B1 — Intermediate
Hundreds of thousands of people undergo knee surgery each year. According to the surgeons who conducted a study in Finland, some knee procedures may only worsen knee problems.
Read this article about the study concluding that some knee surgeries can make knee problems worse.
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2607/260716-knee-surgery.html
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “tear” mean here: ”They found that surgery on tears in the knee cartilage rarely worked. ” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.
- What does “relief” mean? ”She said her method could provide years of relief by reducing pain inside the knee joint.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.
- What does “joint” mean here: ”She said her method could provide years of relief by reducing pain inside the knee joint.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.
Discussion Questions:
- Were you surprised by the findings of the Finnish study? Why or why not?
- If you had chronic knee pain, would you choose surgery or try the new treatment first? Explain your answer.
- Do you think people should always get a second medical opinion before having surgery? Why?
- What kinds of activities can help keep our knees healthy?
- Have you or someone you know ever had knee problems? What happened?