2017年英语四级阅读理解题库：选词填空（15）

Years ago, doctors often said that pain was a normal part of life. In particular, when older patients 47 complain of pain, they were told it was a natural part of aging and they would have to learn to live with it.

Times have changed. Today, we take pain 48 seriously. Indeed, pain is now considered the fifth vital sign, as important as blood pressure, temperature, breathing rate and pulse in 49 determining a person’s well-being. We know that chronic (慢性的) pain can disrupt (扰乱) a person’s life, causing problems that 50 range from missed work to depression.

That’s why a growing number of hospitals now depend upon physicians who 51 specialize in pain medicine. Not only do we evaluate the cause of the pain, which can help us treat the pain better, but we also help provide comprehensive therapy for depression and other psychological and social 52 issues related to chronic pain. Such comprehensive therapy often 53 involves the work of social workers, psychiatrists (心理医生) and psychologists, as well as specialists in pain medicine.

This modern 54 respect for pain management has led to a wealth of innovative treatments which are more effective and with fewer side effects than ever before. Decades ago, there were only a 55 limited number of drugs available, and many of them caused 56 significant side effects in older people, including dizziness and fatigue. This created a double-edged sword: the medications helped relieve the pain but caused other problems that could be worse than the pain itself.

A) result B)involves C) significant D)range E)relieved

F) issues G)seriously H)magnificent I)determining J) limited

K) gravely L) complained M) respect N) prompting O) specialize