Academic Reading 18

Dr. DEAN ORNISH’S PROGRAM
In an age when medical science was combating heart disease with costly high-tech interventions, American physician Dean Ornish was something of a throwback. His simple, inexpensive program of lifestyle changes, which featured a low-fat, primarily, vegetarian diet, moderate aerobic exercise, and daily stress management, contrasted sharply with such potentially risky treatments as bypass surgery, angioplasty and cholesterol-lowering medication. The holistic regimen that Ornish recommended appeared not only to halt the progress of atherosclerosis — the buildup of fatty substances within the arteries — but actually to reverse it. Despite his reluctance to being labeled a guru, Ornish continued to gain enthusiastic converts following the publication in 1990 of his bestselling second book. “Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease: The Only System Scientifically Proven to Reverse Heart Disease Without Drugs or Surgery”. Later highlights for Ornish included the publication of a third book. “Eat More, Weigh Less; Dr. Dean Ornish’s Life Choice Program for Losing Weight Safely While Eating Abundantly”; an invitation to the White
House in 1993, and the announcement in August of that year that Mutual of Omaha, an insurance company, would reimburse policyholders for the cost of participation in the program — the first time a major insurer had agreed to cover an “alternative” treatment for heart disease.

1- Doctor Dean Ornish’s program for fighting heart disease, as described by the author, ……… .
A) involved easily-made changes to one’s way of life
B) was effective but incredibly expensive
C) required the use of cholesterol-lowering medication
D) was highly technical
E) relied heavily on innovative surgery

2- One interesting thing that the author notes about this unconventional approach was ……… .
A) that it not only stopped the accumulation of fatty substances in the arteries, but also lessened them
B) that only one insurance company refused to pay for a patient to undergo this alternative treatment
C) that it became popular very quickly although it was potentially risky
D) the reluctance of people to try it, despite its low cost and simplicity
E) that many people followed the program even though they were not affected by heart problems

3- From the author’s remarks that reveal something about Dr Ornish’s personality, it’s possible to say that he …………. .
A) is an extremely greedy person
B) possesses great technical ability for operations
C) strongly believes in self-importance
D) was quite modest about the success of his programme
E) used to be a very popular guru

1. A

2. A

3. D