職稱英語A閱讀判斷教材原題與譯文

第十二篇第十二篇 Inquesttoldofhospitalerror 尸檢揭示醫(yī)療事故尸檢揭示醫(yī)療事故 A HOSPITAL error left a dying man on the wrong ward for two days as deep vein thrombosis DVT ravaged his body an inquest heard Stephen Melvin Newbold suffered massive brain damage when a blood clot formed in his veins Now his families are considering legal action against York Hospital saying that his death was untimely and unnecessary Mr Newbold a 52 year old maintenance worker went to York Hospital on November 3 complaining of a swollen right foot He should have been sent to a surgical ward where he would have been treated with1 Fragmin a drug which counters the effects of DVT However hospital staff wrongly admitted him to2 an orthopedic ward where he stayed for two days before finally being transferred to the care of a consultant vascular surgeon Twenty four hours later on November 6 doctors decided they would have to operate to remove his leg below the knee The operation went ahead on November 10 but two days later Mr Newbold suffered a cardiac arrest A scan revealed he had had a pulmonary embolism a condition related to DVT Mr Newbold suffered brain damage and died in the hospital on November 16 Giving evidence the surgeon said he could not explain why Mr Newbold had been admitted to an orthopedic ward where it was not policy to administer Fragmin He did not know why his medical team had not given Mr Newbold the drug later York coroner Donald Coverdale said From November 3 until the day of the operation no Fragmin was given to Mr Newbold If he had been admitted to a consultant vascular surgeon s care from day one it is clear that Fragmin would have been prescribed Fragmin reduces the risk of DVT but does not eliminate it It is impossible to say whether Mr Newbold would have suffered this DVT if he had received the Fragmin He recorded a verdict of death by misadventure Kim Daniells Mr Newbold s family s lawyer said The family hope that the hospital will learn from the errors and that no other families will have to suffer in the future A spokeswoman for York Hospital s NHS Trust said We would like to extend our sincere sympathies to the family of Stephen Newbold during this difficult time 詞匯 ward n 病房 vein n 血管 thrombosis n 血栓 clot n 凝塊 maintenance n 維修 維護 Fragmin n 法安明 又名片段化蛋白 staff n 員工 職工 consultant n 顧問 咨詢 會診醫(yī)師 surgeon n 心血管外科顧問 knee n 膝蓋 embolism n 栓塞 栓塞形成 verdict n 裁決 misadventure n 災(zāi)難 不幸遭遇 意外事故 sympathy n 同情 注釋 1 be treated with 被用 藥物進行治療 2 be admitted to 被收容至 被移送至 本文中是 被送至病房 練習 1 The patient was admitted with an injured foot A Right B Wrong C Not Mentioned 2 The patient was admitted to the surgical ward A Right B Wrong C Not Mentioned 3 The patient did not get the correct medication A Right B Wrong C Not Mentioned 4 The patient died before he could be operated on A Right B Wrong C Not Mentioned 5 The patient died of brain damage A Right B Wrong C Not Mentioned 6 It was decided that the patient s death had been an accident A Right B Wrong C Not Mentioned 7 Mr Newbold s family s lawyer was not qualified A Right B Wrong C Not Mentioned 答案與題解 1 A 從文中第二段的第一句話可以看出 病人是因為感覺右腳脹痛而去醫(yī)院的 a swollen right foot 而從文章第二段的第三行最后一句話 However hospital staff 可以看 出他是被醫(yī)院容留住院了 