01355206 Academic English for Veterinary students (Semester 1/ 2021)

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Source: https://www.shutterstock.com/

Unit 2: Infographic Reading

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Watch and Listen

Video activity 1: What’s wrong with him today?

Obtaining a thorough and accurate medical history can help a vet give a proper
diagnosis and benefit both the client and the patient.

Listening Practice 1: Watch the following clip containing a dialogue between a

veterinarian and a client. Use the form below to write down information about the
patient.

Part I: Watch the clip and fill in the blank with the words you hear.

V: I’m Haley Conroy and I’m going to be doing a (1) ____________________ today.
So, first, what’s his name?
C: Rosco
V: And (2) ____________________?
C: Um, 14 weeks
V: (3) ________________________________________?
C: Um, he’s getting surgery.
V: Ok. Has he had any past (4) ____________________ or anything?
C: No.
V: Has he had any past (5) ____________________ or anything?
C: No.
V: Is he up-to-date on all of his (6) ___________________ and everything?
C: Yes.
V: Does he stay mostly (7) ____________________ or ____________________?
C: Indoors.

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V: Has he had any (8) ____________________?

C: Not at all. No skin problems. (talking to the dog) I got no skin problems.
V: Have you noticed any problems with his (9) ________, ________, or ________,
or anything?
C: No.
V: Any problems (10) ____________________?
C: No.
V: Has he stayed on (11) ____________________ pretty much long times, or any
change?
C: Yes.
V: Has there been any change or anything in his (12) ____________________?
C: No.
V: Have you noticed any (13) ________________ or ________________________
with him?
C: No.
V: Do you have any (14) ________________ or ________________ about him?
C: I don’t think so.
V: Ok. That’s everything for Rosco.
Source: Conroy, H. (2016, 23 Mar). Patient History. [Video File]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYm-rrzCQzY

Note:
V = the Vet named Haley Conroy, C = the client

Part II: Complete the following sentences using information from the dialogue.

...and everything ... or anything

‘... and everything’ and ‘... or anything’ are respectively the 2nd and 3rd most
common vague’ expressions used when the speaker deliberately wants to refer to
general meanings of people or things, etc., in question.

a. Has he had any past medical problems ____________________?

b. Has he had any past surgeries ____________________?
c. Is he up-to-date on all of his vaccinations ____________________?
d. Have you noticed any problems with his eyes, ears, or nose, ______________?
e. Has there been any change ____________________ in his bathroom habits?

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Part III: Useful expressions

A vet needs to take a medical history of patients. It is important to tell the client what
you're going to do and when you are going to do it so they will know what to expect.
Now work with your classmates to think of more questions for each topic. Then,
match the following statements with the blanks below.

A. How old is he? H. has he been treated for ticks and

B. Has he been wormed? fleas?
C. is he on any medication? I. Have you had him since he was a
D. Do you have any other pets? puppy?
E. When was he last vaccinated? J. Has he had any previous illnesses
F. he would be due in this June? or anything?
G. And did you get it from the clinic? K. do you know anything about his
history before that?
V: Hi, good morning. I'm the vet, and today I'll be taking care of our friend here. I'll
have to get some basic information from you about him, then I'll do a physical
examination. Okay?
C: Okay.
V: (1) ______________________________
C: He's ten.
V: (2) ______________________________
C: No, we rescued him from the temple when he was about a year old.
V: And (3) ______________________________
C: Only that the monk picked him up from the street.
V: So, you saved him?
C: Yes, he's been saved.
V: And has he been vaccinated? (4) ______________________________
C: Last June.
V: Right, so (5) ______________________________
C: That's right.
V: (6) ______________________________
C: Yes he has worming tablets which we give him every 3 months. He had one last
month, so it'll be two months.
V: (7) ______________________________
C: Yes. We got his tablets from the clinic.
V: And (8) ______________________________
C: Yes, he's treated for ticks and fleas and we apply that topically every month.
V: (9) ______________________________
C: No, we don't.
V: And (10) ______________________________
C: No, he's not on any medication.
V: (11) ______________________________
C: No, we've been fairly lucky with him.
V: Right, good. That's it for the basic information. Now we'll do a physical
examination and then we should have enough information to progress from
there. And see how we go.
Source: Adapted from The University of Edinburgh. (2019). EDIVET: Do you have what it takes to be a veterinarian? Consult
Part 1. Retrieved from https://www.coursera.org/lecture/becoming-a-veterinarian/consult-part-1-32F5Z
NOTE: worm (v) to give an animal, especially a pet dog or cat, medicine to kill any
worms that might be living inside it. For example, ‘Has your dog been wormed?’

