Level-graded English lessons with reading, listening, activities, and discussion.
Lesson Info
Lesson Content
Warm-up, Vocab List, Reading and Audio
Understanding: True or False, Multiple Choice
Language: Words That Go Together
Use It: Discussion Builder, Sentence Unscramble, Discussion Questions
Answers
(1) What do people do daily to look good?
(2) Why do people care about appearance?
Vocab List
A growing social media trend is pushing young men to treat their faces and bodies like projects to fix. The trend is called looksmaxxing. It means trying to improve appearance as much as possible to gain confidence and social success. Mental health experts, however, say the message can become harmful when appearance turns into a daily obsession.
Related trends include softmaxxing and hardmaxxing. Softmaxxing usually means intensive grooming, skin care, and lifestyle changes. Hardmaxxing goes further and can include medical procedures such as nose jobs, Botox, hair transplants, and chin surgery. In some online spaces, people also share extreme advice, including videos that show people hitting their own faces.
Experts say these communities often sell one idea: there is a single ideal male look, and every man should chase it. For teenagers who are still building their identity, that pressure can be powerful. Many are trying to prove what they think masculinity should look like, so they may not notice when healthy self-care turns into unhealthy pressure.
The line can be hard to see. Taking pride in your appearance is normal, but it can become a problem when anxiety starts to control your routine. If a person spends too much mental energy on looks, school, friendships, and family life can start to suffer. The pattern may also move toward body dysmorphia.
Specialists say real self-improvement is usually quieter than social media trends. It starts with sleep, food, movement, and relationships, not constant comparison. They also say difficult feelings about appearance are valid. Creative activities can help people express those feelings in safer ways and build self-acceptance over time.
Looksmaxxing Trend Raises Mental Health Concerns
(1) What do people do daily to look good?
(2) Why do people care about appearance?
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obsession (n.)
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intensive (adj.)
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grooming (n.)
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procedure (n.)
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identity (n.)
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anxiety (n.)
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masculinity (n.)
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take pride in (v. phrase)
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body dysmorphia (n. phrase)
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self-acceptance (n.)
A growing social media trend is pushing young men to treat their faces and bodies like projects to fix. The trend is called looksmaxxing. It means trying to improve appearance as much as possible to gain confidence and social success. Mental health experts, however, say the message can become harmful when appearance turns into a daily obsession.
Related trends include softmaxxing and hardmaxxing. Softmaxxing usually means intensive grooming, skin care, and lifestyle changes. Hardmaxxing goes further and can include medical procedures such as nose jobs, Botox, hair transplants, and chin surgery. In some online spaces, people also share extreme advice, including videos that show people hitting their own faces.
Experts say these communities often sell one idea: there is a single ideal male look, and every man should chase it. For teenagers who are still building their identity, that pressure can be powerful. Many are trying to prove what they think masculinity should look like, so they may not notice when healthy self-care turns into unhealthy pressure.
The line can be hard to see. Taking pride in your appearance is normal, but it can become a problem when anxiety starts to control your routine. If a person spends too much mental energy on looks, school, friendships, and family life can start to suffer. The pattern may also move toward body dysmorphia.
Specialists say real self-improvement is usually quieter than social media trends. It starts with sleep, food, movement, and relationships, not constant comparison. They also say difficult feelings about appearance are valid. Creative activities can help people express those feelings in safer ways and build self-acceptance over time.
True or False
Answer each question by selecting True or False, then click CHECK to see your results.
True or False
1. The article says looksmaxxing is often presented online as a path to confidence and success. TRUEFALSE True
2. According to the article, hardmaxxing mainly means simple grooming and lifestyle changes. TRUEFALSE False
3. The article warns that anxiety-driven appearance routines can harm daily life and relationships. TRUEFALSE True
Multiple Choice
Answer each question by selecting A, B, or C, then click CHECK to see your results.
Multiple Choice
1. How does the article describe looksmaxxing?
a) A plan to avoid all social media
b) A push to maximize appearance for confidence and successCorrect
c) A campaign against grooming products
2. Which example belongs to hardmaxxing in the story?
a) Sleep and movement routines
b) Basic skin care
c) Procedures like Botox and chin surgeryCorrect
3. Why are teenagers described as especially vulnerable to these trends?
a) They are still building identity and ideas of masculinityCorrect
b) They usually have more money for surgery
c) They spend less time online than adults
4. What healthy direction does the article recommend?
a) Following extreme advice videos
b) Focusing on habits and self-acceptance over timeCorrect
c) Ignoring difficult feelings about your body
Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:
A growing social media trend is pushing young men to treat their faces and bodies like projects to fix. The trend is called (1) . It means trying to improve appearance as much as possible to gain confidence and social success. Mental health experts, however, say the message can become harmful when appearance turns into a daily obsession.
Related trends include (2) and (3) . Softmaxxing usually means intensive grooming, skin care, and lifestyle changes. Hardmaxxing goes further and can include medical procedures such as nose jobs, Botox, hair transplants, and chin surgery. In some online spaces, people also share extreme advice, including videos that show people hitting their own faces.
