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Acupuncture

Acupuncture English, baby! Video Lesson

Date: Jun 29 2007

Themes: Health

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Believe it or not, medicine wasn’t invented in the 20th Century. Ancient peoples had a variety of ways of curing problems that people continue to suffer from today. In fact, in recent years, older, natural forms of healing like acupuncture and herbs have been getting more and more popular.

Marni recently went to an acupuncturist, a person who cures pain by putting needles in specific points on the body. When she tells Amanda about it, it turns out that she too has had success with natural healing.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Marni

Amanda

Amanda

Marni:  So I was having a little bit of pain in my shoulder recently and I went to get some acupuncture done and it was fantastic.

Amanda:  Did it hurt?

Marni:  No, it works like a charm.

Amanda:  You didn’t feel the pinprick you at all?

Marni:  The pinprick, it’s pretty minimal. And the pain relief…I also kinda have this thing where I kind of have a little obsession with getting weird things done. Well, not that acupuncture is weird, it’s an ancient healing art, but just the concept of like getting pricked with needles is just kind of a…

Amanda:  So you might like tattoos too?

Marni:  Yes, but on the healing aspect of it…

Amanda:  Not the pain aspect of it.

Marni:  Exactly.

Amanda:  See I suffer from irritable bowel syndrome…

Marni:  Really?

Amanda:  ...so I was on every medication known to man for seven to ten years and then finally my parents and my grandparents recommended I see a Chinese herbal doctor. Put me on Chinese herbs that smelled so pungent and disgusting that when I took it at work everyone would run…

Marni:  Really? Huh…

Amanda:  But, I took it three times a day for a year and nothing had had the effect like those had on my stomach. Nothing. Isn’t that amazing? I mean there was roots in there and ginger…rhinoceros nose…

Marni:  Wow. So do you still have to take this, or…

Amanda:  I should but it was so spendy because insurance did not cover it.

Marni:  Oh yeah, that’s the thing about it, you know.

 

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Discussion

Marni went to get acupuncture because she had some pain in her shoulder. Amanda, like most people who have never had acupuncture, finds it hard to believe that the needles don’t hurt, but Marni says she could barely feel them. In fact, Marni says that she likes the idea of healing through needles.

Amanda says that she has irritable bowel syndrome, a disorder that causes stomach pain. For years she took many different medicines, and eventually her family recommended she try a doctor of Chinese herbs. He gave her medicine that smelled very strongly because it had many strange ingredients, but it worked really well. She says she would still be taking it if it weren’t so expensive. Insurance companies usually don’t cover natural medicine.

Have you ever had acupuncture or tried herbs? Do you use natural medicine? Would you if insurance covered it?

 

Comments

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Crizsearch

Crizsearch

Indonesia

I have never had acupuncture before but I have seen the Chinese doctor did that to his patients and I was little bit freak out but the patients said it doesn’t hurt, :D funny right? And I don’t use natural medicine either and if there a chice I really don’t wanna take any medicine, so far when the pain s=doesn’t really hurt me, I just refuse to take a medicine or any other pills. :D

02:16 PM Jun 13 2012 |

becika

Croatia

I had acupuncture treatments when I was pregnant, because of so strong nausea.


After that I needed to go to hospital to take infusion because I couldnt even drink a water. It was very hard to me, these days. I thought It woud help me. There where manny woman who wanted remove kiloes. I agree with Marni, it relly doest hurt at all. The pinprick is pretty minimal.

05:47 AM Aug 15 2011 |

Ahshan

Ahshan

China

I am a chinese,so i know a little bit ot acupuncture. as far as i know the acupuncture is a fantastic way to cure illness. but i am always obsession with how it works!

11:53 PM Apr 15 2010 |

Naomi1010

Naomi1010

Taiwan

That’s cool!!

04:03 AM Nov 09 2008 |

kotopaksi

kotopaksi

Latvia

i believe – all kinds of medicine should be good and work by charm. but – u must be an expert on that what r u doing. even small mistake, moreover if it's in accupuncture, can destroy patients lifes. Frown

01:33 AM Oct 31 2008 |

alesander

alesander

Portugal

is the best ever

07:09 PM Oct 29 2008 |

montblanc

Italy

I have tried it once some years ago for anxiety problems and it worked very well.

05:22 PM Oct 15 2008 |

hdboy

China

Acupuncture works by helping your immunity system cure you,not by kill the vitus.

02:39 AM Sep 20 2008 |

alaaasd

alaaasd

Jordan

I Like that I hope to do that

 

06:38 PM Jul 07 2008 |

Amhere

China

oh am surprised to here that even the chinese residents don't even know acupuncture ….

I have never tried it…but I got this feeling …I definately want to feel the little shine sharp needles prickle my flesh

Curiosity….curiosity….curiosity 

04:11 PM Jun 06 2008 |

giska

Congo, Democratic Republic Of The

I never try it because I find it so strange. I just trust in modern medicine. I know some people in my country who already try it and find it good.

08:18 AM May 14 2008 |

mike20012

mike20012

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I am wondrering. how chinease and even some other people trust these old way of treatment.

06:20 AM Apr 25 2008 |

vague

vague

Yemen

i have never tried acupuncture or herbs,but i heard that acupuncture is helpful,i got some relatives who work in China and told me about it.

08:58 PM Mar 16 2008 |

joetable

joetable

Peru

once upon a time not so along ago .I`ve tried and i can tell you that its not cause pain, It relax your body. 

04:30 PM Oct 25 2007 |

Astaldo

Astaldo

China

We must be cherish it,because may be we will never see it again.The Accupuncture is decline in china…

03:52 PM Oct 25 2007 |

Mumen

China

Embarassedplease tell me what it is!

12:01 PM Oct 22 2007 |

Mumen

China

oh,my god!I don’t know how to use it….

11:59 AM Oct 22 2007 |

Kami_

Kami_

Poland

If you don`t like a needle, try out  acupressure.

Acupressure is an ancient healing art that uses the fingers to press potent points on the whole body.

It works like acupuncture, but never hurt!

09:32 PM Oct 20 2007 |

andrea_n

Czech Republic

You hate needle – me too. But you can't feel the pain and that's the point of acupuncture. It really works and it's great if you are after accident or if you have some pain which common doctor is not able to cure.

09:22 PM Oct 17 2007 |

flu1

Turkey

 ı am a doctor and strtng to study physical medicine in my country,ı m really interseted in acapuncture,and really want to learn it,but ı dont know how ı can learn it?should ı learn chinese and ı wonder how long ı should study for learng ths,wish anyone give me answers,it s really seen fantastic!!!

07:54 PM Oct 16 2007 |

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