Health and illness r
Reading 1
Study the 'case history' below. Then write ten headlines for the President's ten-day illness, from President taken ill to The nation holds its breath.
'You're in perfect health ... as fit as a fiddle ... there's nothing wrong with you.' 'I feel a bit off-colour ... rather under the weather ... I do feel funny ... I really
don't feel well... I think I'm sickening for something ... I feel feverish ... like deathwarmedup.'
'He's been taken ill... he's in a coma ... fighting for his life ... still critically ill...
in a very critical condition ... no change ... still seriously ill... still hasn't regained consciousness ... is responding to treatment... off the danger list...
showing signs of coming round ... making progress ... his condition is satisfactory... he's come out of the coma ... he's as well as can be expected ...
comfortable ... no change ... he's turned the corner ... he's on the mend.'
'We all wish you a speedy recovery ... get well soon ... we're glad you're over it.'
'The worst is over ... he's almost completely recovered ... he's practically cured ... he's convalescing ... coming along nicely ... he'll be on his feet again soon ... he'll be out and about again in a few days.'
'He's had a relapse ... he's nobetter ... he's getting worse ... his condition is deteriorating ... he's getting weaker ... he's slipping away ... fading fast... his life is hanging by a thread ... it's just a matter of time ... he could go at any second!'
'He's made a miraculous recovery ... he's as good as new ... as right as rain ...
he'll live till he's a hundred.'
After all that, do you feel well enough to read on? Note the ways that illnesses can be spoken of and reported in the text below.
Examination Fever
For most of the year, most of us had been allergic to work; apparently there had been a history of such allergies in the school.
Throughout the spring there had been quite a few cases of 'Exams are stupid', which proved highly contagious among friends.
Then in late May, one or two of us suffered a mild attack of 'Gosh, is it really next month?' and we seemed to give that to the others rather rapidly. You could tell how it was spreading from improved attendance at lessons.
An even more serious outbreak was that of the very infectious 'I don't know a thing" two weeks before. At about the same time everyone seemed to catch 'You're no good!' from the teachers. Then there was a bout of'I don't really care' followed by a few chronic cases of 'My parents will kill me'. This again proved very catching; half the class was down with it in the week leading up to the exam itself, and it had reached epidemic proportions by the Friday before.
Bythis time, those who had been sufferingfrom 'It'll be easyforme'had made a total recovery.
That Friday there was a 'What ifI'm suffering from amnesia?' scare, and this had developed by Monday into a touch of 'I can't even remember my own name'.
There were also, of course, the normal isolated cases of 'My pen doesn't work' and several pupils had a sudden fit of 'Where's the toilet?'
Afterwards there were a couple of complaints of'I know I've failed', but generally the worst seemed to be over. Such diseases are rarely terminal. And after all, we had a convalescence and recuperation period of six and a half weeks to follow.
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Health and illness
Practice 1
Without looking back at the previous two texts, try to supply the missing word that completes these expressions:
1 |
under the ... |
7 |
as ... |
as a fiddle |
||
2 |
it's just a |
... of time |
8 |
a bit... |
- colour |
|
3 |
... the mend |
9 |
fighting |
... his life |
||
4 |
suffer... |
hayfever |
10 |
allergic |
... dust |
|
5 |
to go ... with 'flu |
11 |
as right as ... |
|||
6 |
turn the |
... |
12 |
just a |
... |
attack of nerves |
Here, on this rather unpleasant page, are some ofthe best-known and least-wanted diseases and conditions, arranged according to where they strike or what causes
them. However, in each group there is one that should not be there. Can you identify it?
The heart and blood vessels |
The liver |
poor circulation |
gallstones |
high blood pressure |
cirrhosis of the liver |
a stroke |
hepatitis |
heart attack |
cancer of the liver |
jaundice |
coronary thrombosis |
cardiac arrest |
|
heart failure |
|
The stomach and intestines |
The blood |
appendicitis |
anaemia |
stomach ulcer |
pneumonia |
polio |
leukaemia |
a hernia |
a haemorrhage |
constipation |
a blood clot |
|
c7 |
Infectious fevers |
Food poisoning |
measles |
typhoid |
chickenpox |
dysentery |
German measles (rubella) |
diarrhoea and vomiting |
smallpox |
salmonella |
pleurisy |
mumps |
glandular fever |
Thejoints |
yellow fever |
|
scarlet fever |
rheumatism |
whooping cough |
enteritis |
influenza |
arthritis |
leprosy |
fibrositis |
malaria |
|
The lungs and respiratory system |
The nervous system |
diphtheria |
migraine |
catarrh |
epilepsy (epileptic fits) |
sinusitis |
Parkinson's disease |
tonsilitis |
multiple sclerosis |
laryngitis |
muscular dystrophy |
asthma |
|
angina |
Mental disorders |
cholera |
schizophrenia |
bronchitis |
manic depression |
tuberculosis (ТВ) |
neurosis |
lung cancer |
paranoia |
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Health and illness
This is a section on symptoms, possible diagnosis and remedies. These six
exchanges between doctor and patient have been mixed up. Decide which response shouldfollowwhichquestion.
