Advanced Leader’s Reading 1 Unit 1 The Common Cold
If you’re like most people, you catch a cold at least once a year. It’s the most
________________? In fact, there are around 200 different viruses that cause a cold,
and those 200 viruses are constantly changing. That’s why we can’t find a cure for
the cold or _________________________. It’s not really one disease.
Most of those viruses are in a family called “rhinoviruses,” which comes from the
Greek word “rhino” meaning “nose.” The back of the nose is where the virus attacks.
This is part of___________________________, which includes your throat and
larynx, or voicebox (the respiratory system is what you use for breathing). These are
the places where you feel_______________________, with the most common
symptom being a runny nose. Other symptoms include a sore throat, sneezing,
coughing, ______________, and a general feeling of weakness or laziness. Many of
these symptoms are similar to those of the flu, and it is sometimes difficult to know
How is the cold virus transmitted? ________________, how do you catch or give a
cold? The virus lives in the secretions from your nose and lungs. It must somehow
get into your body, normally through your nose as well as through your eyes, which
______________ the nose through the tear ducts. If someone with a cold coughs or
sneezes and _________________________________, you may catch the cold. The
virus can also survive for a few hours outside of the body, so a person can
contaminate objects with the virus (by sneezing on them or wiping their nose with
their hands and then touching things, for example). If other people touch those
objects then wipe their eyes or noses, they may become infected.
Understanding how colds are passed from person to person can ____________
the spread of the viruses. The most important thing, as with any virus, is good hand-
_________ that everyone else touches such as doorknobs, public telephones, and bus handles. Don’t rub your eyes and nose. And if you have a cold, be sure to cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough so that you don’t ___________________.
Advanced Leader’s Reading 1 Unit 2. Fire
It is difficult to know exactly what happened a long time ago, but anthropologists are fairly
certain that about 1 million years ago people in Africa first learned to use fire. They
______________________ naturally, from lightning or the sparks that rocks made when they
_________________. They were probably ________________and grass fires, but they
learned that fire was not just dangerous but also useful. In fact, people started using fire
brought___________________. Firstly, cooked food, especially meat, was a lot safer to eat
than raw food. Secondly, cooked food is a lot ____________________________. This
meant that people’s bodies didn’t have to spend so much energy. Many experts believe that
this actually allowed people’s brains to grow bigger.
For early humans, fire was not easy to manage. They had to take care of it, or else it
would go out. This meant that people couldn’t constantly wander as nomads but _________
_______________________. Taking care of fire is part of the reason people started forming
groups or tribes. Eventually they learned how to make fire more easily, with special
________ ___________ and by rubbing sticks together, but they still had to cooperate more.
Besides helping people cook food, fire kept them warm. About 12,000 years ago people
started moving indoors, living in caves. With warm shelter, they could survive in much colder
climates. People spread to places where they ___________________________. The fire
protected them not only from the cold but also from wild animals, which were afraid of fire.
About 8,000 years ago people were beginning to live in houses and control fire in ovens.
They ___________________ for cooking and soon discovered that they were useful for
making pottery. They designed special ovens called kilns and made extremely hot fires for
The next major step in the use of fire occurred about 5,000 years ago, when people in
West Africa started using very hot charcoal fires to melt copper and tin in order to make
bronze. They then used this metal to create all sorts of tools and art. ___________ later
people in western Asia _______________________________________, a much stronger
Now, can you imagine the world without __________, cooked food, and heat for warmth?
Impossible. It should be clear from these examples that learning to control fire was ________
Advanced Leader’s Reading 1
__________________ that humans have done.
Unit 3. Homeschooling
Some people decide not to send their children to school. Instead, they provide education
at home. We call this homeschooling. Let’s have a look ________________ reasons why
people choose to do this. Then we can ____________________________ homeschooling.
Surveys of people who choose to home-school their children reveal a huge number of
reasons. In many cases, parents have no choice other than homeschooling. This occurs
when they ___________________ with no school nearby. In other cases, children have
special __________________________ properly by the school system. This could mean
children with serious mental or physical handicaps or with psychological or social difficulties.
