1 . Last week when I was reading at home, my younger sister rushed in and told me an old man was lying on the ground in front of our house. I immediately took my first- aid kit and ran downstairs. He was suffering a slight heart attack. And I performed CPR on him. Luckily, an ambulance came soon and he was taken to the hospital. Later that day I was told by the hospital what I did helped rescue the old man’s life. I was happy to hear that.
You can gain the knowledge, skills and confidence. You never know when you might need them—you could be at home, at work, at school or on holiday. If you have the skills, you can act whenever you’re needed.
You can stay safe at work.
It’s helpful in choosing your future career. The first-hand experience you gain through learning first aid and using your skills could help you decide if you want to pursue a career in the health profession.
| A．I received a phone call from the hospital. |
| B．However, at the same time I felt a bit sad. |
| C．You can be a resource for your community. |
| D．Illness and injury can happen any time at any place. |
| E．You can take first-aid courses in your community for free. |
| F．I think everyone should learn at least some basic first-aid techniques, which can be very helpful. |
| G．It also shows your commitment to a career in the health profession when it comes to applying for jobs. |
2 . Ms. McIntyre, 38, worked as a publisher. She suffered brain cancer and her health got worse despite some medical treatment. But she realized that in a way, she was luckier than some other people. She had insurance to help pay for her medical care. But Ms. McIntyre and her husband, Mr. Gregory, knew that many people with cancer face tough decisions because of the costs of medical care and wind up owing far more than they can pay.
Though her health was failing, Ms. McIntyre decided to help pay off the medical debts of as many people as she possibly could. The couple began donating money to a group called RIP Medical Debt, which is committed to working to pay off the unpaid medical debts of others. The group can pay off medical bills for about 100 times less money than they cost. In other words, for every 100 donated, the group can pay off 10,000 in unpaid medical bills.
Unfortunately, Ms. McIntyre passed away before long. Mr. Gregory posted a message for Ms. McIntyre on her social media accounts. “If you’re reading this, I have passed away,” the post began. Then the post explained, “To celebrate my life, I’ve arranged to buy up others’ medical debts and then destroy the debts.”
The couple had set up a page on a website to raise money for this purpose. They had hoped to raise about $20,000. Nevertheless, Ms. McIntyre’s last post attracted a lot of attention. The donations on her web page quickly passed the total goal. In less than a week, the site had raised 10 times more than expected and the donations are still coming in. By November 22, 2023, Ms. McIntyre’s web page had raised over $627,000, or enough money to pay off about $60 million in medical debts.
Mr. Gregory planned a special event in December to celebrate Ms. McIntyre’s life and to announce how many millions of dollars of medical debts her efforts had paid for.
1. Why did Ms. McIntyre feel luckier than some other people?| A．The doctors eventually cured her. | B．Her disease didn’t become worse. |
| C．She had a decent job before being ill. | D．She had security about medical care. |
| A．By paying for their daily debts. | B．By giving away money to them. |
| C．By ridding them of debts from treatments. | D．By purchasing medical insurance for them. |
| A．The public involvement. | B．The couple’s commitment. |
| C．The operation of a website. | D．The increase of medical debts. |
| A．Humorous and elegant. | B．Influential and understanding. |
| C．Cautious and promising. | D．Enthusiastic and adaptable. |
3 . People at risk of a heart attack or stroke could benefit from bloodpressurelowering drugs even if their blood pressure is considered in the normal, healthy range. If such drugs were offered to people with cardiac (心脏的) risks regardless of their blood pressure at the beginning of treatment it could save millions of lives, researchers in Oxford University found.
For the study, the team analyzed more than 120 medical trials including around 600,000 people conducted over two decades, saying their findings are a call for an urgent review of existing blood pressure treatment guidelines. “Our findings clearly show that treating blood pressure to a lower level could greatly reduce the risk of cardiovascular (心血管的) disease, if widely conducted,” said study lead author Kazem Rahimi.
