Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. hibernation (n.) [hi-ber-neyt] – (for some animals) state of long and deep sleep wherein bodily functions are slowed down, usually during winter
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. hibernation (n.) [hi-ber-neyt] – (for some animals) state of long and deep sleep wherein bodily functions are slowed down, usually during winter
Example: Bears
go into hibernation to preserve energy during winter.
2. descend (v.) [dih-send] – to move or go down; to pass from a higher place to a lower place
Example: The
elevator descended from the second floor to the ground floor.
3. multiple (adj.) [muhl-tuh-puhl] – made up of many
parts or elements
Example: It
took the patient two months to recover from multiple injuries.
4. baffle (v.) [baf-uhl] – to confuse or puzzle
Example: Difficult
math problems in the exam baffled the
students.
5. physiological (adj.) [fiz-ee-uh-loj-i-kuhl] – having to do
with how the body normally functions
Example: The
patient was released from the hospital as soon as his physiological condition
became stable.
Article
Read the text below.
A Japanese man
has mysteriously survived after a mountain-trekking accident led him to fall
into deep sleep, leaving him without food or water for 24 days. His doctors
speculate that he might have gone into a form of hibernation.
Mitsutaka
Uchikoshi went missing in Mount Rokko in western Japan after he separated
from his hiking party to descend the
mountain on his own.
Doctors think he accidentally tripped and lost consciousness. But Uchikoshi
only recalled lying on the grass under the sunshine and eventually falling
asleep. While unconscious, he was exposed to very cold weather, without
having any food and water.
Twenty-four
days later, he was found with almost no pulse, organs shut down, and a body
temperature at 22°C (degrees Celsius). After a few months of treatment for
severe hypothermia, multiple organ
failure and blood loss, he fully recovered. However, doctors are baffled at how he survived.
Uchikoshi's
doctor, Shinichi Sato, believes his patient fell asleep at a very early stage
of hypothermia, which is similar to falling into a state of hibernation. This
could have protected his brain functions from damage.
This unique
case would be revolutionary if it really happened, says hibernation expert
Hiroshi Shiomi from a university in Hiroshima. For years, scientists have thought about
the possibility of human hibernation and how it could help slow down the
death rate of cells.
Doctors are
also amazed because aside from surviving for days with such a low body
temperature, Uchikoshi lived without having any food or water. Humans can
survive without food for a long time, but lack of fluids can quickly lead to
dehydration and death.
If proven to be
true, Uchikoshi's survival would definitely be a physiological achievement.
|
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
● What can the body do that amazes
you? Please explain your answer.
● What do you think the world would
be like if humans are able to fully use their bodies?
Discussion B
● What would you do to survive if
you were by yourself in a strange place (e.g., deserted island, mountain,
etc.)?
● Which do you think will most
likely help someone survive: mental or physical strength? Please explain your
answer.