只不過是去錯了病房 2 B 從文章第二段第三行最后一句話可以看出 病人起初并未被直接送至外科病房 而是被送去了骨科病房 從第二段第四行整句話可以看出 病人在骨科病房被觀察了兩日 后才被轉(zhuǎn)送進行心血管診斷 3 A 本題答題線索有兩點 首先在文章第二段的第二行第二句話中提到了病人本應(yīng) 該被給予法安明這種藥物進行治療的 should have done 有 本應(yīng)做卻沒有做 的意思 后 面第三句話中 however 這個轉(zhuǎn)折詞也進一步說明了這一點 其次是從第四 五段中對法安 明這種藥物進行介紹時可看出 病人并沒有及時被給予正確的藥物治療 4 B 文章第三段進行了介紹 即手術(shù)是 11 月 10 號進行的 而本段最后一句話說明 病人在 11 月 16 號因大腦創(chuàng)傷而死亡 故不正確 5 A 文章第三段中最后一句話說明了在飽受腦創(chuàng)傷折磨后 病人于 11 月 16 號在醫(yī) 院中死亡 6 B 從文章的第一段第一句話就可以判斷出 病人是由于醫(yī)院的失誤而致死的 a hospital error left a dying man 并非意外致死 7 C 文章中的第六段講到 Newbold 一家的律師轉(zhuǎn)達了其希望醫(yī)院從這次事故中汲 取教訓 從而使更多其他家庭免遭類似的不幸 但是并沒有說起律師不合格這樣的信息 經(jīng)尸檢確認 由于過失疏忽 一家醫(yī)院將一名飽受深靜脈血栓折磨 生命垂危的男性 患者安置在錯誤的病區(qū)內(nèi)達兩天之久 當其血管內(nèi)形成血栓之后 史蒂芬 馬爾文 紐博 得便飽受大面積腦部損傷的折磨 他的死被其親屬認為太過突然但卻并非完全不可避免 其親屬目前正考慮對約克醫(yī)院采取法律手段 紐博得先生現(xiàn)年 52 歲 生前是一名維修工人 其因感覺右腳脹痛于 11 月 3 日前往約 克醫(yī)院就診 其本該被送往外科病區(qū)去接受一種名本法安明的藥物治療 該藥物的主要功 效在于抑制深靜脈血栓的形成 但是 在其最終被轉(zhuǎn)送到心血管外科醫(yī)生診室之前 醫(yī)院 醫(yī)護人員卻錯誤地將其送到了骨科病區(qū) 并讓其在那兒住了兩天 11 月 6 號 在其被轉(zhuǎn)送 至心血管病區(qū) 24 小時后 醫(yī)生們決定通過手術(shù)切除其右腿膝蓋以下部分 手術(shù)于 11 月 10 號進行 但是兩天后 紐博得先生的心臟卻出現(xiàn)驟停癥狀 對其進行 的掃描結(jié)果顯示其患有肺動脈栓塞 發(fā)病原因與深靜脈血栓相關(guān) 在經(jīng)受了大面積腦損傷 折磨之后 紐博得先生于 1l 月 16 號在醫(yī)院死亡 基于現(xiàn)有證據(jù) 紐博得先生的主治外科醫(yī)生稱其不能解釋為何院方在開始時將紐博得 先生送至骨科病區(qū) 該病區(qū)并無開售法安明的處方權(quán) 其不能理解其醫(yī)療團隊為何沒能在 之后及時給紐博得先生提供藥物治療 約克醫(yī)院驗尸員唐納德 克夫戴爾表明 從 11 月 3 日一直到手術(shù)之前 紐博得先生一 直都沒能接受法安明治療 如果能夠在入院第一天就接受心血管外科醫(yī)生的會診 那么其 肯定會被要求使用法安明 法安明這種藥物能夠減少深靜脈血栓形成的風險 但是其無法 徹底根除它 目前還不能得出結(jié)論 即如果在最初就接受法安明治療 紐博得先生是否仍 會遭受深靜脈血栓折磨 該驗尸員記錄了這次由不幸引起的死亡 紐博得先生一家的律師金 丹尼爾斯聲稱 紐博得先生的家人希望醫(yī)院能夠從這次事 故中吸取教訓 以避免之后類似不幸事件再發(fā)生在其他家庭 約克醫(yī)院國民保健服務(wù)基金會的一名女發(fā)言人在聲明中指出 我們在這一艱難的時 刻 向史蒂芬 紐博得一家表示最深切的同情 第第 14 篇篇 Azeri Hills Hold Secret of Long Life 阿塞拜疆的長壽秘訣阿塞拜疆的長壽秘訣 You can see for kilometers from the mountains where Allahverdi Ibadov herds his small flock of sheep amid a sea of yellow red and purple wildflowers The view from Amburdere in southern Azerbaijan toward the Iranian border is spectacular but Mr Ibadov barely gives it a second glance Why should he He s been coming here nearly every day for 100 years According to his carefully preserved passport Mr Ibadov whose birth was not registered until he was a toddler is at least 105 years old His wife who died two years ago was even older They are among the dozens of people in this beautiful isolated region who live extraordinarily long lives Mr Ibadov s eldest son has just turned 70 He lost count long ago of how many grandchildren he has 1 I m an old man now I look after the sheep and I prepare the wood for winter I still have something to do A lifetime of toil it seems takes very few people to an early grave in this region Scientists admit there appears to be something in the Azeri mountains that gives local people a longer healthier life than most Miri Ismailov s family in the tiny village of Tatoni are convinced that they know what it is Mr Ismailov is 110 his great great grandson is four They share one proud boast Neither has been to a doctor There are hundreds of herbs on the mountain and we use them all in our cooking and for medicines explained Mr Ismailov s daughter Elmira We know exactly what they can do We are our own doctors There is one herb for high