Mock Exam (20260726)

Question 1: In the 'study on limiting late-night snacks' introduced in Monday's column, what did the participants change?
Correct Answer: They kept the amount of food the same and only moved the time they finished eating to an earlier hour.
Explanation: In the study by Northwestern University in the U.S., the method used was not to reduce calories, but to keep the amount of food the same while only moving the time they finished eating to an earlier hour (ensuring a nighttime fasting period of 13 to 16 hours). As a result, it was reported that changes occurred such as a decrease in nighttime diastolic blood pressure and a decrease in heart rate of about 5%, as if the heart had begun to take a 'true rest'.

Question 2: Which of the following terms, derived from the 'Huangdi Neijing', expresses the idea in Eastern medicine that 'if the stomach is not in harmony, sleep will not be peaceful'?
Correct Answer: Wei bu he ze wo bu an (If the stomach is not in harmony, sleep will not be peaceful)
Explanation: 'Wei bu he ze wo bu an' is a phrase recorded in the 'Huangdi Neijing' which means 'if the stomach is not in harmony, sleep will not be peaceful.' The ancient wisdom of Eastern medicine, which states that sleep is disturbed when the gastrointestinal tract is burdened by late-night meals, overlaps with modern research.

Question 3: Which of the following is the correct combination of a prescription introduced for those who are prone to stomach heaviness and feel nausea after eating due to a blockage in the pit of the stomach, along with its constituent herbal medicines?
Correct Answer: Banxia Xiexin Tang(Banxia Xiexin Tang) — Banxia (Pinellia rhizome) and Huangqin (Scutellaria root)
Explanation: Banxia Xiexin Tang is a prescription that combines Banxia, which removes stomach blockage, with Huangqin and Huanglian, which calm excess heat trapped in the stomach, and Ganjiang, which warms the internal organs to balance the imbalance between heat and cold. It was introduced for symptoms such as stomach heaviness, a feeling of blockage in the pit of the stomach, and nausea after eating.

Question 4: Which prescription was introduced for those who say, 'I stopped eating late-night snacks, but my mind is alert and I cannot fall asleep,' to nourish the heart and gently calm overexcited nerves?
Correct Answer: Suanzaoren Tang(Suanzaoren Tang)
Explanation: Suanzaoren Tang is a prescription that nourishes the heart and gently calms overexcited nerves. It was introduced for those who cannot fall asleep because their mind is alert even though they have stopped eating late-night snacks. Liujunzi Tang is for those with a weak gastrointestinal tract and lack of appetite, while Banxia Xiexin Tang is for those with stomach heaviness.

Question 5: According to Tuesday's column, among the 'five flavors' of Eastern medicine, which organ is 'pungent' said to enter (act upon)?
Correct Answer: Lung
Explanation: The five flavors (sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, and salty) are each said to act on different organs, and pungent enters the 'lung.' In appropriate amounts, it helps the circulation of Qi, promotes blood circulation, and resolves cold, but if taken in excess, it causes excess heat to become trapped in the spleen and stomach.

Question 6: What is the state called in Eastern medicine where heat is trapped in the spleen and stomach due to excessive consumption of spicy food, causing digestive juices to be disrupted and the intestinal mucosa to repeat cycles of dryness and inflammation?
Correct Answer: Damp-heat
Explanation: A state where heat is trapped in the spleen and stomach due to overeating spicy food is called 'damp-heat.' It is said that digestive juices are disrupted, and the intestinal mucosa repeats cycles of dryness and inflammation. This was introduced alongside research results showing that the risk of developing Crohn's disease was 1.61 times higher in groups that consumed spicy foods daily.

Question 7: Which of the following is the correct combination of constituent herbal medicines for 'Huanglian Jiedu Tang,' which was introduced as a prescription to clear excess heat trapped in the body?
Correct Answer: Huanglian (Coptis rhizome), Huangqin (Scutellaria root), Huangbai (Phellodendron bark), and Shanzhizi (Gardenia fruit)
Explanation: Huanglian Jiedu Tang consists of four herbal medicines—Huanglian, Huangqin, Huangbai, and Shanzhizi—and is a prescription that clears excess heat trapped in the body. It was introduced for symptoms such as stomach heaviness, a feeling of blockage in the pit of the stomach, and a bitter taste in the mouth.

Question 8: Which prescription was introduced in Wednesday's column for the 'heart-spleen deficiency' type, who feel tired when thinking, have a reduced appetite, have shallow sleep, and feel forgetful or have heart palpitations?
Correct Answer: Kamikihito(Kamikihito)
Explanation: Kamikihito is a prescription that combines Ginseng and Astragalus root, which replenish Qi, with Suanzaoren and Longan fruit, which calm the heart. It was introduced for the 'insufficient Qi (heart-spleen deficiency)' type, who feel tired when thinking, have a reduced appetite, have shallow sleep, and feel forgetful or have heart palpitations.

Question 9: A state where there is a feeling of something stuck in the throat that can neither be swallowed nor spat out is called 'plum pit qi' (Meiheqi). Which prescription was introduced for this state?
Correct Answer: Banxia Houpo Tang(Banxia Houpo Tang)
Explanation: This is the 'excessively rising Qi (liver-qi stagnation)' type, where the flow of Qi is blocked by stress, causing discomfort in the chest and throat as if pushing upward. Its representative symptom is 'plum pit qi,' which feels like a plum pit is stuck in the throat. Banxia Houpo Tang, centered on Banxia to lower Qi and Houpo to regulate the circulation of Qi, was introduced for this state.

