Listening

The Circulatory System 1

A flow chart, like this one, shows how a process begins and ends, and the steps in between.

The process can be of almost any kind, from manufacturing a tire to creating an advertisement.

Therefore, learning how to describe and explain a process in English is important. 

It’s important for teachers, engineers, and people who provide customer support.

One process that we are all familiar with is our body’s circulatory system.

This system provides oxygen throughout the body and eliminates carbon dioxide, which is a waste product.

If something goes wrong with the system, we need to repair it quickly, or we die. 

So it’s important to understand it and keep it functioning properly.

it’s important to keep it functioning properly, or we will die. 

First, the most important requirement for the system to work is a supply of air.

Without fresh air with sufficient oxygen, the process won’t keep us healthy and alive.

So the process begins by breathing in air, which happens when the lungs expand and draw in air.

Once inside the lungs, oxygen in the air is exchanged for carbon dioxide in the blood.

This exchange happens when blood cells release carbon dioxide and absorb oxygen. 

This blood is now oxygenated blood, which means it carries oxygen.

To summarize, the process begins by inhaling(吸入) air and oxygenating the blood.

The oxygenated blood in the lungs then flows back to the heart.

The CO2 which came from the blood is exhaled, and the next cycle begins.

Note that the blood in the lungs flows in a loop from the heart.

The blood which enters the loop from the heart carries carbon dioxide.

Once the carbon dioxide is exchanged for oxygen, the blood continues through the loop and exits into the heart. 

The oxygenated blood is then pumped to the rest of the body.

 inside the lungs, oxygen is exchanged for carbon dioxide.

The process begins by inhaling(吸入) air and oxygenating the blood.

From the heart it is pumped to the rest of the body.

The Circulatory System 2

As you can see, everything depends on the flow of blood to and from the heart.

So how does the heart do this?

First, the heart, which is a muscle, has 4 chambers.

From one chamber, blood is pumped to the lungs.

This is the blood that carries carbon dioxide.

When the oxygenated blood from the lungs comes back to the heart, it enters another chamber. 

This chamber is called the left atrium(心房).

Form the left atrium, the oxygenated blood is pumped into another chamber, the left ventricle(心室).

The left ventricle then pumps the blood into the aorta(大动脉), which is the largest artery(动脉) in the body.

From the aorta, the oxygenated blood passes through a network of smaller arteries throughout the entire body, including the brain.

Blood returns to the heart through a system of veins and enters the upper right chamber, the right atrium.

Now that we understand a little about the circulatory system, we can ask what it needs to operate.

Of course it can’t operate without energy.

This energy is supplied by another system, the digestive(消化) system, which gets energy from food.

And of course these systems need to be supported and controlled.

Our skeletal(骨骼) system provides support, and our muscular system provides control and movement.

Without support and movement, we couldn’t get the food that we need for energy.

Only plants can do this because they have a completely different system, which gets energy directly from the sun.

To summarize, the human body is like a huge, complex factory.

The language we use to describe how it functions is the same language we use to describe almost any industrial process.

The vocabulary is different, but the processes, flows and logical relationships are almost identical.

Think of some familiar process in your life or job and see if you can describe and explain it in English.

The human body is like a huge, complex factory.

Plants get energy directly from the sun by using photosynthesis.

This is the blood that carries carbon dioxide.

Vocabulary

Verbs About Problems

Maintain: to preserve or keep things as they are.

Our quality is excellent, so your job is to maintain our high standards and improve them if you can.

These historic buildings are very old and need to be maintained.

The house was very well maintained, even though it was extremely old.

Disrupt: to cause disorder or confusion.

Smartphones have disrupted the way we live our lives.

Investors want to invest in companies that disrupt the way things are done.

His presence in the office is disruptive, so we need to get rid of him as soon as possible.

Settle: to calm things down, or end a conflict or disagreement.

He is too upset to think clearly, so he needs to settle down.

If we can’t agree, we’ll have to go to court to settle our differences.

Solve: to figure out or find the answer or solution to a problem.

The problem is difficult so we need to find a way to solve it.

We can’t solve that problem without using a computer.

They couldn’t solve the problem until they could clearly define it.

Prove: to use evidence or logic to support an idea.

The police had to release him because they couldn’t prove that he committed the crime.

The best way to prove that something can be done is to do it.

She wants proof that I love her, but what does that mean：an expensive diamond ring?

Sometimes disruptive technologies change the world in ways we don’t like.

In mathematics, students learn how to use logic to prove things.

Verbs About Information

Exchange: to swap or change one thing for another.

When we buy something, we exchange money for the product.

In the human body, oxygen is exchanged for CO2 in the lungs.

In a meeting two people may exchange looks by nodding heads or showing emotions.

Cooperate: to work together, or collaborate.

Instead of competing with each other we should cooperate.

A good manager can get people to cooperate, even if they are on different teams.

We need him to cooperate instead of refusing to work with us.

Capture: to catch and hold something; the opposite of release.

The prisoners escaped, but they were captured within a few days.

In war, armies try to capture territory and defeat their enemies on the battlefield.

After only a short conversation, she had captured his imagination and he was hopelessly in love.

To distribute or share: to pass around or give to others unselfishly.

One reason that company is successful is that it has a profit sharing plan.

After the earthquake the army came and distributed food and water to the survivors.

Some of their profits were distributed to the most productive employees in the form of bonuses.

Eliminate(消除): to get rid of or dispose of.

Waste products must be eliminated from our bodies or we will die.

Teams were eliminated from the competition when they lost too many games.

The government is doing its best to eliminate waste and reward conservation.

Diagnose

Appearance and Career

M：How was the job interview?

W：She did well but she is so unattractive. I don't think we should hire her, certainly not for a sales position.

M：Do you really think so? That seems so unfair. Why should looks have anything to do with it?

W：It's just a basic fact of life. Tall, beautiful people have an advantage.

M：Maybe so, but we don't have to support that way of thinking.

W：Look, we have a business to run. You want me to increase sales, right?

M：Have you ever heard of Jack Ma?

W：Sure, he is the founder of a huge company in China. I believe he is one of the richest people in the world.

M：He's not good looking at all, but look how successful he is.

W：Yes, but he is an exception.

M：He faced all kinds of prejudice, but he overcame it. I really admire him.

M：Perhaps having to overcome obstacles like that made him stronger. Maybe he wouldn't have been so successful if he were good looking. Have you thought of that?

W：That may have been a factor, sure. But what about advertising? Look at all the money companies pay for models in advertising.

M：You mean the use of beautiful or strange-looking people?

W：Exactly, it's all around us because it works. People notice it.

M：As far as I'm concerned, it's just a way of fooling people into buying things that they may not need. It's all based on appearance, and I don't like it.

W：I don't disagree with you. But people don't buy something because it's good or bad. They buy something because it makes them feel good. Their decisions are based on emotion, not reason.

M：Is that why you buy things?

W：Well, it depends on the product, but yes, I guess I do. What about you?

M：I try to find out about a product before I buy it. But in some cases I'm no different from other people. I'm attracted to advertisements that get my attention.

W：That's my point. We want our salespeople to attract attention, and make people feel good.

M：OK, but I'd like our company to do better. Let's be creative and do something better.

W：I hear you, but I think you're being naive(幼稚).

M：If you think that woman was good, then let's give her a chance.

W：OK, I'll give her a chance, and I respect, but completely disagree with your decision.

M：I know, and I thank you for your honest opinion.

she disagree with his decision to hire the woman