High blood pressure has long been identified as a factor in higher risks of heart disease and strokes, and makes more than a billion people around the globe in torment — including one out of three US adults.
Blood pressure is recorded in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) as two numbers in a ratio: “systolic” pressure inside the arteries (动脉) when the heart beats as the top number, and “diastolic (舒张的)” pressure between heartbeats, as the heart rests and is refilled with blood. “Normal” blood pressure is considered at 120/80 or below, and is considered “high” at 140/90 or above, according to the American Heart Association. The researchers said their study showed that for every reduction in systolic pressure of 10 mmHg, the risk of heart attacks was reduced by a fifth and that of a stroke around a quarter.
Some experts said they thought the study’s findings were important but did offer some warnings. “One important warning is that not everyone will be able to tolerate having their blood pressure reduced to low levels, and there is a need to balance possible drug side effects and likely benefits,” Smeeth said.
1. What do the findings indicate?| A．Normal blood pressure doesn’t mean a healthy body. |
| B．The existing blood pressure treatment is useless. |
| C．High blood pressure is the first health killer. |
| D．High blood pressure causes many diseases. |
| A．Tolerance. | B．Debt. |
| C．Pain. | D．Despair. |
| A．To teach how to measure blood pressure. |
| B．To compare high and normal blood pressure. |
| C．To explain the factor in heart attacks and strokes. |
| D．To show some diseases are related to blood pressure. |
| A．He thought less of the findings. |
| B．Reducing blood pressure isn’t safe for everyone. |
| C．Most experts disagree with the findings. |
| D．Drug side effects are bigger than benefits. |
4 . Modern medicine and the latest technology can save many lives. If you live in a country where healthcare is readily available and accessible, then your chances of recovering from illnesses or accidents are very good. But for many people in the US who are uninsured (无保险的), they can’t afford these new medical treatments. That’s why Doctor Demetrio Aguila in Norfolk lets poor patients pay for surgery (外科手术) through volunteer work.
“For years I had been doing surgery for patients and taking care of their health problems. Then I would find out months later, sometimes years later, that I had caused their financial ruin,” Aguila said. Serious illnesses can completely deplete a family’s savings, leaving them no choice but to go bankrupt (破产).
Then he formed Healing Hands M25 as a way to give poor patients the medical fees they need by donating their time to community service. The process is pretty simple. They practice partners with local charitable organizations. The patient picks the charity and donates his time and sweat; Aguila determines the amount of volunteer hours the patient has to complete. “We’ve lowered the cost of healthcare. We’ve made it fair for everybody involved,” Aguila said.
The first patient to participate in the program was Jeffrey Jenson who worked for 560 hours to pay for surgery on his leg. Jenson asked his friends and family to help him complete the hours. Jenson said that his volunteer work greatly affected his life as much as the surgery. “The M25 program is not about money — it’s about if people come together to help other people, then the community becomes better,” said Jenson.
This program is a big win for the patients, the local community, and Dr Aguila who knows he has done everything he could to help his patients.
1. How does Aguila make poor patients pay for surgery?| A．In cash. | B．Through an insurance company. |
| C．By doing volunteer work. | D．By serving the doctor. |
| A．Set aside. | B．Use up. | C．Cut down. | D．Add to. |
| A．What Healing Hands M25 does. |
| B．How Healing Hands M25 works. |
| C．Why Aguila runs Healing Hands M25. |
| D．Why patients choose Healing Hands M25. |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. | C．Objective. | D．Unconcerned. |
5 . Brynn Schulte nearly died two times when she was a baby. At one point she needed emergency surgery for bleeding in her brain. No one knew what was wrong. Then, a test that looked at her full genetic details found a rare bleeding disorder. Catching the disorder early saved her life. “You have this hopeless feeling when you don’t really know what’s going on,” said her father, Mike Schulte. He noted that the test made a difference in finding the cause and “getting her the right care that she needed almost immediately”.
