LearningEnglishwithCBC Calgary( Monthly(feature(story ... · 13! "

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Learning English with CBC

Calgary

Monthly feature story:

Preventing Influenza

February 2014 Lesson plans created by Amie Sondheim and Justine Light

http://www.cbc.ca/calgary/learning-‐english/ www.alberta.ca


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Feature Story Objectives

Preventing influenza

CLB competency outcomes Listening: Reading: Speaking: Writing:

L: Identify main ideas, supporting details and implied meanings. L: Use contextual clues to enhance comprehension. R: Identifies main ideas, key details and some implied meanings. R: Demonstrate comprehension of a two or three page moderately complex extended text on familiar topic. S: Uses sequencing intonation so that listener can follow. W: Reduces information to important points with accurate details and no major omissions W: Conveys the essential information

Language skills Vocabulary:

Use new vocabulary in context.

Grammar:

Identify modals; describe the meaning behind the modals in the listening passage.

Speaking:

Identify and model intonation patterns with multi-‐phrase declarative statements.

Language Activities (In order of appearance in materials) -‐ Answering comprehension and probing questions about a short background

text on myths and facts about the flu. -‐ Completing pre-‐listening activities to build vocabulary and prepare learners

for the audio. -‐ Listen to the audio and infer meaning and identify facts and details. -‐ Listening -‐ Identify rising and falling intonation in questions from the audio. -‐ Speaking strategies – Identify intonation patterns in multi-‐phrase declarative

statements and practice using such patterns in one’s own speech. -‐ Grammar activity – Modals – identifying modals, finding their meaning in

context and deciphering the form (main verb placement). -‐ Pre-‐reading vocabulary – complete vocabulary activity to prepare for the

reading. -‐ Reading for meaning/comprehension. -‐ Reading strategy -‐ using brackets – purpose and meaning behind brackets -‐ Writing – Summarize paragraphs – include main idea, exclude extraneous

details.


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Introduction – Background Reading Every year, cold and flu symptoms send more than 10 million Canadians to their doctors’ offices for relief. Did you know that you could get a cold or flu virus every year for the rest of your life and you would still come across new viruses that you would not be immune to?

Myth: Being out in cold temperatures get you sick. Truth: Exposing your self to cold air, going outside with wet hair, putting your feet in cold water, etc. does not lead to higher risk of contracting a cold or flu virus. Myth: Kissing passes viruses on. Truth: Our mouths are often too warm for viruses to survive in. Fact: Viruses are airborne and they invade and live in the nose, because the cooler temperature in the nose provides perfect living conditions for the virus. If the virus doesn’t make it up to the inner, top part of the nose, you will not get infected. Fact: The virus is primarily passed on from people’s hands and viruses can live on the hands for up to 3 hours. Fact: If you touch your eyes or nose after coming into contact with the virus, you can contract the virus. Viruses can travel from your eyes to the nasal pharynx through your tear ducts. Fact: Kids get and give more colds than anyone else does because they spread them quickly and easily and they don’t have strong immune systems yet.

Ways to help avoid getting the flu: Wash your hands often.

Don’t cover your mouth with your hands when you cough and sneeze. Keep your hands away from your nose and eyes.

Get a flu shot.

Food for thought Is it regular practice to get vaccines to prevent illness and disease in your home country? Do any of these myths or facts listed here surprise you? If so, why? What remedies do you use when you feel like you are getting sick with a cold or the flu? Information on this page taken from: http://www.cbc.ca/player/Digital+Archives/ID/1624549225/

Myths versus Facts About Colds and Flus

istockphoto.com


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The Audio In this audio, you will hear John Archer with Edmonton AM interviewing Dr. Raj Bhardwaj, an Albertan family physician and urgent care doctor, on how flu vaccinations work and what the benefits of them are.

Flu shot (Flu vaccine) (istockphoto.com)

Before you listen: Have you ever gotten a flu shot? Do you think all people should get the yearly flu shot, or just the people who are at a higher risk of getting dangerously ill from the flu (e.g. the elderly and young children)? Speaker Preventing influenza Dr. Raj If enough average people in a community go out and get immunized

against a contagious disease, then other non-‐vaccinated members of that community will be protected because there’s less opportunity for the disease to spread, and so there’s less opportunity for outbreak. So, most of the population will be protected because they’re immunized and then an additional part of the population will be protected because they were never exposed to the infection because of all of these immunized people.


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Pre-‐listening vocabulary The words below are from the audio. The definitions are next to the words. Read the definitions and then complete the sentences on the following page. Note: warfare, reconnaissance and intelligence are used metaphorically in the audio. Word Definition 1. Influenza (flu) (noun)

A common illness that is caused by a virus and that causes fever, weakness, severe aches and pains, and breathing problems

2. Vaccine (noun) A substance that is usually injected into a person to build up their immunity and protect them from a particular virus or disease.

3. Immune system (noun)

The system within you that protects your body from disease.

4. Virus (noun) An extremely small living thing that causes a disease and that spreads from one person or animal to another

5. Warfare (noun) An activity that is done by competing groups (e.g. two countries fighting against each other; or your body versus a disease)

6. Rely (verb) To depend on something.

7. Reconnaissance (noun)

An exploratory survey used to gain information on the enemy.

