Text: What is Diabetes?

Diabetes often referred to by doctors as diabetes mellitus, describes a group of

metabolic diseases in which the person has high blood glucose (blood sugar), either because
insulin production is inadequate, or because the body's cells do not respond properly to
insulin, or both. Not only patients with high blood sugar will typically experience frequent
5 urination. But they will also become increasingly thirsty and hungry.
Diabetes is a long-term condition that causes high blood sugar levels. In 2013 it was
estimated that over 382 million people throughout the world had diabetes. With type 1
diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. Approximately 10% of all diabetes cases are type
1. With type 2 diabetes, the body does not produce enough insulin for proper function.
10 Approximately 90% of all cases of diabetes worldwide are of this type. With gestational
diabetes, pregnant females are affected.
The most common diabetes symptoms include frequent urination, intense thirst and
hunger, weight gain, unusual weight loss, fatigue, cuts and bruises that do not heal, male
sexual dysfunction, numbness and tingling in hands and feet. If you have Type 1 and follow a
15 healthy eating plan, do adequate exercise, and take insulin, you can lead a normal life. Type 2
patients need to eat healthily, be physically active, and test their blood glucose. They may
also need to take oral medication, and insulin to control blood glucose levels.
As the risk of cardiovascular disease is much higher for a diabetic, it is crucial that
blood pressure and cholesterol levels are monitored regularly. As smoking might have a
20 serious effect on cardiovascular health, diabetics should stop smoking. Hypoglycemia can
have a bad effect on the patient. Hyperglycemia can also have a bad effect on the patient.

Adapted from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/diabetes/

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Inspection d’Académie de Dakar English Cell
Patte d’Oie Builders High School Year: Tle L
First achievement test Duration: 2 hours

Grade: __________/20 Remark: ____________________________________

Full Name: ________________________________________________________

READING COMPREHENSION (8 marks)

A. Who or what do these words refer to in the text? (1.5 marks)

1. They (line 5): ______________________________________________________________
2. That (line 13): _____________________________________________________________
3. They (line 16): _____________________________________________________________
B. Find in the text words that match these definitions (1.5 marks)
1. A serious chronic disease provoked by an abnormal high rate of sugar in the blood and
urine: ______________________________________________________________________
2. Low blood glucose: _________________________________________________________
3. High blood glucose: ________________________________________________________
C. Circle True or False (2 marks)
1. Urination, thirst and hunger keep harassing patients who suffer from high blood sugar. T /
F
2. Diabetes causes high blood sugar levels and doesn’t last very long in its process as a
disease. T / F
3. Wounds and a strong desire to drink and eat are among the symptoms diabetes face. T / F
4. People who suffer from diabetes are vulnerable to heart attack. T / F
D. Complete the passage meaningfully from words in the text (2.5 marks)
(1) ____________________ define diabetes as a problem of insulin production because of
weak body cells. (2) ____________________ who suffer from it urinate, drinks and consume
lots of food. (3) ____________________ was the time when more than 375 million of people
had diabetes. Next to (4) ____________________ of diabetics have type 1 because their bodies
are inapt to protect them with enough insulin.
E. Find the antonyms of these words in the text. The paragraphs are indicated (2

marks)
1. Low (P1): ________________________________________________________________
2. Consume (P2): _____________________________________________________________

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3. Inappropriate (P3): _________________________________________________________
4. Useless (P4): ______________________________________________________________
F. Find the synonyms of these words in the text. The paragraphs are indicated (2

marks)
1. Considered (P1): ___________________________________________________________
2. Give (P2): ________________________________________________________________
3.Cure (P3): _________________________________________________________________
4. Grave (P4): _______________________________________________________________
F. This passage is taken from the text. Fill it in while writing in full letters all the

missing numbers (2 marks)

In (1) ____________________________________________________________ it was
estimated that over (2) ___________________________________________________ million
people throughout the world had diabetes. With type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce
insulin. Approximately (3) ________________________________________ of all diabetes
cases are type 1. With type 2 diabetes, the body does not produce enough insulin for proper
function. Approximately (4) _____________________________________________ of all
cases of diabetes worldwide are of this type.
G. Find the equivalent of the French sentence below in the text. Indicate for the

underlined phrase the definition and its two reasons by quoting sentences from the

text.
French sentence: « Souvent considéré par les médecins comme le diabète sucré. »
Equivalent: _________________________________________________________________
Definition: __________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Reason 1: ___________________________________________________________________
Reason 2: ___________________________________________________________________
H. List all words or groups of words which illustrate diabetes symptoms in the text
1. _________________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________________________________
6. _________________________________________________________________________
7. _________________________________________________________________________

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8. _________________________________________________________________________

LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE

Fill in the gaps correctly with words in brackets

An (1) ____________________ (estimate) was done in 2013 to (2) ____________________
(find out) the number of diabetics in the world. With type 1 and type 2 diabetes, the body’s (3)
____________________ (produce) of insulin goes down. (4) ____________________
(pregnancy) women suffer from gestational diabetes. Diabetics are (5)

____________________ (frequent) facing problems of (6) ____________________

(incontinent) enuresis, they are always (7) ____________________ (thirst) and (8)

____________________ (hunger). They also abnormally lose (9) ____________________

(weigh) and their wounds don’t (10) ____________________ (healer) quickly.
Vocabulary in context

Task 1: Find in the list a concept for the adjectives below

List: Annoy – Happiness - Death
Adjectives: Destructive – fatal – sinister – sorrowful – lonesome – sad
Concept: ___________________________________
Task 2: Choose two adjectives in the list to characterize this word: “Pain”
List: Hurtful – lonesome – annoying – painful – deadly – murderous
Choice: __________________ ; ___________________