Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Why do you think some diseases spread more easily than others?
- Can you recall any specific advice or guidelines that were shared during an outbreak you learned about?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- emergency /ih-MUR-juhn-see/
- surge /surj/
- complicate /KOM-pli-keyt/
- allocate /AL-uh-keyt/
- inform /in-FAWRM/
[noun] – an unexpected and dangerous situation that needs immediate action
Call 911 in case of an emergency.
[verb] – to increase suddenly
The crowd surged forward to see the parade.
[verb] – to make something more difficult or complex
The new rules complicated the project.
[verb] – to assign or distribute resources or tasks for a specific purpose
The manager will allocate tasks to each team member.
[verb] – to give someone information or tell them about something
She will inform you about the meeting details.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
In South Kivu province, eastern Congo, an alarming outbreak of mpox has caused major concerns due to its quick spread. The World Health Organization (WHO) has labeled the situation a global health emergency because the virus spreads mainly through skin contact. Kamituga, a mining town with about 300,000 people, is the epicenter of the outbreak. Nearly 1,000 cases have been reported there in the past year. The number of infections in Kamituga surged dramatically, increasing from 12 per week in January to 600 per week by August. The region’s poor infrastructure and limited resources are complicating efforts to control the virus.
The outbreak response has faced significant challenges due to the lack of vaccine access and difficulties reaching remote areas. Although the Congolese government has allocated over $190 million to fight mpox and purchased 3 million vaccine doses, only a small portion has reached affected areas. Local health workers are trying to inform people about symptoms like fever and blisters, but many in rural communities remain uninformed. International organizations are working to support these efforts, but funding shortages are slowing progress. The WHO is hopeful that with strong cooperation from governments and aid agencies, the outbreak could be controlled within six months.
The outbreak response has faced significant challenges due to the lack of vaccine access and difficulties reaching remote areas. Although the Congolese government has allocated over $190 million to fight mpox and purchased 3 million vaccine doses, only a small portion has reached affected areas. Local health workers are trying to inform people about symptoms like fever and blisters, but many in rural communities remain uninformed. International organizations are working to support these efforts, but funding shortages are slowing progress. The WHO is hopeful that with strong cooperation from governments and aid agencies, the outbreak could be controlled within six months.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- What has caused the concerns in South Kivu province?
- Why has the World Health Organization declared the situation a global health emergency?
- What was the weekly number of mpox cases in Kamituga in January?
- How many mpox cases were reported per week in Kamituga by August?
- What are the challenges in controlling the virus mentioned in the article?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Have you ever experienced an outbreak of illness in your community? If so, how did your community respond to it? What was the most challenging part of managing the outbreak? If not, how do you think your community would handle such a situation? What steps would be important for managing it effectively?
- Have you participated in any health awareness campaigns or emergency drills at school or work? If so, what did you learn from these experiences? How did they help you prepare for real emergencies? If not, what do you think would be the most important aspects to include in such campaigns or drills?
- Do you agree that international organizations should play a major role in responding to global health emergencies?
- What are the potential consequences of not having adequate infrastructure in place to manage a health crisis like the one described in the article?
- How important is international cooperation in controlling health emergencies, and what role should different countries play? What are the challenges and benefits of such cooperation?