Many schools do not have special programs for such children. Even when they do, a lot of
parents find that they are not perfectly suited to their children, or that the teachers do not
Other parents may have moral and social reasons as well. Schools can be very difficult
places for children. Many parents _________________ safety, bullying, drugs,
___________________, and peer pressure. Protecting children from negative influences is
important to all parents, but to some it is so important that they _________________. They
feel they can not only keep their children safe, but also give them a better sense of right and
The most common reason for homeschooling, however, is that parents believe that
schools don’t do a good job of education. Perhaps they disagree with the
___________________ (often for religious reasons), or they think the methods used are not
effective. It is quite common, in fact, for homeschooling parents to say that they feel they can
help their children _______________________ than the schools can.
So, do parents who homeschool really give their children advantages? Or do the children
____________ something very important? Well, it is true that children with special needs
may be ______________________ with their parents who understand them. In such cases,
parents usually find other ways to socialize their children outside of home. Some studies
have also shown that children are ________________ drugs and experience physical abuse
when they are homeschooled. In addition, homeschooled children do actually score higher
____________________, including the SAT and ACT, which are used to enter university.
But if homeschooling is so great, why doesn’t everyone do it? Well, there are very good
Advanced Leader’s Reading 1 Unit 4. Marriage
Although customs, rituals, and traditions may vary, virtually every culture has
some idea of marriage between a man and a woman. Where does this come from?
When did people first ___________________________? And why did they do this?
The first evidence of a wedding ceremony in history is from about 4,350 years ago.
That doesn’t mean that _____________________ that year; that’s just the first
evidence of a ceremony, and it should give you a good sense that marriage is a very
old custom. Marriage at that time, however, was not really about ________________
today. If you think marriage is about love and romance, then you might not want to
If it wasn’t about love and romance, what ______________? Well, it had several
different purposes, both social and economic. For one thing, marriage ____________
_______ bloodlines. It is normally very clear who a child’s mother is, but a very long
time ago, when people lived in large loose groups, it was sometimes unclear who a child’s father was. If a man and a woman formed a lasting bond, then the man _____
__________________ whose children were his.
Why would it suddenly be important who a child’s father was if it wasn’t before?
For one thing, it mattered because people had property. When people stopped their
hunting and gathering way of life and started farming, they started owning land. They
therefore _________________ that land on to their children.
A long time ago, women didn’t have very much equality in marriage. ___________
_______________ a man’s property. A father would “give” his daughter to another
family or another man. In many cases, he would receive a lot of money for this.
Having women to marry was important for continuing a family. They _____________
________, and men can’t do this alone! In fact, if a married woman was not able to
have babies, she could sometimes be given back to her father.
There were other important issues as well. Marriage was a good way to ________
_______ between families, groups of families, or tribes. If a man gave his daughter as a wife to another man’s son, the two families would have a bond. They would help
each other ______________ and not attack each other. In fact, this is still very
important in many places. In a general sense, in most societies we can still see a
tendency for families of similar backgrounds to have marriages together.
Advanced Leader’s Reading 1 Unit 5. Polar Animals
If you go as far as you can north or south, you come to _____________________.
If you do go, make sure you pack a lot of warm clothes and food. These areas are
not _______________________. They are very cold and very icy. You will find very
little plant life and a lot of dangers. Despite the difficulties of these environments,
however, you will discover some animal life. Exactly which animals you find, however,
There are important differences between the north and south poles, or, in other
words, _________________________. Firstly, the northern Arctic is actually a frozen
ocean ________________ land. Antarctica, in the south, is an actual landmass
surrounded by ocean. Secondly, the South Pole is much colder than the North Pole.
The average winter temperature in Antarctica is _________________, while in the
Arctic it is -34. These facts may affect which animals can live in the regions.
The northern region has many land animals. ________________________ the
polar bear, a huge white bear that likes to hunt for seals from the edges of ice floes.
The polar bear has thick fat and fur so that it can _______________ and is the
largest meat-eating land animal. Another Arctic animal is the caribou, or reindeer.
Caribou are large grazing animals _________________. They can migrate up to
5,000 km per year looking for bits of plant life to eat. Smaller Arctic animals include
the arctic fox and the arctic hare, ______________ change the color of their coats
depending on the season (white in winter, brown/grey in summer). The arctic fox
_____________________ to catch smaller animals under the snow, while the arctic
hare uses its sense of smell to find bits of plants beneath the snow.