1I've been suffering from insomnia
lately. Do you think I might be heading for a nervous breakdown?
2I seem to have some sort of stye or infectioninmyrighteye. Doyou think I might have conjunctivitis?
3I can't stop scratching this place on my foot. Do you think it's athlete's foot?
4I've got a rather sore throat, and I keep feeling a bit flushed. Do you
think it could be 'flu?
5I've got a big bump on the back of my head. Do you think it might be more than a bruise?
6I keep getting shooting pains down my shin and ankle. Is it possible that I'vebrokenorsprainedsomething?
aPossible. Try this lotion for a few days to stop the itching, then start putting on this powder at night.
bUnlikely, but I'll let you have some
cough mixture to relieve the symptoms. You can get yourself some lozenges, if you like.
сI would doubt it. Here, rub this cream in for the next few nights to help reduce the swelling.
dNo, ofcourse not. But I'll prescribe some barbiturates - sleeping pills -
to help you get a good night's rest. OK?
eI wouldn't have thought so. But I'll give you a prescription for some drops to try and clear it up.
fWell, the X-ray didn't show anything. If it's so painful, you'd better have some crutches to walk with and some painkillers to ease the pain.
Rearrange these six paragraphs in the same way.
1I've got a dull ache in my arm and occasionally I get a spasm. Could it be a minor fracture, a chipped bone or something?
2I've got these tiny little bumps all over the back of my neck. Doyou think it might be gland trouble?
3I've come out in a rash on my chest. Do you think it could be a skin disease like impetigo or dermatitis?
4I keep getting short of breath. Is there any way I could be suffering fromasthma?
5I think I've got an ulcer in my mouth. Do you think it could be a sign that I'mrundown?
6I feel so feverish, and I'm sure I've got a temperature. I'm so afraid that there's something wrong with my heart.
aMm, sounds a bit like it. I'll make you out a prescription for some penicillin, and some menthol inhalations might speed up the recovery.
bIt's just possible. I'll strap it up
anyway and put it in a sling. That should reduce your discomfort quite
a lot.
сOh, I shouldn't think so, but I think perhaps you ought to start taking these tranquillisers, to at least get your blood pressure down.
dOh no, no, no. You'd know ifit was. I'll give you some ointment to rub in to get rid of the inflammation.
eProbably not. I'll put you on a course of tablets to prevent them from
spreading. They should go soon.
f It might well be. I'll put you on antibiotics for a while anyway, to lessen the risk of serious infection.
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Health and illness
Reading 2
Observations ofa Hospital Porter
Ambulance siren,
Brakes squealing,
Screeching. Bleeding.
Stretchers wheeling.
Anaesthetic.
Operations.
Amputation.
Blood transfusion.
Every hour
A siren blares
Another night
At St Mary's.
Practice 2
A Nurse's Lament
Complete the text below by filling each gap with one of the following verbs:
dressing setting giving taking saving fitting sterilising taking out transplanting taking off performing.
Well, don't you think it's unfair? There they are upstairs,... bones,... skin grafts,
... pacemakers,... organs,... lives and exciting things like that. And here I am spending the whole of my day ... people's pulse,... injections,... bandages,
... stitches, ... wounds and ... bottles. And to think they earn four times as much money for all the fun they have!
Reading 3
Prevention is better than cure.
HIS LIFE IS IN YOUR HANDS
Beautiful, isn't he? The sort of child any parents would be proud of.
Hard to imagine that until a few months ago this little boy was in mortal danger and nearly lost his life.
Without proper vaccination he was at the mercy of every germ, virus, bacterial disease around.
Don't take the risk!
Make sure your child is fully inoculated. Today!
GIVE YOUR CHILD A FAIR CHANCE - TO LIVE!
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Health and illness
Practice 3
Щ Write or act out conversations in a doctor's surgery - rather longer than the ones you read earlier - in which a doctor, a patient and the patient's mother, wife or husband discuss how the patient should recover from the operation he or she is about to have.
[2]List and give reasons for five golden rules for keeping healthy.
[3]Debate or write about the topic: Nobody wants to live till they're a hundred and ten.
Organise your thoughts carefully before you begin.
[4]Describe the remedies or treatments you have heard offor the complaints and accidents listed below.
1 a bad burn |
6 a fish-hook in the finger |
|
2 |
nosebleed |
7 a cold |
3 |
frostbite |
8 a person who's fainted |
4 |
hiccups |
9 a person who's nearly drowned |
5 a hangover
щWrite a letter to a friend from your hospital bed, describing your way of life for the past few weeks, before and since your operation.
[6J Write, in dialogue form, a conversation between a GP (General Practitioner or family doctor), a parent and a very spotty child.
•Add any more words you need to describe any further illnesses you may catch or hear of.
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