精品Unit 2 Acupuncture The New Old Medicine15.doc

Unit 2 Acupuncture: The New Old MedicinePart A 閱讀Reading SectionThe thin, extremely sharp needles didnt hurt at all going in. Dr. Gong pricked them into my left arm, around the elbow that had been bothering me. Other needles were slipped into my left wrist and, strangely, my right arm, and then into both my closed eyelids.There wasnt any discomfort, just a mild warming sensation, when the electrodes were connected to the needles in my left arm, and my muscles began to twitch involuntarily. However, I did begin to wonder what had driven me here, to the office of Dr. James Gong, a floor up from Mott Street in New Yorks Chinatown.Then I rememberedthe excruciating pain in that left elbow. Several trips to a Fifth Avenue neurologist and two expensive, uncomfortable medical tests had failed to produce even a diagnosis.“Maybe you lean on your left arm too much,”the neurologist concluded, suggesting I see a bone doctor.During the hours spent waiting in vain to see an orthopedist, I decided to take another track and try acupuncture. A Chinese-American friend recommended Dr. Gong. I took the subway to Canal Street and walked past the open-air fish stalls, the incense shops, the Asia Bank branch and restaurants with cooked ducks hanging in their windows. Reaching Dr. Gongs second-floor office, marked with a hand-painted sign, I felt I could have been in old Hong Kong.Dr. Gong speaks English, but not often. Most of my questions to him were greeted with a friendly laugh, but I managed to let him know where my arm hurt. He hustled me into a room, had me lie down on a cot, and went to work. In the next room, I learned, a woman dancer was also getting a treatment. As I lay there a while, becoming oblivious to the needles and the muscle spasms and the electric current shooting through my arm, I drifted into a dream-like state and fantasized about what she looked like.Not every acupuncturist offers such fantasy trips to China and beyond along with the price of treatment, of course. Acupuncturists today are as likely to be found on Park Avenue as on Mott Street, and they are as likely to be Caucasian as Asian. In all there are an estimated 10,000 acupuncturists in the country, 6,500 of whom are certified one way or another. Nowadays, a lot of M.D.s have learned acupuncture techniques; so have a number of dentists. Reason? Patient demand. Few, though, can adequately explain how acupuncture works.Acupuncturists may say that the body has more than 800 acupuncture points. A life force called qi (pronounced CHEE) circulates through the body. Points on the skin are energetically connected to specific organs, body structures and systems. Acupuncture points are stimulated to balance the circulation of qi. Its all very confusing.The truth is, though acupuncture is at least 2,200 years old,“nobody really knows whats happening,”says Paul Zmiewski, a Ph.D. in Chinese studies who practices acupuncture in Philadelphia.Millions of Americans now seek out the services of acupuncturists, usually because conventional medicine failed to cure their ills. Jack Tymann, 51, president and general manager of Westinghouse Electronic Systems Co., is typical. Tymann was bothered for 15 years with severe lower back pain. His doctor suggested disc surgery, but he decided to try acupuncture instead.A scientist and an engineer by education, Tymann was highly skeptical at first.“I went in with that symptom, and havent had any trouble with my back since,”he says. He still goes for treatments, four or five times per yearnot for back pain, but as a preventive measure. “Its been my primary form of health care for about nine years now,”he says.Harwood Beville, 51, executive vice president of the Rouse Co., started acupuncture nine years ago, for treatment of“what Ill call tennis shoulder.”The shoulder had bothered him for two years, and visits to other doctors met with no success. Acupuncture had worked for his wife. After a few treatments, his pain was gone, and there were other noticeable effects.