w2.h1 Lesson 2: Tongue Body Inspection: Spirit, Bearing, etc

Question 1

Choose the best answer.

The clinical significance of tongue inspection in TCM is it’s ability to determine:

a) the growth or decline of Yuan qi
b) the patient’s spirit and bearing
c) the thermal nature, location and prognosis of a disease
d) the patient’s age

Answer 1

c) the thermal nature, location and prognosis of a disease

Question 2

Choose the best answer.

When observing the tongue body for TCM diagnosis, one looks for:

a) filiform and fungiform papillae
b) the sprout of the heart
c) spirit and bearing
d) greasiness

Answer 2

c) spirit and bearing

Question 3

Choose the best answer.

When observing the tongue body for TCM diagnosis, one looks for:

a) filiform and fungiform papillae
b) sublingual veins
c) aroma of the breath
d) greasiness

Answer 3

b) sublingual veins

Question 4

Choose the best answer.

When observing the tongue body for TCM diagnosis, one looks for:

a) filiform and fungiform papillae
b) body fluids
c) aroma of breath
d) shape

Answer 4

d) shape

Question 5

Choose the best answer.

When observing the tongue body for TCM diagnosis, one looks for:

a) essence
b) body fluids
c) color
d) qi and blood

Answer 5

c) color

Question 6

Choose the best answer.

The spirit of the tongue will reflect the condition of the:

a) Heart
b) Spleen
c) Kidney
d) Zang Fu organs

Answer 6

d) Zang Fu organs

Question 7

Choose the best answer.

The spirit of the tongue will reflect the condition of the:

a) Body Fluids
b) Pre- Natal Qi
c) Liver Sinews
d) Brain

Answer 7

a) Body Fluids

Question 8

Choose all of the correct answers.

A tongue body that appears to have spirit or vitality is said to:

a) be bright
b) be wet
c) light red or pink
d) flourish
e) be able to taste
f) have normal Stomach qi
g) have a good prognosis

Answer 8

a) be bright
c) light red or pink
d) flourish
e) be able to taste
f) have normal Stomach qi
g) have a good prognosis

Note: a wet tongue indicates a fluid imbalance

Question 9

Choose the 5 correct answers.

A tongue body that appears to have a loss or lack of spirit or vitality is said to:

a) be dark, dim, dry
b) be withering
c) have a tremor
d) be sluggish
e) be contracted
f) have exhausted Stomach qi
g) have a poor prognosis

Answer 9

a) dark, dim, dry
b) withering
d) be sluggish
f) have exhausted Stomach qi
g) have a poor prognosis

Question 10

Choose the best answer.

Abnormal tongue body bearing indicates:

a) severe conditions in the exterior
b) severe conditions in the interior
c) Wind Heat Invasion
d) Wind Cold Invasion

Answer 10

b) severe conditions in the interior

Question 11

Choose the 3 best answers:

A tongue body with normal bearing:

a) extends easily
b) is stable, has symmetry
c) is thin and moist
d) has free and smooth flexibility

Answer 11

a) extends easily
b) is stable, has symmetry
d) has free and smooth flexibility

Question 12

Choose the 3 best answers:

A tongue with abnormal bearing may be:

a) contracted or protracted
b) trembling, deviated or protruding
c) sluggish
d) stiff or limp

Answer 12

a) contracted or protracted
b) trembling, deviated or protruding
d) stiff or limp

Question 13

Choose the 4 best answers.

Abnormal changes in tongue flexibility are due to:

a) the condition of muscles and sinews
b) loss of nourishment
c) lack of exercise
d) deficiency of internal organs
e) obstruction of qi and blood due to phlegm or blood stasis

Answer 13

a) the condition of muscles and sinews
b) loss of nourishment
d) deficiency of internal organs
e) obstruction of qi and blood due to phlegm or blood stasis

Question 14

Choose the 3 best answers.

Abnormal movements of the tongue are due to:

a) Liver and/ or Spleen
b) Internal Wind
c) Deficient qi, blood or body fluids
d) Heart and/ or Lung

Answer 14

a) Liver and/ or Spleen
b) Internal Wind
c) deficient qi, blood or body fluids

Question 15

Choose the best answer.

Abnormal length of the tongue body is due to:

a) dysfunctional muscles and sinews
b) spasm of the muscles and sinews
c) Liver Deficiency affecting the sinews
d) Stomach Yin Deficiency

Answer 15

a) dysfunctional muscles and sinews

Question 16

Choose the 4 best answers.

Abnormal length of the tongue body is due to:

a) excess cold
b) turbid phlegm
c) excess heat
d) qi and blood deficiency
e) essence deficiency

Answer 16

a) excess cold
b) turbid phlegm
c) excess heat
d) qi and blood deficiency

Question 17

Choose the 2 best answers.