blood pressure another for kidney stones and a third for a hacking cough They are carefully collected from the slopes surrounding the village Experts from the Azerbaijan Academy of Science believe the herbs may be part of the answer They have been studying longevity in this region for years It began as a rare joint Soviet American project in the 1980s but these studies are not being funded any more Azeri scientists have isolated a type of saffron unique to the southern mountains as one thing that seems to increase longevity Another plant made into a paste dramatically increases the amount of milk that animals are able to produce Now we have to examine these plants clinically to find out which substances have this effect said Chingiz Gassimov a scientist at the academy The theory that local people have also developed a genetic predisposition to long life has been strengthened by the study of a group of Russian emigres whose ancestors were exiled to the Caucasus 200 years ago 2 The Russians life span is much shorter than that of the indigenous mountain folk though it is appreciably longer than that of their ancestors left behind in the Russian heartland Over the decades I believe local conditions have begun to have a positive effect on the new arrivals Professor Gassimov said It s been slowly transferred down the generations But Mr Ismailov gripping his stout wooden cane has been around for too long to get overexcited There s no secret he shrugged dismissively I look after the cattle and I eat well Life goes on 詞匯 herd 放牧 boast 以有 而自豪 longevity 長壽 Caucasus 高加索 Dismissively 輕蔑地 spectacular 壯觀的 hacking cough 干咳 saffron 藏紅花 indigenous 本土的 注釋 1 He lost count long ago of how many grandchildren he has 他很久以前就數(shù)不清他有 多少個孫輩孩子 lost count 弄不清楚 數(shù)不清 2 The theory that local people have also developed a genetic predisposition to long life has been strengthened by the study of a group of Russian emigres whose ancestors were exiled to the Caucasus 200 years ago 當?shù)厝艘呀?jīng)具備長壽的遺傳素質(zhì) 一組關(guān)于俄羅斯移民的研究證 實了這一理論 他們的祖先在兩百年前被流放到高加索地區(qū) genetic predisposition 遺傳 素質(zhì) 練習 1 Amburdere is a city in Southern Azerbaijan A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned 2 Allahverdi Ibadov does not know exactly how old he is A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned 3 Mr Ibadov can t do any kind of work anymore A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned 4 Miri Ismailov has never been to a doctor but his great great grandson has A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned 5 People in this region enjoy a easy and rich life A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned 6 Elmira Ismailov is a doctor who uses herbs as medicines A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned 7 Scientists think people s genes might affect how long they live A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned page 答案與題解 1 A 從第一段的第二句前半句 The view from Amburdere in southern Azerbaijan toward the Iranian border is spectacular 中的 Amburdere in southern Azerbaijan 可以看出 Amburdere 在 Azerbaijan 的南部 2 A 通過第三段的第一句中的 Mr Ibadov whose birth was not registered until he was a toddler 以及 at least 105 years old 可以斷定 