Helping Others to See

What does the author mean when he writes, "Dr. V is simultaneously the fellow villager that he once was, and continues to be, and the extraordinary healer he has become"?

• People have only recently become aware of Dr. V's extraordinary work.

• It is remarkable that Dr. V functions as both a village leader and medical savior

• Dr. V's hospital is reminiscent of a village, and he is the leader.

• Despite his success and great importance , Dr. V remains humble.

The author organizes the selection by

• providing a chronological account of his volunteer activities at the hospital

• summarizing his brief experience with Dr. V and citing some facts about the work of the eye hospital

• noting the improvements in Indian medical care since Dr. V began his practice and describing his plans for expanding into other countries

• comparing the work of the hospitals in India

What can the reader conclude from paragraph 1?

• the author is writing for readers who are potential volunteers.

• Aravind Eye Hospital prefers that the people who visit volunteer to help the patients.

• The author spends much of his time volunteering in hospitals.

• Aravind Eye Hospital has a large paid staff and doesn't depend heavily on its volunteers.

Which of these is the best summary of the selection?

• India was in the midst of an epidemic of preventable blindness. Fortunately, Dr. V has helped reverse this trend. By treating hundreds of thousands of patients every year, Dr. V and his staff at Aravind Eye Hospital have greatly reduced the incidence of blindness in India.

• While visiting Dr. V at his hospital in India, the author discovered something surprising about the patients who are successfully treated for blindness there. It turns out that patients who undergo surgery at the eye hospital are far more likely to regain their sight if they believe in the possibility of a cure.

• The author spent one week volunteering at an eye hospital in India where thousands of patients regain their sight each year. He was deeply touched by the commitment of Dr. V and his staff to helping their patients. The experience seems to have influenced the author's own outlook on life.

• Traditional treatments for blindness have not worked in India, a country where millions of people have lost their sight. Dr. V established the Aravind Eye HOspital, which has successfully treated many thousands of patients. After hearing about Dr. V's success, the author decided to visit the hospital and observe Dr. V's work in person.

WHich of these best describes the purpose of the selection?

• To show differences between the way eye surgery is performed in the East and in the West.

• To celebrate the work of an eye surgeon in India and describe the author's experience as a volunteer.

• To encourage eye surgeons throughout the world to model their methods after those used by Dr. V.

• To describe the success of the technological breakthrough developed by Dr. V at Aravind Eye Hospital

From the boxed information about the Aravind Eye-Care System, the reader can conclude that-

• the system's hospitals are in high demand

• Dr. V has expanded into other areas of heath care

• the hospital needs additional resources

• Dr. V no longer practices medicine