Introduction into Human Body

Check Up. Work in groups and describe the word cloud.

1. Find the four major

structures of the human body.
2. Find two adjectives to
describe the human body.
3. Find two components that
allow animals to move.
4. Search for three functions
of the nervous system.
5. Find the major components
of circulation.
6. People breathe with these
organs.
7. Identify two organs of the
digestive system.
8. Find two bodily fluids.

Pronunciation. Listen and repeat the words and word combinations.

blood muscular
cardiovascular nervous
cartilage oxygen
digestive pancreas
endocrine pH
esophagus pharynx
gallbladder respiratory
gastrointestinal (GI) tract stomach
heart tissue
homeostasis tongue
kidneys urethra
lymphatic urinary
 Introduction into Human Body
Reading. Read the text. Find answers to the following questions.
1. Why is the Human Body a complex living system?
2. What are the major human systems?
3. What are the functions of each body system?
4. What are the main organs of each body system?
5. What is the most important organ system?
The human body is a single structure but it is The muscular system is composed of specialized
made up of billions of smaller structures of four cells called muscle fibers. Muscles, attached to
major kinds: cells, tissues, organs, and systems. bones or internal organs and blood vessels, are
Cells, the basic building blocks of the human responsible for movement. The integrated action
body, make up tissues, which form specialized of joints, bones, and skeletal muscles produces
structures called organs. Organ systems are obvious movements such as walking and
groups of organs and tissues that all function running. Each organ or muscle consists of
together towards a single purpose. Ten major skeletal muscle tissue, connective tissue, nerve
systems include the skeletal, muscular, nervous, tissue, and blood or vascular tissue.
endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic, The nervous system is the major controlling,
respiratory, digestive, urinary, and the regulatory, and communicating system in the
reproductive system. Body functions are the body. It is the center of all mental activity
physiological or psychological functions of body including thought, learning, and memory.
systems. Human life process includes Together with the endocrine system, the nervous
organization, metabolism, responsiveness, system is responsible for regulating and
movements, reproduction, growth, maintaining homeostasis. Through its receptors,
differentiation, respiration, digestion, and the nervous system keeps us in touch with our
excretion. All these processes work together for environment, both external and internal.
the well-being of the individual and to maintain The cardiovascular system is sometimes called
life. the blood-vascular, or simply the circulatory,
The human skeletal system consists of bones, system. It consists of the heart, which is a
cartilage, ligaments and tendons and accounts for muscular pumping device, and a closed system
about 20 percent of the body weight. Bones of vessels called arteries, veins, and capillaries.
provide a rigid framework, known as the skeleton Blood contained in the circulatory system is
that support and protect the soft organs of the pumped by the heart around a closed circle or
body. Bones work together with muscles as circuit of vessels as it passes again and again
simple mechanical lever systems to produce through the various "circulations" of the body.
body movement.
Introduction into Human Body
When the respiratory system is mentioned, teeth are accessory structures located in
people generally think of breathing, but the mouth. The salivary glands, liver,
breathing is only one of the activities of the gallbladder, and pancreas are major accessory
respiratory system. The body cells need a organs that have a role in digestion. These organs
continuous supply of oxygen for the metabolic secrete fluids into the digestive tract.
processes that are necessary to maintain life. The The principal function of the urinary system is to
respiratory system works with the circulatory maintain the volume and composition of body
system to provide this oxygen and to remove the fluids within normal limits. One function is to rid
waste products of metabolism. It also helps to the body of waste products that accumulate as a
regulate pH of the blood. result of cellular metabolism, and, because of
The digestive system includes the digestive tract this, it is sometimes referred to as the excretory
and its accessory organs, which process food into system. The urinary system consists of the
molecules that can be absorbed and utilized by kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra.
the cells of the body. The digestive tract, also The kidneys form the urine and account for the
called the alimentary canal or gastrointestinal other functions attributed to the urinary system.
(GI) tract, consists of a long continuous tube that The study of the human body
extends from the mouth to the anus. It includes involves anatomy, physiology, histology and
the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small embryology.
intestine, and large intestine. The tongue and

I. Comprehension Check. Read the text again. Agree or disagree on these

statements.

