BtheB LEVEL 1 BOOK 2 - UNIT 9 (HEALTH AND MEDICINE) TLP WORDS

breakthrough (N)

an important discovery or event that helps to improve a situation or provide an answer to a

problem:

In this unit you will have the opportunity to look at recent breakthroughs and

controversial issues in health and medicine. (Lead-in)

​aware (ADJ) - awareness (N)

knowing that something exists, or having knowledge or experience of a particular thing:

If we provide people with more information and make them aware of the difference they

could make to another person's life, perhaps more people will be willing to carry donor cards.

(I1)

So, to summarise this point, raising awareness and informing people about the issues could

be of help. (I1)

Other word forms: unaware (ADJ)

process (N)

a series of actions that you take in order to achieve a result / a series of changes that happen

naturally:

Does our society need laws that help doctors end life or a positive change which will help

health care organisations give patients support throughout the dying process? (I4)

The following text on the web page of 'Cloning Today' explains the process of cloning an

animal. (O1)

Other word forms: processed (ADJ) and to process (V)

to ​revolutionise (V)

to completely change something so that it is much better:

Computers revolutionised life in the second half of the 20th century. Now it seems that the

field of robotics will influence the way we live in the 21 s t century in a similarly dramatic way.

(I3)

Other word forms: revolution (N) and revolutionary (ADJ)

currently (ADV)

at the present time:

Currently, robotic systems can only react instantly to the doctor’s movements when they

are in the same room. However, the fact that a robot can act instantly at a distance of about

a metre means that in the future operations from locations of hundreds, or even thousands

of kilometres might be possible. (I3)

Other word forms: current (ADJ)

to react (V)

to act in a particular way as a direct result of something else:

Currently, robotic systems can only react instantly to the doctor’s movements when they

are in the same room. (I3)

Other word forms: reaction (N)

​possibility (N)

a chance that something may happen or be true:

The third use that I would like to mention is the possibility of developing animal

husbandry. In other words, with cloning there is a chance to change the genes of animals

and make them different. (I2)

​to disturb (V)

to cause someone to be anxious or upset:

Invasive surgery is where the doctor makes small cuts and disturbs the patient’s body only

a little. (I3)

​to adjust (V)

to change something slightly so that it works better, fits better, or is more suitable

The surgeon moves the other parts of the robot that hold the surgical tools with controls

similar to a joystick. The amount of movement of the tools can be adjusted. They can be

set to move half a millimetre for every centimetre that the surgeon’s hand moves. (I3)

Other word forms: adjustment (N)

failure (N)

when someone or something does not succeed:

Another worry about cloning is the failure rate. It takes a lot of deaths before scientists can

actually successfully create one clone. (I2)

Other word forms: to fail (V)

to recover (V)

to get back something lost, especially health, ability, possessions, etc:

It takes quite a long time for the person to recover from such invasive surgery. However,

a robotic bypass means only three small holes in the patient’s chest. (I3)

to recover from surgery

recovery (N) [S or U]

Dr Alain Carpentier says, “Small incisions mean less pain, less bleeding, less operative

trauma, faster recovery.” (I3)

​slight (ADJ)

small in amount or degree:

Even though surgeons have very steady hands, there is always some slight shaking due to,

for example the beat of their pulse. (I3)

Other word forms: slightly (ADV)

​Location (N)

a place or position:

The fact that a robot can act instantly at a distance of about a metre means that in the future

operations from locations of hundreds, or even thousands of kilometres might be possible.

(I3)

Other word forms: to locate (V)

​success (N)

the achieving of desired results:

How fast you talk, how much eye contact you make and how you use body language can

affect your success. In order to perfect these, you should practise. (O2)

achieving the desired results:

successful (ADJ)
The first successful human transplant was a kidney transplant carried out by a team of

doctors led by Joseph Murray in Boston in the United States of America in 1954. (I1)

successfully (ADV)

Another worry about cloning is the failure rate. It takes a lot of deaths before scientists can

actually successfully create one clone. (I2