Use of English Practice

Use of English Practice

6 interactive tasks

Task 1. Doctors’ surgeries, 30–36

Choose the best option for each gap.

Doctors’ surgeries are busy places these days, due to an ageing population with multiple health problems. In the 30 of doctors and patients alike, something needs to be done to reduce the number of patients a doctor has to see in any one day.

The situation could be improved if the government were to make more funding 31 for national health care services. 32 extra money into the health budget would mean that more doctors could be employed. In this way, the number of patients in an area would be shared among more doctors, easing individual doctors’ 33.

Another solution could be to develop more Internet websites where patients can look 34 information about their condition and receive an online diagnosis and a suggested course of treatment. This would mean that, for minor problems at least, a visit to the doctor would be unnecessary, and people could be helped in the 35 of their own homes.

It would also be a good idea to step up government health education campaigns. Many people are simply not aware of the importance of a healthy lifestyle. If they were better informed about following a balanced diet and exercising regularly, the result would be that fewer people needed to go to the doctor.

In short, there are a number of practical solutions to the problem of crowded doctors’ surgeries. I firmly believe that if such suggestions were put into practice, the health care system would run more 36, and both patients and doctors would benefit.

Operating room photo

Task 2. Choose the correct answer

Choose the word that fits the meaning and collocation.

Medicine and treatment photo
1Experts agree that a healthy diet can help to ______ many kinds of cancer.
2He was badly injured in the crash, but hopefully he will ______ full use of his arms.
3Don’t worry, this operation is a very straightforward ______.
4My doctor has been ______ medicine for more than 40 years.
5They can’t make a ______ until they test her blood.
6Disease ______ faster in dirty environments.

Task 3. Curious cures

Complete the gaps with correct words derived from the words in bold.

There were very few things that the 1ADVENTURE Indiana Jones was afraid of, but even he had a fear of snakes! And with very good reason. Around 650 species of snake in the world are 2VENOM. These snakes have the ability to inject venom into their victim’s body, which can cause death within seconds.

3AMAZE, however, toxins from snake venom can also help alleviate pain and even treat diseases. For example, a patient’s blood 4PRESS can be significantly lowered using a chemical taken from the venom of a Brazilian snake. And venom from the southern copperhead viper has been proved to slow down the 5GROW of cancerous tumours.

The same goes for the venom of other creatures. The venom of the yellow Israeli scorpion, for example, is being used in the cure for brain cancer. Unlikely as it seems, medical scientists are using the deadliest creatures on the planet to 6SURE our future health!

Snake venom and research photo

Task 4. Acupuncture

Complete the gaps with the correct form of the words in bold.

Acupuncture — or having needles pushed into 1YOU skin to treat an illness — has had an important role in Eastern medicine for over 4000 years. And, as the practice gains popularity in the West, recent scientific research suggests that it actually works. 2ACCORD to Eastern philosophy, energy, or ‘qi,’ continuously flows along twelve pathways in the body.

But sometimes qi can 3BLOCK, causing a person to get an illness. Acupuncture works by pushing needles into a person’s skin to unblock the qi. This allows the body 4BECOME balanced again. Since acupuncture was 5ONE introduced to the West by Frenchman George Soulié de Morant in the early 20th century, many people around the world 6BENEFIT from the practice.

Acupuncture therapy photo

Task 5. Choose the correct preposition

Choose the correct preposition.

Exercise and wellbeing photo
1James is irritable because he’s suffering ______ lack of sleep.
2“It’s time to put yourself in control ______ the situation,” he advised.
3One in ten people in the survey admitted they were addicted ______ exercise.
4At the moment, training for the marathon takes precedence ______ everything else in my life.
5“Focus ______ the positive things in your life, not the negative,” she said.
6Mum said denying me access ______ my mobile was for my own good.
7Never borrow money ______ a friend unless you can pay it back.
8“Try to keep your mind ______ your worries,” she said.

Task 6. Speaking

Ask five direct questions in 1.5 minutes.

Spa hotel photo

You are calling a spa hotel to get more information. In 1.5 minutes, you are to ask five direct questions to find out about the following:

  • 1available treatments
  • 2spa opening times
  • 3room prices
  • 4discounts
  • 5travelling directions
Timer
01:30
  1. What treatments are available at your spa?
  2. What are the spa opening times?
  3. How much do the rooms cost?
  4. Do you offer any discounts?
  5. What travel destinations do you offer?