Abnormal sublingual veins may:

a) be narrower than 2.7 mm
b) be darker
c) have grapelike clusters
d) be shorter than 50% of the length of the tongue

Answer 17

b) darker
c) have grape-like clusters

Question 18

Choose the best answer.

Which statement is not true?

a) The tongue body color almost always reflects the true condition of the body because it is not easily affected by other short-term factors.
b) Inspection of the tongue body color can help identify the damp nature of the disease.
c) Tongue color depends on the volume of blood filling the tongue.
d) Inspection of the tongue body can help identify the thermal nature of the disease.

Answer 18

b) Inspection of the tongue body color can help identify the damp nature of the disease.

Question 19

Choose the best answer.

The spectrum of tongue body color is from:

a) light red to crimson to pale blue/purple
b) light red to pale blue/purple to dark blue/purple
c) crimson to red to dark blue/purple
d) pale red to light red to red

Answer 19

d) pale red to light red to red

Question 20

Choose the answer that fits least:

A tongue body may appear light red if:

a) There is a mild wind cold invasion.
b) In early stage wind heat invasion
c) Interior heat has been recently driven out.
d) It is normal

Answer 20

c) Interior heat has been recently driven out.

Question 21

Choose the 2 best answers:

A normal tongue shape is:

a) cracked in the center line
b) soft and supple
c) fits the mouth cavity
d) tapers off toward the root

Answer 21

b) soft and supple
c) fits the mouth cavity

Question 22

Choose the best answer:

Abormal tongue body shape has which 3 major characteristics?

a) texture, size and weight
b) size, surface and weight
c) texture, size and surface
d) texture, surface and weight

Answer 22

c) texture, size and surface

Question 23

Choose the best answer:

What terms are matched correctly under the major characteristics of tongue body shape?

a) surface: prickled, fissured, greasy
b) size: enlarged, small
c) enlarged size: shabby, swollen, toothmarked
d) texture: rough, tender, wavy

Answer 23

b) size: enlarged, small

Question 24

Choose the best answer.

Which statement is true?

a) A tongue body with a tough texture reflects a deficiency issue.
b) A tongue body with a tender texture reflects an excess condition.
c) The texture of the tongue body reflects the condition of the tongue muscles and membranes.
d) The tongue body texture is not dependent on qi, blood and body fluids.

Answer 24

c) The texture of the tongue body reflects the condition of the tongue muscles and membranes.

Question 25

Choose the 3 best answwers.

Toughness of the tongue body is due to:

a) excess pathogens invading
b) exuberance of antipathigenic qi battling
c) muscle fibers bulging causing the striae to become rough and coarse
d) cold damp accumulation

Answer 25

a) excess pathogens invading
b) exuberance of antipathigenic qi battling
c) muscle fibers bulging causing the striae to become rough and coarse

Question 26

Choose the best answer.

A tender tongue texture is due to:

a) qi, blood or yang deficiency
b) wei qi deficiency
c) yin deficiency
d) jing deficiency

Answer 26

a) qi, blood or yang deficiency

Question 27

Choose the best answer.

Tongue size may:

a) be small due to overfilling with blood or dampness
b) enlarged from lack of nutrition due to deficiency of Qi, Blood and/or body fluids
c) not be normal if presents with variations
d) scalloped with damp accumulation

Answer 27

d) scalloped with damp accumulation

Question 28

Choose the 3 best answers.

Tongue body cracks may occur from:

a) heat injuring blood and body fluids
b) dampness obstructing the upward flow of Qi and Blood
c) papillae thrusting outward
d) inadequate nourishment of Qi, Blood and body fluids

Answer 28

a) heat injuring blood and body fluids
b) dampness obstructing the upward flow of Qi and Blood
d) inadequate nourishment of Qi, Blood and body fluids

Question 29

Choose the 2 best answers.

Tongue Fur:

a) is formed from the smoke of digestion rising from the Small and Large Intestine
b) is the evaporation of SP and ST Yang Qi evaporating and transforming damp turbidity
c) is not related to the filiform papillae
d) is clinically significant for depth, thermal nature and condition of the Stomach

Answer 29

b) is the evaporation of SP and ST Yang Qi evaporating and transforming damp turbidity
d) is clinically significant for depth, thermal nature and condition of the Stomach

Question 30

Choose the best answer.

Normal tongue coating:

a) is thick and white
b) mostly at the root
c) can’t be wiped off
d) is wet

Answer 30

c) can’t be wiped off

Question 31

Choose the 4 best snswers.

When examining the tongue coating:

a) we may find white, yellow, gray or black color
b) we may assess thickness, moisture or viscosity
c) we may find deep pockets
d) we may observe distribution, peeling or rootedness
e) we may note a trend

Answer 31

a) we may find white, yellow, gray or black color
b) we may assess thickness, moisture or viscosity
d) we may observe distribution, peeling or rootedness
e) we may note a trend