8. Intelligence (noun) Secret information that a government collects about an enemy or possible enemy; Or, secret information that the immune system collects about the virus before attacking it.

9. Protect (verb) To keep (someone or something) from being harmed

10. Needle (noun) A very thin, pointed steel tube that is pushed through the skin so that something (such as a drug) can be put into your body

11. Nasal spray (noun) A spray for your nose that contains the flu vaccine. It’s the option people take instead of the needle vaccination.

12. Resistance (noun) The ability to prevent something from having an effect.

13. Sudden onset (noun)

For something to begin quickly.

14. Herd immunity (noun)

A large group of people having immunity to something, such as the flu virus.

15. Immunized (verb) To give someone vaccine to prevent infection by a disease and make them immune to the disease.


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Use the vocabulary words to complete the following sentences:

1. If you have the flu, wash your hands often so you don’t spread the _____________________ to others.

2. They did a _____________________________________ of the enemy’s position.

3. She caught the ________________________________________ virus and was sick for a week!

4. I hate needles, so I am going to get the __________________________________ vaccine. 5. Everyone in the town got the flu shot, which provided great ___________________ _____________ against the virus.

6. I was feeling fine and then all of a sudden I got totally sick! I guess you’d call it a ______________________________________ of the flu.

7. I guess you could say that the immune system gathers _____________________ on the diseases it fights by learning about them before attacking them.

8. I just came back from getting the flu _________________________ and my arm hurts from the needle.

9. When I am sick I _________________________________ on vitamin C and lots of sleep to feel better.

10. The _____________________________ hurt a little bit, but it was worth it, cause now I am protected from this year’s flu virus.

11. When your body is fighting against the flu virus, it’s practically a form of ___________________________________.

12. My body’s immune system will build up a ________________________________ to the flu virus because of the flu vaccine I just got. 13. Because I got _________________________________ a few weeks ago, I’m immune to this year’s flu strain.

14. Our immune system is in place to help _______________________________ us from dying from many illnesses.

15. If you have a strong _____________________________________________ you won’t get sick very often.


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Listening for Inferred Meaning Read the questions below, then listen to the interview and answer these questions: 1.What does Dr. Raj mean by the “little weapons of immune warfare”? 2. What is the “wild virus” in comparison with the virus found in the vaccine? 3. In this part of the passage, “The researchers, when they build a vaccine, it’s like stealing blue prints from the enemy and providing them to your own army...” a) Who is the enemy? b) And, what is “your own army” referring to? 4. Describe what is meant by the “warfare metaphor”? 5. When Dr. Raj refers to the “weaker members” of the herd, whose he talking about? 6. Dr. Raj refers to something being a different type of animal a few times in this passage. What does he mean by “animal”? True/False Are the following statements, true or false based on the audio? If they are false, explain why.

1. As soon as you get the vaccine, you are immediately immune to the virus.

2. It’s better not to get the flu shot yearly if you don’t have to, so you don’t built up

resistance to the vaccine.

3. The flu is a sudden onset of symptoms.

4. If you prefer the nasal spray to needles you should get the spray vaccine.

5. Most Albertans have gotten immunized.

6. The more people who have been vaccinated in a group, the higher the percentage of

the herd has been immunized.

7. The H1N1 virus affects young and healthy people more so than others.

8. Dr. Raj thinks that only the young and healthy should get immunized.


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(Answers can be found in the appendix) Listening strategies – Rising and Falling Intonation The goal of the listening strategies section of the monthly feature lesson is to help you to improve your listening skills for all listening situations – not just this audio. Intonation refers to the melody or the rising and falling of a person’s voice when he or she is speaking. Among other things, English intonation can convey grammatical meaning, such as what kind of question the speaker is asking. Listen to the interview again and listen to the questions that John asks Dr. Raj. Can you figure out if John’s voice rises or falls in tone as he asks questions Dr. Raj?

Questions Time

Rising Falling

1.So, how does a vaccine work? 0:24 2. What about building up our own natural defenses, and not having to rely on a vaccine?

1:06

3. Can that really happen? 2:30 4. Is nasal spray available to adults?

3:25

5. Now, what about herd immunity?

4:07

6. At what point is the flu shot unnecessary?

4:09

7. But, this year, we’re seeing that a large percentage of the people that are being hospitalized with influenza or H1N1, they’re in that 25-‐45 bracket, aren’t they?

5:32

Now, look at your answers and compare them to the types of questions that were asked. For each question that would have a yes or no answer, you should have selected “rising”. For all other questions, you should have selected “falling”. See answer key in Appendix. If you apply this strategy to conversations you have with others, you will find that you will be able to hear the kind of question that is being asked of you, just by listening to the tone of

If you hear the voice rise in intonation at the end of the question, select ‘rising’.

If you hear the voice fall in intonation at the end of the question, select ‘falling’.


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voice of the speaker. Now, go back and practice saying each of these questions with the correct intonation. Building Speaking Skills: Intonation with multi-‐phrase declarative statements Just as intonation can tell the speaker if a question is being asked, it is also used with making a declarative statement with one phrase (falling intonation), or two or more phrases (all phrases in a statement either go up, or hold the same intonation, except for the word of the last phrase, which falls in intonation). Listen for and mark the speaker’s intonation, and then practice saying these statements, mimicking the speaker. Tip: Sometimes it’s hard to tell if the intonation rises or falls, because the differences can be subtle. If you hum the phrase, you can hear the changes in tone more easily. Example: 1:33 people who say they don’t want their immune systems to become reliant on vaccines,

that’s sort of like saying I don’t want my army to become reliant on reconnaissance and intelligence.

