Pre-Reading Tasks

Task 1: Background check

Check how much you know about alternative treatmentsวิธีการดูแลตัวเอง by responding to these questions and discuss your answers with your partner.

¶ What are alternative treatments?

· Can you give some examples of alternative treatments?

¸ Have you ever used alternative treatments to treat yourself when you are sick?

¹ Why do some people choose alternative treatments insteadแทนที่ of modern medicineยาสมัยใหม่? Why are some people against themต่อต้านพวกเขา?

Task 2: Key words

The italicized words ความรู้เกี่ยวกับคำ in the sentences below will help you understand the text. Study the sentences. Then write your own definitionเขียนคำนิยามด้วยตัวคุณเอง of each word or phraseวลี.

1. You have the alternative of going to a modern medical doctor or seeking help from a traditional healer คนรักษา who treats you with herbalสมุนไพร medicines.

alternative: modern medical doctor _and__ traditional healer with herbalสมุนไพร medicines

2. While most of the patients seek a mainstreamทางหลัก treatment from modern doctors, a few who like to be different from others choose to be treated with a local healer who practices traditional treatment.

mainstream: _____ treatment from modern doctors ___________

3. This drugยา will relieveบรรเทา your discomfortความไม่สบาย and improve your symptomsอาการ, so you will be less affected by the diseaseโรค ไข้.

relieve: _________drug________________________________________________

4. When a healerคนรักษา hypnotizesทำให้หลับ สะกดจิต patients, he or she put the patients into a tranceมินงง จิตอยู่ในภวัง to enable the patients to recall things they may not remember when they are fully conscious.

trance: __________________________________________________________

5. At present, alternative medicines encompass a wide range of techniques such as hypnosis, magnet therapy, and herbal medicine.

encompass: ______________________________________________________

Reading Tasks

Task 1: Scanning

Read the text quickly and match the physical symptoms listed below with the appropriate alternative treatments as suggested in the box. There can be more than one answer for some items.

Treatments: hypnosis acupuncture massage biofeedback

Conditions:

¶ abnormal heartbeats ____________________________________

· migraine headaches ____________________________________

¸ asthma ____________________________________

¹ nausea ____________________________________

º chronic pain ____________________________________

» spinal cord injuries ____________________________________

¼ back pain ____________________________________

ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Alternative therapies may not be so “alternative” any more. In fact, a growing number of patients swear by them. It was estimated that, in the previous year, four in ten Americans used a non-mainstream treatment such as meditation or massage. Although modern physicians caution against alternative healings, there are studies suggesting that some therapies can be effective in relieving certain conditions. Here’s a quick overview. Hypnosis What is it? Using one of many techniques—such as inducing relaxation by asking the subject to count backwards—a practitioner brings on a trance-like state. While in it, a patient may focus on healing thoughts or on letting go of negative habits. Is it effective? No one knows why, but hypnosis does seem to work for certain conditions. Scientists speculate that it acts by touching the unconscious mind and putting things generally not within our control such as pain perception, under our power. Hypnotism may help alleviate some forms of chronic pain as well as offer relief from stress-related conditions such as asthma and migraine headache. Acupuncture What is it? One of the oldest healing methods, acupuncture is based on the ancient Chinese belief that there is “Qi” or energy flow running throughout the body. Disease occurs if this is blocked or disrupted. When thin needles are inserted into the body at specific points, each linked to a particular organ network, the energy flow supposedly can be restored. Is it effective? There are reports that acupuncture is effective for nausea after surgery or chemotherapy and probably during pregnancy. It may also be helpful as adjunct treatment for other conditions including headaches, asthma, and stroke rehabilitation. Massage What is it? This treatment uses touch to apply pressure to the body’s skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This idea is to ease disorders by relieving tension, promoting blood flow, calming the nervous system, and loosening muscles. Is it effective? Research evidence has shown that massage may reduce the amount of hormone cortisol, and a reduction in cortisol allows the immune system to spring back. Researchers are also trying to determine if it can benefit children with asthma and cystic fibrosis. Biofeedback What is it? This technique trains people to improve their health by using a machine that measures body signals such as brain waves. Why? It is because they supposedly help the patient recognize and control previously uncontrolled responses. Is it effective? While not everyone has had success with this treatment, it has helped some people alleviate symptoms of migraines, digestive-system disorders, abnormal heartbeat rhythms, chronic pain, high and low blood pressure, and spinal cord injuries. However, it is wise to keep in mind that despite encouraging findings, none of these therapies should be a substitute for the care of your doctor. Your physician is in the best position to understand your overall health. If you choose to try an alternative therapy, be sure to keep your doctor fully informed. Adapted from Reader’s Digest, November 2001

Post-Reading Tasks

Task 1: Finding details

Determine whether each of the following statements is true or false according to the text. If it is true, write T; if it is false, write F. Write I if it is impossible to be sure.

¶ _______ Nowadays, alternative treatment is totally accepted as a mainstream healing method by modern physicians.