In Antarctica, there are almost no animals that live just on land. Instead, most of
the life lives in the sea, ____________________________. The most famous animal here is the penguin. Most people recognize the Emperor penguin but don’t realize
there are many other types of penguin _________ the rockhopper penguin, the
chinstrap penguin, and the gentoo penguin. There are also fur seals, cousins to the
seals near the North Pole, and blue whales, the largest animals on planet Earth.
Another large sea animal is the colossal squid, which can ____________________.
Advanced Leader’s Reading 1 Unit 6. Puberty
Puberty is a period of life in which boys and girls _________________. Their bodies and
emotions ______________ as they move from being children to adults. It is a difficult time,
Puberty happens at different ages for boys and girls. Girls usually begin puberty around
age 10, while boys normally begin around age 12. Girls usually finish most of their changes
______________ 16 or 17, while boys often continue changing until age 18 or 19. These
ages are just averages. There is actually _______________ from person to person. A girl
may begin puberty as early as age 8, and a boy may not begin until age 14.
The key to puberty is hormones. Hormones are natural chemicals in the body that affect
growth and _________________________. There are some hormones that both men and
women produce equally, but certain hormones ___________________ only one of the sexes.
In puberty, these sex hormones are suddenly produced in larger amounts, which _________
the physical changes that we can see. The main male hormone is called testosterone, while
the main female hormones are estrogen and progesterone.
Some of the changes that come with puberty are experienced by both boys and girls. One
of these is body odor, which can be ________________. Another is acne on the face, which
can be very difficult to deal with, and pubic hair. Both boys and girls will also become quite
clumsy and awkward, as they ______________________ their growing bodies. Both will also
become very sensitive and moody, which can be a real headache for parents and teachers.
When boys enter puberty, they will notice a change in their sexual organs, which is where
the hormone testosterone is produced. This is part of becoming sexually mature. Their
skeletons change so that they have broad shoulders and jaws, and they get more muscle.
____________ will change, sometimes very quickly, becoming much deeper and fuller.
Finally, boys will begin to grow hair on their faces (shaving for the first time is a major
milestone) and their legs. Girls also become sexually mature. This process includes the
development of breasts (the first bra is a big step) and the widening of the hips. Girls will also
start getting their periods, although in the beginning it may not be very regular.
_________________________ like boys, girls will see an increase in the amount of body fat.
Just remember: puberty is natural. It happens to everyone. If you ___________________,
Advanced Leader’s Reading 1 Unit 7. Unique Jobs
If you ask students what job they want to have when they are older, you might
hear a lot of the same answers: doctor, lawyer, teacher, nurse, __________,
__________, actor. These are all popular choices, but society can’t function if
everyone picks the same things. Some people are going to have to do very different
things. There are _______________________________, some of which are very unusual. If you’re looking for something different, perhaps you should consider from
the following list of the top 5 unique jobs in the world.
#1: Fantasy Broker. A fantasy broker makes dreams come true, for a hefty price. If
a person __________________________ down the Amazon River in a barrel, a
fantasy broker ___________________. If another person has always wanted to play
the piano at Carnegie Hall in New York, a fantasy broker will make it happen. Just
think of it: people pay you big bucks to transform their fantasy into reality!
#2: Snake Milker. If you ever get bit by a snake, the doctor will give you ________
_________________, which may help save your life. How do they make that anti-venom? Well, they need some of the snake’s poison to do it. How do they get the snake’s poison? That’s what a snake milker does. He ____________________ open snakes’ mouths and get their poison into a cup. Dangerous work, but very ________!
#3: Forest Fire Lookout. For this job, you ___________________ and you need to
love being alone for long periods of time. If you ____________________ forest fires,
you have to sit in a very tall tower and watch the surrounding forest for signs of
#4: Sports Team Mascot. Every team needs a good ________________________
and entertain the children. You could be a bear, a beaver, a kangaroo, a chicken.
whatever the case may be. You need to ___________________, because you spend
probably more time running around than the athletes on the field do. It can also get
pretty hot in your mascot outfit, so you need to drink a lot of water.
#5: Gum Buster. Have you ever accidentally put your hand on a piece of gum
________________________ in the park ________________? It’s a very unpleasant
experience, which is why society needs gum busters. Their job is to __________ that
gum from public places. Just think of it! Perhaps this is your future.
