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
made up of billions of smaller structures of four specialized cells called muscle fibers. Muscles,
major kinds: cells, tissues, organs, and systems. attached to bones or internal organs and blood
Cells, the basic building blocks of the human vessels, are responsible for movement. The
body, make up tissues, which form specialized integrated action of joints, bones, and skeletal
structures called organs. Organ systems are muscles produces obvious movements such as
groups of organs and tissues that all function walking and running. Each organ or muscle
together towards a single purpose. Ten major consists of skeletal muscle tissue, connective
systems include the skeletal, muscular, nervous, tissue, nerve 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 including thought, learning, and memory.
body systems. Human life process includes Together with the endocrine system, the
organization, metabolism, responsiveness, nervous 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 muscular pumping device, and a closed system
for about 20 percent of the body weight. Bones of vessels called arteries, veins, and capillaries.
provide a rigid framework, known as the Blood contained in the circulatory system is
skeleton that support and protect the soft organs pumped by the heart around a closed circle or
of the body. Bones work together with muscles circuit of vessels as it passes again and again
as 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, structures located in the mouth. The
people generally think of breathing, but salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, and
breathing is only one of the activities of the pancreas are major accessory organs that have a
respiratory system. The body cells need a role in digestion. These organs secrete fluids
continuous supply of oxygen for the metabolic into the digestive tract.
processes that are necessary to maintain life. The principal function of the urinary system is
The respiratory system works with the to maintain the volume and composition of
circulatory system to provide this oxygen and to body fluids within normal limits. One function
remove the waste products of metabolism. It is to rid the body of waste products that
also helps to regulate pH of the blood. accumulate as a result of cellular metabolism,
The digestive system includes the digestive tract and, because of this, it is sometimes referred to
and its accessory organs, which process food as the excretory system. The urinary system
into molecules that can be absorbed and utilized consists of the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder,
by the cells of the body. The digestive tract, also and urethra. The kidneys form the urine and
called the alimentary canal or gastrointestinal account for the other functions attributed to the
(GI) tract, consists of a long continuous tube urinary system.
that extends from the mouth to the anus. It The study of the human body
includes the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, involves anatomy, physiology, histology and
stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. embryology.
The tongue and teeth are accessory

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.
 Introduction into Human Body
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.

II. Comprehension Check. Guess the organ.

A hollow muscular organ

One of a pair of organs in
of the body that expands
the chest that supplies
and contracts to move
the body with oxygen.
blood through the vessels.

They remove waste and Any of the hard pieces that

extra water from the blood. form your body.

An organ that controls your An organ in the body that

body's activities. produces insulin.

A fleshy movable part of the

mouth used in tasting.
Introduction into Human Body
Vocabulary. Choose the correct variant.

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.

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
well as your knowledge about what to
 Remove words to make questions
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.
Introduction into Human Body

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

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