Brynn, now 4, got the genetic testing as part of a clinical trial, the results of which were published recently in The Journal of the American Medical Association. Testing all of the details of a person’s genes is called “whole genome” testing. Whole genome tests are much better than narrowly targeted tests when it comes to finding genetic differences, called abnormalities, which can cause disease. The study found 49 percent of these abnormalities, compared to 27 percent with more commonly used tests targeting only some genetic diseases.
Whole genome tests could solve the problem of doing several narrowly targeted tests on babies, which still might not find the disorder. Experts warn there are some problems because labs vary in how they understand results. Also, whole genome tests are more expensive and less likely to be covered by insurance.
But researchers hope that whole genome tests will at some point be used for millions of hospitalized babies with rare and difficult conditions. The US National Human Genome Research Institute has found that around 350 million people around the world live with rare disorders. And it found that about 80 percent of the more than 7,000 conditions are genetic.
1. How did Mike Schulte feel about the test?| A．Proud. | B．Grateful. | C．Unclear. | D．Hopeless. |
| A．narrowly targeted tests are easier |
| B．commonly used tests take longer |
| C．whole genome tests focus on babies |
| D．whole genome tests are more accurate |
| A．They cost a lot. |
| B．The process is complex. |
| C．The disorder might not be found. |
| D．Their results are hard to understand. |
| A．In a blog. | B．In a medical record, |
| C．In a newspaper. | D．In a letter. |
6 . Everybody should have some first aid techniques,because accidents and medical emergencies can happen anywhere at any time and in such an urgent situation lives can be saved. St. John First Aid courses give you the knowledge and confidence to provide effective first aid whenever it is needed.
First Aid Level 1
Ideal for anyone who wants to learn basic first aid or needs to renew their first aid qualification (资格). Courses can be held at St. John or your workplace.
Fee: $162 (includes GST)
Duration: eight hours
First Aid Level 2
Includes all course content from First Aid Level 1,plus an additional half day. Ideal for special first aiders,health and safety managers and anyone who needs a first aid qualification.
Fee: $235 (includes GST)
Duration: twelve hours
Pre-Hospital Emergency Care (PHEC)
Advanced training for first aiders who already hold unit standards 6400 and 6402. Ideal for people who require advanced first aid skills or a pre-hospital emergency care qualification for their work.
Fee: $635 (includes GST)
Duration: three days
Child First Aid
Ideal for parents,grandparents and other family caregivers.A recognized qualification for childcare workers.
Fee: $65 (includes GST)
Duration: four hours
Outdoor First Aid
First aid response to accidents and medical emergencies in the wilderness. For groups of eight or more.
Duration: one to two days depending on experience
Sports First Aid
First aid response to common sports injuries and medical emergencies. Includes ACC injury prevention advice.
Fee: $65 (includes GST)(If you are a trainer, you can get a 20% discount.)
Duration: eight hours
1. If you are going to camp,which course should you choose in advance?| A．Child First Aid. | B．Sports First Aid. |
| C．First Aid Level 1. | D．Outdoor First Aid. |
| A．$162 | B．$78 | C．$65 | D．$52 |
| A．First aid in childcare. | B．Basic emergency care. |
| C．Advanced first aid skills. | D．Injury prevention methods. |
7 . One morning, Charile Latuske woke up feverish in his home in Surrey in the UK, leaving him unable to function and in need of a doctor. He’d had a sore throat (咽喉痛) for a few days, believing it would get better, but that morning in August 2017, he knew that he had to do something about it.
“I was quite out of it,” said 27-year-old Latuske, who was also due to go on vacation with his wife in just three days.
Short on time, he feared the idea of calling his local physician only to wait days or even a week for an appointment, or to wait in a long line for an emergency appointment. “I just needed to be seen without messing around with long lines of people.” he said. When you’re that ill, that’s the last thing you want to do.
These days, this solution is some what easier, thanks to the Internet.