1. (1:43) So, your army might still win the war, especially if it’s a young, healthy, well rested army. So, your army might still win the war,

especially if it’s a young,

healthy, well-‐rested army.

2. (1:48) But, the war might go on longer, and it might be a more bloody event than if it needs… than if you already had that intelligence and reconnaissance. the war might go on longer, and it might be a more

bloody event than if it needs…

than if you already had that intelligence and reconnaissance.

3. (3:11) Influenza is sudden onset, high fever, every pore in your body aches, you need to

go lie down cause you just can’t function anymore, and then respiratory symptoms can lead

to pneumonia; Can lead to other things like that.

sudden

onset

high

fever,

your body

aches

can’t function

anymore

lead to

pneumonia;

things like

that


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4. (3:56) So, as a, as sort of a communitarian adult, I think it would be a nice thing that if

maybe you were only a little bit afraid of needles, go get the needle, and save the actual flu

mist, the nasal spray for the kids, if you can.

as sort of a

communitarian

adult,

little bit

afraid of

needles

go get the

needle

the actual flu

mist

spray for the

kids

If you can

5. (4:20) What it really means is that if enough average people in a community go out and

get immunized against a contagious disease, then other non-‐vaccinated members of that

community will be protected because there’s less opportunity for the disease to spread.

immunized against a contagious disease, opportunity for the disease to spread.

6. (5:57) Absolutely, and that’s yet another reason that I think that the average, sort of

healthy person, like you and me, need to go out and get our flu shot.

Absolutely, I think that the

average,

sort of healthy

person

like you and me, go out and get

our flu shot.

Next, practice reading each of the six statements using the appropriate intonation at the end

of each of the phrases. Then, record yourself speaking about a topic that you are

comfortable talking about and listen to see if your intonation falls at the appropriate places,

which would be at last phrase of each of your declarative statements.


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Grammar Activity -‐ Modals

The modals might, can, could, and will carry different meanings. There are three different

categories of meanings when it comes to modals.

Modals of ability, permission, and possibility

Modals of advice and necessity

Modals for expressing future time

Looking at the examples below, which are taken from the listening text, and do the following:

1. Identify each modal in the phrases below. 2. Identify the meaning of each modal in the context of the sentence. 3. Identify the main verb in each sentence that has a modal in it and describe the

placement rule for modals and main verbs.

1. So, your army might still win the war, especially if it’s a young, healthy, well-‐rested army.

Right? But, the war might go on longer, and it might be a more bloody event than if it

needs… than if you already had that intelligence and reconnaissance.

2. a) Now there are a lot of things that people believe out there that ah, that you can

dispel or back up this morning.

b) It certainly can happen.

c) Influenza is sudden onset, high fever, every pore in your body aches, you need to

go lie down cause you just can’t function anymore and then respiratory symptoms

d) can lead to pneumonia, can lead to other things like that.

3. a) Then we could wait until the actual virus was upon us and then go and get the

vaccine.

b) But there’s a bunch of different ways it could happen.

c) And there’s wild flu around, you get your shot, it’s still going to take a week or two

for you to build up the resistance to the flu, so you could get it in that ensuing week

or two.

4. a) So, most of the population will be protected because they’re immunized and then

an additional part of the population will be protected because they were never exposed to

the infection because of all of these immunized people.

Answer Key can be found in the appendix.


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Reading Activity

Pre-‐reading vocabulary – The following vocabulary will help you understand the reading text better. Match the words to their correct definitions.

(The answers can be found in the appendix)

1. prevent (v) a) the act or practice of taking a vaccine

2. immunization (n) b) to bring down to a smaller extent, size, amount,

number, etc.

3. vaccination (n) c) drugs use to treat diseases caused by viruses

4. antiviral medication (n) d) an action in response to some influence or event

5. complications (n) e) representing a group or part that is particularly

subject or exposed to a danger

6. outbreak (n) f) harsh or critical; extreme

7. reduce (v) g) to keep from occurring or to stop from doing

something

8. high-‐risk (adj) h) a quantity of medicine prescribed to be taken at

one time.

9. reaction (n) i) a sudden occurrence or eruption

10. illness (n) j) inflammation of the lunges with congestion

11. severely (adj) k) something that introduces, usually unexpectedly,

some difficulty, problem, change, etc.

12. respiratory (adj) l) pertaining to breathing

13. pneumonia (n) m) an abnormal response the body has to allergens

that are introduced to the body either through

eating, breathing or touching them.

14. allergic reaction (n) n) the process of becoming immune, as against a

disease

15. dose (n) o) unhealthy condition; poor health; sickness


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Influenza (Seasonal Flu) -‐ Prevention You can help prevent influenza by getting immunized with an influenza vaccine each year as soon as it's available.

Yearly immunization with the inactivated influenza vaccine (flu shot) or the nasal spray flu vaccine prevents flu infection and its complications in most people.

