Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. traumatic (adj.) [truh-mat-ik] – in medicine, it is related to or caused by a severe injury to your body
Example: He suffered a traumatic head injury from the car accident.
2. concussion (n.) [kuhn-kuhsh-uhn] – an
injury to the brain that is caused by something hitting the head very hard
Example: The doctor said that my uncle had a concussion due to a vehicular accident
last month.
3. dizziness (n.) [diz-ee] – a feeling of turning around in circles and falling
even though you are standing still
Example: The lady beside me on the plane
experienced dizziness after we landed
at the airport.
4. deterioration (n.) [dih-teer-ee-uh-rey-shuhn] –
a decrease in quality or strength
Example: Deterioration of bones lead to the
inability to lift heavy objects.
5. associated (adj.) [uh-soh-shee-ey-ted] – connected
with another person or event
Example: Our teacher Ms. Smith is oftentimes associated with our school principal because
of their physical similarities.
Article
Read the text below.
A new study suggests that soccer
players may experience traumatic brain
injury due to frequent ball heading.
Researchers
from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine made a test on 34 adults who have
played soccer since childhood. They
were asked the number of times they headed the ball in the previous year and
whether they had concussions before.
Using a sophisticated brain scan
technique, it was found out that players who headed the ball more often performed
worse at remembering lists of words read to them than other players who
headed the ball a fewer times. This condition is similar to those who have
suffered a traumatic brain injury, researchers added.
In a previous research by Elizabeth
Larson, a university researcher in California, she found that the players who
headed the ball most often during a season performed poorly on tests of
visual memory which involves recalling of shapes and images. These players
also have suffered from recurrent headaches and dizziness more than others.
Lead researcher and senior author Dr.
Michael Lipton said that repetitive heading may lead to deterioration of brain cells in the part of the brain associated
to verbal and visual memory. Furthermore, children may experience more
problems than adults since their brains are developing faster. Researchers must
consider these findings to help protect soccer players.
Far from asking a ban on ball
heading, Ms. Larson advised parents to consistently monitor the number of
heading repetitions their children do during practice. They must also check any
associated symptoms like headaches
especially after soccer practice.
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Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
·
What
other measures can coaches or players themselves do to lessen the risk of
getting a brain injury due to heading?
·
In
your opinion, should a player continue to engage in a particular sport despite
the risks and dangers? Why or why not?
Discussion B
·
Should
parents prohibit their children from playing soccer? Why or why not?
·
What
sports are common among children in your country?