Unit 1 THE HUMAN BODY

Objectives: After the lesson, student will be able to:

1. apply the use of possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives, vocabulary
about the mains parts of the body in listening, speaking, reading and writing;
2. read short and simple texts about the structure of the human body;
3. listen for information, words and phrases relating to the human body;
4. make conversations to talk about health problem relating to parts of the body;
5. know how to fill in a doctor’s notes and patient medical form.

I. GETTING STARTED
Can you name some parts of the body you know in English?
II. READING 1
THE STRUCTURE OF THE HUMAN BODY: Cell and Tissue
The body is made up of several levels of structure and function. Each of these levels
builds on the previous level, and contributes to the structure and function of the entire
organism.
The levels of organization from least to most complex are: Cell, Tissue, Organ, System
and Organism.
Cell
The cell is the smallest structural and functional unit of life. Body cells perform all
activities associated with life, including utilizing food, eliminating waste, and
reproducing. Cells have many shapes and sizes, but they share three main parts: cell
membrane, cytoplasm, and the nucleus. The study of the body at the cellular level is
called cytology.
Cell Membrane and Cytoplasm
The cell membrane acts as a barrier that supports and protects the intracellular
contents. Within the cell membrane is a jellylike matrix of proteins, salts, water,
dissolved gases, and nutrients called cytoplasm. Inside the cytoplasm are specialized
structures called organelles. These organelles perform specific functions of the cell,
such as reproduction and movement. The largest cell organelle is the nucleus, which
directs the cell’s activities and contains chromosomes.
Nucleus
The nucleus is responsible for metabolism, growth, and reproduction. It also carries
the genetic blueprint of the organism. This blueprint is found in a complex molecule
called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that is organized into a threadlike structure
called chromatin.
When the cell is ready to divide, chromatin forms chromosomes, which carry
thousands of genes that make up our genetic blueprint. In the human, there are about
31,000 genes that determine unique human characteristics. Genes pass biological
information from one generation to the next. This biological information includes such
traits as hair color, body structure, and metabolic activity. In the human, all cells
except sperm and eggs cells contain 23 pairs, or 46 chromosomes.
Tissue
Groups of cells that perform a specialized activity are called tissues. The study of
tissues is called histology. Between the cells that make up tissues are varying amounts
and types of nonliving, intercellular substances that provide pathways for cellular
interaction. More than 200 cell types compose four major tissues of the body:
• Epithelial tissue covers surfaces of organs, lines cavities and canals, forms tubes and
ducts, provides the secreting portions of glands, and makes up the epidermis of the
skin. It is composed of cells arranged in a continuous sheet consisting of one or more
layers.
• Connective tissue supports and connects other tissues and organs. It is made up of
diverse cell types, including fibroblasts, fat cells, and blood.
• Muscle tissue provides the contractile tissue of the body, which is responsible for
movement.
• Nervous tissue transmits electrical impulses as it relays information throughout the
entire body

1. Answer the following questions

1. What is the least complex level of of organization ?
_____________________________________________________________________
2. What are the functions of body cells ?
_____________________________________________________________________
3. What does cytology study ?
_____________________________________________________________________
4. What is nucleus responsible for ?
_____________________________________________________________________
5. Where is the blueprint found ?
_____________________________________________________________________
6. How many genes does human have ?
_____________________________________________________________________
7. How many major tissues are there in the human body ?
_____________________________________________________________________

2. Look at the list of vocabulary below (1-5). All of the words refer to different parts
of a cell. Match a word with a description of it (A-E)
1. Cell membrane A. It is the most prominent organelle of the
eukaryotic cell, containing genetic material.
2. Cytoplasm B. It is made up of DNA tightly coiled many
times around proteins called histones that support
its structure.
3. Nucleus C. It is thin membrane that surrounds every living
cell which is composed primarily of fatty-acid-
based lipids and proteins.
4. Organelle D. It is the materials between the plasma
membrane and the nuclear membrane..
5. Chromosome E. It is specialized structures inside a cytoplasm

3. Use the word bank below to complete each statement about cell structure.
chloroplast cell membrane endoplasmic reticulum Golgi bodies
vacuole organelles lysosomes cell wall
cytoplasm cell mitochondria nucleolus
nucleus; ribosome