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Reading practice: Infographic Reading

Do you know what an “infographic” is?

Infographics are visual representations of information, often using numbers and

proportional data to turns information into visuals or to communicate the key
message more effectively. Infographics contain two important components:
information and graphics that grab the attention of our brains and keep us engaged
with the content. They may convey a brief of news or information or an entire story
narrative by using pie charts or bar charts or inventing their own display systems.

Today we can see that more and more industries have employed infographics
including entertainment, sports, health, psychology, lifestyle, and food. Instead of
overwhelming readers with a lot of information or statistics, we can use an
infographic to send the message in a more effective way. A good example of
infographics is the news graphic that often come with a daily news report.

From the infographic below, what are advantages and disadvantages of using
infographics?

Source: Thai News Reports. [@ThaiNewsReports]. (2021, May 21.) Bangkok Post Infographic: The Government
Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) has so far taken delivery of six million doses of Covid-19 vaccine from
China's Sinovac Co, with more still to come [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/thainewsreports/status/
1395522041927798785

Advantages of infographics

An infographic turns complex information into visual graphics that are easy to
understand. As people retain approximately 83% of what they learn visually as
opposed to 20% retained by reading (Stinehour, 2014), infographics turn information
into graphics which can make it easier to grab the key points.

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Disadvantages of infographics

As you can see from an example below, you need to design a layout that will be
easy to read, select graphics that correspond with the data, and create a story
throughout the infographic to make it meaningful. Moreover, not only that
infographics require a time commitment, but because of the limited space, creators
of the infographic also need to be selective. Besides, the information on an
infographic can still be excluded or misinterpreted.
Source: Stinehour, K. (2014). Pros and Cons of eLearning Infographics. Retrieved from
https://www.digitalchalk.com/resources/blog/tips-tricks/pros-and-cons-of-elearning-infographics

Source: The Smart Local. (2021). Thailand Begins Mass Vaccination Against Covid-19 & Launches Registration
For Foreigners. Retrieved from https://thesmartlocal.com/thailand/thailand-mass-vaccination-2021/

Infographic Reading
Every infographic has a central theme or idea, or what is the creators trying to
communicate? What are they trying to get the reader to know and to understand?
The SAT college admissions test, a standardized test widely used for college
admissions in the United States, also acknowledge the importance of graphic
literacy, or understanding of graphic representations, by increasing the use of
graphic-type questions in both the reading and math sections. As the sciences are
one discipline which regularly employs infographics to explain some complicated
concepts, in this unit, you will learn to read and practice your reading skills scanning
and understanding these infographics.
Source: Baker, F. (2017) Media Literacy: How To Close Read Infographics. Retrieved from
https://www.middleweb.com/34963/media-literacy-how-to-close-read-infographics/

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Reading practice 1: Scanning through Infographics

Exercise 1: Scan an infographic to find answers for the following questions.

Source: Guthrie Pet Hospital (n.d.) Mighty mosquito. https://www.guthriepet.net/ blog/7-need-to-know-heartworms/ mighty-
mosquito/

1) What is the title of the text? __________________________________________

2) Based on the title, why does the creator use the word ‘mighty’?
___________________________________________________________________
3) What does ‘She’ refer to?
___________________________________________________________________
4) What do the following statements mean?
• She’s tough.: ____________________________
• She’s mobile.: ____________________________
• She’s hungry.: ____________________________
• She’s sneaky.: ____________________________
5) According to the text, why is the mosquito season ‘impossible’ to predict’?
___________________________________________________________________

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Exercise 2: Scan an infographic to find answers for the following questions.

