Step 1: Vocabulary Log.

1.-Embark: When a person boards a type of vehicle, mainly boats.

Example: My parents embarked on a journey to see the world.

2.-Cope with: When a person faces problems and difficulties and tries to overcome
them.

Example: My friend had various difficulties in his childhood, but he was able to cope
with courage and overcome them.

3.-Stumble: When a person steps awkwardly when walking or running or when a

person falls or begins to fall.

Example: My friend running on the beach, stumbled on a log and fell on the sand.

4.-Will: When a person leaves their will through a legal declaration, on the disposition
of their property and belongings after their death.

Example: When he dies I hope that my will continues to be respected.

5.-Counseling: When a person provides help on a specific topic.

Example: My friend is a lawyer and usually counseling his clients on legal issues, so
they can make the best decision.

6.- Interpreting: It is when you give or attribute to something a certain meaning.

Example: A jury should not interpret the silence of a defendant as a sign of guilt.

7.- Impact: It is when there is a powerful effect that something, especially something
new, has on a situation or person.

Example: The anti-smoking campaign had quite an impact on young people.

8.- Reliable: It is when you can believe in someone or something because it behaves
well or works as you expect.

Example: This survey is considered to be a reliable barometer of public opinion.

9.- Revolutionized: It's when you change something completely.

Example: Newton's discoveries revolutionized physics.

10.- Advocate: It is when you publicly support or suggest an idea, development or way
of doing something.

Example: Heart disease specialists advocate a diet low in cholesterol.

11.- Environment: The air, water, and land in or on which people, animals, and plants
live.

Example: Certain chemicals have been banned because of their damaging effect on the
environment.

12.- Potential: It is when something does not manifest or does not exist but has the
possibility of being, manifesting or existing in the future.

Example: Many potential customers are waiting for a fall in prices before buying.

13.- Interaction: It is when two or more people or things communicate or react to each
other.

Example: There's not enough interaction between the management and the workers.

14.- Consensus: It is when an opinion or decision is generally accepted among a group

of people.

Example: We were unable to reach a consensus about membership fees.

15.- Aspects: It is a part of a situation, problem or a certain topic.

Example: His illness affects almost every aspect of his life.

16.- Dilemma: Situation in which you have to make a choice between two or more
difficult actions.

Example: The president is clearly in a dilemma about how to tackle the crisis.

17.- Embedded: Put something firmly and deeply into something else.

Example: A sense of guilt was deeply embedded in my conscience.

18.- Wills: legal documents that show whom you want to have your money and
property aſter you die.
Example: The heirs read the deceased woman's will.

19.- Embarking: Starting something new, difficult, or exciting.

Example: My parents embarked on a world trip.

20.- Nudge: It's when you push something or someone.

Example: He nudged the dog off the sofa so that he could sit down.

Step 2: Express Opinions act (p.72).

1. If you were in Kristen’s position, would you have chosen to be tested?

I think so, because I would like to know if I am at risk of having any disease, since in
this way I could change my lifestyle and consider treatments. I believe that having a
genetic test has many more advantages than disadvantages, and the most important
advantage is that knowing if you have the disease can save your life, as they say,
knowledge is power and in this type of case, knowing if you have a disease can decide
if you live or die, as many diseases are not treatable because they are discovered late
and when you have a disease, time is of the essence to save you. I also believe that for
news of this type you have to have all the support possible to learn to cope with this
type of news. I think that doing this type of test will definitely help you to change the
type of life you lead and as I was saying before, a test can save your life.

2. Do you think genetic testing has more potential benefits than possible problems?
Explain.

I think so, among the most outstanding benefits are being able to diagnose diseases,
identifying changes in the genes that are responsible for an already diagnosed disease,
determining the severity of a disease, being able to guide doctors to decide what will
be the best medicine or treatment for certain individuals, identify gene changes that
may increase the risk of disease, identify genetic changes that may be passed on to
children, determine the presence of certain treatable diseases in newborns, even if
test results are true genetics can be difficult to understand; however, specialists such
as geneticists and genetic counselors can help explain what the results might mean for
you and your family. Because genetic testing gives you information about your DNA,
which is shared with other family members, sometimes a genetic test result may have
implications for the blood relatives of the person tested.

3. If you had a genetic test and it indicated you were at risk for a certain disease, who
would you share the information with? Would you tell your children, brothers and
sisters, cousins? How would you make this decision? Explain

I would share this information with my family, that is, my parents and siblings, since I
believe that they are the ones who can help me cope with this news, it is never easy to
find out that you have or may contract a disease. I would make the decision based on
the fact that they are my family and that all my life they have supported me, whether
in good times or bad, they have always been there to support me and I believe that
this time will not be the exception, I also believe that I would need help from them to
be able to get ahead, in case they have children I would also tell them so that they are
informed that they have the possibility of having a hereditary disease and decide if
they want to have a genetic test to find out if they also have the disease, I think they
have the right to know , so that they can make their own decisions and move on.