Question 10: Which prescription was introduced for the 'liver-yang hyperactivity' type, where irritability and anxiety coexist, anger erupts over trivial matters, and blood easily rushes to the head?
Correct Answer: Saikokaryukotsuboreito(Saikokaryukotsuboreito)
Explanation: Saikokaryukotsuboreito is a prescription that combines Saiko, which calms liver heat, with Ryukotsu and Borei, which pull down the Qi that has risen upward. It was introduced for the 'runaway Qi (liver-yang hyperactivity)' type, where irritability and anxiety coexist, anger erupts over trivial matters, and blood easily rushes to the head.

Question 11: Which of the following was explained in the text as the function of the herbal medicine 'Dazao' (jujube) used in 'jujube tea,' which was introduced as a way to nurture anxiety?
Correct Answer: Dazao (Jujube) — Strengthens the spleen and calms the heart
Explanation: Dazao (jujube) is an herbal medicine said to have the function of strengthening the spleen and calming the heart. It was introduced that tea made by pouring hot water over 2-3 dried jujubes and letting it steep for about 10 minutes is slightly sweet and helps to quietly calm an anxious heart in the afternoon.

Question 12: In the meta-analysis study on migraines introduced in Wednesday's column, which of the following functions showed a significant decline in people with migraines?
Correct Answer: Working memory
Explanation: In a meta-analysis by a research team at La Trobe University, there was no significant difference in short-term memory between those with migraines and healthy individuals, but a significant decline was seen in 'working memory.' This is considered one of the true identities of the 'brain fog' felt by migraine sufferers.

Question 13: Which prescription was introduced for migraines triggered by cold?
Correct Answer: Goshuyuto(Goshuyuto)
Explanation: Goshuyuto is a prescription introduced for migraines triggered by cold. Chotosan is for regulating the flow of Qi and blood to the brain, Kamishoyosan is for headaches triggered by stress (especially in women), and Banxia Baizhu Tianma Tang was introduced for headaches accompanied by dizziness or gastrointestinal weakness.

Question 14: In Eastern medicine, the brain is called the 'sea of marrow.' Which herbal medicine was introduced in Thursday's column as being good for cooling heat trapped in the head and for eye fatigue?
Correct Answer: Kikuka (Chrysanthemum)
Explanation: Kikuka is an herbal medicine said to be good for cooling heat trapped in the head and for eye fatigue. It was introduced along with Chotoko, which also cools heat in the head. The brain is called the 'sea of marrow,' and it is believed that the fullness of the kidney's vital energy and sufficient blood circulation to the brain are important.

Question 15: Which discovery regarding pain was revealed in the Dartmouth College experiment introduced in Friday's column?
Correct Answer: Social cues that 'someone else is in pain' intensify the actual sensation of pain.
Explanation: In the Dartmouth College experiment with 111 participants, it was shown that social cues that 'someone else is in pain' intensify the actual sensation of pain. Because people tend to prioritize information that matches their own thoughts (confirmation bias), a single remark like 'I heard it's painful' can influence how pain is felt.

Question 16: Which prescription was introduced as having the 'role of gently opening a clenched fist' for those whose shoulders and stomach become stiff due to continued tension and whose hands and feet easily become cold?
Correct Answer: Shigyakusan(Shigyakusan)
Explanation: Shigyakusan is a prescription for those whose shoulders and stomach become stiff due to continued tension and whose hands and feet easily become cold, and it was described as having the 'role of gently opening a tightly clenched fist.' Kamishoyosan is introduced for those with large mood swings, and Banxia Houpo Tang for those with a feeling of blockage in the throat.

Question 17: What kind of mental tendency does 'confirmation bias,' mentioned in Friday's column, refer to?
Correct Answer: The tendency to prioritize evidence that matches one's own thoughts and to ignore or downplay information that does not match.
Explanation: Confirmation bias refers to 'the tendency for people to prioritize evidence that matches their own thoughts and to ignore or downplay information that does not match.' It is a mental mechanism where once you receive information like 'I heard it's painful,' your consciousness becomes more likely to focus on sensations that fit that thought.

Question 18: According to the large-scale study introduced in Saturday's column, about how long was the ideal amount of sunbathing to minimize the risk of mental illness and death?
Correct Answer: About 1.5 hours per day
Explanation: In a study of 270,000 people at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China, the relationship between sun exposure time and risk was not a 'straight line' but a gentle curve. The risk is lowest at about '1.5 hours per day,' and exceeding this was reported to be associated with an increased risk of developing depression, dementia, and other conditions, as well as an increased risk of death.

Question 19: What is the Eastern medicine concept introduced as the foundation for sunbathing health practices, which means 'avoiding both excess and deficiency, and maintaining harmony in the middle'?
Correct Answer: Zhongyong (The Golden Mean)
Explanation: 'Zhongyong' is an Eastern medicine concept of avoiding both excess and deficiency and maintaining harmony in the middle. It was introduced that sunbathing is not 'the more the better,' and that it is important to maintain a balance between Yang and Yin. Direct sunlight at midday is considered a healthy practice when you 'wear' it rather than 'bathe' in it.

Question 20: Which prescription, centered on herbal medicines that move Qi through their aroma, was introduced for the 'insufficient Yang (Qi stagnation)' type, who feel heavy from the morning and sigh often?
Correct Answer: Kososan(Kososan)
Explanation: Kososan is a prescription centered on herbal medicines like Perilla leaf and Cyperus rhizome that move Qi through their aroma, and it was described as 'gently letting the wind blow through a cloudy heart to create a sunny interval.' It was introduced for the 'insufficient Yang (Qi stagnation)' type, who feel gloomy, feel heavy from the morning, and sigh often.

This article is intended to provide general health and Kampo knowledge and does not guarantee the efficacy of specific products, nor is it a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. If you have any concerning symptoms, please be sure to consult a medical institution.