1. The human being is a multiple complex structure.

2. Systems are groups of organs and tissues that have the same function.
3. Each organ has a specific role, which contributes to the overall wellbeing of the human
body.
4. The skeleton makes up almost one-fifth of a healthy body's weight.
5. Each organ or muscle have an abundant supply of blood vessels and nerves.
6. The vascular system is made up of the veins that carry blood and lymph through
the body.
7. Heart is responsible for regulating the core temperature of the body.
8. The respiratory system is the only body system to dispose the waste products of
metabolism.
9. Accessory organs of digestion include the liver, gall bladder, pancreas and salivary
glands.
10. The major function of the urinary system is to excrete metabolic wastes.
Introduction into Human Body
II. Comprehension Check. Guess the organ.

One of a pair of organs

in the chest that supplies
the body with oxygen.
A hollow muscular organ
of the body that expands
They remove waste and
and contracts to move
extra water from the blood.
blood through the vessels.

An organ that controls your

body's activities.
Any of the hard pieces that
form your body.
A fleshy movable part of the
mouth used in tasting. An organ in the body that
produces insulin.

Vocabulary. Choose the correct variant.

What does this idiom mean?

1. I think that having a big heart/kidney/brain means that you
are a very caring and loving person. (Idiom)
2. A person will feel heartburn when stomach acid flows back
up into the gallbladder/liver/esophagus.
3. Muscles/bones/cartilage provide a rigid framework that
supports and protects the body organs.
4. We put a lot of nerves/lymph/blood, sweat, and tears into
fixing our old house. (Idiom)
5. My heart/muscles/stomach/ has been hurting for the past few days after eating spicy foods.
6. A fake smile is smiling with your mouth but not with your eyes, just showing your
teeth/tongue/gums. (Idiom)
7. Anatomy/physiology/embryology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs,
cells function.
8. Histology/anatomy/physiology is a field in the biological sciences concerned with the description of
the body structures.
Introduction into Human Body

Language Spot. How important are the accurate patient records?

Asking short and gentle questions.
TAKING PATIENT’S
 Ask gentle questions to put the patient HISTORY
at ease. Taking a history from a patient is a skill
Can you tell me who/what +noun +verb? necessary for examinations and
What’s your name/surname? afterwards as a practicing doctor, no
Can you tell me what’s your matter which area you specialize in. It
name/surname? tests both your communication skills as
 Remove words to make questions
well as your knowledge about what to
ask. Specific questions vary depending
shorter.
on what type of history you are taking
What’s your first name? Your first name?
but if you follow the general framework
Any other names? It’s Mary Jones, isn’t you should gain good marks in these
it?” stations.

Listening. Listen to a conversation between the receptionist and Mr. Karlson.

Examine the chart including personal details. Correct the wrong personal data.

Surname: Karlson
First Name: Dave Ian
Address: 3 Park View Avenue
Admission Details: Duncan Ward at 4 p.m.
on 9 Octomber 2008.
Hospital No. 19736045
DOB: 27 10 53
Phone number: 0177 405 7006
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Postman
GP: Dr. Khan
C/o: (think of a possible chief complaint)

Speaking. Work in pairs. Role-play Dr. Nesbitt (Student A) and take the history
from the patient Mrs. Oldman (Student B), as in the exercise above. Remember to
be patient-centred and ask short and gentle questions.
Introduction into Human Body
Checklist. Assess your progress in this unit. Tick () the statements which are
true.
 I can identify and use new vocabulary about the human body.
 I can skip through the text for necessary details.
 I can explain the idioms and give my own examples.
 I can ask and deal with short and gentle questions.
 I can speak and use new information in my own dialogues.

Key Words.

Verbs
to account for gastrointestinal tract
to attach growth Adjectives
to provide heart
to remove homeostasis accessory
to rid kidney cardiovascular
to secrete oxygen digestive
pancreas endocrine
Nouns pH excretory
blood pharynx lymphatic
body weight reproduction major
building block responsiveness muscular
cartilage stomach nervous
cell supply respiratory
device tissue responsible
esophagus tongue soft
fiber urethra specialized
fluid urine urinary
framework waste product
gallbladder well-being

Useful References

Sam McCarter , Medicine 1. Student's Book , Oxford University Press España, S.A. , 2009 , p.144,
ISBN-13: 978-0194023009
Tony Grice, Oxford English for Careers: Nursing 1, OUP Oxford, 2007, p. 135 , ISBN-13 978-
0194569774
https://training.seer.cancer.gov/modules_ack.html