Most healthy people ages 2 through 59 years can choose to get the nasal spray form of the vaccine (such as FluMist) instead of the flu shot. The nasal spray vaccine contains components of live viruses, so it should not be given to people who have certain long-‐term (chronic) health conditions. Close contacts of these people in high-‐risk categories can be given either type of vaccine, with one rare exception. Immunization with the inactivated virus (flu shot) is preferred over the nasal spray vaccine for close contacts of people with severely impaired immune systems during times when a protected environment is needed. This avoids the risk of transmitting an active flu virus from the nasal spray vaccine. If the nasal spray vaccine is used, contact with anyone in this high-‐risk group should be avoided for 7 days. For close contacts of people in all other high-‐risk categories, vaccination with either the flu shot or the nasal spray is considered safe.

You should not get the nasal spray if you:

• Have severe asthma. • Have a disease or take a medicine that causes problems with your immune

system. • Are pregnant. • Are younger than age 18 and you take ASA or products with ASA in them.

Even if a flu vaccine does not prevent the flu, it can reduce the severity of flu symptoms and decrease the risk of complications. Studies have found that the flu shot results in fewer days missed from work and fewer visits to a doctor for respiratory infections, and it reduces the number of people who develop complications from the flu, such as pneumonia.5 And the flu vaccine can help protect the babies of women who got the vaccine while they were pregnant.6, 7

In spite of these results, many people choose not to get a flu vaccine. Some do not get the vaccine because of myths they believe about the flu or the vaccines. These include beliefs that the flu is a minor illness or that the vaccine causes the flu. The shot may cause side effects, such as soreness or fever, but they are usually minor and do not last long. And a type of flu shot (Intanza) is available that uses a much smaller needle than a regular flu shot. Also, it is injected


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into the skin instead of into a muscle. This usually causes less discomfort at the time of the shot. People age 18 years and older can get this shot. But it may not be available everywhere.

Although antiviral medicines sometimes prevent the flu, they do not work in the same way as a yearly immunization and should not replace a flu shot or dose of the nasal spray vaccine.

Before getting a flu vaccine, talk to your doctor if:

• You ever had a serious allergic reaction to eggs or to a previous dose of influenza vaccine. • You have had Guillain-‐Barré syndrome. • Your child has ever had a seizure.

Because the nasal spray vaccine is more expensive than a flu shot, it may not be covered by your provincial health plan or private health insurance plan. Check with your provincial or municipal health department or private insurance company.

Almost every community has a program that offers flu vaccines during the flu season. You also can get a flu vaccine during a routine visit to a doctor or pharmacy. Many health clinics have set hours at the start of the flu season for people to get flu vaccines without needing to make an appointment.

Other ways to reduce your risk for the flu or flu complications

Increase your chance of staying healthy by:

• Washing your hands often, especially during winter months when the flu is most common. • Keeping your hands away from your nose, eyes, and mouth. Viruses are most likely to enter your body through these areas. • Eating a healthy and balanced diet. • Getting regular exercise. • Not smoking. Smoking irritates the lining of your nose, sinuses, and lungs, which may make you susceptible to complications of the flu. • Taking probiotics. One study has shown that taking probiotics helps prevent influenza symptoms and reduce antibiotic use in children.8

Using antiviral medicines to prevent the flu

Two antiviral medicines (oseltamivir and zanamivir) can help prevent the flu caused by influenza A and B viruses. These medicines may also reduce the length of the illness if they are given no


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more than 48 hours after the first symptoms. During a flu outbreak, these medicines may be given at the same time as a flu vaccine and for 2 weeks after while your body produces antibodies to protect you from the virus. The influenza medicines are usually given to people who are very sick with the flu or to those who are likely to have complications from the flu. But they may also be used for a person who has been sick with the flu for less than 48 hours. These medicines are taken by mouth (pill) or inhaled into the lungs (inhaler).

The antiviral medicine amantadine has been used to prevent flu caused by influenza A. But for the past few years the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have advised doctors not to use this medicine to treat or prevent the flu.1, 9 This medicine has not worked against most types of the flu virus. Amantadine does not protect against influenza B. Be sure to talk with your doctor about the medicine that is best for you.

Excerpt from https://myhealth.alberta.ca/health/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=hw122012&#hw122163


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Reading for meaning: True or False Read the text and decide if the following statements are true or false based on the information in the text. Check the column that is correct Statement True False 1. People with chronic illness should take nasal spray instead of the flu

shot.

2. People with long-‐term health conditions are considered high-‐risk.

3. The risk with the flu shot is that it contains a live/active virus.

4. Once you’ve taken the flu vaccine and 7 days passes, you will not get

the flu.

5. A myth about the flu is that it is a minor illness.

6. A myth about the flu is that vaccines cause it.

7. Side effects from the flu shot are quite severe, but they don’t last

long.

8. The nasal spray and flu shot are equally as accessible.

9. You can go to your community centre doctor, pharmacy or health

clinic to get a flu shot during the flu season.

10. Eating healthy, exercising, taking probiotics and not smoking are all

things you can do to lessen your chances of getting the flu.

11. Oseltamivir and Zanamivir are given to chronically ill people to help

prevent the flu.

12. Amantadine is not effective against influenza B.

Answer Key is in the Appendix.


