Communicative English Language Skills II

Assignment-2
Name: Kibur Dawit
Id: UU78344R Section: special-29

Activity 2.2:
1. What is the main idea of the paragraph?
The main idea of the paragraph is about an African researcher's progress in using a pesticide
from an indigenous plant to combat bilharzia, a parasitic disease affecting millions of people
in the Third World.
2. What do you think the next paragraphs will be about?
The next paragraphs will likely provide more information about the significance of bilharzia,
its impact on different continents, the challenges in combating it, and the researcher's efforts
to find a solution.
Activity 2.3:
1. What are the ideas of each of the paragraphs above?
Paragraph 1: Introduction to an African researcher's progress in using a pesticide to combat
bilharzia.
Paragraph 2: Information about the widespread and serious nature of bilharzia, its
transmission, and its impact on poorer communities.
Paragraph 3: Introduction to Dr. Aklilu Lemma's work in Ethiopia, using a pesticide from an
indigenous plant for bilharzia control.
2. How are the ideas related?
The paragraphs are related by discussing the problem of bilharzia, its impact, and the
researcher's efforts to combat it using an innovative approach involving an indigenous plant.
3. Write the summary of the paragraphs above in three or four lines.
The passage introduces an African researcher's progress in using an indigenous plant's
pesticide to combat bilharzia, a disease affecting millions across continents. It highlights the
unique challenges posed by bilharzia and introduces Dr. Aklilu Lemma's work in Ethiopia,
focusing on an innovative solution using a locally occurring plant.
Activity 2.4:
1. Make notes on the ideas in the above two paragraphs. Then,
a) How do you express the life cycle of bilharzia in one or two sentences?
The bilharzia parasite relies on water snails as intermediate hosts. Infected individuals excrete
eggs that hatch into forms seeking snail hosts. The parasite's lifecycle involves infecting
humans through skin contact with water containing certain forms.
b) How is bilharzia controlled?
Bilharzia is controlled by eradicating snails, preventing water contact with infected humans,
and focusing on snail eradication as a primary control method.
2. What do you think Dr. Lemma’s finding will be as a solution to the problems we face
because of bilharzia?
Dr. Lemma's findings could provide a practical and effective solution to bilharzia control,
using a pesticide derived from an indigenous plant. This approach has the potential to address
the challenges of treating and controlling the disease in poorer communities, particularly in
Ethiopia and possibly other countries.
Activity 2.6:
1. What are the three continents that were ravaged by Bilharzia?
Bilharzia has affected three continents: Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
2. What are the symptoms of Bilharzia?
The symptoms of Bilharzia include internal bleeding, malfunctions of the bladder, liver, and
intestines. The disease saps energy, shortens lifespan, and causes debilitating effects,
although it doesn't significantly contribute to mortality statistics.
3. Why is it easy to apply Aklilu’s pesticide in developing countries?
Aklilu's pesticide, derived from the endod plant, is easy to apply in developing countries
because the plant is locally available, and its extract can be obtained at a low cost. This
makes it practical for community-scale bilharzia control.
4. Why is malaria’s vector considered ‘democratic’ by the author?
Malaria's vector, the mosquito, is considered 'democratic' by the author because it affects
people from various economic backgrounds, including both rich and poor communities. It
doesn't discriminate based on economic status.
5. Why did the author describe the discovery of the cure for Bilharzia at Adwa
incidental?
The author described the discovery of the cure for Bilharzia at Adwa as incidental because
Dr. Lemma stumbled upon the solution while conducting a snail population survey in the
region. It wasn't a planned discovery but rather a fortunate accident.
6. What made the project on Endod different from other projects in health?
The project on Endod is different from other health projects due to its simplicity and local
applicability. It involves using a readily available plant to create a pesticide, which is easy to
apply, cost-effective, and suitable for community-based bilharzia control.
7. How is Bilharzia transmitted to humans?
Bilharzia is transmitted to humans through water contaminated with infected snails. The
parasite's eggs hatch in water, and the intermediate form seeks out snail hosts. Upon further
development in snails, the parasite is released into the water and can penetrate human skin,
causing infection.