Listening comprehension exercise
MPR: Weight loss surgery: the last resort?
by Tom Robertson, Minnesota Public Radio
June 2, 2003

Link to the audio file here: http://news.mpr.org/play/audio.php?media=/features/2003/06/02_robertsont_obesitysurgery local file

View the slide show (explicit pictures of surgery; not for the faint-hearted): http://news.mpr.org/play/slideshow.php?feature=2003%2f06%2f02_robertsont_obesitysurgery&slide=1

Vocabulary:

gastric bypass surgery
stomach stapling
Dr. Daniel Smith
surgeon
Park Rapids
procedure
operating room
ping-pong ball
spoonfuls
cottage cheese
full
severely obese
overweight
to qualify
to be out of breath
to answer the door
driveway
to puff
a good five minutes
recuperate
a flight of stairs
Solway
Red Lake Indian Reservation
slob
to bend over
to carry (= stock, offer) )a size
to admit
to overeat
psychological
to be addicted to		 excessive
to put at risk
blood pressure medication
chronic arthritis
diabetes
diet
weight-loss surgery
staples
to pop
popular
wheelchair
for vanity
to lead to
regional center
to hang around
the clinic
post-operative
to go from
kind of
to turn s.o.'s life around
to blow out
to lie flat
incision
fat layer
muscular fascia
abdomen
pouch
an entire wing
dedicated to
to hire

liquid diet
solid food
the coming weeks
astounding
media
follow-up operations
complications
D.J.
Bemidji
intestinal leak
infection
fluid
to burst out
to scramble
intensive care
to paint a clamorous picture
despite
to go through hell
grandkids = grandchildren
diarrhea
side-effect
to digest
noticeably
vitamins
regrets
to deal with one's issue with
to be years away from being available
to turn to x as one's last resort


Listening comprehension questions:
1. What is one's 'functioning stomach' like after gastric bypass surgery, a.k.a. stomach stapling?
2. What is required in order to qualify for gastric bypass surgery?
3. What happens after Gail Hocking climbs a flight of stairs?
4. How does Hocking's obesity affect her lifestyle?
5. Why does Gail eat so much?
6. What health problems does Gail have? How about her parents?
7. Why did her first attempt at weight-loss surgery fail?
8. Why was she so determined to try surgery again?
9. What does Dr. Smith say about the satisfaction level among people who have had gastric bypass surgery?
10. How does Park Rapids plan to expand its administration of this procedure?
11. What kinds of problems did Karen Thompson experience due to gastric bypass surgery?
12. How much weight did Thompson lose after the surgery?
13. What problems did Gail Hocking have after surgery, and how will her lifestyle have to change?
14. What does Hocking say the most difficult thing for her is?

home