連他自己也不知道他的確切年齡 3 B 從第四段的 Mr Ibadov 自己的敘述 I m an old man now I look after the sheep and I prepare the wood for winter I still have something to do 可以看出 Ibadov 仍舊 在勞作 4 B 第六段講的是 Miri Ismailov 一家人都住在一個小山村里 他 110 歲 他的玄 孫 4 歲 他們有同一個引以為豪的事 都沒有看過醫(yī)生 本句說 Ismailov 沒有看過醫(yī)生 而他的玄孫看過醫(yī)生 5 C 句的意思是 這個地區(qū)的人們生活無憂無慮且富足 本文雖然提到這個地區(qū) 的人們身體健康且長壽 但沒有提及他們的生活情況 6 B 第六段和第七段雖然講我們是我們自己的醫(yī)生 這是一個比喻 意思是我們 不用醫(yī)生 我們吃的東西 山上的植物 具有保健作用 所以 Elmira 的職業(yè)不是醫(yī)生 7 A 本句的意思是 科學家們認為 基因可能影響人們的壽命 第九段的第一句 所表達的意思與本句相符 當?shù)厝司邆淞碎L壽的遺傳素質(zhì) genetic predisposition 他們具有 長壽基因 從山上綿延幾公里 你都能看見 Allahverdi Ibadov 把他的羊群趕到一片花海中間 花海中有各種黃色 紅色 紫色的野花 這種景觀從阿塞拜疆的南部 Amburdere 一直延伸 到伊朗邊境 十分壯觀 但是 Ibadov 先生卻幾乎不多看它一眼 他為什么這樣做 因為 100 年來 他幾乎每天都要到這里來 Ibadov 先生在蹣跚學步之前都沒有進行出生登記 根據(jù)題小心保存的護照來看 他至少已經(jīng) 105 歲了 他的妻子的年齡比他還打 在兩年前去世 這個美麗的 與世隔絕 的地區(qū)里許多人都極其長壽 他倆就是其中之一 Ibadov 先生的長子已經(jīng) 70 多歲 他早已數(shù)不清他有多少孫子了 網(wǎng)現(xiàn)在是個老 人 網(wǎng)照看羊群 準備過冬的木頭 我仍然有事要做 這個地區(qū)的人似乎很少有因為一生的辛勞而提前走入墳?zāi)沟?科學家承認 阿塞 拜疆的山上似乎有某種東西給予當?shù)厝艘粋€更長壽更健康的生命 住在 Tatoni 的一個小村莊的 Miri Ismailov 家族堅信他們知道那是生命東西 Ismailov 先生 110 歲了 他的玄孫 4 歲 他們有同一個引以為豪的事 都沒有看過醫(yī)生 山上有好幾百草本植物 我們用它們做飯制藥 Ismailov 先生的女兒 Elmira 解釋道 我們很清楚它們能做生命 我們就是自己的醫(yī)生 有一種草是治高血壓的 另一種是治腎結(jié)石的 還有一種治干咳的 它們都是從 村莊周圍的斜坡上精挑細選出來的 阿塞拜疆科學院的專家相信這些草本植物就是答案之 一 他們多年來一直在這個區(qū)域研究長壽的秘訣 對這個地區(qū)的研究始于 20 世紀 80 年代 的一個少有的蘇美聯(lián)合項目 但是這些研究再也沒有得到過資金贊助 阿塞拜疆的科學家提取了一種南部山區(qū)獨有的藏紅花 它似乎是一種延長壽命的 東西 另外一種植物 被制成糊狀物 極大地增加了動物的產(chǎn)奶量 現(xiàn)在我們必須在臨 床上檢測這些植物 找出哪種物質(zhì)有這種效果 研究院的科學家 Chingiz Gassimouv 說道 對一組俄羅斯移民進行的研究鞏固了當?shù)厝艘呀?jīng)演化出有長壽傾向的基因這一理 論 這些移民的祖先在 200 年前就被流放到高加索 這些俄羅斯人的壽命比當?shù)厣絽^(qū)的人 們要短得多 盡管比他們在俄羅斯中心地帶的祖先的壽命要長 我相信在過去的幾十年里 當?shù)氐沫h(huán)境開始對新來者有著積極的影響 Gassimov 教授說道 這會在一代代人中緩慢地傳遞下去 但是 Ismailov 先生已經(jīng)在這待了太長時間了以至于沒有感到太多的激動 他緊緊地抓 著他那結(jié)實的木條 說道 沒有什么秘密 他輕描淡寫地聳了聳肩 網(wǎng)照看羊群 吃得很好 生活在繼續(xù) 第十一篇第十一篇 Disease Diagnosis Treatment and Prevention Disease may be defined as the abnormal state in which part or all of the body is not properly adjusted or is not capable of carrying on1 all its required functions There are marked variations in the extent of the disease and in its effect on the person In order to treat a disease the doctor obviously must first determine the nature of the illness that is make a diagnosis2 A diagnosis is the conclusion drawn from a number of facts put together The doctor must know the symptoms which are the changes in body function felt by the patient and the signs also called objective symptoms which the doctor himself can observe Sometimes a characteristic group of signs or symptoms accompanied a given disease Such a group is called a syndrome Frequently certain laboratory tests are performed and the results evaluated3 by the physician in making his diagnosis Although nurses do not diagnose they play an extremely valuable role in this process by observing closely for signs encouraging the patient to talk about himself and his symptoms and then reporting this information to the doctor Once the patient s disorder is known the doctor prescribes a course of treatment also referred to as therapy4 Many measures in this course of treatment are carried out by the nurse under the physician s orders In recent years physicians nurses and other health workers have