Some facts about hiv and aids

AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS is caused by a virus called HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus).

People cannot “catch” AIDS, but they may become infected with HIV. Anybody can become infected, but only if they do specific things that allow the virus to get right into their bloodstream.

When a person is infected with HIV, the virus can attack their immune system that usually defends them against illnesses. But some people who are infected with the virus may remain fit and well for many years. However, even though an infected person may be well, they are able to pass the infection on to others.

Some people who are infected with HIV may become seriously ill. As the virus attacks the immune system, this system breaks down, and the body is unable to fight off some infections and cancers. When someone with HIV infection develops one of these conditions they are said to have AIDS.

Look at the five main ways that HIV can get into someone’s bloodstream and speak on preventive measures a person should take not to become HIV-infected.

1. From mother to child in the womb or birth;

2. Through breast feeding;

3. Through sharing needles and syringes for injecting drugs;

4. Through having sexual intercourse;

5. Through transfusions of infected blood.

Say if you think HIV-positive people should be isolated from others. Why? Why not?

Suggest measures that should be taken to help HIV-infected people.

Wearing the Red Ribbon, which is an international symbol of AIDS awareness, is the first easy step in the fight against AIDS. Suggest some other actions to fight AIDS.

17. Read the text and say if the following statements are true or false

1. Salt is contained in blood, sweat and tears.

2. The salt lost from your system cannot be replaced.

3. Salt is composed of three elements.

4. Extra amount of salt may cause serious health problems.

5. No diet can correct these problems.

6. Salt deposits can be found only in the mines.

7. Table salt is used not only in food.

8. Chemical components of salt are of vital importance to all living things.

You can’t live without it

Salt is necessary for the life and health of people, plants and animals. Our lives depend on it. Blood sweat and tears are all salty. Body cells must have just the right amount of salt to function property. Too much salt can be dangerous for your heart and blood vessels. But if you work or play hard enough to perspire heavily, you must replace the salt lost from your system or you could suffer from heat exhaustion. Wild animals replace the salt in their systems by licking natural salt deposits. To keep domestic animals healthy, farmers put out salt blocks for their livestock to lick.

Salt is made up of two elements, sodium and chlorine, its chemical name is “sodium chloride”. Ordinarily these two work together in proper balance in the body. However, if something disturbs this balance, the sodium can collect in the large amounts and attract and hold water in the tissues. This can cause swelling in parts of the body, kidney trouble and high blood pressure. To help correct these problems, the diet must be changed so that the salt needs of the body are still taken care of, but extra amounts of salt cannot collect and cause trouble. Such special diets must be prescribed by a doctor.

Today almost 40,000,000 tons of salt are produced in the sea. Some salt deposits are thousands of feet thick and have been mined for hundreds of years.

Only the small amount of the salt produced is used in our food. The rest of it is used in other ways – to preserve food, to cool refrigerated railroad cars, to cure animal hides, to melt winter snow and ice. Chemical compounds made from table salt are also used in manufacturing glass, soap, paper and rayon, and in water-softening.

18. Read the information given below and a) summarize the main idea; b) express your own attitude to the problem