Medical English

Author: Lorraine Beitler/Barbara McDonald
Translators: Sun Bei/Sun Shuhua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-05-01
Features: Medical English is translated and annotated based on English for the Medical Professions from the Instrumental English series by McGraw-Hill Publishing Company in the United States. This book has the following characteristics:
1) High frequency of basic vocabulary repetition, facilitating progressive learning. Basic vocabulary not only appears in Vocabulary A, Vocabulary B, and in-text lessons but is also repeatedly presented across various levels of texts. Learners can deepen their understanding and memory of these words in different contexts.
2) Systematic vocabulary learning through the introduction of word roots and affixes. In Vocabulary A, the compilers first explain the meaning of a word root or affix, then group words containing that root or affix together, explain each word individually, and provide example sentences. This method of learning vocabulary is particularly suitable for medical vocabulary rich in Greek, Latin, and German word roots and affixes.
3) The master vocabulary list marked with an asterisk includes not only new words from Vocabulary A and Vocabulary B but also entries that may be unfamiliar to readers from the texts. Readers can refer to the master vocabulary list while studying, which greatly saves time flipping back and forth between the textbook or dictionary. The content of this book mainly includes Vocabulary A, Vocabulary B, vocabulary exercises, reading texts, reading comprehension exercises, grammar points, exercise answers, and the master vocabulary list. To help learners read more easily and effectively, the material is divided into three levels of difficulty from easy to hard.
Level 1 is the easiest, where the selected texts have been appropriately rewritten to reduce difficulty. The articles in Level 2 and Level 3 have not been rewritten and are directly selected from medical texts.
Excerpt: Diseases/Disorders
Reading Selection
There are many different causes of disease. It is helpful to group them into categories.
1. Communicable Diseases
These diseases are caused by harmful parasites. They can be passed from one person or animal to another, either directly or indirectly. Diseases caused by viruses (measles, smallpox), diseases caused by bacteria (tuberculosis), and diseases caused by worms (roundworms, hookworms) are all communicable diseases.
2. Deficiency Diseases
These diseases occur when the body does not receive enough of a substance it needs to remain healthy. Examples of deficiency diseases include protein-calorie malnutrition and beriberi.
3. Degenerative Diseases
This group of illnesses usually occurs in old age. An example of a degenerative disease is osteoarthritis.
4. Physical Causes
Illnesses produced by injuries—such as burns, near-drowning, and other accidents—belong in this group.
5. Abnormal Functions
Diseases may result from abnormal functioning of body organs. One example is diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes), which occurs when the pancreas does not function correctly.
6. Congenital Diseases
These diseases are present from birth. Some, such as sickle cell anemia, are passed from parent to child. Others are the result of damage to the body during birth. Examples include some mental deficiencies, paralysis, and cerebral palsy.
7. Alien Growths
This group of diseases includes many forms of cancer.
8. Mental Disorders
Some of these disorders result from difficulties in the patient's life, such as personal problems with family or friends.
9. Diseases of Unknown Cause
The causes of some illnesses—such as some types of heart disease—are not known.
Reading Comprehension Exercises
Exercise I: Identify each statement as true or false.
1. Mental disorders are a type of communicable disease.
2. Beriberi is a deficiency disease.
3. Proper diet always cures congenital diseases.
4. Sickle cell anemia is a type of cancer.
5. Diseases may result from abnormal functioning of body organs.
6. Measles and tuberculosis are diseases caused by viruses.
7. Physical injuries may cause diseases.
8. There are diseases of unknown cause.
9. Degenerative diseases usually occur in old age.
10. Diseases can be passed from animals to people.