Latuske’s wife showed him a private medical app with which he could see a doctor within the hour virtually. For a fee of ￡30, he could sign up, share his symptoms (症状)and videocall a doctor in the UK using the digital health provider Push Doctor. The app is one of many now available in the UK and worldwide to help people in need of medical attention who are unable to get to a doctor for various reasons.
“I was highly skeptical,”he said, adding that he didn’t trust such a service and questioned the credentials (资格) of doctors available through it. “But I was in great need of a doctor.”
Within 20 minutes, he was speaking with a doctor, who soon diagnosed him with tonsillitis (扁桃体炎).
Within the hour, he was at his nearest pharmacy (药房), collecting medicines. And three days later, he was on vacation, as planned.
“I was impressed by the efficiency of the whole thing,” he said.
1. What was Latuske’s concern about seeing a doctor?| A．He had to do a checkup. |
| B．He would have a long wait. |
| C．He had to cancel his travel plans. |
| D．He needed to spend lots of money. |
| A．She gave him some money. |
| B．She offered him encouragement. |
| C．She took him to a nearby hospital. |
| D．She recommended a medical app to him. |
| A．Excited. | B．Thankful. |
| C．Doubtful. | D．Annoyed. |
| A．It was highly efficient. |
| B．It cost a small sum of money. |
| C．It needed some improvement. |
| D．It was less useful than expected. |
8 . For the first time, the World Health Organization has included Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in its globally influential medical compendium (汇编),according to an international science journal.
An article published by Nature said that TCM had been included in the latest version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) released last year. Starting from the 1800s, the ICD has been revised and published in a series of editions, reflecting the advances in health and medical science over time. It serves as the foundation for the identification of global health trends, and the international standard for diseases and health conditions.
The latest ICD is based largely on the work of the International Classification of Traditional Medicine (ICTM) project’s experts from around the world, who had been working on traditional medicine research and practices for years.
China has been promoting the modernisation of TCM and pushing for TCM to gain acceptance worldwide. Tu Youyou, a Chinese expert focusing on the scientific study of drugs and medicines, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in2015 for her research in TCM. Her discovery has saved millions of lives in developing countries in South Asia, Africa and South America. TCM is sure to grow in popularity globally.
While the use of herbal medicines, acupuncture (针刺疗法) and other traditional medical practices has been on the rise, there’s still a shortage of global classification and terminology (术语) tools for traditional medicine now, according to officials of the WHO.
“The decision is to promote the safe and effective use of traditional medicine by regulating, researching and combining traditional medicine products,practitioners and practice into health systems,where appropriate,”the WHO was quoted as saying by Nature.
1. What can we learn about the ICD from Paragraph 2?| A．It will include TCM this year. |
| B．It has a history of over 200 years. |
| C．It is published in various languages. |
| D．It provides therapies for diseases worldwide. |
| A．To imply the worldwide popularity of TCM. |
| B．To prove TCM’s gaining worldwide acceptance. |
| C．To introduce a breakthrough in the medical field |
| D．To show Chinese people deserve the Nobel Prize for their contribution. |
| A．The classification of TCM. |
| B．The standard of TCM terms. |
| C．The official promotion of TCM. |
| D．The use of traditional Chinese medicine. |
| A．Lifestyle. | B．Opinion. |
| C．Health. | D．Technology. |
9 . In the 12th century, physician Ibn Zuhr conducted some animal research to assess the surgical procedures that could be applied to humans. Since then, animal testing has been considered the most efficient way to develop new drugs. New medical treatments and drugs are tested on animals first to determine their effectiveness or safety levels before they are finally tested on humans. However, it remains controversial whether it is morally right or wrong to use animals for experiments.
The use of animals for medical purposes is seen to be necessary by many scientists. Researchers usually begin their trials using rats. If the tests are successful, further tests are done on monkeys before using human beings. For testing, such tiered(分层的) rounds are important because they reduce the level of error and negative side effects. Some argue that animal testing has contributed to many life-saving cures and treatments and there is no adequate alternative to testing on a living, whole-body system. Moreover, there are regulations for animal testing that limit the misuse of animals during research. They serve as evidence that animals are well taken care of and treated well instead of being intentionally harmed.
