1. Study the vocabulary which is intended to aid your comprehension of the text:
| contract (v) | [kqn'trxkt] | сжимать, сокращать; |
| occur (v) | [q'kE:] | случаться, происходить |
| attachment | [q'txtSmqnt] | прикрепление, присоединение |
| bladder | ['blxdq] | мочевой пузырь |
| brain | [breIn] | головной мозг |
| dioxide | [daI'Pks(a)Id] | двуокись |
| excess | ['ekses] | излишний, избыточный |
| harm | [hQ:m] | зло, беда, вред; неприятность |
| intestine | [In'testIn] | кишечник; кишка |
| joint | [dZOInt] | сустав, сочленение |
| kidney | ['kIdnI] | почка |
| liver | ['lIvq] | печень |
| lung | [lAN] | лёгкое |
| muscle | ['mAs(q)l] | мышца, мускул |
| ribcage | ['rIbkeIdZ] | грудная /рёберная/ клетка |
| sense | [sens] | чувство |
| smell | [smel] | обоняние |
| taste | [teIst] | вкус |
| touch | [tAtS] | осязание |
| urine | ['jV(q)rIn] | моча |
| vessel | ['ves(q)l] | сосуд |
| vision | ['vIZ(q)n] | зрение |
| appropriate | q'prqVprIIt] | соответствующий, подходящий |
| various | ['vFqrIqs] | различный, разный; |
2. Make sure you can supply an adequate translation for each of the following word combinations:
| to get rid of | heart rate |
| human being | at birth |
| respond appropriately | spinal cord |
| the number of times | portal vein |
Read and translate the text.
HOW THE BODY WORKS
Do you know what lies inside your body and how your body works? How does each system in the body function and how do all the systems work together to make us the complex human beings we are?
Reading this text and the texts to follow you will see how each part of the body has its own special job to do, how we get the energy to live, and how we defend ourselves from harm. You will also learn about the five senses – vision, hearing, touch, taste, and smell – and how all we think and do is controlled by the brain in communication with our nervous system.
The human nervous system, composed of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, connects the eyes, ears, skin, and other sense organs (the receptors) with the muscles, organs, and glands (the effectors). The nervous system functions in such a way that when a given receptor is stimulated, the proper effector responds appropriately.
The chief functions of the nervous system are the conduction of impulses and the integration of the activities of various parts of the body. Integration means a putting together of generally dissimilar things to achieve unity.
Our heart is the pump at the center of our blood system. Heart muscle is very strong as it has to pump blood through networks of small blood vessels around the body. Heart muscle contracts automatically; the number of times it contracts, or beats in a minute is known as the heart rate. An adult normally has a heart rate of about 70 beats a minute. At birth our heart rate is much faster than this – sometimes twice as fast.
Lungs take oxygen from the air into the blood and also get rid of carbon dioxide.
Our body skeleton provides a firm attachment for the body’s muscles. The ribcage is part of our skeleton – it protects our lungs and heart. Where bones meet there are joints, allowing movement to occur. Hands are complex bony structures that enable us to carry out intricate movements.
Our skin is a waterproof protective covering for the whole body. It is very delicate and sensitive.
Our intestine absorbs nutrients from food we have eaten and collects waste material. Behind the intestine lie the kidneys, which remove waste and pass it into our urine. The liver sorts out useful substances from toxic substances. It is the blood’s cleaning and sorting center. A vein called the portal vein connects the intestines directly to the liver, bringing to the liver blood that is rich in dissolved food. When the kidneys receive blood containing waste substances, they filter and remove these substances together with any excess water. The kidneys pass this waste, or urine, to the bladder, and pass the filtered, clean blood back to the heart.
COMPREHENSION CHECK
1. Agree or disagree with the following:
1. Our heart is the pump at the center of our intestine.
2. The human nervous system is a part of our skeleton.
3. Our body skeleton protects our lungs and heart.
4. Hands are complex bony structure that enable us to achieve unity.
5. Lungs take oxygen from the air into the blood and get rid of carbon dioxide.
6. Our skin absorbs nutrients from food we have eaten.
7. Behind the intestine lies the liver which removes waste and passes it into our urine.
8. The kidneys are the blood’s cleaning and sorting centre.
2. Answer the questions:
a) What are the 5 senses and how are they connected with our nervous system?
b) How does the nervous system function?
c) What are our thoughts and actions controlled by?
d) What can you say about integration?
e) What is the liver intended for?
f) What passes the filtered, clean blood back heart?
LANGUAGE FOCUS
1. Give nouns related to the following verbs:
| to achieve | to collect |
| to attach | to connect |
| to absorb | to protect |
| to defend | to respond |
2. Explain what is meant by the following word combinations:
| heart rate | dissolved food |
| waste material | excess water |
| bony structure | toxic substances |
3. Translate the following sentences into English:
1. Наша кожа – это водонепроницаемая защитная оболочка для всего тела.
2. Легкие поглощают кислород из воздуха в кровь и, кроме этого, высвобождают двуокись углерода.
3. Основные функции нервной системы – это проведение импульсов и интеграция движений различных частей тела.
4. Грудная клетка – часть нашего скелета, она защищает легкие и сердце.
5. Все, что мы делаем и о чем думаем, контролируется мозгом в совокупности с нервной системой.
6. Нервная система человека, состоящая из головного и спинного мозга и периферических нервов, связывает глаза, уши, кожу и другие органы чувств с мышцами, органами и железами.
7. Печень отбирает полезные вещества из токсичных и является центром очистки крови.
8. У взрослого человека частота сердечных сокращений составляет обычно приблизительно 70 ударов в минуту.
9. Руки – это сложные костные образования, которые дают возможность выполнять сложные движения.
10. Воротная вена связывает кишечник непосредственно с печенью, поставляя обогащенную питательными веществами кровь.
11. Почки проводят мочу к мочевому пузырю, а профильтрованную чистую кровь – обратно к сердцу.
FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
1. Discuss with your partner:
1. The human nervous system.
2. Our heart and heart muscle.
3. The body skeleton and the skin.
4. The liver and the kidneys. Their functions.
ADDITIONAL TEXTS
