Acupuncture’s benefits - PAU Andalucía 2008

>Exámenes selectividad inglés resueltos Andalucía

The ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture works better than anything modern medicine has devised for the treatment of back pain, scientists have concluded. In trials among 1,100 patients with chronic lower back pain which had lasted for an average of eight years, almost half of those who received acupuncture showed significant improvement — compared with barely a quarter of those given conventional treatment. The effects continued for at least six months, long after the treatment was over.

The researchers randomly assigned patients ten 30-minute sessions of simulated acupuncture, real acupuncture or conventional treatment. Simulated acupuncture involved sticking needles randomly over the lower back, avoiding the meridians and points that dictate where the needles are placed in genuine acupuncture. The results showed that 44 per cent of volunteers suffering from back pain enjoyed a significant improvement with simulated acupuncture.

Michael Hawke, who led the study, says: “The superiority of both forms of acupuncture suggests a common underlying mechanism that may act on pain generation or transmission of pain signals, and is stronger than conventional therapy”. This and other evidence suggest that the 4,000-year-old practice of acupuncture is an effective treatment for back pain, which affects up to 70-85 per cent of the population at some point.

It will be seen as a victory for supporters of alternative medicine in their battle with orthodox medicine. Actually, many physiotherapists trained in conventional techniques now also practise acupuncture.

RESPUESTAS

I. READING COMPREHENSION

ANSWER QUESTIONS 1-2 ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION GIVEN IN THE TEXT. USE YOUR OWN WORDS.  

1 How does genuine acupuncture differ from the simulation employed in the experiment?

• In simulated acupuncture the needles were stuck in places which are different from the accurate points prescribed by real acupuncture. (Lines 6-7)

2 What was surprising about the result of the experiment?

• Many patients felt better, even though they had not been given genuine acupuncture. (Lines 7-8)

ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH THE PRECISE WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THE TEXT. (0.5 points per answer)
3 The researchers conducted the experiment for eight years.

• FALSE: “The effects continued for at least six months, long after the treatment was over”. (Line 4)

4 Acupuncture acts only by killing the source of pain.

• FALSE: “... a common underlying mechanism that may act on pain generation or transmission of pain signals”. (Lines 9-10)

5 Only a quarter or less of the population have never experienced back pain.

• TRUE: “... back pain, which affects up to 70-85 per cent of the population at some point”. (Lines 11-12)

6 Conventional treatment is incompatible with acupuncture.

• FALSE: “... many physiotherapists trained in conventional techniques now also practise acupuncture”. (Lines13-14)

II. USE OF ENGLISH

7 FIND IN THE TEXT THE WORD WHICH HAS THE FOLLOWING DEFINITION:
“traditional, conforming to convention” (ADJECTIVE).

• Orthodox. (Line 13)

8 GIVE A NOUN WITH THE SAME ROOT AS “significant” (ADJECTIVE; LINE 3).

• Significance, insignificance, signification.

9 FIND IN THE TEXT ONE SYNONYM FOR “scarcely” (ADVERB).

• Barely. (Line 3)

10 GIVE ONE OPPOSITE FOR “stronger” (ADJECTIVE; LINE 11).

• Weaker

11 COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONAL SENTENCE:

• “If doctors combined traditional medicine with acupuncture their treatments would be more effective.”

12 REWRITE THE SENTENCE WITHOUT CHANGING ITS MEANING. BEGIN AS INDICATED:
“First we decided where to go; then we flew to Milan.”

• After having decided / we had decided where to go, we flew to Milan.

13 JOIN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES USING A RELATIVE. MAKE CHANGES IF NECESSARY:
“The coach worked hard. His experience made us win the game”.

• The coach, whose experience made us win the game, worked hard.
• The coach, who worked hard, made us win the game with his experience.

14 TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO THE ACTIVE VOICE: “It will be seen as a victory for supporters”.

• Supporters will see it as a victory.

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