Advanced Leader’s Reading 1 Unit 8. Extracurricular Activities
The life of a student can’t be only about classes and studying. There are many
other activities or organizations that students can ________________. We call these
activities “extracurricular” activities, because they are outside the regular school
curriculum. They can be found in all levels of school, including elementary, junior
high, high school, and university. These are not mandatory activities. That is,
students choose to get involved or not. Extracurricular activities come in many
different types and ___________________.
One of the most common and popular activities in American schools is sports.
There are often many levels of sports teams for students of different ages. Schools
_______________________ throughout the year and in championships tournaments.
Football, basketball, volleyball, and soccer are the most popular, but there are also
clubs for swimming, tennis, bowling, and just about every other sport you can think of.
Students on the ___________________________ a lot of their time to practice and
games, sometimes even more than their academics. High school sports provide
entertainment and pride for the entire school, not just the athletes who compete.
Some extracurricular activities ___________________ than fun. There are clubs
for astronomy and other sciences, for math, for geography, and for other subjects as
well. Then there are activities ______________________. Debating clubs, in which
groups of students from different schools compete in argument with each other, are
popular. Language clubs give students the chance to practice their speaking skills
and meet people from other cultures. There are a huge variety of other activities for
people ______________________, publish their own newspaper, practice their
artistic skills, explore their environment, or discuss politics.
So why do students do this? Why are these activities ___________ both teachers
and parents? There are several reasons. First of all, extracurricular activities give
people a great chance to meet people and make friends. In some cases, they allow
people with similar interests to find each other. In other cases, they provide
____________________________ between people who otherwise might not meet.
Secondly, these activities can help college and job applications. Many universities
prefer students who have interests outside school. It shows well-roundedness and
____________. Employers may also value work outside academics. Students in
extracurricular activities have the chance to develop skills that they might not through
studying, such as leadership, cooperation, and communication. Finally,
extracurricular activities can help students __________________________________.
They can cultivate interests that will stay with them for their entire lives.
Advanced Leader’s Reading 1 Unit 9. Festivals
On certain days of the year, people _______________________. They might eat special
food, play special music, wear special clothing and do special activities. These group
celebrations, or community events, are called festivals. Festivals are an important part of
every culture in the world. ____________________ some different types of festivals and try
to understand the purpose of these events.
Many important festivals are religious. _________________, for example, the two most
important festivals are Christmas and Easter. For Buddhists, there is Buddha’s birthday
__________________________________ in the Chinese calendar. And for Hindus, there
are many small festivals throughout the year for different gods. These festivals bring religious
people together to pray, to remind themselves of their religious mission in life, and to
There are also many important seasonal festivals, which happen at certain times of the
year to mark a change in the calendar or __________________. Most countries have some
type of harvest festival in the fall. For North Americans, this means Thanksgiving. For
Koreans, this means Chuseok, which is not only meant to celebrate the harvest but to
remember and ________________. Lunar New Year, which takes place on the second new
moon _____________________, is another important seasonal festival in Asia.
Not all festivals are religious or national holidays. Some festivals are purely about
entertainment or enjoying some type of activity. For example, many cities ______________
film festival, when they show movies and invite actors and directors to talk about cinema.
Music festivals, usually _____________ one type of music, such as the Incheon Pentaport
Rock Festival or the Newport Jazz Festival, are also very popular. They give fans the chance
to come together ____________________ and parties.
The number of festivals around the world ____________________, and now you can
probably find a festival somewhere in the world for just about _______________________.
In Spain, there is La Tomatina, which is a tomato festival that includes a huge and messy
food fight. Every year in New Mexico, a state _____________ the southwest of the United
States, there is An Alien Festival. And in Thailand there is The Monkey Buffet Festival, when
monkeys are the ones to enjoy the feast of special food!
Festivals are important events. In many cases, they provide entertainment, but they are
about more than just fun. They give people a chance _________________ each other, to
share a special experience, and to have a sense of _______________. They are a chance to
share information and to celebrate the things that we love.
Advanced Leader’s Reading 1 Unit 10. Heroes
When you hear the word “heroes” what do you think of? Some people might think of the
popular television series. Other people _____________________ like Spiderman and
Superman. Still others may talk about David Beckham or Kobe Bryant. And some might
recall Chesley B. Sullenberger. If you don’t recognize that last name, don’t worry. You’l find
What exactly is a hero? In very simple terms, a hero is a person who does ____________
things. Heroes stand out from the crowd by performing amazing acts of bravery, athleticism,
or courage. Heroes are the people we cheer for. They compete or fight against the villains, or
the bad guys. We see heroes in books, in movies, on TV, and sometimes in real life. Heroes
_______________. Heroes give us _______________________. Heroes act as role models,
serving as examples of the right way to act.