1. The jellylike substance between the cell membrane and the organelles that supports
the cell and allows the parts to move is called _______________.
2. A(n) ____________ is the smallest functional and structural unit of all organisms.
3. ________________ are tiny structures inside cells that carry out specific functions.
4. The __________ is the control center of the cell. It directs the cells activities.
5. The ____________ is a flexible covering that protects the inside of a cell from the
environment outside a cell.
6. A(n) _____________ is what gives plant cells a rigid shape.
7. A part in a plant cell that uses sunlight to make food is called a(n) __________.
8. ________________ are rod-shaped cell structures that produce most of the energy
needed to carry out the cell's functions.
9. The organelles that package cellular substances for export are ______________.
10. Organelles called __________________ contain enzymes, which break down
worn-out or damaged organelles, waste materials, and foreign invaders in the cell.
11. A(n) __________________ is a cell structure where proteins are manufactured.
12. The _______________________ is a cell structure that creates a maze of
passageways where protein and other materials are moved from one side of the cell to
the other.
13. A structure in a cell that stores food, water or wastes is called a(n) ____________.
14. Most cells have a(n) _______________ in the center of the nucleus which stores
materials to make ribosomes.

II. READING 2
THE STRUCTURE OF THE HUMAN BODY:
Organs, organ system and organism
Organ
Organs are body structures that perform specialized functions. They are composed of
two or more tissue types. For
example, the stomach is made up of
connective tissue, muscle tissue,
epithelial tissue, and nervous tissue.
Muscle and connective tissue form
the wall of the stomach. Epithelial
and connective tissue cover the inner
and outer surfaces of the stomach.
Nervous tissue penetrates the
epithelial lining of the stomach and
its muscular wall to stimulate the
release of chemicals for digestion.
Humans have five vital organs that
are essential for survival. These are
the brain, heart, kidneys, liver and
lungs. The human brain is the body's
control center, receiving and sending
signals to other organs through the
nervous system and through secreted
hormones. It is responsible for our thoughts, feelings, memory storage and general
perception of the world. The human heart is a responsible for pumping blood
throughout our body.
The job of the kidneys is to remove waste and extra fluid from the blood. The kidneys
take urea out of the blood and combine it with water and other substances to make
urine.
The liver has many functions, including detoxifying of harmful chemicals, breakdown
of drugs, filtering of blood, secretion of bile and production of blood-clotting proteins.
The lungs are responsible for removing oxygen from the air we breathe and
transferring it to our blood where it can be sent to our cells. The lungs also remove
carbon dioxide, which we exhale.
Organ Systems
An organ system is a group of organs that work together to perform a certain function
in an organism’s body. The human body has 11 different organ systems including
Circulatory, Respiratory, Digestive, Urinary, Immune, Muscular, skeletal,
integumentary, Nervous, Endocrine and Reproductive system. Each of these systems
plays a different role in helping the body work. For example, organs of the
gastrointestinal system include the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and bowel.
Some of its accessory structures include the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. The
purpose of this system is to digest food, remove and use its nutrients, and expel waste
products.
Organism
The highest level of organization is the organism. An organism is a living being that
has a cellular structure and that can independently perform all physiologic functions
necessary for life. In multicellular organisms, including humans, all cells, tissues,
organs, and organ systems of the body work together to maintain the life and health of
the organism.

1. Answer the following questions

1.What are the names of the vital organs ?
_____________________________________________________________________
2. Which organ is responsible for our thoughts, feelings, memory storage and general
perception of the world ?
_____________________________________________________________________
3. What are functions of the liver ?
_____________________________________________________________________

4. What is a definition of an organ system ?

_____________________________________________________________________
5. What do cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems of the body work together for ?
_____________________________________________________________________
2. Number each of the body’s building blocks 1 to 5 from the smallest to the largest

ORGAN ORGANISM CELL

SYSTEM TISSUE

3. Use the word bank below to complete each statement about cell structure.
chromatin connective tissue nucleus histology
lungs cytoplasm kidneys cytology

1. The substance inside a cell that surrounds the cell's nucleus is the _________.
2. The scientific study of cells from living things is _________.
3. The largest cell organelle is the ___________.
4. A complex of DNA, RNA and proteins within the cell nucleus out of which
chromosomes condense during cell division is the _____________.
5. The scientific study of the structure of tissue from plants, animals, and
other living things is the _________.
6. The tissue that supports and connects other tissues and organs is ___________.
7. The function of the __________ is to remove waste and extra fluid from the blood.
8. Humans have five vital organs that are essential for survival. These are the brain,
heart, kidneys, liver and ___________.
III. VOCABULARY
1. Use the words in the box below to label the parts of the body
knee finger shoulder elbow belly
head breast upper arm thumb neck
wrist thigh lower leg fore arm back
ankle bottom toe calf foot
 hand

2. Listen and write down the words you hear.

2. 3. 4. 5.
1.