· _______ Acupuncture is one of the oldest healing methods known to man.

¸ _______ The idea of biofeedback is to promote blood flow in the body when it is blocked or disrupted.

¹ _______ It is believed that hypnosis affects the unconscious mind and helps patients regain control of their pain perceptions.

º _______ When pressure is applied to the body, the stress hormone cortisol may be decreased, making the patients experience less pain.

» _______ According to the text, migraine headaches can best be treated with massage therapy.

¼ _______ Although there is no serious side-effect of alternative treatments specified, patients should not try any method without consulting their doctor.

Task 2: Vocabulary

A. Choose the answer that is closest in meaning to the italicized word in each of the following items.

¶ Hypnosis works by inducing the patients’ state of unconsciousness in which they seem to be asleep but can respond to things said to them. (line 8)

a. causing

b. inhibiting

c. reducing

d. changing

· Some patients choose some form of alternative treatments to alleviate their painful conditions and make them feel better. (line 15)

a. to make something unclear

b. to make something less severe

c. to make something more intense

d. to make something dull

¸ With thin needles inserted into the patient’s body, the disrupted blood flow can be restored and the body begin to function normally. (line 23)

a. put away

b. given in

c. brought back

d. set forth

¹ When modern medicine alone does not make patients fully recover, acupuncture may be helpful as adjunct treatment for headaches and asthma. (line 26)

a. beneficial

b. transforming

c. adverse

d. supplementary

º Biofeedback is one choice for the patients who want to relieve their physical disorders and regain their well-being. (line 44)

a. statuses

b. symptoms

c. systems

d. strengths

B. Answer the questions.

¶ The author uses 3 other words which have the same meaning as “treatment.” What are they?

1. ______________________________

2. ______________________________

3. ______________________________

· Do you know any other words which have the same meaning as your answers above? What are they?

_____________________________________________________________

Task 3: Identifying References

Identify what each of the items below refers to.

¶ The word “them” (line 2) refers to ______________________________.

· The word “it” (line 10) refers to ______________________________.

¸ The word “this” (line 21) refers to ______________________________.

¹ The word “it” (line 35) refers to ______________________________.

º The word “they” (line 40) refers to _____________________________.

Task 4: Inferences

Answer these questions.

¶ What best describes the tone the author uses when discussing alternative treatments?

a. pompous

b. cautious

c. indifferent

d. pessimistic

· Based on the information in the last paragraph, what can be inferred about the author’s attitude toward the future of alternative treatments?

______________________________________________________________

Extension Task

¶ Discuss with your group whether the idea of alternative treatments is interesting or appealing to you or not. In which situation would you prefer alternative treatments to modern medication? Why?

· Search the Internet or any other sources to find out more about alternative methods that are not included in the text such as meditation, magnet therapy, reflexology, and aromatherapy, etc. Summarize what you have found and prepare to present it to the class. Do not forget to include the source of your information such as the author’s name, website or magazine title, and date.

WORD LIST

adjunct (n.) alleviate (v.) alternative (adj.) alternative (n.) chronic (adj.) cystic fibrosis (n.) disorder (n.) disrupt (v.) induce (v.) let go (v.) mainstream (adj.) mainstream (n.) practitioner (n.) rehabilitation (n.) speculate (v.) spring back (v.) substitute (n.) substitute (v.) supposedly (adv.) swear by (v.) tension (n.) trance (n.)

something that is added or joined to something else but is not a necessary part of it to reduce pain, suffering, difficulties, etc. for a short time different from what is usual or traditional choice of two or more possibilities continual; lasting a long time a long-lasting serious disease that some people are born with which damages the glands of the body failure of part of the body or mind to work properly to cause disorder in something to cause or produce to say or do no more about something main or most widely accepted the most usual way of doing something; dominant trend a person who works in a profession, especially medicine act of bringing a person back to a healthy or good condition to think or talk about a matter without having the necessary facts; to make guesses to return suddenly to its previous or usual state a person or thing acting or used in place of another to use something new or different instead of something else as is believed; as it appears to have great confidence in the value of something a feeling of nervous anxiety, worry, or pressure a dreamy state of the mind in which one does not notice the things around oneself

www.No-Poor.com

รายได้เสริม ธุรกิจเสริมกิฟฟารีน (giffarine): ทำธุรกิจกิฟฟารีน ของคุณเอง  สร้างรายได้กิฟฟารีน ลงทุนเพียง 160 บาท โดยการร่วมเป็นสมาชิกและใช้จ่ายผลิตภํณฑ์บางส่วนของกิฟฟารีน  สามารถสร้างเครือข่ายผ่าน net  เป็นรายได้พิเศษโดยไม่กระทบงานประจำ หรือเป็นสมาชิกเพื่อซื้อสินค้าไว้ใช้เองในราคาพิเศษ

(สนใจรายได้เสริม คลิ๊กเลย)