However, some other experts and animal welfare groups have opposed such practice, considering it as inhumane(不人道的) and claiming it should be banned. According to Humane Society International, animals used in experiments are commonly subjected to force-feeding, radiation exposure, operations to deliberately cause damage and frightening situations to create depression and anxiety. They also hold the view that animals are very different from human beings and therefore are poor test subjects. Drugs that pass animal tests are not necessarily safe. Animal tests on the arthritis (关节炎) drug Vioxx showed it would have a protective effect on the hearts of mice, yet the drug went on to cause about 27,000 heart attacks before being pulled back from the market.
It’s safe to say that using animals for tests will continue to be debated in many years to come. Despite the benefits of animal testing, some of the concerns need to be addressed with adequate regulations to ensure that animals are treated humanely.
1. Why is animal testing considered necessary?| A．Rats are more similar to humans than monkeys. |
| B．Other testing alternatives may not replace animals. |
| C．Animal testing can show every side effect of drugs. |
| D．Animal testing has been in practice since the 12th century. |
| A．Eating poisonous food. | B．Being killed deliberately. |
| C．Breathing in polluted air. | D．Having unnecessary operations. |
| A．animal testing helps find the cure for arthritis |
| B．some drugs need to be withdrawn from the market |
| C．animals cannot necessarily produce accurate results |
| D．a drug should be tested many more times before its release |
| A．Scientists should reduce the number of animals used in research. |
| B．Experts should try hard to determine whether animal tests are harmful. |
| C．Relevant organizations should show more concern about the animals’ welfare. |
| D．The authorities should issue new laws to guarantee animals’ rights during research. |
10 . Hundreds of millions have rolled up their sleeves for the COVID-19 vaccine, but why haven’t they taken down their pants instead? What’s the science behind why we get most vaccines in our arm and does the injection site matter?
Muscles make an excellent vaccine injection site because muscle tissue contains important immune cells. The immune cells recognize the antigen (抗原), a tiny piece of a virus or bacterium introduced by the vaccine that stimulates an immune response. In the case of the COVID-19 vaccine, the immune cells in the muscle tissue pick up these antigens and take them to the lymph nodes (淋巴结). Injecting the vaccine into muscle tissue keeps the vaccine localized (局部的), allowing the immune cells there to sound the alarm to other immune cells and get to work. Once a vaccine is recognized by the immune cells in the muscle, these cells carry the antigens to lymph vessels, which transport the antigen-carrying immune cells into the lymph nodes. Lymph nodes, important part of our immune system, contain more immune cells that recognize the antigens from vaccines and start the immune process of creating antibodies.
Muscle tissue also tends to keep vaccine reactions localized. Injecting a vaccine into the muscle may result in local inflammation (红肿) or soreness at the injection site. If certain vaccines are injected into fat tissue, the chance of vaccine reactions increases because fat tissue has poor blood supply, leading to poor absorption of the antigens in the vaccines.
Yet another deciding factor in the vaccine injection site is the size of the muscle. Adults and children aged three and older tend to receive vaccines in their upper arm. Younger children receive vaccines in their thighs (大腿) because their arm muscles are smaller and less developed.
Another consideration during vaccine injection is convenience and patients’ acceptability. Can you imagine taking down your pants at a clinic with strangers around? Rolling up your sleeve is much easier and more preferred.
All things considered, when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine, for most adults and kids, the arm is the preferred injection site.
1. How many reasons for the vaccines given into the muscle are mentioned?| A．2. | B．3. | C．4. | D．5. |
| A．Recognize. | B．Collect. | C．Clean up. | D．Lift up. |
| A．The arm. | B．The hand. | C．The thigh. | D．The foot. |
| A．Don’t be afraid of injection | B．Why do we get injection in the arm? |
| C．An interesting secret to injection | D．How vaccines are given into the muscle? |