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

3. Match the vocabulary words (1-15) on the left with the definitions (A-P) on the
right.
1. shoulder A. The large center trunk that is connected to the outer
extremities.
2. chest B. The part of the face with openings used for breathing and
smelling.
3. knee C. The joint between the upper and lower portions of the human
leg.
 4. leg D. The part connecting to the arm that is used for fine motor
skills.
5. eye E. The bottom part of the leg that is used for standing.
6. neck F. The standing limb used for stabilization and movement.
7. arm G. The area located on the body between the shoulder and the
hand.
8. head H. The organ that allows hearing to occur.
9. foot I. The front of the head that includes nose, mouth and eyes.
10. hand K. The top part of the body where the brain is located.
11. ear L. The organ that allows for sight.
12. mouth M. The posterior of the human body that provides support and
stabilization.
13. face N. The part of the face that we use to eat, drink and breathe.
14. nose O. The area of the human body between the neck and the upper
arm.
15. back P. The slender part of the body that connects the trunk and the
head.
4. Do the quiz. Circle your answer.
BODY SENSE: Test your knowledge
1. Your head weighs about 3.5/5.5/8.5 kilos.
2. The stomach can hold four/six/eight liters of food.
3. You use 5/12/20 muscles to smile. You use about 50/70/80 muscles to speak.
4. Our eyes never grow/stop growing. Our nose and ears never grow/stop growing.
5. The body loses half a kilo/more than half a kilo/a kilo of skin every year.
6. Over 20%/40%/50% of the bones in your body are in your hands and feet.
7. The smallest bone in your ear/nose/little toe. It’s the size of a grain of rice.
8. Your thumb is the same length as your nose/big toe/ear.
9. Children have 18/20/22 first teeth. Adults have 28/30/32 teeth.
10. Your heart beats about 50,000/100,000/200,000 times every day.

Listen to check
5. Complete the sentences with appropriate words from the word bank.
feet neck arm eyes
ears fingers hand elbow
legs mouth eye teeth
stomach shoulder head nose

