers. 7. It was after she joined a support group that she only felt better. / It was joining a support group that made her feel better. 8. What you need to do is establish healthy boundaries to protect your well-being. 9. It was confronting my childhood traumas that was the most difficult part of therapy. 10. What I just want is for people to stop judging those with mental illnesses.

Vocabulary activation 1. toll 2. resilience 3. stigma 4. coping 5. triggers 6. burnout 7. severity 8. awareness 9. courage 10. empathetic 11. (Example answer) There remains a societal prejudice regarding seeking psychological consultation. 12. (Example answer) Seeking professional intervention is crucial for psychological well-being.