Unit 1
Talking About the Body: Structures and Systems
Workplace English for Nursing Assistants
Meet Grace
Watch the video about Grace. Watch what happens to her.
Grace — A Fall at Night
Talk about it
- What injury might Grace have from her fall?
Starter: “Grace might have …” - Why was Grace unable to get up from the floor?
Starter: “She could not get up because …” - How could an aging sense (for example, her eyes) have caused the fall?
Starter: “In dim light, her …” - Could Grace’s medicines have played a part? Why?
Starter: “Her medicine could … because …” - Describe two things that might make a home like Grace’s safer. Use “could,” “should,” or “might” in your sentences.
Unit Overview
This unit explains how the body is organized, from cells and tissues to organs and body systems. You will learn the four tissue types, the three kinds of muscle, the structure and jobs of the skin, and the main body systems.
Start Here — One Fact
With age, the body’s parts can become thinner, weaker, slower, or fewer. This helps explain why Grace was at greater risk of falling and being injured.
To understand these changes, first learn how the body is built: cells, tissues, organs, and body systems.
The Building Blocks
Chattybot · FlashcardsScan to drill these words out loud.| Level | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Cell | The smallest living unit | One skin cell |
| Tissue | The same kind of cells grouped together | Skin tissue |
| Organ | Two or more tissue types working together | The heart |
| Organ system | Two or more organs working together | The cardiovascular system |
| Organism | All the systems together | The whole body |
- “The ___ is made up of ___.” (The heart is made up of muscle tissue.)
- “___ group together to form ___.” (Cells group together to form tissue.)
Practice 1
1.1 Match the term to its meaning
- 1. Cell
- 2. Tissue
- 3. Organ
- 4. Organ system
- 5. Organism
- A. Two or more organs working together
- B. The smallest living unit of the body
- C. The same kind of cells grouped together
- D. All the body systems together (the whole body)
- E. Two or more tissue types working together
1.2 Put the levels in order, smallest to largest
→ → → →
(word bank: organ, cell, organism, tissue, organ system)
The Four Tissue Types
Chattybot · FlashcardsScan to drill these words out loud.| Tissue | Its job (one idea) | Where you find it |
|---|---|---|
| Epithelial | Covers and lines | Skin surface; lining of the stomach and lungs |
| Connective | Connects and supports | Blood, bone, cartilage, and fat |
| Muscle | Moves | Heart, organs, and skeletal muscles |
| Nervous | Carries messages | Brain, spinal cord, and nerves |
One point surprises people: blood is a connective tissue. It looks nothing like bone, but like bone it connects and supports the whole body.
Practice 2
2.1 Match the tissue to its one-word job
- 1. Epithelial tissue
- 2. Connective tissue
- 3. Muscle tissue
- 4. Nervous tissue
- A. Carries messages between the body and the brain
- B. Covers and lines the body, inside and out
- C. Moves parts of the body by contracting and relaxing
- D. Connects and supports; includes blood, bone, cartilage, and fat
2.2 Which tissue type? Write the tissue on the line.
- The lining of the stomach and lungs → ___________________________________
- Blood, bone, and fat → ___________________________________
- The brain and the nerves → ___________________________________
- Tissue that makes the body move → ___________________________________
The Three Muscle Types
Chattybot · FlashcardsScan to drill these words out loud.Muscle tissue has three types. The key question is whether a muscle is voluntary (you control it on purpose) or involuntary (it works by itself).
| Muscle | Voluntary or involuntary? | Where / what it does |
|---|---|---|
| Smooth | Involuntary | Inside internal organs |
| Cardiac | Involuntary | Forms the heart; makes it beat |
| Skeletal | Voluntary | Attached to bone; moves the body on purpose |
Involuntary = happens by itself. Voluntary = you choose to do it.
“Smooth muscle works without us thinking about it.” vs. “Skeletal muscle moves the body on purpose.”
Practice 3
3.1 Voluntary or involuntary? Check one box for each.
| Muscle | Voluntary | Involuntary |
|---|---|---|
| Smooth muscle | ☐ | ☐ |
| Cardiac muscle | ☐ | ☐ |
| Skeletal muscle | ☐ | ☐ |
3.2 Fill in the muscle type
- The muscle that forms the heart is ______________________________ muscle.
- The muscle attached to bone that moves the body is ______________________________ muscle.
- The muscle inside internal organs is ______________________________ muscle.
The Body Systems
Chattybot · FlashcardsScan to drill these words out loud.The body has several organ systems. Each system is made up of certain parts and has one main job.