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Reading Strategies : Using Brackets This reading has numerous uses of brackets “( )”. Writers use brackets for a few different reasons. Common reasons include: giving further explanation to a word, phrase or concept that is used in a sense that is unfamiliar to the reader by listing an example, to include a synonym of what was just previously mentioned, or to introduce acronyms. Here are examples of each of the three bracket uses that are found in this reading:

1. Giving further explanation by including an example: “influenza vaccine (flu shot)” 2. Including a synonym: “long-‐term (chronic)” 3. Acronym: “Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)”

Go back through the reading, starting with the title and working your way through the article, and find all of the uses of brackets and decide why the brackets are being used in each case and also tell what the information in the brackets is referring to.

1. (seasonal flu) –

Paragraph 2

2. (flu shot) –

Paragraph 3

3. (such as FluMist) –

4. (flu shot) –

Paragraph 6

5. (Intanza) -‐

Paragraph 13

6. (oseltamivir and zanamivir) –

7. (pill) –

8. (inhaler) –.

Paragraph 16

9. (CDC) –


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Writing – Summarizing

Summarizing is a useful skill for both writing and speaking. To be able to condense a

large amount of information into a small amount allows the communicator to get the

main message across without having to go into all the details. Read through the specified

paragraphs from the reading and try to pick out the main idea. If you were to tell

someone what that paragraph was about without reading it back to him or her, what

would you say? Read the paragraph, think about the meaning and then put it into a short

summary (1-‐2 sentences long).

For example:

1. Paragraph 3: “Yearly immunization with the inactivated… is considered safe.”

Getting the nasal spray instead of the flu shot is an option for most people between the ages of 2 and 59; but if you are chronically ill, or in contact with someone who is, the active virus in the spray could do more harm than good.

2. Paragraph 4: “ Even if a flu vaccine does not prevent… while they were pregnant.”

3. Paragraph 7: “Because of the nasal spray… private insurance company.”

4. Paragraph 8: “Almost every community… make an appointment.”

5. Paragraph 10: “Two antiviral medicines… into the lungs (inhaler).”

6. Paragraph 11: The antiviral medicine … that is best for you.”

Answer key in appendix: Answers may vary


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Links

Links to learn more about the flu To learn more about influenza immunizations in relation to statistics, health professionals, vaccine supply updates, doses for children, go to: http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/influenza.asp Ten things you should know about the flu vaccine: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/10-‐things-‐you-‐should-‐know-‐about-‐the-‐flu-‐vaccine-‐1.2484467 6 Flu Myths Answered http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/6-‐flu-‐vaccine-‐myths-‐answered-‐1.2419970 Links for language learning For more general listening practice go to: http://www.esl-‐lab.com/ For more listening practice related to intonation used for questions and answers, go to: http://usefulenglish.ru/phonetics/listening-‐for-‐intonation-‐in-‐questions-‐and-‐answers For more about modals, go to: http://esl.about.com/od/modals-‐for-‐intermediate/a/Modal-‐Verbs-‐Grammar.htm

For more information on using brackets, go to:

http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/punctuation/how-‐to-‐use-‐brackets-‐in-‐grammar.html

For more information on summarizing, go to:

http://users.drew.edu/~sjamieso/summary.html


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Appendix – Answer Keys Pre-‐Listening Vocabulary

1. If you have the flu, wash your hands often so you don’t spread the ____________virus _______ to others.

2. They did a ____reconnaissance___________ of the enemy’s position.

3. She contracted the _________influenza_________virus and was sick for a week!

4. I hate needles, so I am going to get the ___nasal spray__________ vaccine.

5. Everyone in the town got the flu shot, which provided great _________herd immunity___ against the virus.

6. I was feeling fine and then all of a sudden I got totally sick! I guess you’d call it a

___________sudden onset__________ of the flu.

7. I guess you could say that the immune system gathers ________intelligence______ on the diseases it fights by learning about them before attacking them.

8. I just came back from getting the flu _________vaccine___________ and my arm

hurts from the needle.

9. When I am sick I __________rely____________ on vitamin C and lots of sleep to feel better.

10. The __________needle___________ hurt a little bit, but it was worth it, cause now I

am protected from this year’s flu virus.

11. When your body is fighting against the flu virus, it’s practically a form of _____warfare__________________.

12. My body’s immune system will build up a _________resistance_______ to the flu

virus because of the flu vaccine I just got.

13. Because I got _________immunized_____ a few weeks ago, I’m immune to this year’s flu strain.

14. Our immune-‐system is in place to help __________protect__________ us from dying

of many illnesses.

15. If you have a strong _____immune system______ you won’t get sick very often. Listening for Inferred Meaning


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Read the questions below, then listen to the interview and answer these questions: 1.What does Dr. Raj mean by the “little weapons of immune warfare”? The body’s immune response to the virus. 2. What is the “wild virus” in comparison with the virus found in the vaccine? The virus that is among the people, being spread randomly, instead of the controlled amount that is found in the vaccine. 3. In this part of the passage, “The researchers, when they build a vaccine, it’s like stealing blue prints from the enemy and providing them to your own army...” a) Who is the enemy? The flu virus b) And, to what does “your own army” refer? Your immune system. 4. Describe what is meant by the “warfare metaphor”? It is the idea that our body’s immune system is an army that is fighting against the enemy, the virus. The immune system collects information (intelligence) from vaccines and is then better prepared to attack the virus. 5. When Dr. Raj refers to the weaker members of the herd, whose he talking about? The elderly and young people, those with heart and/or lung problems,… basically, it’s those who need protection from the flu virus. 6. Dr. Raj refers to something being a different type of animal a few times in this passage. What does he mean by “animal”? Type of virus. True/False

1. As soon as you get the vaccine, you are immediately immune to the virus. (F) It can take up to a week or two

2. It’s better not to get the flu shot yearly if you don’t have to, so you don’t built up resistance to the vaccine. (F) You should get it yearly so your immune system can get as much help as possible.

