LearnEnglishProfessionals

ALLERGIES AUDIOSCRIPT
www.britishcouncil.org/professionals.htm
TheBritishCouncil,2008
TheUnitedKingdomsinternationalorganisationforeducationalopportunitiesandculturalrelations. WeareregisteredinEnglandasacharity.
Listentoaradiointerviewer(R)talkingtoDrMichaelPeterson(Dr)abouttheriseinthenumberof
peoplesufferingfromallergies.
Optionalexercise (Theanswersareatthebottomofthepage).
DecidewhetherthesestatementsareTRUEorFALSEaccordingtothelistening.
1. Expertsagreethatthereisanincreaseinallkindsofallergies
2. Breastfeedingcancauseanallergy
3. Toomuchcleanlinesscanhaveanegativeeffectonourchildren
4. Someallergieshavebeenproventobegenetic
5. Thereisanincreaseinintolerancetocertainfoods
6. Eatinglessprocessedfoodcouldhelpusavoiddevelopinganallergy
R:DrPeterson.Youvejustpublishedanarticleaboutallergiesandthefactthattheyreontherise.
Dr:Yes,thatsright.
R:So.Firstofall,whatkindofallergiesarewetalkingabout?Hayfever?Asthma?
Dr:Allallergiesreally.Anallergyisaphysicalreactiontoasubstance.Thatreactioncanbesneezing,anitching,soreeyes,
feelingsick,arashofsomekindlikeeczemaorbreathingdifficultieslikeasthma.
R:Andareallergiesontherise?
Dr:Ohyes.Absolutely.Theresnodoubtaboutthat.WhenIwasatschooltherewasonlyoneboyintheclasswhohadan
inhaler.Nowthirtyyearslater morethanhalfthekidsinmydaughtersclasshavethem.
R:So,whythegreatincrease?Isitourfault?
Dr:Sometimes,yes.Eitherdirectlyorindirectly.Ourlifestyleshavechangedalot,startingfrombirth.Itsawellknownfact
thatbottlefedbabiesaremorelikelytodevelopallergiesthanbreastfedbabiesyetfewermothersbreastfeedbecause
theysimplydonthavethetimeorbecauseofpracticalities likewantingtosharethefeedingwithapartner.
Thenwhenourchildrenaretoddlerswesmothereverythingindisinfectantanddestroyalltracesofgerms.
R:Butsurelythatsagoodthing?
Dr:No,itsnot.Germsaregood.Toomuchcleanlinessisbad.Thinkbacktowhenwewerechildren.Weusedtomakemud
pies,splashaboutindirtypuddles,putallsortsofthingsintoourmouths
R:Soareyousayingwearentallowingourchildrensimmunesystemstodevelop?
Dr:Yes,thatsexactlywhatImsaying.Ourobsessionswithcleanlinesshavegonetoofar.Weneedtoexposeourchildren
togermssothattheirdefencemechanismshaveachancetodevelopandgetstronger.Iftheyarentexposedtheresa
dangerthattheylldevelopallergiesandfoodintoleranceslateron.
R:Whataboutgenes?Arentsomeallergiesgenetic?
Dr:Yesandno.(laughter)
Dr:Thejuryisstilloutonthatone.Allergyproblemsdoruninthefamilybutwedontunderstandwhy.Scientistshave
identifiedcasesinfamilieswheretheresbeensomekindofgeneticmutationwhichaffectstheimmunesysteminsomeway.
Thismightresultinmembersofafamilybeingmorepronetoallergiesbutnotnecessarilythesameallergies.SoDad
mightbeallergictomilkproductswhileonechildgetshayfeverandanotherdevelopsanallergytosomesortofskincream.
R:Andthisdoesntexplainwhytherehasbeensuchanincreaseinallergiesoverthepasttenyearsorso.
Dr:No.Itdoesnt.
LearnEnglishProfessionals
ALLERGIES AUDIOSCRIPT
www.britishcouncil.org/professionals.htm
TheBritishCouncil,2008
TheUnitedKingdomsinternationalorganisationforeducationalopportunitiesandculturalrelations. WeareregisteredinEnglandasacharity.
R:Sowhathaschanged?
Dr:Lifestyles inanutshell:Mobilephoneuse,alltechnologyreally.Stresslevelsareconsiderablyhigherthantheyusedto
be.Wereexposedtomorechemicalsandtoxicsubstances:dieselfumes,pesticides.Onetypeofallergythathasrisen
considerablyisfoodintolerance.Insomeplacesanallergytosoyaisverycommon.Thisisprobablybecausesoyais
presentinsomanyfoodproductsthesedaysandourbodieshaventhadtimetoadjusttothischange.Wedonteatinthe
samewayasweusedto.Seasonalfoodisathingofthepast.Noweverythingisavailableallyearround.
R:So.Tosumup?Whyareallergiesontherise?
Dr:Well,ifweresummingupIllkeepitbrief.Toomuchbottlefeeding,anobsessionwithcleanliness,toofewgermsand
toomanyconveniencefoods,toolittlefreshfruitandvegandanabuseofoutofseasonfoodallyearround,toomany
vaccinationsandaltogetherfartoomuchstress.
R:Dr.Peterson.Thankyouverymuchforcomingtothestudiotoday.IfviewerswouldliketoreadDr.Petersonsreportthey
canwriteinto
Answers:1T,2F,3T,4F,5T,6T