__________________ fictional books and movies, the hero is the main character. It is the
person who struggles against himself, against others, or against the environment. It is the
person ___________________ in the end. Winning could mean beating the bad guys,
getting married, or finding a way to cross the mountains in the winter.
In some stories, the heroes have very special abilities or powers. We call these people
superheroes, and they ____________________ super villains, or the bad guys who also
have special powers. Superheroes believe in justice, in protecting average people from evil.
They are sometimes misunderstood by the public, but they _____________, keep on fighting
for what they know is right. Batman, Superman, Spiderman, X-Men, the Fantastic Four. the
world of comic books has given us thousands of superheroes.
Many people also have personal heroes. These are the ________ athletes and musicians
who we want to emulate. When you hear someone say “David Beckham is my hero,” he
means that he wants to be like David Beckham. He wants to be an amazing soccer player
with ___________________. Personal heroes don’t have to be famous. Your hero might be
your father, or your uncle, or the woman down the street who works hard every day and
Then there are society’s real heroes, people like Chesley B. Sullenberger. In case you
don’t know, he is the pilot that successfully ________________________ the Hudson River
in New York. The airplane ____________________, but Sullenberger managed to save 155
people’s lives through his act of courage and skil . He is a perfect example of what it means
to be a hero, to be an extraordinary person and a role model.
Advanced Leader’s Reading 1 Unit 11. Houses
A home has many purposes, but one of the most important is to protect us from
the weather. In this way, it ___________________ shelter. When we build homes,
we must _____________ heat, cold, rain, snow, and wind. Considerations of weather will determine a home’s exact location, its design, and the materials used to build it.
The location of a home is very important. If the _________ is very hot – either
year-round or seasonally – it is best to find a shaded area. It may also need some
protection from wind and snow. _______________, homes are often built in the lee
of a hill or near a group of trees that can function as a windbreak or snowbreak.
When choosing a location, we _________________. In rainy climates, it is unwise to
build on low ground, such as on floodplains or in the bottoms of valleys.
The design of a home _________________ the climate. One aspect of design is
the orientation of the home, or which way it faces. The front should not face into the
direction ___________________. The size and orientation of windows can help to
control the interior climate of the house. South-facing windows may ______________
all day and help to warm a home in a cold climate. In hotter climates, it may be best
Design also includes considerations of ______________. Flat roofs may be alright
for places that do not have a lot of precipitation, and even then they need proper
drainage systems _____________________. Sloped roofs allow rain to run off rather
than collecting, and in snowy climates the roof must be designed to withstand a lot of
weight. Snow is a lot heavier than many people realize!
The materials used to build houses will vary depending on what is available in a
certain place, but they must be _____________________ proper protection from the
elements. Concrete is a popular option in many countries of the world. It is very
strong ________________________________ rain and snow. In some places, such
as North America, wood construction is very popular. Wood homes normally require
proper insulation. Insulation is a material used inside the walls that ______________
___________ during the winter and prevents heat from entering during the summer.
Location, design, and materials are ___________________ when building a home.
One must think about the local climate carefully and __________________. To build
a North American style house in rural Thailand would be disastrous!
Advanced Leader’s Reading 1 Unit 12. Munchausen Syndrome
There are thousands of different _______________________, but one of the most
interesting is called Munchausen Syndrome. ________________ Baron Munchausen,
an 18th century German who joined the Russian army and told strange and
unbelievable stories about his adventures. This _____________ is similar to what is
seen in someone with Munchausen Syndrome.
An affected person ________________ medical problems in order to get attention.
