As a physician who travels quite a lot, I spend a lot of time on planes listening for that dreaded “Is there a doctor on board?” announcement. I’ve been __1__ only once—for a woman who had merely fainted. But the __2__ made me quite curious about how __3__ this kind of thing happens.I wondered what I would do if __4__ with a real midair medical emergency-without access __5__ a hospital staff the usual emergency equipment. So __6__ the New England Journal of Medicine last week __7__ a study about in-flight medical events,I read it __8__ interest.
The study estimated that there are a(n) __9__ of 30 in-flight medical emergencies on U.S. flights every day. Most of them are not __10__; fainting and dizziness are the most frequent complaints. __11__ 13% of them –roughly four a day—are serious enough to __12__ a pilot to change course. The most common of the serious emergencies __13__ heart trouble, strokes,difficulty breathing.
Let’s face it: plane rides are __14__. For starters, cabin pressures at high altitudes are set at roughly __15__ they would be if you lived at 5,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level. Most people can tolerate these pressures pretty __86__, but passengers with heart disease __17__ experience chest pains as result of the reduced amount of oxygen flowing through their blood. __18__ common in-flight problem is deep venous thrombosis—the so-called economy class syndrome (综合症).__19__ happens, don’t panic. Things are getting better on the in-flight-emergency front. Thanks to more recent legislation, flights with at __20__ one attendant are starting to install emergency medical kits to treat heart attacks.
1.A) called B) addressed C) informed D) surveyed
2.A) Accident B) condition C) incident D) disaster
3.A) soon B) long C) many D) often
4.A) confronted B) treated C) identified D) provided
5.A) for B) to C) by D) through
6.A) before B) since C) when D) while
7.A) collected B) conducted C) discovered D) published
8.A) by B) of C) with D) in
9.A) amount B) average C) sum D) number
10.A) significant B) heavy C) common D) serious
11.A) For B) On C) But D) So
12.A) require B) inspire C) engage D) command
13.A) include B) confine C) imply D) contain
14.A) enjoyable B) stimulating C) tedious D) stressful
15.A) who B) what C) which D) that
16.A) harshly B) reluctantly C) easily D) casually
17.A) ought to B) may C) used to D) need
18.A) Any B) One C) Other D) Another
19.A) Whatever B) Whichever C) Whenever D) Wherever
20.A) most B) worst C) least D) best