The integumentary system is the first row below. You will study that system in detail next.
| System | Made up of | Main job |
|---|---|---|
| Integumentary | Skin, hair, nails, glands | Protect; control temperature; sense (studied next) |
| Musculoskeletal | Bones and muscles | Support, protect, and move; make blood in marrow |
| Respiratory | Nose, airways, lungs | Take in oxygen; remove carbon dioxide |
| Cardiovascular | Heart, vessels, blood | Circulate blood, oxygen, and waste |
| Lymphatic / immune | Lymph nodes, vessels, white blood cells | Fight infection (specific defense); drain extra fluid |
| Nervous | Brain, spinal cord, nerves | Sense, process, and respond; control the body |
| Endocrine | Glands that release hormones | Regulate the body; keep balance (homeostasis) |
| Digestive | Mouth-to-anus canal; liver, etc. | Break down food; absorb nutrients; remove waste |
| Urinary | Kidneys, bladder, tubes | Filter blood; make and remove urine |
| Reproductive | Sex organs | Produce offspring |
The Integumentary System
Chattybot · FlashcardsScan to drill these words out loud.Now study one body system in detail. The integumentary system is the skin, hair, nails, and glands. The skin has three layers.
Structure: three layers
| Layer | Position | Key feature |
|---|---|---|
| Epidermis | Outermost | Waterproof; holds melanocytes (cells that make melanin — skin color) |
| Dermis | Middle | Blood vessels and nerve endings; flexible |
| Subcutaneous | Deepest | Fat; cushions and insulates the body |
Function: three jobs
- Protection. The skin blocks germs. It stops all invaders, not one — a nonspecific defense. (By contrast, white blood cells in the blood are a specific defense: each type targets one germ.)
- Temperature control. Too hot: blood vessels widen and you sweat. Too cold: blood vessels narrow to keep heat in.
- Sensation. With the nervous system, the skin senses pain, pressure, and temperature.
Practice 4
4.1 Match the term to its meaning
- 1. Integumentary system
- 2. Epidermis
- 3. Dermis
- 4. Subcutaneous layer
- 5. Melanocyte
- A. The middle layer of skin (blood vessels and nerve endings)
- B. The skin, hair, nails, and glands
- C. A skin cell that makes melanin (skin color)
- D. The outermost, waterproof layer of skin
- E. The deepest layer of skin, made of fat
How the Body Ages
- Skin thins and wrinkles; temperature control weakens.
- Bones become brittle and break more easily.
- Muscles weaken and react slowly — so falls become more likely.
- Senses and reflexes slow down (weaker vision in dim light, slower reaction).
- Medications break down slowly and can build up to a dangerous level (toxicity).
Thin skin, brittle bones, weak muscles, and slow reflexes are all phrases you will hear used together when people describe why older adults fall more easily and are injured more seriously. Listen for these descriptive words in conversations and reports.
These changes help explain why older adults may fall more easily, be injured more seriously, and react differently to medication.
Check Your Knowledge
Chattybot · Check Your KnowledgeScan to answer these questions out loud.- Why do older adults fall more easily?
- Name one body part that gets thinner with age, and one that gets weaker.
- Why can a normal dose of medicine become dangerous for an older client?
- Put in order, smallest to largest: organ, cell, organism, tissue, organ system.
- A group of the same cells is a ______. Two or more tissue types make an ______.
- Which tissue lines the stomach and lungs?
- Which tissue is blood?
- A client asks, “What is nervous tissue?” Answer in simple terms.
- Which muscle forms the heart?
- Which muscle do you control on purpose?
- Name the three layers of skin, outer to deep.
- Give two skin jobs.
Dialogue Practice
Words to recognize: hormone, peristalsis, alimentary canal, peripheral nerves, toxicity.
- Excuse me, what does “peristalsis” mean?
- “Toxicity”? What does that mean?
- “Peristalsis”? How do you spell that?
- Uh… I don’t understand. Can you explain that?
You will hear these technical words from coworkers and supervisors in a healthcare setting. It is fine — and professional — to ask what a word means. Interrupt politely first (“Excuse me…”), then ask.
A supervisor is telling you about Mr. Adler, 81. She uses medical terms you don’t know.
Supervisor: Mr. Adler’s peristalsis is slow, so watch his intake and output today.
You: Excuse me — what does “peristalsis” mean?
Supervisor: It’s the muscle movement that pushes food through the gut. When it slows down, people get constipated.
You: So it means the gut moves food more slowly — am I correct?
Supervisor: Exactly.
You: “Peristalsis” — how do you spell that?
Supervisor: P-E-R-I-S-T-A-L-S-I-S. Write it in your notes.
You: Got it. Okay.
Dialogue 2A fast report: two words you don’t know
Chattybot · DialogueScan to read this script out loud.A supervisor gives you a fast update about Mrs. Bell, 90.
Supervisor: Watch Mrs. Bell for toxicity, and check the subcutaneous site on her abdomen.
You: Excuse me. “Toxicity” — what does that mean?
Supervisor: Her kidneys are slow, so medicine builds up in her body. Too much drug in the blood.
You: So the drug level gets too high — is that right?
Supervisor: Right. Report sleepiness, confusion, or vomiting.
You: Sleepiness, confusion, vomiting — I understand. And “subcutaneous” — can you explain that?
Supervisor: Under the skin. The deepest layer, the fat layer. Just look for redness there.
You: Under the skin, the fat layer — I got it.
