My Own Resources. Practice

My Own Resources

Practice

Intermediate

Reading Comprehension Texts

Health in America.

When Americans go abroad, one of their biggest concerns is, "Can you drink the water?" You may find asking yourself the same question, especially in a hip, urban setting where you may notice many people, young and old, drinking from large and small plastic bottles. And these people will tell you, fiercely to put the fear of God in you, that "No! You cannot drink the tap water in this country anymore!" Ignore these people. These are the same kind of people who will also inform you that you will drop dead before 40, or worse, become ugly fat, and stupid if you don't jog or join an expensive health club where you pay to sweat. Now simply turn the tap water and drink long and deep to quench your thirst. Do not be surprised the next morning if you still feel healthy and energetic.

Unless you come from a country, or stopped over in one, where dreaded diseases such as cholera, malaria, yellow or dengue fever are a fact of daily life, you do not need inoculations to enter America.

Availability of certain drugs are also restricted. What you have been able to get at your neighborhood pharmacy in your country may require a doctor's prescription. So if you take medications, (e.g., for blood pressure or cholesterol), you must find an American doctor who can prescribe them for you. Or bring extra enough to last during your stay.

QUESTIONS

1. Match the following words to the suitable definition or synonym (2 points).

Concern Tap Jog Sweat Quench Dreaded Neighbourhood

Tap Satisfy by drinking.

Concern Worry, anxiety.

Dreaded Feared, something that threatens.

Jog Device for controlling the flow of water.

Sweat Run slowly and steadily for a time, for physical exercise.

2. Answer the following questions according to the text (2 points).

a. Is the water from the tap good in America?

The water from the tap in America is very good, although some people do not believe so.

b. Do you need to be vaccinated if you travel to America?

It is not necessary to be vaccinated if you travel to America, unless you have been in countries that have large viruses diseases like cholera, malaria, dengue or yellow fever are a fact of daily life.

c. What can you do if you go to America after having been prescribed a certain medicine?

Availability of certain drugs are also restricted. What you have been able to get at your neighborhood pharmacy in your country may require a doctor's prescription. So if you take medications, (e.g., for blood pressure or cholesterol), you must find an American doctor who can prescribe them for you.

d. Why do some America people drink water from plastic bottles?

For they say that tap water is dangerous to human health.

3. Rewrite the following without changing the meaning of the original sentence (1.5 points).

a. You will fail your exam unless you work harder.

You will lose the examination unless study harder and reach good results.

b. Dana never believes anything if she doesn’t see it with her own eyes.

Unless I tell her mom.

c. The opera singer won’t make an appearance unless the photographers are there.

If she did not dare to leave.

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