“Immediately, stress didnt seem to be bothering me so much.”Like Tymann, he, too, still goes for regular treatments.Acupuncture is used to treat a variety of ailmentsanxiety, depression, back pain, smoking, high blood pressure, stress, arthritis; the list goes on. Acupuncture is even used to help treat drug addictionwith considerable success.The number of treatments can vary, although one-shot cures are relatively rare. It usually takes four to six sessions to treat a specific ailment. If that doesnt work, you will probably feel at least somewhat better. After five treatments from Dr. Gong, there has been dramatic improvement in my arm, and the pain is a fraction of what it was. I feel less stress, too, I think. The mainly silent Dr. Gong finally even offered a diagnosis for what ailed me.“Pinched nerve,”he said.-Adapted from Forbes Magazine by William G. Flanagan-*acupuncture AkyU"pVGktSK n. U 針灸prick prIk v.t. 戳；刺入discomfort dIskVmfKt n. U 不舒服sensation sEnseSJn n. CU 感覺*electrode IlEktrod n. 電極twitch twItS v.i. （肌肉）抽搐；抽動involuntarily InvalJn"tErJlI adv. 不自覺地；不由自主地；無意識地excruciating IkskruSI"etIG adj. 極其痛苦的；非常痛苦的*neurologist nyUralJdjIst n. C 神經學專家；神經科醫生diagnosis "dZIJnosIs n. CU 診斷conclude kJnklud v.t. 做結論；推斷*orthopedist "OrHJpidIst n. C 整形外科大夫；骨科矯正師recommend "rEkJmEnd v.t. 推薦stall stOl n. C 攤位；販賣處incense InsEns n. U 香slip into刺入；輕快地放進cot kat n. C （可摺疊的）帆布床、小床oblivious JblIvIJs adj. 忘記的；忘懷的；不注意的*spasm spAzJm n. CU 痙攣；抽搐*Caucasian kOkejJn n. 白種人certify sRtJ"fZI v.t. 認證；證明*M.D. abbr. 醫學博士adequately AdJkwItlI adv. 適當地；足夠地*qi 氣energetically "EnKdjEtIkLI adv. 活力充沛地；有活力地hustle.into趕到裡去；催促進入drift into陷入（夢境）；（迷迷糊糊地）睡著；進入的狀態fantasize about幻想*general manager "djEnJrJl mAnIdjK n. 總經理severe sJvIr adj. 劇烈的；嚴重的*disc (disk) dIsk n. U 椎間盤skeptical skEptIkL adj. 懷疑的；半信半疑的symptom sImptJm n. U （疾病的）症狀preventive prIvEntIv adj. 預防性的；防止的primary prZI"mErI adj. 主要的；首要的executive IgzEkyUtIv adj. 執行的；行政的noticeable notIsJbL adj. 值得注意的；重大的；明顯的ailment elmJnt n. C 病痛；疾病anxiety AGzZIJtI n. U 焦慮；不安*drug addiction "drVq JdIkSJn n. 毒癮one-shot wVn "Sat adj. 一針的；一次的seek out找出；搜尋；努力找尋dramatic drJmAtIk adj. 戲劇性的；明顯的；重大的fraction frAkSJn n. C 一點；一小部分pinch pIntS v.t. 捏；夾緊Part B 讀後練習Post-reading PracticeI. True or False: Read the following statements carefully and decide if they are true (T) or false (F). 1. The author drifted into a dream-like state when getting the acupuncture treatment. 2. Dr. James Gong is a neurologist who has learned acupuncture techniques. 3. Few Americans try acupuncture, for they are not sure about its effects. 4. Acupuncture can be used to treat ailments like anxiety and depression. 5. It usually takes about a session to treat a specific ailment.II. Multiple Choice: Choose the best answer based on the reading. 1. Why does the author go to see Dr. Gong?(A) There are problems with his left elbow.(B) There are problems with his right arm.(C) He has a headache.(D) He catches a cold. 2. About the authors experience of acupuncture treatment, which one is true?(A) He feels great discomfort.(B) There is a sharp pinpoint sensation.(C) His muscles twitch involuntarily.(D) There is an excruciating pain. 3. What is NOT true about acupuncture?(A) Acupuncturists are as likely to be Caucasian as Asian.(B) Dentist may also learn acupuncture techniques.(C) Peoples demand for acupuncture treatment drives lots of doctors to learn the techniques.(D) Most people can adequately explain how acupuncture works. 4. How long has acupuncture being invented?(A) At least 1800 years.(B) At least 2000 years.(C) At least 2200 years.(D) At least 2400 years. 5. About Harwood Beville, which one is true?(A) He is a scientist and engineer by education.(B) The shoulder has bothered him for two years.(C) He has trouble with his back.(D) He is highly skeptical about acupuncture at first.Part C 字彙練習Vocabulary PracticeMatch the words: Please fill in the blanks using the following words.diagnosisprickedcertifydramaticsensationanxietyinvoluntarilyrecommendedThe author recommended readers to try acupuncture by telling us his experience. His left elbow had bothered him for a long time. Though going to the neurologist for treatments, his left elbow was still painful. Finally, he went to see the acupuncturist, Dr. Gong. When Dr. Gong pricked needles into his arm, he found that there was a warming sensation. Additionally, his muscles began to twitch involuntarily when the electrodes were connected to the needles. After several treatments, there was a dramatic improvement. He was really thankful and decided to go on the regular treatments for health.