Roleplays
Work with a partner (or the practice bot).
Roleplay 1Unfamiliar words in an update
Chattybot · RoleplayScan to rehearse this roleplay out loud.Situation
A supervisor tells you: “Mrs. Ferraro has poor skin turgor and a stage 1 pressure area on her sacrum.” You do not know two of these words. Ask, and confirm what you heard.
Your Goals:
- Ask the meaning of at least TWO words, and ask how to spell one of them.
- Use at least ONE confirmation check with a question (“…is that right?” / “…am I correct?”).
- Repeat the information back before you leave.
Situation
A supervisor says: “Mr. Ndiaye is on a diuretic — watch for edema in his lower extremities and check the integumentary status at the heels.” Ask about the words you don’t know and confirm what you heard.
Your Goals:
- Ask the meaning of at least TWO words (diuretic, edema, extremities, integumentary).
- Use ONE spelling request (“How do you spell that?”).
- Repeat the information back in your own simple words before you leave.
Cumulative Review
Multiple Choice
These questions review the words from this unit. Cover the answers and try first from memory. Then cross out the choices you know are wrong.
1. Two or more tissue types working together form a(n)
- tissue
- organ
- cell
2. When the same kind of cells group together, they form
- a tissue
- an organ system
- an organism
3. Epithelial tissue forms the
- brain and nerves
- blood and bones
- lining of the stomach and lungs
4. Blood, bone, cartilage, and fat are all which tissue type?
- muscle
- epithelial
- connective
5. The muscle that forms the heart and works involuntarily is
- skeletal
- smooth
- cardiac
6. White blood cells are an example of a
- nonspecific defense
- specific defense
- skin layer
7. The outermost, waterproof layer of skin is the
- dermis
- subcutaneous layer
- epidermis
8. As people age, bones become brittle. This makes older adults more likely to
- gain muscle
- break bones in a fall
- sweat more
9. The word part “sub-” means “under.” So “subcutaneous” means
- above the skin
- under the skin
- around the skin
Back to Grace
Read the case and answer in complete sentences. Use the sentence starters if you wish.
Grace is 87 years old and lives alone. She eats only one small meal a day because she is not hungry. She takes medicine for her heart and her cholesterol. At night she wakes up often to use the bathroom, which is at the top of a flight of stairs. Last night the hallway was dark. On her way to the bathroom, Grace fell. She could not get up because of strong pain in her right hip. She waited on the floor until her son arrived in the morning.
1. What injury might Grace have from her fall?
Starter: “Grace might have …”
______________________________________________________________
2. Why was Grace unable to get up from the floor?
Starter: “She could not get up because …”
______________________________________________________________
3. How could an aging sense (for example, her eyes) have caused the fall?
Starter: “In dim light, her …”
______________________________________________________________
4. Could Grace’s medicines have played a part? Why?
Starter: “Her medicine could … because …”
______________________________________________________________
5. Describe two things that might make a home like Grace’s safer. Use “could,” “should,” or “might” in your sentences.
______________________________________________________________
Instructor Answer Key
Unit 1 — Talking About the Body: Structures and Systems
This unit introduces the language of body structures, systems, and age-related change. Learners study cells, tissues, muscles, major body systems, the skin, and common changes that affect older adults. A case study about Grace connects this knowledge to falls, medication risks, and home safety. Through illustrated readings, vocabulary and pronunciation practice, knowledge checks, dialogues, and role-plays, learners practice asking about unfamiliar medical terms, requesting spelling, confirming meaning, and repeating important information from fast workplace updates.
Practice 1–4 and Review
Practice 1.1: 1-B, 2-C, 3-E, 4-A, 5-D. Practice 1.2: cell → tissue → organ → organ system → organism.
Practice 2.1: 1-B, 2-D, 3-C, 4-A. Practice 2.2: 1. epithelial 2. connective 3. nervous 4. muscle.
Practice 3.1: smooth = involuntary; cardiac = involuntary; skeletal = voluntary. Practice 3.2: 1. cardiac 2. skeletal 3. smooth.
Practice 4.1: 1-B, 2-D, 3-A, 4-E, 5-C.
Multiple Choice: 1-b, 2-a, 3-c, 4-c, 5-c, 6-b, 7-c, 8-b, 9-b.
Back to Grace (sample ideas): (1) A broken hip. (2) Muscle weakness plus severe pain. (3) Aging eyes see poorly in dim light, so she missed a step. (4) Yes — medicines can cause dizziness or low blood pressure, and in older adults they may build up (toxicity). (5) Answers vary. Check for correct use of “could/should/might” (e.g., “Better lighting could help,” “A clear path might prevent a fall”). The goal is the language pattern, not a care plan.
Read a short update aloud at normal speed, dropping in two words the class does not know (peristalsis, diuretic). Learners must interrupt you the moment a word is spoken that they don’t understand: “Sorry — what does that mean?.”
Interrupting a nurse feels rude to most learners, so they nod instead. Drill it until stopping the speaker is automatic.