taken on increasing responsibilities in prevention5 Throughout most of medical history the physician s aim has been to cure a patient of an existing disease6 However the modern concept of prevention seeks to stop disease before it actually happens to keep people well through the promotion of health A vast number of organizations exist for this purpose ranging from the World Health Organization WHO on an international level down to local private and community health programs7 A rapidly growing responsibility of the nursing profession is educating individual patients toward the maintenance of total health physical and mental 詞匯 marked 顯著的 syndrome 綜合征 癥候群 symptom 癥候 癥狀 therapy 療法 治療 sign 病體 體征 注釋 1 carry sth on 繼續(xù) 進行 維持下去 2 make a diagnosis 做出診斷 3 the results evaluated 此句中在 evaluated 之前省略了與前面 are performed 相 同的助動詞 are 4 also referred to as therapy 也被稱為療法 過去分詞短語作 a course of treatment 的 定語 refer to 談及 提及 refer to sth sb as 把 稱為 例如 Don t refer to the matter again 不要再提這件事了 We refer to such a science as physiology 我們把這樣一門科學稱為生理學 Don t refer to your brother as a silly cow 不要把你兄弟說成是頭笨牛 5 have taken on increasing responsibilities in prevention 在預防方面承擔越來越多的 責任 take sth on 承擔 接受 You have taken on too much 你承擔的工作太多了 6 to cure a patient of an existing disease 治療病人的現(xiàn)有疾病 cure sb of 給某人 治療 或治愈 某病 例如 This medicine should cure you of your cold 此藥準能治好你的感冒 7 ranging from health programs 從國際這一級的世界衛(wèi)生組織一直到下面地區(qū)的 私人和社區(qū)醫(yī)療機構(gòu) 現(xiàn)在分詞短語作狀語 range from to 從 到 的范圍 分布或變動 The children s ages range from 5 to 15 這些孩子小的 5 歲 大的 15 歲 Its prices range from twenty to thirty dollars 價錢從 20 美元到 30 美元不等 練習 1 By disease it means the condition in which one or more parts of the body fail to function properly A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned 2 A syndrome refers to a complex of signs and or symptoms typical of a specific disease A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned 3 The diagnostic aids are indispensable in any case for a physician to diagnose a disease A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned 4 Because nurses can observe patients closely they have the authority to deal with any critical condition happening to patients A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned 5 Modern medicine attaches much more importance to disease prevention than traditional medicine A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned 6 An effective system of disease prevention and treatment has been established in every country all over the world A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned 7 Generally speaking the physician is more willing to treat patients physical disease than their mental illness A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned 答案與題解 1 A 第一段第一句說疾病就是身體的一部分或全部不能正常調(diào)節(jié)或不能維持其應(yīng) 有功能的不正常狀態(tài) 本題正是這個意思 只是換了一種表達方式而已 故是正確的 2 A 第二段第四句和第五句說 有時一組典型的體征或癥狀伴隨著某一疾病 這 樣的一組體征或癥狀就稱為綜合征 本句也是這個意思 句中 complex 意為 綜合體 綜 合事物 typical of 意為 所特有的 典型的 故本題也應(yīng)是正確的 3 B 第二段最后一句說 醫(yī)生在做出診斷時經(jīng)常都要做某些實驗室檢查并對檢查 結(jié)果進行評估 而本題卻說 在任何情況下診斷輔助手段對醫(yī)生診斷疾病都是必不可少 的 這顯然是錯誤的 4 B 第三段第一句要求護士 把這些信息報告給醫(yī)生 該段最后一句還說 許 多治療措施是在醫(yī)生指示下由護士去執(zhí)行 因此本題所說的 不管病人發(fā)生什么危急情 況都有權(quán)處理 