Source: Petplan Pet Insurance. (n.d.). Pet Health Tips: Reminder: Pup-er Dental Care Helps Your Pet Live Longer!
https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/ 181269953726432142/

1) What is the title of the text? __________________________________________

2) Why can ‘Good dental care help a pet live longer’?
___________________________________________________________________
3) What does 59% refer to?
___________________________________________________________________
4) Which household pets have more dental problems? Why?
___________________________________________________________________
5) From the poster, we can infer that __________.
a) cats and dogs can be trained to brush their teeth
b) there are toothbrush and toothpaste specially made for cats and dogs
c) pets that have regular dental check-up may live longer
d) pets tend to have dental problems rather than problems with their heart, kidney
or lung functions

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Exercise 3: Scan an infographic to find answers for the following questions.

Source: GOOD NEWS FOR PETS. (2016). What are the most common signs of pain in your pet?
http://goodnewsforpets.com/q-common-signs-pain-pet/

1) How many signs of pain mentioned in the poster? _________________________

2) Why do pet owners need to be aware of these pains?
___________________________________________________________________
3) Based on the text, give two examples of illnesses that can be noticed by these
signs of pains in pets.
___________________________________________________________________
4) What signs can help the owners notice that their pets might experience
‘Osteoarthritis’?
___________________________________________________________________
5) Which sign might only apply to cats? ___________________________________

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Exercise 4: Scan an infographic to find answers for the following questions.

1) What do ‘fit’ and ‘fat’ refer to?

___________________________________________________________________
2) Based on the text, what is a guideline that pet owners use to check the pets by
themselves?
___________________________________________________________________
3) What does a defined ‘waist’ in dogs and cats refers to?
___________________________________________________________________
4) If pet owners ‘see all of a pet’s ribs and spine’, this means __________________
________________________________________________________. However,
if pet owners ‘have to press hard to find a pet’s ribs under fat’, this means
________________________________________________________________.
5) What do the numbers (1-5) on the weight scale inform pets’ owners?
1 = _______________, 2 = _______________, 3 = _______________,
4 = _______________, 5 = ________________

6) What can be ‘ideal’ qualities of a ‘fit’ pet? Describe them.

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

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Source: Pet Health and Wellness. (n.d.). Not Sure if Your Pet Is Fit or Fat?
http://www.doggroomingshop.net/index.php/2015/08/27/not-sure-if-your-pet-is-fit-or-fat/

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Grammar for Writing

Source: 1. 01355206 Technical English for Veterinarian students. Academic year 1/2017. Department
of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Humanities, Kasetsart University.
2. Muangsamai, P. 3rd Ed. (2013). Basic English in Science. Department of Foreign
Languages, Faculty of Humanities, Kasetsart University. Danex Intercorporation: Bangkok.

Writing practice 1: How to write and explain a definition

There are several ways to define a term using understandable facts or examples. To
fully explain your definition, you need examples that will best help readers
understand the term or examples or a brief story that reveal the term's meaning, not
examples that will not support the definition. You need to understand the term before
you can define it for others. It is also important to limit your term before you start
defining it. You can use a dictionary, but try to explain the term briefly in your own
words.

A formal definition consists of three parts.