3. The flu is a sudden onset of symptoms. (T) 4. If you prefer the nasal spray to needles you should get the spray vaccine. (F) Only if

you really hate needles you should do that. Otherwise, save the nasal spray for the children.

5. Most Albertans have gotten immunized. (F) Only 23% of normal people and 50% of caregivers.

6. The more people who have been vaccinated in a group, the higher the percentage of the herd has been immunized. (T)

7. The H1N1 virus affects young and healthy people more so than others. (T) 8. Dr. Raj thinks that only the young and healthy should get immunized. (F) He thinks

everyone should, including the young and healthy.


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Listening Strategies: Questions Time Up Down

1. So, how does a vaccine work? 0:24 Down 2. What about building up our own natural defenses, and not having to rely on a vaccine?

1:06 Down

3. Can that really happen? 2:30 Up 4. Is nasal spray available to adults?

3:25 Up

5. Now, what about herd immunity?

4:07 Down

6. At what point is the flu shot unnecessary?

4:09 Down

7. But, this year, we’re seeing that a large percentage of the people that are being hospitalized with influenza or H1N1, they’re in that 25-‐45 bracket, aren’t they?

5:32 Up

Speaking 1. (1:43) So your army might still win the war,

especially if it’s a young,

healthy, well rested army.

2. (1:48) the war might go on longer, and it might be a more

bloody event than if it needs…

than if you already had that intelligence and reconnaissance.

3. (3:11) sudden

onset

high fever, your body

aches

can’t

function

anymore

lead to

pneumonia;

things like

that


23

4. (3:56) as sort of a

communitarian

adult,

little bit

afraid of

needles

go get the

needle

the actual flu

mist

spray for the

kids

If you can

5. (4:20) immunized against a

contagious disease,

opportunity for the disease

to spread.

6. (5:57) Absolutely, and that’s yet another reason that I think that the average, sort of

healthy person, like you and me, need to go out and get our flu shot.

Absolutely, I think that the

average,

sort of healthy

person

like you and me, need to go out

and get our flu

shot.

Grammar Activity : Modals

1. All modals are highlighted in green.

2. The meanings for each of the modals are as follows: 1. The meaning of “Might”: expressing possibility. The outcomes of the war being won, the war possibly going on longer and it becoming a bloodier event are all possibilities, but are not surely going to happen with great certainty. 2. The meanings of “Can”: a) ability – because Dr. Raj is able to either dispel or back up the people’s beliefs that John is asking him about. b) possibility – it is possible for this to happen, ability has nothing to do with whether it will happen or not. c) ability – when you are sick, you are physically not able to function anymore. d) possibility –


24

the outcome of getting pneumonia is not certain when you are sick with the flu, but it is possible. 3. The meanings of “Could”: a) ability – because waiting is within our control, so it has to do with being able to do something. b) possibility – this refers to other possible ways something could happen, which refers not to ability, as much as it does possibility of occurrence. c) possibility – it is not certain that you will get the flu after getting the flu shot, but there is a possibility. 4. The meanings of “will”: a) All uses are expressing future time.

3. All main verbs are highlighted in pink. As you can see, these modals all appear directly before the main verb, which is the placement rule with modals.

1. Might So, your army might still win the war, especially if it’s a young, healthy, well rested army. Right? But, the war might go on longer, and it might be a more bloody event than if it needs… than if you already had that intelligence and reconnaissance. 2. Can a) Now there are a lot of things that people believe out there that ah, that you can dispel or back up this morning. b) It certainly can happen. c) Influenza is sudden onset, high fever, every pore in your body aches, you need to go lie down cause you just can’t function anymore and then respiratory symptoms d) can lead to pneumonia, can lead to other things like that. 3. Could a) Then we could wait until the actual virus was upon us and then go and get the vaccine. b) But there’s a bunch of different ways it could happen. c) And there’s wild flu around, you get your shot, it’s still going to take a week or two for you to build up the resistance to the flu, so you could get it in that ensuing week or two. 4. Will What it really means is that if enough average people in a community go out and get immunized against a contagious disease, then other non-‐vaccinated members of that community will be protected because there’s less opportunity for the disease to spread. And, so, there’s less opportunity for outbreak. So, most of the population will be protected because they’re immunized and then an additional part of the population will be protected because they were never exposed to the infection because of all of these immunized people.


25

Reading Activity

Pre-‐reading vocabulary – The following vocabulary will help you understand the reading text better. Match the words to their correct definitions.

(The answers can be found in the appendix) 1. prevent (v) g a) the act or practice of taking a vaccine

2. immunization (n) n b) to bring down to a smaller extent, size, amount,

number, etc.