1. Lisa’s __________________ were filled with tears.

2. Charlie nodded his ______________ to say yes.
3. Susanne heard the bird singing in the woods with her ______________.
4. Linda grabbed a handful of candies and stuffed her _____________.
5. The toddler stood on his _____________ for the first time.
6. Gabriel lifts heavy weights to tone his ________________ muscles.
7. Noah has a stuffy _____________ and can’t smell the flowers.
8. He said, “Momma my ___________ is full! Stop serving more food.”
9. My ________________ are hurting, I can't walk.
10. Priscilla raised her _________________ to answer the question.
11. Brush your _____________ at least twice a day to keep them healthy.
12. He goes to the gym to lift weights. He has got great biceps in his ___________.
6. Read the excuses for missing school. Translate the phrases in italic, then work in
groups and answer the following questions.
Dear sir…
1. I slipped on a coin and sprained my ankle.
2. My parrot has flu and I need to take care of it.
3. I fell out of bed and dislocated my shoulder.
4. My toes got stuck in the bath tap and it’s broken (the toe, not the tap).
5. My nose is blocked and I can’t breathe.
6. I burnt my hand on the toaster.
7. I poked myself in the eye while combing my hair and I’ve got bruises and a black
eye.
8. I broke my arm trying to catch a falling sandwich.
9. I got dizzy from reading too much.
10. I’ve got a sore finger.
11. I’ve been bitten by an insect.
12. I was there all the time- you just didn’t notice me.
Questions:
1. Which excuse is the most believable? Why?
_____________________________________________________________________
2. Which excuse is the least believable? Why?
_____________________________________________________________________
3. Which other excuses do students give most often?
_____________________________________________________________________
IV. LANGUAGE FOCUS
POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS
mine, yours, his/ hers, ours, its, theirs
• Possessive pronoun is a part of speech that attributes ownership to someone or
something. We can use a possessive pronoun instead of a full noun phrase to
avoid repeating words.
- These glasses are mine, not yours.
• The words ‘mine’, ‘yours’ are possessive pronouns and stand for ‘my glasses’
and ‘your glasses’, respectively.
- Is that John’s car ?
No, it’s mine. (NOT No, it’s [my car].)
Whose gloves are these ? Are these yours ? (NOT Are these [your gloves] ?
• Possessive pronouns do not have an apostrophe :
Is that car yours/ hers/ ours/ theirs ?
(NOT Is that car your’s/ her’s/ our’s/ their’s ?
• We can use possessive pronouns and nouns after of. We can say:
Susan is one of my friends. > Susan is a friend of mine.
(NOT Susan is a friend of me.)
I am one of Susan's friends. > I am a friend of Susan's.
(NOT I am a friend of Susan.)
 POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES
my, your, his/ her, our, its, their
• Used to say something belongs to you.
• Always go before a noun.
What is her address ? What’s address her ?
• Remember that when we talk about parts of the body, we also use possessive
adjectives:
She broke her tibia while she was walking – her leg is now in a full Plaster of Paris
His ankles are very swollen, his foot and his toes are too.
Her fingernails need cutting.
Notes
• A possessive pronoun differs from a possessive adjective
What colour is your brother’s jacket?
His jacket is black.
(your and his are possessive adjectives. Your and his modify the noun jacket in both
examples)
- What colour is yours? - Mine is blue.
(Yours and mine are possessive pronouns – yours functions as a subject complement in
the first example, mine functions as subject in the second example.)
• ‘It’s’ is not a possessive pronoun or adjective. It is a contraction of it is or it
has.
It’s not my book. = it is not my book.
It’s got fifteen departments in this hospital. = it has got fifteen departments in this
hospital.

Subject Pronouns I you he she It we you they

Adjectives my your his her Its our your their

Possessive
Pronouns mine yours his hers its ours yours theirs
1. Write the correct words so that the second sentence means the same as the first.
1. This is Maria. She’s one of my patients.
This is Maria. She’s a patient ________________________.
2. This is Rachel. She's one of my colleagues.
This is Rachel. She's a colleague ________________________.
3. That's Mauro. He's one of our friends.
That's Mauro. He's a friend ________________________.
4. I'm Alex. I'm one of your students.
I'm Alex. I'm a ________________________.
5. Who's that lady next to Howard? Is she one of his aunts?
Who's that lady next to Howard? Is she ________________________.
6. How do you know Karolina? Are you one of her classmates?
How do you know Karolina? Are you ________________________.
7. You look like Ben and Matthew. Are you one of their relatives?
You look like Ben and Matthew. Are you ________________________.
2. Using parts of the body or a possessive adjective, complete the following sentences
1. The new baby’s got a very pretty ______, large blue eyes, a sweet little nose and a
cute mouth. She’s gorgeous!
2. Anna’s got such a long ______, ______head seems a long way from ______
shoulders! She looks like a top model!
3. Mr. Gladstone has the injections in his bottom, in the gluteus maximum muscle – in
______! (You have to alternate sides.)
4. My son has very big ______ (pl.) and has trouble finding comfortable shoes, he
prefers to wear trainers or gym shoes.
5. Mrs. Mills has rheumatoid arthritis in ______, she can’t do up the buttons on her
dressing gown. Can you help her?
6. A pulse or heartbeat can felt on the patient’s ______, over the carotid artery and
over the temporal artery in front of the ear.
7. Physiotherapists encourage people to have good posture and to keep ______ ______
straight whenever possible. Most people suffer from backache – and nurses more than
others.
8. We all have 4 ______ on each hand and 1 ______ but the digits on the feet are
called ______ and we number them from the big toe to the little toe.
9. A footprint in the sand shows the ______ including the toes and the ….... If
someone has flat feet, you can see the ‘fallen arches’ in the footprint!
10. A newborn baby’s ______ (or navel) doesn’t form until the remaining umbilical
cord atrophies (dies) and falls off. This doesn’t happen for a couple of weeks and it is
better to keep the area clean and dry.
3. Use the correct form of the words in blank to complete the sentences
1. The man plugged (he) ________ nose to avoid the bad smell.
2. Sarah could not hear well due to (she) ________ ears injury.
3. The dentist opened Carl’s mouth to look at (he) ________ teeth.
4. Mary opened (she) ________ eyes to see what was happening.
5. (She) eyes ____________ are green and (he)____________ are brown.
6. My grandfather suffers from Alzheimer’s disease and often forgets (me)
________ name.
7. Well, you see, doctor, (My) ________ have had these headaches for a week.
8. In which part of (you) ________ chest did you feel the pain?
9. The doctor placed (hers) ________ hand on the small of the patient’s back.
10. Mary and I fell down while we were riding a bicycle yesterday. Her legs had some
scratches and (I) ___________ had some bruises.
V. LISTENING
Listening 1:

