Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. ascending (adj.) – moving upwards from lowest to highest
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. ascending (adj.) – moving upwards from lowest to highest
Example: The elevator numbers
are arranged in an ascending order.
2. initial (adj.)
– describing the first happening or beginning of something
Example: His initial reaction to his fall was surprise,
followed by laughter.
3. stroke (n.)
– (in medicine) a loss of brain function caused by a sudden break or blocking
of a blood vessel in the brain
Example: Strokes are the leading causes of death in most countries.
4. pass away (v.)
– to die (more polite or gentle)
Example: Many people passed away in the flood.
5. neurological (adj.)
– has something to do with the nerves, their functions (usually also involving
the brain)
Example: The patient underwent neurological tests after bumping his
head.
Article
Read the text below.
A study in the UK
journal BMJ Open suggests that a simple drawing test may show older men’s
chances of survival after their first stroke.
The drawing test
requires healthy people to draw lines between unarranged numbers in an ascending
order as fast as they can. Those who score in the top 33% are three times less
likely to die after an initial
stroke compared to those who score in the bottom 33%.
The study, which took
over 14 years and analyzed 1, ooo male patients, aged 67 to 75. Out of all
the patients, 155 had a stroke. Twenty-two of those who had a stroke, died
after a month while more than half passed
away within about two and a half years.
Dr. Clare Walton, a medical professional from the Stroke Association,
says although more research on the method is still needed, the drawing tests
have potential. The tests seem to show that early neurological changes in the brain increase the chance of death
after strokes.
If the tests can detect these unnoticeable changes ahead of time, treatment
to prevent stroke may be given to patients at a higher risk of deadly
strokes.
Dr. Bernice Wiberg, from the Uppsala University in Sweden, adds that
the drawing tests could be valuable because they are inexpensive, simple, and
easily available for clinics and hospitals.
She says the tests could be used to learn people’s chances of stroke along
with other standard methods, such as measuring blood pressure and asking
questions about smoking.
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Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
·
Do you think you would be able to trust the
results of a simple drawing test? Why or why not?
·
Aside
from being cheaper, how can simple tests be helpful to patients and doctors
than very complex tests?
Discussion B
·
Do
you regularly have medical tests and check-ups? Why or why not?
·
What
would make you or other people more encouraged to have regular check-ups?