3. vaccination (n) a c) drugs use to treat diseases caused by viruses

4. antiviral medication (n) c d) an action in response to some influence or event

5. complications (n) k e) representing a group or part that is particularly

subject or exposed to a danger

6. outbreak (n) j f) harsh or critical; extreme

7. reduce (v) b g) to keep from occurring or to stop from doing

something

8. high-‐risk e h) a quantity of medicine prescribed to be taken at

one time.

9. reaction (n) d i) a sudden occurrence or eruption

10. illness o j) inflammation of the lunges with congestion

11. severely (adj) f k) something that introduces, usually unexpectedly,

some difficulty, problem, change, etc.

12. respiratory l l) pertaining to breathing

13. pneumonia j m) an abnormal response the body has to allergens

that are introduced to the body either through

eating, breathing or touching them.

14. allergic reaction m n) the process of becoming immune, as against a

disease

15. dose (n) h o) unhealthy condition; poor health; sickness

Reading for meaning

Statement True False 1. People with chronic illness should take nasal spray instead of the flu


26

shot. X

2. People with long-‐term health conditions are considered high-‐risk. X

3. The risk with the flu shot is that it contains a live/active virus. X

4. Once you’ve taken the flu vaccine and 7 days passes, you will not

get the flu.

X

5. A myth about the flu is that it is a minor illness. X

6. A myth about the flu is that vaccines cause it. X

7. Side effects from the flu shot are quite severe, but they don’t last

long.

X

8. The nasal spray and flu shot are equally as accessible. X

9. You can go to your community centre doctor, pharmacy or health

clinic to get a flu shot during the flu season.

X

10. Eating healthy, exercising, taking probiotics and not smoking are

all things you can do to lessen your chances of getting the flu.

X

11. Oseltamivir and Zanamivir are given to chronically ill people to

help prevent the flu.

X

12. Amantadine is not effective against influenza B. X

Reading Strategies: Using brackets

1. (seasonal flu) – this is referring to influenza. It is used to give further explanation/example. Influenza can be seasonal, but not necessarily, so the two are not synonyms. Paragraph 2

2. (flu shot) – referring to the influenza vaccine. They are synonyms. Paragraph 3

3. (such as FluMist) – referring to an example of the nasal spray. This is used to give further explanation/example.

4. (flu shot) – referring to the immunization with the inactivated virus. This is used as a synonym. Paragraph 6

5. (Intanza) -‐ referring to a type of flu shot. This is used as further explanation/giving an example. Paragraph 13

6. (oseltamivir and zanamivir) – referring to two antiviral medicines. This is used as further explanation/giving an example.


27

7. (pill) – referring to medicines that are taken by mouth. This is used as a synonym. 8. (inhaler) – referring to medicine that is inhaled into the lungs. This is used as a synonym.

Paragraph 16 9. (CDC) – referring to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is used as an acronym.

Writing – Summarizing

1. Paragraph 3: “Yearly immunization with the inactivated… is considered safe.”

Getting the nasal spray instead of the flu shot is an option for most people between the ages of 2 and 59; but if you are chronically ill, or in contact with someone who is, the active virus in the spray could do more harm than good.

2. Paragraph 4: “ Even if a flu vaccine does not prevent… while they were pregnant.”

Even if getting the flu vaccine doesn’t fully prevent the flu, there are still numerous health benefits, so it’s still a good idea to get it.

3. Paragraph 7: “Because of the nasal spray… private insurance company.”

Nasal spray is more expensive than the flu shot, so check your health plan to see if its covered.

4. Paragraph 8: “Almost every community… make an appointment.”

Many places offer the flu vaccine such as health clinics, doctor’s offices and pharmacies.

5. Paragraph 10: “Two antiviral medicines… into the lungs (inhaler).”

Two antiviral medicines (oseltamivir and zanamivir) can help prevent the flu, or at least reduce the symptoms of the flu if one already has it.

6. Paragraph 11: The antiviral medicine … that is best for you.”

Traditionally, the antiviral medication (amantadine) has been used to prevent flus. However, it has been found to not protect against influenza B, so it’s being used less.


28

Appendix -‐ Audio Transcript

0:00 John Ten people have died and another three hundred have been hospitalized in

Alberta because of the flu. People have been flocking to immunization clinics and

pharmacies to get a flu shot.

Dr. Raj Bhardwaj is here to answer some questions about the flu vaccine. He’s a

family physician and an urgent care doctor in Alberta. He’s also our health

contributor here at Edmonton AM.

Good morning!

0:23 Dr. Raj

Good morning, John.

0:24 John

So, how does a vaccine work?

0:25

Dr. Raj

So, basically a vaccine is a preparation that increases your body’s immune

response to an infection. So, when you get exposed to a virus, any virus, cold

virus, measles virus, influenza virus, your body first has to identify that virus and

then mount an immune response, to build the little weapons of immune warfare

to fight that virus.

So, what the, the vaccine does is it introduces little pieces of the virus, or a little

dead virus, into your system, so that your body can recognize that virus

beforehand and start building the machinery of, of immune war before you

actually get … ah, exposed to the wild virus.

1:06 John Um hm, and so, what about building up our own natural defenses, and not

having to rely on a vaccine?