1. Listen to a conversation between a doctor and a patient. Choose the correct

answers.
1. What injury does the man likely have?
A broken wrist B knee sprain C broken arm D elbow sprain
2. What does the doctor suggest happens next?
A wrap the injured area B give the man some medicine
C have the man get a X-ray D ask how the man was injured
2. Listen again and complete the conversation

Doctor: What seems to be the problem, Tommy?

Patient: (1) ________ ________ really hurts.
Doctor: I see. Where exactly does it hurt?
Patient: All over, but especially the (2) ________.
Doctor: Okay. Do you know what happened to make it hurt?
Patient: I was playing soccer and fell on (3) ________ ________.
Doctor: Yeah, that’s likely the problem. Does it hurt anywhere else?
Patient: No, just my arm
Doctor: Okay. I think it’s just an (4) ________ sprain, but we’ll take
some X-rays to make sure.

3. Use given words to make similar conversation

1. What seems/ be / problem,

Peter?

1. My/ leg/ really/ hurt. 2. I see. Where exactly/ it/ hurt?

2. Mainly around/ ankle. 3. Okay. Do you know what/
happen/ make/ it hurt?
3. I was running and fell down.
My foot/ twist 4. Yeah, that/ be/ likely/
problem. It/ hurt/ anywhere else?
4. No, just/ leg.
5. Okay. I think/ it/ be/ just/
ankle sprain, but we/ will/ take/
X-rays/ make/ sure
Listening 2

1. Listen to a conversation between a patient and a doctor. Mark the following

statements as true (T) or false (F)
1 ____ The woman’s abdomen is sore.
2 ____ The woman feels pain in her neck.
3 ____ The man will examine the patient.

2. Listen again and complete the conversation.

Doctor: Hi, Jessica. What brings you in today?

Patient: My (1) ____________ hurts.
Doctor: All right. Where does it hurt exactly?
Patient: It’s just the (2) ____________ of my back.
Doctor: Any pain near the (3) ____________ ____________ or neck?
Patient: No, that part doesn’t hurt.
Doctor: I see. Does it only hurt when you (4) ____________ ____________?
Patient: No, it hurts when I wake up in the morning too.
Doctor: Okay, I’ll (5) ____________ a look and see what I can find.

3. Use given words to make similar conversation and practice with your partner

Doctor: Hi, Mathew. What/ you/ today?

Patient: My/ chest/ hurt.
Doctor: All right. Where/ /it/ hurt/ exactly?
Patient: It/ be/ just/ above/ rib cage.
Doctor: Any pain near the neck?
Patient: No, that part/ not/ hurt.
Doctor: I see. it/ only/ hurt/ when/ you/ move/ your arms?
Patient: No, it hurt/ when/ I/ wake up/ the morning too.
Doctor: Okay, I’ll take a look and see what I can find.
 Listening 3
1. Look at the pictures and say what parts of the body they are referring to

B C D
A

G H
E F

1. ____________ 3. ____________ 5. ____________ 7. ____________

2. ____________ 4. ____________ 6. ____________ 8. ____________
2. Listen and match pictures with the conversation
1. ____________ 3. ____________ 5. ____________ 7. ____________
2. ____________ 4. ____________ 6. ____________ 8. ____________

3. With a partner, give the name of non medical terms for body parts a-k

a. _________________
b. _________________
d. _________________
e. _________________
f. _________________
g. _________________
h. _________________
i. _________________
j. _________________
k. _________________