The person actually wants to be a patient, and will do almost anything to stay in
hospital, get surgery, or receive treatment. This can include more than just
pretending to be sick by reporting false symptoms. They ______________ complete
family histories of disease. People with Munchausen Syndrome may also actually
hurt themselves, or inject themselves with bacteria to cause infection. They might
____________________, using someone else’s urine sample, for instance, to make
doctors believe they are sick. Another problem is that they will try to prevent
treatment or healing. For example, if they go to the hospital because they cut
themselves, they might __________________ and try to make the injury worse
So, how do doctors know that someone has Munchausen Syndrome and is not
really sick or hurt? Well, that can be very difficult to tell, but there are some signs that
might show that someone has the problem. Their stories might be unbelievably
dramatic. They might have _______________, or symptoms that can’t really happen
together. Looking at their medical history might show that they have _____________
____________ or visited a doctor far more than is normal. People with this syndrome
might also show a lot of medical knowledge, because they usually do a bit of
homework before pretending to have a certain disease. They will also usually be very
If this syndrome sounds a little strange, that’s because it is. But it is also quite
_______. Although many people exaggerate their sickness a little bit to get some
attention, very few people actually have Munchausen Syndrome. It is very extreme
behavior. These people have a psychological problem and are dangerous to
themselves. Doctors are still not sure ______________, but they do think that there
are several risk factors. These include childhood trauma, poor self-esteem, and a
__________ desire to become a doctor or other health professional.
Advanced Leader’s Reading 1 Unit 1. The Common Cold
what exactly is it, develop a vaccine against it
the upper respiratory system, the effects of the infection, muscle ache
In other words, are attached to, you breathe in the contaminated air
help us prevent , Avoid touching common surfaces , put others at risk
Unit 2. Fire
must have seen it happen, hit each other, afraid of forest
several advantages, easier to digest than raw food
had to settle in one place, minerals called flint
1,500 years, learned to do the same thing with iron
Advanced Leader’s Reading 1 Unit 3. Homeschooling
at the variety of, examine the pros and cons of
live in isolated places, needs that cannot be met, well enough
are concerned about , sexual harassment, completely opt out
content that is taught , achieve higher test scores
miss out on, better served at home, less likely to do, on standardized tests
Unit 4. Marriage
it started in exactly, the same thing as
was it about, helped people preserve, could have better assurances
Women were often treated as, needed to reproduce
Unit 5. Polar Animals
the earth’s Polar Regions, very friendly environments, depends on which pole
the Arctic region and Antarctica, surrounded by, -49 degrees Celsius
The most recognizable of these is, endure the cold, with impressive antlers both of
which, uses its excellent sense of hearing
either completely or part of the time, including, be up to 15 meters long
Advanced Leader’s Reading 1 Unit 6. Puberty
regulate our bodies’ functions, are related primarily to, initiate
quite embarrassing, are becoming accustomed to
A boy’s voice, Instead of developing muscles
Unit 7. Unique Jobs
astronaut, athlete, thousands of other jobs to choose from
has always dreamed of floating, will make it happen
something called anti-venom, spends his time trying to, rewarding
can’t be afraid of heights, are on the lookout for
mascot to get the fans excited, be very physically fit
stuck to the bottom of a bench, or under a bus seat, remove
Advanced Leader’s Reading 1 Unit 8. Extracurricular Activities
compete against each other, elite sports teams dedicate
seem more about learning, related to communication, who want to help their
encouraged by, an opportunity for encounters, commitment , figure out what they are
Unit 9. Festivals
get together for group celebrations, Let’s have a look at
In Christianity, on the first full moon of the fourth month, commemorate
agricultural cycle, honor our ancestors, after the winter solstice
host an annual , devoted to , to enjoy live music
has increased dramatically, anything, g you can think of, located in
Advanced Leader’s Reading 1 Unit 10. Heroes
extraordinary, inspire us, something to believe in
keep the world safe from, keep on trying
celebrity, thousands of adoring fans, all alone
made an emergency landing on, could have crashed
Unit 11. Houses
climate, For these reasons , may also consider elevation
must be suited to, of the prevailing winds, let sunlight in
precipitation, to carry water off the roof
chosen carefully to ensure, and can resist even the most extreme, stops heat from
the essential considerations, build appropriately
Advanced Leader’s Reading 1 Unit 12. Munchausen Syndrome
fascinating psychological disorders, This syndrome is named after, characteristic
will create or exaggerate, might make up, tamper with medical tests, take the
vague symptoms, been in the hospital, eager to undergo tests
1712 W. Frankford Road, Suite 108 Carrollton, Texas 75007 Ph: (972) 820-7099 Fax: (972) 820-7018 www. CenterforVetSpecialtyCare.com Syringomyelia & Chiari Malformation Syringomyelia is a condition whereby fluid cavities develop within the spinal cord. Some refer to syringomyelia as “neck scratcher’s disease” because scratching in the air near the neck is a com