CALE Practice Test 2 Latest Updated
Graded A+
A 39-year-old patient had a car accident two weeks ago and has pain on both shoulders
and arms. The patient also has palpitation and fixed pain in the chest. Which formula is
good for treatment in this case?
A. Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan (Cinnamon Twig and Poria Pill)
B. Wen Jing Tang (Flow-Warming Decoction)
C. Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang (Drive Out Stasis from the Mansion of Blood Decoction)
D. Tao He Cheng Qi Tang (Peach Pit Decoction to Order the Qi) - ANSWER-C
A 57-year-old female patient visited the clinic with low back pain. Her lumbar vertebra
was bent more than normal. She most likely has:
A. Spondylitis
B. Bulging disc
C. Scoliosis
D. Lordosis - ANSWER-C
A hyperthyroidism patient came to your clinic. What would you expect to see on the lab
report?
A. Increased T3
B. Decreased TSH
C. Increased TSH
D. Increased T4 - ANSWER-B
A man of 65 had a ministroke (TIA) which did not cause permanent paralysis. We call
this 'Wind-stroke attacking meridians and collaterals' (not Zang-Fu) in TCM. We can
assume that Liver Heat stirred up the internal Wind and Liver Blood is stagnated. The
tongue shows 3 out of the 4 elements which cause this chronic condition. Those are
Wind-Stroke, Internal Wind, Fire and Blood Stasis. What is the tongue for this patient?
A. Blue purple tongue body, slightly swollen, crack in the center, thin white tongue coat
B. Red purple tongued body, red tip, swollen and stiff. The tip is more swollen. There is
a thin white tongue coat over all that is rootless and a partially thin coat on the root
C. Blue purple tongue body, stiff and swollen. The tip is more swollen. There is a thin
white tongue coat, rootless and a partially thin coat on the root
D. Blue purple tongue body, stiff and swollen. The tip is more swollen. There is a -
ANSWER-B
A patient has chronic headache. The headache gets worse when she eats grapefruits or
oranges. What is the diagnosis?
A. Spleen Qi Deficiency
B. Kidney Deficiency
C. Heart Qi Deficiency
D. Liver Yang Rising - ANSWER-A
,A patient has fever, chills, slight sweating, cough and sore throat. His pulse is Floating,
Rapid (Shu Mai), and he is also extremely thirsty. What herb would you combine with
Yin Qiao San (Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder) to help with the thirst?
A. Yin Qiao San (Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder) + Huo Xiang (Pogostemonis
Herba)
B. Yin Qiao San (Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder) + Xing Ren (Armeniacae Semen)
C. Yin Qiao San (Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder) + Tian Hua Fen (Trichosanthis
Radix)
D. Yin Qiao San (Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder) + Xuan Shen (Scrophufariae
Radix) - ANSWER-C
A patient has RUQ pain which radiates to the right shoulder and poor digestion of oily
food. What disease is this?
A. Cholecystitis
B. Ulcers
C. Pancreatitis
D. Appendicitis - ANSWER-A
A swollen tongue with mouth ulcers where the ulcers are rimmed with a white color
indicates which of the following conditions?
A. Stomach Fire
B. Lung Heat with Stomach Yin Deficiency
C. Heart Yin Deficiency
D. Heart Fire - ANSWER-C
Abby suffers from chronic headache which manifests with a dull pain on the forehead
and vertex. She also has loose stools and abdominal pain. The headache is related to
Stomach Qi Deficiency and the loose stool while the abdominal pains are related to
Cold Damp Accumulation in the interior. The pulse is Deep (Chen Mai), slight Slippery
(Hua Mai) and Weak (Ruo Mai) (especially in the 3rd position on both sides). What does
the tongue look like for this patient?
A. Blue purple tongue body, thin, with transverse cracks in the center with a yellow coat
B. Red purple tongue body, slightly swollen, no cracks, thick white tongue coat
C. Blue purple tongue body, slightly swollen, crack in the center, thick white tongue coat
D. Blue purple tongue body, slightly swollen, crack in the center, thin white tongue coat -
ANSWER-C
According to the classics texts, which of the following pathogens is responsible for
causing Osteosclerosis?
A. Damp
B. Wind Cold
C. Internal Cold
D. Wind Heat - ANSWER-A
,After Mel had a stroke, he began suffering from a chronic pain. The pain is fixed and
gets worse when the weather is cold or cloudy. The patient does not like being active
and the pain is better with pressure and warmth. Recently his vision is getting worse
and Mel is losing his hair. Which formula can be used instead of Xiao Huo Luo Dan?
A. Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin (Gastrodia and Uncaria Drink)
B. Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan (Kidney Qi Pill)
C. Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang (Pubescent Angelica and Taxillus Decoction)
D. Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (Six-Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia) - ANSWER-C
All of the following points are on the same level except?
A. SI16
B. SJ16
C. B10
D. SI17 - ANSWER-A
An acupuncturist has a needle stick from a contaminated needle by a patient who has
hepatitis C and HIV. What should the physician do?
A. Report to CDC, check HIV counts of patient and get an inspection within three days;
after inspection get an appropriate treatment according to result
B. Report to CDC, go to MD and ask for medication
C. Report to CDC, check HIV counts of patient and get an inspection within two days
D. Report to CDC, treat with acupuncture and herbal medicine three weeks later -
ANSWER-B
Ari has a renal hypertension for the past five years. Recently he started getting severe
headaches that manifest with a feeling of Heat rising up to his head. He says that his
limbs are weak and that his thumb and index finger feel permanently numb. What is the
best formula for this patient?
A. Zhen Gan Xi Feng Tang (Sedate the Liver and Extinguish Wind Decoction)
B.Xiao Huo Luo Dan (Minor Invigorate the Collaterals Special Pill)
C. Er Chen Tang (Two-Aged [Herb] Decoction)
D. Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin (Gastrodia and Uncaria Drink) - ANSWER-D
At which ICS can we BEST hear the apical pulse of the Heart?
A. 6th ICS
B. 4th ICS
C. 7th ICS
D. 5th ICS - ANSWER-D
B28, Ren3 and SP9 are used to treat Lin syndrome. Which points would you add in if
your patient had cloudy urine with a creamy appearance along with urethral burning
pain during urination?
A. B39
B. SP10, SP6
C. Liv2
D. B23, K6 - ANSWER-D
, Bella has severe exhaustion, constipation, poor appetite, black (similar to bronze)
pigmentation and dryness of the facial skin, dry throat, night sweat and heat sensation
on the face that is worse at night. The pulse is Weak (Ruo Mai) on both rear positions.
The tongue is pale and the root is red. The tongue body is also swollen with teeth mark.
The tongue coat is thin, white and peeled on the root. What is the diagnosis?
A. Cushing disease
B. Hyperthyroidism
C. Addison disease
D. Aldosteronism (Conn disease) - ANSWER-C
Beth is in an unusual position. She must renew her acupuncturist license but has been
unwell for the past year. She got special permission from the board to renew her license
with only the 44 hours that she was able to do before she got sick. How many hours of
continuing education must she complete before the next renewal period?
A. 54 hours
B. 55 hours
C. 63 hours
D. 56 hours - ANSWER-D
Briana was visiting Indonesia during the monsoon season. She complains of irritability
and night sweats. Other symptoms include dry throat, palpitations and dizziness. Her
tongue is red with a dry coat. What would you expect her pulse to be?
A. Thready (Xi Mai) and Rapid (Shu Mai)
B. Soft (Ru Mai) and Thready (Xi Mai)
C. String-taut (Xuan Mai) and Thready (Xi Mai)
D. Superficial (Fu Mai) and Rapid (Shu Mai) - ANSWER-C
Bridget has a chronic left side headache. She has been depressed for a good decade
and is also an alcoholic. Her headache comes on when she goes out in the sun. The
pain starts over her left eye and spreads over the head to end at the occiput. She has
pain on her left intercostal area as well. You notice her face is red and she complains of
a bitter taste in her mouth. What is the differential diagnosis for this case?
A. Liver Blood Deficiency
B. Liver Fire
C. Liver Qi Stagnation
D. Excess Heat in the Gall Bladder with Damp Accumulation - ANSWER-B
Buerger's disease is characterized by coldness, numbness, sharp pain with burning
sensation and pain in the limbs. Symptoms generally start showing from the fingers or
toes and go up to the arms and legs with the majority of occurring in the legs rather than
the arms. Which of the following is not the cause of Buerger's disease in TCM?
A. Qi and Blood Stagnation due to Damp Heat
B. Qi and Blood Stagnation due to Injury
C. Qi and Blood Stagnation due to Fire Stagnation
D. Qi and Blood Stagnation due to Cold Damp - ANSWER-A
Graded A+
A 39-year-old patient had a car accident two weeks ago and has pain on both shoulders
and arms. The patient also has palpitation and fixed pain in the chest. Which formula is
good for treatment in this case?
A. Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan (Cinnamon Twig and Poria Pill)
B. Wen Jing Tang (Flow-Warming Decoction)
C. Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang (Drive Out Stasis from the Mansion of Blood Decoction)
D. Tao He Cheng Qi Tang (Peach Pit Decoction to Order the Qi) - ANSWER-C
A 57-year-old female patient visited the clinic with low back pain. Her lumbar vertebra
was bent more than normal. She most likely has:
A. Spondylitis
B. Bulging disc
C. Scoliosis
D. Lordosis - ANSWER-C
A hyperthyroidism patient came to your clinic. What would you expect to see on the lab
report?
A. Increased T3
B. Decreased TSH
C. Increased TSH
D. Increased T4 - ANSWER-B
A man of 65 had a ministroke (TIA) which did not cause permanent paralysis. We call
this 'Wind-stroke attacking meridians and collaterals' (not Zang-Fu) in TCM. We can
assume that Liver Heat stirred up the internal Wind and Liver Blood is stagnated. The
tongue shows 3 out of the 4 elements which cause this chronic condition. Those are
Wind-Stroke, Internal Wind, Fire and Blood Stasis. What is the tongue for this patient?
A. Blue purple tongue body, slightly swollen, crack in the center, thin white tongue coat
B. Red purple tongued body, red tip, swollen and stiff. The tip is more swollen. There is
a thin white tongue coat over all that is rootless and a partially thin coat on the root
C. Blue purple tongue body, stiff and swollen. The tip is more swollen. There is a thin
white tongue coat, rootless and a partially thin coat on the root
D. Blue purple tongue body, stiff and swollen. The tip is more swollen. There is a -
ANSWER-B
A patient has chronic headache. The headache gets worse when she eats grapefruits or
oranges. What is the diagnosis?
A. Spleen Qi Deficiency
B. Kidney Deficiency
C. Heart Qi Deficiency
D. Liver Yang Rising - ANSWER-A
,A patient has fever, chills, slight sweating, cough and sore throat. His pulse is Floating,
Rapid (Shu Mai), and he is also extremely thirsty. What herb would you combine with
Yin Qiao San (Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder) to help with the thirst?
A. Yin Qiao San (Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder) + Huo Xiang (Pogostemonis
Herba)
B. Yin Qiao San (Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder) + Xing Ren (Armeniacae Semen)
C. Yin Qiao San (Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder) + Tian Hua Fen (Trichosanthis
Radix)
D. Yin Qiao San (Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder) + Xuan Shen (Scrophufariae
Radix) - ANSWER-C
A patient has RUQ pain which radiates to the right shoulder and poor digestion of oily
food. What disease is this?
A. Cholecystitis
B. Ulcers
C. Pancreatitis
D. Appendicitis - ANSWER-A
A swollen tongue with mouth ulcers where the ulcers are rimmed with a white color
indicates which of the following conditions?
A. Stomach Fire
B. Lung Heat with Stomach Yin Deficiency
C. Heart Yin Deficiency
D. Heart Fire - ANSWER-C
Abby suffers from chronic headache which manifests with a dull pain on the forehead
and vertex. She also has loose stools and abdominal pain. The headache is related to
Stomach Qi Deficiency and the loose stool while the abdominal pains are related to
Cold Damp Accumulation in the interior. The pulse is Deep (Chen Mai), slight Slippery
(Hua Mai) and Weak (Ruo Mai) (especially in the 3rd position on both sides). What does
the tongue look like for this patient?
A. Blue purple tongue body, thin, with transverse cracks in the center with a yellow coat
B. Red purple tongue body, slightly swollen, no cracks, thick white tongue coat
C. Blue purple tongue body, slightly swollen, crack in the center, thick white tongue coat
D. Blue purple tongue body, slightly swollen, crack in the center, thin white tongue coat -
ANSWER-C
According to the classics texts, which of the following pathogens is responsible for
causing Osteosclerosis?
A. Damp
B. Wind Cold
C. Internal Cold
D. Wind Heat - ANSWER-A
,After Mel had a stroke, he began suffering from a chronic pain. The pain is fixed and
gets worse when the weather is cold or cloudy. The patient does not like being active
and the pain is better with pressure and warmth. Recently his vision is getting worse
and Mel is losing his hair. Which formula can be used instead of Xiao Huo Luo Dan?
A. Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin (Gastrodia and Uncaria Drink)
B. Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan (Kidney Qi Pill)
C. Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang (Pubescent Angelica and Taxillus Decoction)
D. Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (Six-Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia) - ANSWER-C
All of the following points are on the same level except?
A. SI16
B. SJ16
C. B10
D. SI17 - ANSWER-A
An acupuncturist has a needle stick from a contaminated needle by a patient who has
hepatitis C and HIV. What should the physician do?
A. Report to CDC, check HIV counts of patient and get an inspection within three days;
after inspection get an appropriate treatment according to result
B. Report to CDC, go to MD and ask for medication
C. Report to CDC, check HIV counts of patient and get an inspection within two days
D. Report to CDC, treat with acupuncture and herbal medicine three weeks later -
ANSWER-B
Ari has a renal hypertension for the past five years. Recently he started getting severe
headaches that manifest with a feeling of Heat rising up to his head. He says that his
limbs are weak and that his thumb and index finger feel permanently numb. What is the
best formula for this patient?
A. Zhen Gan Xi Feng Tang (Sedate the Liver and Extinguish Wind Decoction)
B.Xiao Huo Luo Dan (Minor Invigorate the Collaterals Special Pill)
C. Er Chen Tang (Two-Aged [Herb] Decoction)
D. Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin (Gastrodia and Uncaria Drink) - ANSWER-D
At which ICS can we BEST hear the apical pulse of the Heart?
A. 6th ICS
B. 4th ICS
C. 7th ICS
D. 5th ICS - ANSWER-D
B28, Ren3 and SP9 are used to treat Lin syndrome. Which points would you add in if
your patient had cloudy urine with a creamy appearance along with urethral burning
pain during urination?
A. B39
B. SP10, SP6
C. Liv2
D. B23, K6 - ANSWER-D
, Bella has severe exhaustion, constipation, poor appetite, black (similar to bronze)
pigmentation and dryness of the facial skin, dry throat, night sweat and heat sensation
on the face that is worse at night. The pulse is Weak (Ruo Mai) on both rear positions.
The tongue is pale and the root is red. The tongue body is also swollen with teeth mark.
The tongue coat is thin, white and peeled on the root. What is the diagnosis?
A. Cushing disease
B. Hyperthyroidism
C. Addison disease
D. Aldosteronism (Conn disease) - ANSWER-C
Beth is in an unusual position. She must renew her acupuncturist license but has been
unwell for the past year. She got special permission from the board to renew her license
with only the 44 hours that she was able to do before she got sick. How many hours of
continuing education must she complete before the next renewal period?
A. 54 hours
B. 55 hours
C. 63 hours
D. 56 hours - ANSWER-D
Briana was visiting Indonesia during the monsoon season. She complains of irritability
and night sweats. Other symptoms include dry throat, palpitations and dizziness. Her
tongue is red with a dry coat. What would you expect her pulse to be?
A. Thready (Xi Mai) and Rapid (Shu Mai)
B. Soft (Ru Mai) and Thready (Xi Mai)
C. String-taut (Xuan Mai) and Thready (Xi Mai)
D. Superficial (Fu Mai) and Rapid (Shu Mai) - ANSWER-C
Bridget has a chronic left side headache. She has been depressed for a good decade
and is also an alcoholic. Her headache comes on when she goes out in the sun. The
pain starts over her left eye and spreads over the head to end at the occiput. She has
pain on her left intercostal area as well. You notice her face is red and she complains of
a bitter taste in her mouth. What is the differential diagnosis for this case?
A. Liver Blood Deficiency
B. Liver Fire
C. Liver Qi Stagnation
D. Excess Heat in the Gall Bladder with Damp Accumulation - ANSWER-B
Buerger's disease is characterized by coldness, numbness, sharp pain with burning
sensation and pain in the limbs. Symptoms generally start showing from the fingers or
toes and go up to the arms and legs with the majority of occurring in the legs rather than
the arms. Which of the following is not the cause of Buerger's disease in TCM?
A. Qi and Blood Stagnation due to Damp Heat
B. Qi and Blood Stagnation due to Injury
C. Qi and Blood Stagnation due to Fire Stagnation
D. Qi and Blood Stagnation due to Cold Damp - ANSWER-A
