Reading comprehension Home Exercise- 18 PASSAGE A

Arteries of the heart blocked by plaque can reduce the flow of blood to the heart possibly resulting in heart attack or death. Plaque is actually fat and cholesterol that accumulates on the inside of the arteries. The arteries of the heart are small and can be blocked by such accumulations. There is a medical procedure that creates more space in the blocked artery by inserting and inflating a tiny balloon into the blood vessel. It is called coronary balloon angioplasty. Angioplasty means “blood vessel repair. “When the balloon is inflated, it compresses the plaque against the wall of the artery, creating more space and improving the flow of blood.

 Many doctors choose this technique, because it is less invasive than bypass surgery. Yes, both involve entering the body cavity, but in bypass surgery, the chest must be opened, the ribs must be cut, and the section of diseased artery must be removed and replaced. To replace it, the patient’s body is opened, once again, to acquire a healthy section of artery. Usually, this blood vessel is removed from an artery located in the calf of the leg. This means the patient now has two painful incisions hat must heal at the same time. There is far more risk in such bypass surgery than in angioplasty, which involves threading a thin tube, called a catheter, into the circulatory system and working it to the damaged artery.

Angioplasty may take between 30 minutes to 3 hours to complete. It begins with a distinctive dye that is injected into the bloodstream. A thin catheter is then inserted into the femoral artery of the leg, near the groin. The doctor monitors the path of the dye using x-rays. He moves the tube through the heart and into plaque –filled artery. He inflates the balloon. Creating more space, deflates the balloon, and removes the tube. It is important to note that the plaque has not been removed; it has just been compressed against the sides of the artery. Sometimes, a stent may be implanted a tiny tube of stainless steel that is expandable when necessary. Its function is to keep the artery open.

There is good news and there is bad news. The good news is that the statistics compiled are superb. Ninety percent of all angioplasty procedures are successful. The risk of dying during an operation of this type is less than 2%. The risk of heart attack is also small: 3-5% .Yet heart surgeons do not take any risk lightly; therefore, a team of surgeons stands ready to perform bypass surgery if needed. The length of hospitalization is only three days. The bad news is twofold. First, this procedure treats the condition but does not eradicate the cause. In 20% of the cases, there is a recurrence of plaque. Second, angioplasty is not recommended for all patients. The surgeons must consider the patient’s age physical history, how severe the blockage is, and, finally, the degree of damage to the artery before they make their determination.

1.       When coronary arteries are blocked by plaque, one of the results could be

A.      Stroke

B.      Heart attack

C.      Hospitalization

D.      Femoral artery deterioration

2.       According to the passage, angioplasty is defined as

A.      A tiny balloon

B.      A plaque –laden artery

C.      Blood vessel repair

D.      Bypass surgery

3.       It can be inferred from the passage that invasive most closely means

A.      Entering the body cavity

B.      Causing infection

C.      Resulting in hospitalization

D.      Requiring a specialist’s opinion

4.       The angioplasty procedure begins with

A.      A thin catheter being inserted into the femoral artery

B.      A balloon being inflated in the heart

C.      a special dye being injected into the bloodstream

D.      A healthy artery being removed from the calf.

5.       It can be inferred from the passage that

A.      Healthy artery is removed and awaits possible bypass surgery

B.      Patients have trouble accepting the idea that a tiny balloon will cure the problem

C.      3-5% of the patients refuse to undergo this procedure

D.      Surgeons do not take even a 2% chance of death lightly

6.       Which one of the following statement is true?

A.      The plaque that has caused the problem is not removed during angioplasty.

B.      The risk of drying during an angioplasty procedure is 3-5%

C.      The coronary balloon angioplasty is a separate procedure from inflating a balloon into a blocked artery

D.      All of the above statement are true

Answer:

1.        B   Refer to the first sentence of the passage.

2.       C  Clearly defined in the first paragraph.

3.       A   The direst and second sentences of paragraph 2 state how both procedures, angioplasty and bypass surgery, are invasive because “both involve entering the body cavity.” None of the other choices are supported or implied as a definition for invasive.

4.       C     the procedure is detailed in paragraph 3. It begins with injecting a special dye. Choice a and B follow later in the procedure, whereas choice d deals with bypass surgery rather than the angioplasty procedure.

5.       B   This answer can be found in paragraph 4. A team of surgeons stands ready to perform bypass surgery even though the risk factor of death is only 2%. Choice a is not supported in the passage. Choices c and d are incorrect because the passage does not discuss patient reaction at all.

6.       A   Refer to the third paragraph.” It is important to note that the plaque has not been removed “. Hence A.