Step 3: Synthesize act (p.76)

There are several similarities and differences between genetic testing and the Norman
Cousins case, as both stories explore the potential for the mind-body connection to
affect the health issues they have. In the case of genetic testing, Kristen Powers
discovers that in the near future she could have a hereditary disease and decides to
have a genetic test to find out if she can have it or not and if she is at risk of developing
the disease so that she can take preventive measures before it disease occurs, in order
to somehow control it. In the case of Norman Cousins, when he detected a serious
illness and his doctor told him that his chances of recovering were 1 in 500, he decided
not to give up and sought an alternative for his medical problem, which is why he
created Laughter Therapy, which consisted of in using the power of laughter to heal
your pain. One of the biggest differences is the scientific credentials that each case has,
for example, in the case of genetic tests, it is a method that scientists endorse, while in
the case of Norman Cousins, it is a method that, although it worked for he is not
validated. Scientifically, another difference is that scientific tests serve to prevent or
identify some type of disease while Laughter Therapy is used to reduce the pain of the
disease. Both genetic tests and Laughter Therapy are used to obtain improvements in
your health, in conclusion both stories seek to find solutions to the problems that
cause the disease and create a better lifestyle to deal with these diseases.

Step 4: Create act (p.79) Watch a video or interview either with Kristen
Powers or Norman Cousins and write a summary of the video. Use some
words from the chart on p.79.

In the year 1964 Norman Cousins began to feel bad: he felt that his joints were seizing
up until a moment came when he could barely move.

The doctors did several tests until they diagnosed him with ankylosing spondolitis,
which is a very serious and destructive form of arthritis. His doctor told him that over
time he would be completely immobile. Cousins asked what chance he had of
recovering and was told his chances were 1 in 500.

When Norman Cousins asked about the origin of the disease, they didn't give him an
encouraging answer either: from metal poisoning to streptococcus infection. He finally
asked what were his chances of staying alive, and they answered him that a few
months.

To anyone, this diagnosis would have sunk them, and depression would have killed
them even in advance. But Norman Cousins made the following reflection: if negative
moods have a chemical influence to accelerate diseases, can positive moods slow them
down?

Cousins had always been interested in medicine and that is why he had read the work
of the organic chemist Hans Selye, The Stress of Life, especially from the chemical
point of view, so he decided to undergo his own cure, based on the fact that positive
emotions of the body can produce positive chemical changes, so he created a routine
for himself.

First of all, he included in his routine an amazing habit: humor. Every day he watched
several movies, which caused him to sleep a couple of hours without pain, he also read
joke books and the journalist's physical condition was gradually improving.
The doctors began to see surprising improvements in his state of health, so much so
that little by little Norman Cousins' mobility improved and within a few months, he was
able to walk with a metal brace, the pain gradually leaving him until he was able to
return to work.

Norman Cousins made a full recovery and lived 26 more years, Norman Cousins died at
the age of 75 in 1990.

Step 5: Research Act. Unit Project (p.88) Research two genetic testing

companies and find out what services they offer.

Inbiomedic

They are a Predictive and Personalized Medicine center where we provide molecular

and genetic analysis services, as well as promote biomedical and molecular medicine

research to promote knowledge and understanding of this specialty.

This company offers 3 different types of tests:

The Onco Test PREDICES:

Analyzes 30 genes associated with 8 types of cancer. The OncoPredice test analyzes 30

genes associated with 8 types of Hereditary Cancer: Breast. Ovary, Uterus, Colorectal,

Melanoma, Pancreatic, Stomach and Prostate. 10-15% of most cancers are due to

hereditary genetic mutations, for this test a sample of saliva is needed.

The QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus test:

This test is done to determine if the person has been in contact with the tuberculosis

bacillus. A blood sample is analyzed to detect a protein, interferon gamma (IFN-γ),

produced by T lymphocytes. If the person has been in contact with Mycobacterium

tuberculosis, the test is positive, even if it does not have symptoms at the time of

examination.

Molecular PCR test:

The PCR molecular test detects the genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, that is,

the virus itself, in the 2 swab samples (oropharynx and nasopharynx) taken from

patients.

Mendelics

Mendelics is a company that is in charge of New Generation Sequencing (NGS) in Latin

America, being one of the few genomic-based laboratories in Latin America.

Among its services are:

Genetic tests for hereditary cancer:

In which they use NGS tests and MLPA tests, they are used for diagnosis (to confirm if

the cause of cancer is hereditary), to define treatments and for genetic counseling.

Exome:

Exome is a genetic diagnostic test that is performed to detect DNA changes in

approximately 20,000 genes in the human genome.

Exam test first day:

The First Day Test is a genetic test that investigates diseases that can manifest in

childhood. For this, the baby's sample is analyzed with a technique called New

Generation Sequencing, the most modern technique of genetic analysis. This

innovative approach simultaneously tracks multiple regions of the baby's genome to

identify more than 320 diseases. Direct DNA analysis has a great advantage, since it

identifies the risk of the disease before any clinical signs or symptoms.

Carrier detection test:

This is a genetic test that identifies mutations in genes related to recessive diseases,

developed for couples undergoing family planning. Understand how diseases with a

recessive inheritance pattern are shared in a family.