&  Vocabulary Development:  top

Instructions:   Match the vocabulary word on the left with the correct antonym on the right. 

Vocabulary Word	Antonym
malignant	lose
fair	protected
acquire	benign
replenish	rare
exposed	thick
frequent	sunny
prolonged	dark
thin	deplete
shaded	brief

i  Pre-Reading Quiz:  top

Instructions:    Answer the following questions True (T)  or  False (F)

1.  Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Canada.   T     F 

2.  The development of a new mole or a change in an existing one may be a sign of skin cancer.  T     F 

3.  Only people with light coloured skin can get skin cancer.   T     F 

4.  Malignant Melanoma is another name for skin cancer.  T     F 

5.  If you stay out of the sun, you will never get skin cancer.  T     F 

6.  Malignant Melanoma can be cured.  T     F 

7.  Skin cancer can appear anywhere on your body.  T     F 

8.  Redheads and blonds are more likely to acquire skin cancer than someone with black hair. T     F 

9.  A severe childhood sunburn increases your risk of acquiring skin cancer.  T     F 

10. You don’t need sunscreen on cloudy days.

$  Reading/Writing  Exercise:     top

Instructions:    Read the following text and answer the comprehension questions. 

Our skin is the largest organ in our body, yet it is something that many of us take for granted.   In addition to protecting us from dehydration, our skin helps protect us from natural elements like bacteria and the sun, and man-made threats like pollution and toxins.  Our skin is constantly replenishing itself as we shed the outer layers every four to six weeks.  Similar to our other organs, our skin’s ability to protect us does have limits as when it breaks down due to illness like skin cancer. 

Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers.  Although skin cancer usually appears on areas of the body that have been exposed to the sun (like on the face, neck and hands) it can appear on any area of the body.  There are three main varieties of skin cancer:  basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma.   The latter is by far the most fatal type of skin cancer because it progresses rapidly and is more difficult to treat.  Although the rate of skin cancer has remained fairly steady during the past 20 years, the number of malignant melanomas in Canada has increased.   The only other form of cancer to show a larger increase in the number of new cases is lung cancer in women. 

Exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays is the leading cause of skin cancer.  Fair-skinned people and individuals who have suffered severe and frequent childhood sunburns are at a greater risk to develop skin cancer.  A child’s skin is thinner and therefore more vulnerable to the sun’s harmful UV rays.  The best thing you can do for your children is to keep them out of the intense midday sun. 

There are a number of things that you can do to protect yourself from this potentially life-threatening disease.   If you are outside for a prolonged period of time, stay in a shaded area.  Wear clothing that protects you from the sun’s harmful UV rays.  Wear a broad-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt and cool cotton pants.  If you do have exposed skin, were a sunscreen lotion with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15.   Remember to reapply the sunscreen at least every two hours.  If at all possible, avoid any exposure to the sun between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., this is when the sun’s rays are at their most dangerous levels.  Don’t forget to protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses with adequate UV protection.  The summer is a time to get out and enjoy the outdoors; and if you follow these safety tips, you will be able to enjoy many more summers to come!  

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1.  The expression “take for granted (in line 1) means:   (a)  enjoy the benefit of    (b)  know little about   (c)  undervalue the importance of    (d)  accept the responsibility for  

2.  Find a word in the text that means “renewing”.   ____________________________

3.  The word “rapidly” (in paragraph 2) is a:   (a) noun  (b) verb   (c) adjective   (d) adverb

4.  The word “latter” (in paragraph 2) refers to:   (a)  squamous cell carcinoma   (b)  skin cancer in general   (c) malignant melanoma   (d)  basal cell carcinoma

5.  The word “vulnerable” (in paragraph 3) could be replaced by all of the following EXCEPT: 

(a) invincible   (b) exposed    (c)  susceptible    (d)   at risk  

6.  All of the following statements are true EXCEPT:   
(a)  The sun’s rays are more dangerous at midday than they are at dusk.   
(b)  When healthy, our skin renews itself every four to six days.
(c)  Children should wear hats when playing in the sun.    
(d)  Covered skin is less at risk than exposed skin.

J  Language Extension Activity:   top

Instructions:    Match the idiomatic expressions on the left with the correct definition on the right.   

Idioms	Definitions
weather the storm	never, or very unlikely
under the weather	to be very easy
when hell freezes over	survive a difficult or challenging situation
on cloud nine	to be overjoyed, very pleased
once in a blue moon	not to know or understand what is going on
it’s a breeze	extremely busy or overworked
to take the wind out of someone’s sails	to discourage someone
to have your head in the clouds	something is very easy
snowed under	feeling ill
a breeze	rarely

-  Now it’s your turn to write!    Select any two of the idioms listed above an use them in your own sentences. 

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