顯然應(yīng)是錯誤的 5 A 第四段第二句 第三句說 貫穿大部分醫(yī)學史 醫(yī)生都是治療病人的現(xiàn)有疾 病 不過現(xiàn)代預防理論卻尋求制止疾病于未然 即通過促進健康使人們不得病 故本題 說 現(xiàn)代醫(yī)學比傳統(tǒng)醫(yī)學更重視疾病的預防 是正確的 6 C 第四段第四句只說到從國際級的世界衛(wèi)生組織一直到地方社區(qū)的醫(yī)療機構(gòu)構(gòu) 成了一個龐大的衛(wèi)生機構(gòu) 但是沒有說每個國家都已建立有效的防治體系 故本題應(yīng)是沒 有提到的 7 C 文章最后一句說在教育每個病人保持全面健康 即身心的健康方面 醫(yī)護行業(yè)將 要承擔更多的責任 至于醫(yī)生是更愿意治療軀體疾病還是精神心理性疾病根本就沒有提及 譯文 生病 診斷 治療與預防 所謂生病 即部分或整個身體不能夠正常調(diào)節(jié) 或不能夠維持應(yīng)有的功能 疾病 的程度及其對人體的影響存在著明顯的差異 為了治療疾病 醫(yī)生當然首先要給疾病定性 即診斷 診斷是基于一系列癥狀所 作出的結(jié)論 醫(yī)生必須通曉癥狀 即病人所感受到的自身功能的變化 且了解體征 也稱客 觀癥狀 這些是醫(yī)生可以親身觀察到的 有時一組典型的體征 或癥狀 伴隨著某一疾病 這樣的一組體征 或癥狀 就叫做綜合病癥 醫(yī)生在作出診斷時 經(jīng)常都要做某些實驗室檢 查 并對檢查結(jié)果進行評估 盡管護士不負責診斷 但是他們密切監(jiān)視病人體征 鼓勵病人講述其本身情況及 癥狀 而且將所得信息匯報給醫(yī)生 在整個過程中發(fā)揮著極其重要的作用 一旦知道了患 者的病情 醫(yī)生就會確定療程 也稱為療法 其中許多治療措施都是在醫(yī)生指示下由護士 去執(zhí)行的 近些年來 廣大醫(yī)生 護士以及其他保健工作者在預防方面承擔著越來越多地責 任 貫穿大部分醫(yī)學史 醫(yī)生都是治療病人的現(xiàn)有疾病 但是現(xiàn)代的預防理論卻尋求制止 疾病于未然 即通過促進健康使人們不生病 為了這個目的 從國際級的世界衛(wèi)生組織一 直到地方社區(qū)的醫(yī)療機構(gòu)構(gòu)成了一個龐大的衛(wèi)生機構(gòu) 醫(yī)護行業(yè)迅速增加的責任就是教育 每個病人保持全面健康 即身體的和心理的健康 第十五篇第十五篇 Beyond the Pap Scientists have known for some time that virtually all cases of cervical cancer are triggered by a family of viruses called human papillomavirus or HPV Most women who become ineffected with HPV are able to shake off the virus and suffer no apparent long term consequences to their health But a few women develop a persistent infection that can for reasons that are not entirely clear eventually lead to cancerous changes in the cervix Now researchers at the Digene Corp of Beltsville Maryland have developed a test that detects an active HPV infection by looking for its genetic byproducts in the vagina The HPV test was better than the standard Pap test at finding cervical cancer at any stage according to two studies published this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association So far so good Unfortunately the test s false positive rate how often it indicated that there was a problem when none existed was almost twice as high as that for the Pap smear In these cases a biopsy of the woman s cervix showed no sign of disease And that s the crux of the problem How many women should undergo what is when it comes right down to it unnecessary treatment to find a few more cases of cervical cancer Shouldn t health officials focus instead on making sure that more women undergo regular Pap smear examinations After all Pap smears though far from perfect have helped dramatically lower the death toll from cervical cancer taking it from the No 1 cause of death due to cancer in American women to the 10th Complicating matters is the fact that HPV is a very common infection In some parts of the U S as many as half of all women under age 35 have an active case Yet 99 out of 100 women who are HPV positive will never get cervical cancer estimates Dr Joanna Cain vice president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists If those 99 women live their lives as if they re going to develop cancer she says we re not necessarily doing them any good At present the HPV test is approved in the U S only to help resolve ambiguous results from a Pap Smear test Many gynecologists believe that HPV will eventually rep