Experts say these communities often sell one idea: there is a single ideal male look, and every man should chase it. For teenagers who are still building their (4) , that pressure can be powerful. Many are trying to prove what they think masculinity should look like, so they may not notice when healthy self-care turns into unhealthy pressure.
The line can be hard to see. Taking pride in your appearance is normal, but it can become a problem when (5) starts to control your routine. If a person spends too much mental energy on looks, school, friendships, and family life can start to suffer. The pattern may also move toward (6) .
Specialists say real self-improvement is usually quieter than social media trends. It starts with sleep, food, movement, and relationships, not constant comparison. They also say difficult feelings about appearance are valid. Creative activities can help people express those feelings in safer ways and build (7) over time.
Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio and complete the gaps below:
Loading listening activity...
Words That Go Together
Drag each word to its match below, or select a word and then select its match:
Loading vocabulary activity...
Words That Go Together
Match each word with the words it goes with:
1. Buildh) identity
2. Spendg) mental energy
3. Gainf) confidence
4. Improvee) appearance
5. Pushd) young men
6. Sharec) extreme advice
7. Sellb) one idea
8. Expressa) feelings
a) feelings
b) one idea
c) extreme advice
d) young men
e) appearance
f) confidence
g) mental energy
h) identity
Discussion Builder
1) Reason 2) Reason 3) Contrast
Q: After reading this story, do you think we should be worried about the looksmaxxing trend? Why or why not?
A:Q: After reading this story, do you think we should be worried about the looksmaxxing trend? Why or why not?
A:Q: Is anxiety always bad? What if it motivates us to do healthy things, like work out?
A:
Discussion Builder
Choose the best phrase for each gap:
Q: After reading this story, do you think we should be worried about the looksmaxxing trend? Why or why not?
A: I think we should be worried some young men may copy risky advice online.
because / but / so / and
I think we should be worried because some young men may copy risky advice online.
Q: After reading this story, do you think we should be worried about the looksmaxxing trend? Why or why not?
A: To me, the trend is worrying young men may follow harmful advice without seeing the risk.
because / but / so / and
To me, the trend is worrying because young men may follow harmful advice without seeing the risk.
Q: Is anxiety always bad? What if it motivates us to do healthy things, like work out?
A: Anxiety can motivate healthy habits, it becomes harmful when it hurts schoolwork.
but / so / because / and
Anxiety can motivate healthy habits, but it becomes harmful when it hurts schoolwork.
Sentence Unscramble
Sentence Unscramble
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A. how young men B. themselves. C. judge D. In my view, E. social media advice F. should not define
In my view, social media advice should not define how young men judge themselves.
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A. extreme routines, B. to keep C. Compared with D. are easier E. small daily habits F. over time.
Compared with extreme routines, small daily habits are easier to keep over time.
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A. the main reason B. for it. C. self-improvement, D. I'm not against E. but F. anxiety should never be
I'm not against self-improvement, but anxiety should never be the main reason for it.
Discussion Questions
- After reading this story, do you think we should be worried about the looksmaxxing trend? Why or why not?
- Why do you think appearance trends spread so quickly online?
- Is there more pressure on men or women to look good?
- Is looking good necessary for success?
- How do you think about procedures like surgery? Are they extreme or reasonable?
- Why would someone hit their own face? Can it improve their appearance?
- How should platforms respond to content that encourages risky behavior?
- What are healthy ways to build confidence?
- If your friend lacked confidence, what would you say to help them?
- Is anxiety always bad? What if it motivates us to do healthy things, like work out?
Discussion Questions
- After reading this story, do you think we should be worried about the looksmaxxing trend? Why or why not?
- Why do you think appearance trends spread so quickly online?
- Is there more pressure on men or women to look good?
- Is looking good necessary for success?
- How do you think about procedures like surgery? Are they extreme or reasonable?
- Why would someone hit their own face? Can it improve their appearance?
- How should platforms respond to content that encourages risky behavior?
- What are healthy ways to build confidence?
- If your friend lacked confidence, what would you say to help them?
- Is anxiety always bad? What if it motivates us to do healthy things, like work out?
Answers
Listening: (1) looksmaxxing, (2) softmaxxing, (3) hardmaxxing, (4) identity, (5) anxiety, (6) body dysmorphia, (7) self-acceptance
True or False:
- True. The story says supporters present looksmaxxing as a way to gain confidence and social success.
- False. The story says hardmaxxing can include medical procedures such as Botox, hair transplants, and chin surgery.
- True. It says routines become harmful when anxiety controls them and people cannot stay present in school, friendships, or family life.
Multiple Choice: b, c, a, b
Vocabulary:
- Build: identity
- Spend: mental energy
- Gain: confidence
- Improve: appearance
- Push: young men
- Share: extreme advice
- Sell: one idea
- Express: feelings
Discussion Builder:
Hints: 1) Reason. 2) Reason. 3) Contrast.
- because
- because
- but
Sentence Unscramble:
- In my view, social media advice should not define how young men judge themselves.
- Compared with extreme routines, small daily habits are easier to keep over time.
- I'm not against self-improvement, but anxiety should never be the main reason for it.