1. Term 2. Verb 3. Specification

The term (word or is The class of object The different
phrase) to be defined is/can be or concept which characteristics that
defined as the term belongs. distinguish the term
means/ from others.
refers to

Example:
A goldendoodle is a type of a cross-breed dog, which is obtained by breeding a
Golden Retriever with a Poodle.
Source: Goldendoodle. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldendoodle

A variety of techniques can be used in writing a formal definition and an extended

definition. Here are some more examples:

I. Define by description, classification, structure or function.

Explain what the term is, or does, how the term works, is organized, or put together.
Specification
Term Verb
Class/ Category Characteristic
A mobile which involves vaccinations and
vet/ a mixed veterinary treatments of pets such as dogs and
A mobile practice cats, and also some large animal work
veterinary such as cows and horses.
clinic/ is/ means that may be moved from one location
an animal house-
A mobile to another to deliver of veterinary
call practice
veterinary services.
service/ a form of that has become increasingly popular
A veterinary veterinary practice due to strong demand from pet owners

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house seeking the convenience of at-home

call service animal services.

caring for pets that cannot be brought

to a clinic or a pet hospital.
a type of focused on caring for patients in the
veterinary mobile comfort of their homes.
services/
provided by a veterinarian at an animal
veterinary
owner's premises.
treatment services

II. Define by what the term does not mean. Or illustrate the differences, which
are special characteristics that make the term stand out, or compare the term to
other members of its class. This can sometimes clarify a definition and help a reader
to better understand it.

→ A mobile veterinary clinic is not a regular veterinary hospital or clinic, but it refers
to a veterinary house call service, a specified range of veterinary services provided
by a veterinarian at an animal owner’s premises.

→ Unlike other types of regular vets, house call vets is mobile veterinarians who are
available to accommodate the needs of clients.

→ While regular vets treat patients at a hospital or clinic, mobile vets focus on a
house-call practice caring for patients in the comfort of their homes.

Exercise 1: Explain the following word using the structure I and II (See p.11-12)

1. Term 2. Verb 3. Specification

(class + characteristic)
Veterinary students

Exercise 2: Answer the following questions.

1. In pairs or groups of 2 or 3, google ONE field of veterinary practice. Then, write

their definitions based on the information you have found (in your own words).
Prepare to share them with the class.
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Writing practice 2: Relative clauses: how to use relative clauses

to create a formal and extended definition

Relative clauses can be used to define, describe or add extra information about
nouns. Most relative clauses start with relative pronouns such as who, which, that,
whose, or relative adverbs such as when and where.
Two types of structure of a formal definition are as follows;
(1) Adjective clauses construction
(2) Reduced adjective clauses construction

1. Adjective clauses construction

Specification
Term Verb
Class/ Category Characteristic
Lyme disease is a disease which is caused by
bacteria that are
transmitted to humans
through a bite from an
infected black-legged tick.
the most common which can only be passed
tick-borne infectious on through the bites of
disease in the certain kinds of tick.
United States

Note:

• Do not use ‘thing’ to specify the class. Be specific.

✘A is a thing that..
✔A is a tool that..

• Define a word with simple and familiar terms. Use the same parts of speech for
both the term and the class; a noun with a noun, a verb with a verb, and so forth.
✘ Restraint (N) is defined as controlling (V) an animal..
✔Restraint (N) is defined as control (N) of an animal ..

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Exercise 3: What is a definition of the following terms?

Directions: Combine the following sentences and use relative clauses and the
structure of a formal definition pattern (term + definition) to add information wherever
appropriate. Be selective. (Remove unnecessary information.)

Example:

Pyoderma refers to a bacterial infection of the skin that is very common in dogs.
Lesions and pustules (inflamed pus-filled swelling) on the skin, and in some cases
partial hair loss, often characterize the infection.

→ Pyoderma refers to a common bacterial infection of the skin in dogs causing

lesions and pustules (inflamed pus-filled swelling) on the skin, and partial hair loss in
some cases.

1. Rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease. Rabies causes a severe paralysis of the

central nervous system.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

2. Canine scabies is a type of mange caused by Sarcoptic Mite. The infection

causes the skin to show small red, puss filled bumps, and often look crusty.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

3. Entropion is when a dog’s top eyelid turns inward. It causes the eyelashes to rub
against the eye.
__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

4. The pericardium is the fibroserous covering of the heart. It is a thin but strong
layer consisting of three inseparable components.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

5. Cherry eye in dogs happens when a dog’s eyelid becomes disconnected and
protrudes out of the inside corner of the eye. The only treatment for it is surgery.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

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6. The H1N1 variant of the influenza virus is contagious to cats as well as to people.
Symptoms may range from very mild to extremely severe and some infected cats
may show no signs of disease at all.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

7. Dog flatulence, or known as passing gas, can be annoying. Most causes are food
related. Some dog foods, even high-quality brands can cause gas.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

8. Hip dysplasia in dogs is one of the worst causes of dog joint pain. Hip dysplasia
happens when the hip joint isn't formed right.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

9. Telemedicine is the use of electronic communication and information technologies

to provide clinical healthcare remotely. Telemedicine extends to the provision of
veterinary services by video link, text, instant messaging, or telephone.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

10. Separation anxiety is an unwelcome condition that can be a result of excessive

attachment. Cats can develop separation anxiety syndrome and show many of the
same signs that are seen in dogs.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Source: http://www.lets-talk-dog-health-problems.com/dog-eye-problems.html
https://www.petmd.com/

Writing practice 3: Reduced adjective clauses construction

Why is it called ‘reduced’?

In a formal definition, a full form of adjective clauses can be reduced to an adjective

phrase. This type of clause is called reduced because it is a reduction of a full
adjective clause. Reduced adjective clauses [(which/that) + clause] are also possible
for writing a definition.
Source: https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/quick-grammar/relative-clauses-defining-relative-clauses

Full adjective clause An emergency room (ER) doctor is a doctor or physician

who treats and cares for patients admitted to an
emergency room or urgent care facility.
Reduced adjective An emergency room (ER) doctor is a doctor or physician
clause treating and caring for patients admitted to an

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emergency room or urgent care facility.

There are two distinctions of the reduced clause:

1. The reduced clause does not have a relative pronoun (it does not have ‘which’ or
‘that’) and does not have a verb; it has a participle. In the example above, the
participle is ‘treating and caring’.

Full adjective clause A cardiologist is a doctor who specializes in treating

medical conditions of the heart.
Reduced adjective A cardiologist is a doctor __________ in treating medical
clause conditions of the heart.

Full adjective clause An ophthalmologist is a doctor who specializes in

treatment of the eyes and eye diseases.
Reduced adjective An ophthalmologist is a doctor ___________ in treatment
clause of the eyes and eye diseases.

2. A reduced adjective clause usually works like an ordinary adjective clause, it

follows the noun it describes. From the two examples, we have the noun
(‘cardiologist’ and ‘ophthalmologist’) and then we have the reduced clause that
describes it. Using reduced adjective clauses construction to write the structure
for definition can be as follows:

Specification
Verb/ Verb
Term Class/
Phrases Characteristic
Category
a stethoscope is a medical that allows a doctor to listen
device/ to your heart, lungs, or other
equipment part of your body.
__________ a doctor to listen
to your heart, lungs, or other
part of your body.
that doctors use to listen to
your heart and lungs.
__________ (by doctors) to
listen to your heart and lungs.

Exercise 4: Combine the following sentences using the relative pronouns. Then,
use reduced adjective clauses construction wherever appropriate.

→ Veterinary medicine is a branch of medicine dealing with the prevention,

diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in all animal species, both
domesticated and wild.

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1. The novel infection Covid-19 emerged in China in late 2019. Covid-19 is caused
by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

2. Holistic veterinary medicine is a type of veterinary medicine that uses alternative

therapies in the treatment of animals. Alternative therapies offered by a holistic
veterinarian may include acupuncture, herbal medicine, homeopathy and
chiropractic.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

3. A heart murmur in dogs is basically an irregular heartbeat. Canine heart murmur is

caused when the blood is not flowing normally which causes a communication
disconnect between the Right and Left sides of the heart.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

4. Cataracts in dogs happens when the eye's lens becomes cloudy for various
reasons. Often cataracts happen as a result of the aging process, but they can also
be caused by canine diabetes and can also be a hereditary trait.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