1:12 Dr. Raj Sure, so if you want to continue that sort of warfare metaphor. The, ah, …

1:16 John Ok

1:17 Dr. Raj The researchers, when they build a vaccine, it’s like stealing blue prints from the

enemy and providing them to your own army...right?

1:22 John Oh, good

1:23 Dr. Raj So, it provides your side the chance to see what the enemy forces are planning,

and to start building, again, your armaments to… to get ready for that a.. that

oncoming threat. And, so, people who say they don’t want their immune


29

systems to become reliant on vaccines, that’s sort of like saying I don’t want my

army to become reliant on reconnaissance and intelligence. Right? So your army

might still win the war, especially if it’s a young, healthy, well rested army. Right?

But, the war might go on longer, and it might be a more bloody event than if it

needs… than if you already had that intelligence and reconnaissance.

1:57 John Now there are a lot of things that people believe out there that ah, that you can

dispel or back up this morning. Let’s start with this one: As soon as I get the

vaccine, I’m immediately protected.

2:09 Dr. Raj That would be great. Then we could wait until the actual virus was upon us and

then go and get the vaccine. No, that’s not true. So, like I said, you’re… this is just

intelligence for your immune system. So, it takes your immune system a week or

two to develop the armaments from that intelligence. So, no, you’re not

immediately protected, it takes a week or two.

2:30 John Okay, what about another common question: I got the shot and I still got the flu.

Can that really happen?

2:36 Dr. Raj It certainly can happen. But there’s a bunch of different ways it could happen.

So, first of all, you could wait until too late. So, you’re, you’re sort of in the midst

of the flu, right? And there’s wild flu around, you get your shot, it’s still going to

take a week or two for you to build up the resistance to the flu, so you could get

it in that ensuing week or two.

The other thing is that I think a lot of people overcall that they have the flu. You

know, they get some, some stomach issues, and some diarrhea and stuff and

they say, “oh, I have the stomach flu, that’s the flu”. No, its not. That’s a totally

different animal than influenza. Or, a really bad cold. A really bad cold is not

influenza. Influenza is sudden onset, high fever, every pore in your body aches,

you need to go lie down cause you just can’t function anymore and then

respiratory symptoms can lead to pneumonia, can lead to other things like that.

3:25 John Um hm. Okay, what about this one: Nasal spray. Some people don’t like needles.

Is nasal spray available to adults?


30

3:32 Dr. Raj It absolutely is. In Alberta the nasal spray is ah, is used for any, for people

between 2 years and 60 years old. It’s safe and effective for those age ranges. It

is first offered to people between 2 and 18, because it’s a finite resource, right?

3:48 John Um hm

3:50 Dr. Raj So, we don’t want kids to be traumatized by needles, like maybe we were when

we were kids. So, as a, as sort of a communitarian adult, I think it would be a

nice thing that if maybe you were only a little bit afraid of needles, go get the

needle, and save the actual flu mist, the nasal spray for the kids, if you can.

4:07 John Okay, that’s a good way of looking at it, I guess. Now, what about herd

immunity? At what point is the flu shot unnecessary?

4:16 Dr. Raj That’s an excellent question. So, herd immunity is really interesting. What it

really means is that if enough average people in a community go out and get

immunized against a contagious disease, then other non-‐vaccinated members of

that community will be protected because there’s less opportunity for the

disease to spread. And, so, there’s less opportunity for outbreak.

So, most of the population will be protected because they’re immunized and

then an additional part of the population will be protected because they were

never exposed to the infection because of all of these immunized people.

4:50 John Um hm

4:51 Dr. Raj Right? So, the higher the vaccination coverage in an area, the greater the herd

immunity. But the problem is in Alberta, with the flu, we only have about 23% of

the general population and sadly, only just over 50% of health care providers,

who have been immunized. And, that’s not enough to provide effective herd

immunity for many people. The other thing to consider is, it has to be the

average healthy people in the herd…

5:15 John Right…

5:16 Dr. Raj …that go out and get vaccinated that protect the weaker members of the herd.

Right? So the very young, the very old, the people with lung problems and heart

problems and things like that that, need to be protected, even if they don’t get


31

their flu shot by the vast majority of us who go out and get our flu shot, even

though we’re healthy.

5:32 John And, just lastly, in past years we’ve heard “get the flu shot” particularly if .. ah,

people that are older and protect the young. But, this year, we’re seeing that a

large percentage of the people that are being hospitalized with influenza or

H1N1, they’re in that 25-‐45 bracket, aren’t they?

5:57 Dr. Raj Absolutely, and that’s yet another reason that I think that the average, sort of

healthy person, like you and me, need to go out and get our flu shot. Because

H1N1 is a slightly different animal. Right? It’s a little bit more aggressive than the

regular flus that we see from year to year and it does tend to mount a bigger

response or, or have a bigger effect in young, healthy people. So, you know,

especially in,… you know, I hate to break if to ya, but you’re probably average

from an immune system point of view and I’m probably average from an

immune system point of view and we’re the ones at risk. So, lets go out, get our

flu shots, get our nasal sprays and protect ourselves and then also protect the

rest of the community by doing that.

6:34 John Thanks for joining!

6:36 Dr. Raj My pleasure.

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