5. Canine gastritis is basically inflammation of the stomach lining. When the stomach
lining is inflamed, it doesn't work like it's supposed to, which is to help digest food
and protect the rest of the body from acids in the stomach.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

6. The pharynx is a passage that is common, in part, to both the respiratory and
digestive systems. The pharynx is located between the oral cavity and esophagus
and is divided into oral, nasal, and laryngeal parts.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

7. Canine glaucoma happens when the fluid in a dog’s eye does not drain properly.
The fluid that is supposed to flow in and out of the eye in a balanced way builds up
and causes serious damage to the eye.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

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8. Salmonellosis is an infection caused by the Salmonella bacteria. Although rare in

pet hamsters, it is usually spread due to ingestion of food and water contaminated
with infected feces or urine of wild rodents.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
9. Virtual care includes any interaction of care that occurs remotely, using any form
of technology, with the goal of delivering quality and effective patient care. It
encompasses telehealth, telemedicine, and mobile health.
___________________________________________________________________

10. Leptospirosis is an infectious disease caused by a type of bacteria called

Leptospira. The disease causes serious damage to the kidney and liver and may be
fatal in severe cases.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Writing Practice 4: Planning and writing a paragraph, a topic

sentence and a concluding sentence.
A paragraph is a group of about 6 - 12 sentences focusing on one topic. A topic is a
word or phrase (a few words) that tells what something is about. Every sentence in a
strong paragraph focuses on the same topic. All of the sentences explain the writer’s
main idea (most important idea) about that topic. When the writer wants to write
about a new main idea, he/she begins a new paragraph. A paragraph can give
information, tell an opinion, explain something, or even tell a short story. The
sentences are arranged logically, so the reader can easily understand what the
writer wants to say.

Exercise 1: Read the passage about Heart worms in dogs below. Then, fill in the
blanks to create its formal definition. Be selective.

Specification
Term Verb
Class/ Category Characteristic

Canine heart ……………… …………………………… ……………………………

worms ……………… …………………………… ……………………………

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Heart worms in dogs are one of the most dangerous parasites a dog can
deal with. These parasites are one of the major causes of canine heart disease.
They are very dangerous and often fatal. The reason they are called heartworms
is because in their adult form, they infest the right atrium of a dog’s heart, and start to
reproduce. Once they are at this stage, the heart can become seriously damaged.
Treatment for a bad infestation of heartworm can cause serious side-effects for a
dog, and even be fatal. The very best thing you can do to protect your dog from a
heart worm infestation is to prevent it. There are a lot of products on the market to
prevent heart worms in dogs, some are better and safer than others. Heart worms
are contagious, but not in same way as other parasites. The most common way a
dog contracts them, is by being bitten by a mosquito that has also bitten another
infected dog.
Which sentence (in the above paragraph) tells you the following information?

• Sentence ….. is a topic sentence or a typical one-sentence definition of

the heart worms in dogs.
• Sentence ….. supports a topic sentence and adds more information on a
definition. It classifies heart worms as parasites that are
one of major causes of canine heart disease.
• Sentence ….. supports a topic sentence and adds more information that
they are very dangerous and often fatal.
• Sentence ….. supports a topic sentence and identifies more
characteristics, states a reason why they are called heartworms.
• Sentence ….. supports a topic sentence and adds more information that
the heart can become seriously damaged.
• Sentence ….. supports a topic sentence and adds more information
about serious side-effects of treatment for a bad infestation.
• Sentence ….. and ….. support a topic sentence and give examples (of
treatments and products to prevent heart worms).
• Sentence ….. and ….. support a topic sentence and identify more
characteristics. Heart worms are contagious, but not in
same way as other parasites.

Exercise 4: Is the above paragraph well-organised? If not, reorder the sentences to

make a well-organised paragraph. Make it concise and start the paragraph by using
your own definition. Add a concluding sentence for the paragraph, if it is needed.

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01355206 Academic English for Veterinary students (Semester 1/ 2021)
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