UNIT 2

AT THE DOCTOR’S

LEAD - IN

1 Answer the following questions.

● What do you do when you fall ill?

● Who do you consult when you have …?

toothache

sore eyes

a sore throat

a broken leg

a burn

a cut finger

● Which doctors do you know?

● Do you know any jokes about doctors?

2 Read the jokes about doctors. Decide whether they are funny or not and retell them to your friends.

3 Look at the picture. What is wrong with the people?

READING

4 Read four conversations between the people in the waiting room and the doctor. Answer these questions.

1 Which of the people in the picture do you recognize?

2 What is wrong with them?

3 What is the doctor's diagnosis? Choose from this list.

flu an infection a sprain depression

a virus a fracture an allergy high blood pressure

5 Some lines from the conversations, two from each, have been removed. Read the conversations once again. Put them (A-H) into the correct spaces (1-8).

A When should I go back to work?

B But I don’t have time. I'm just so busy at work.

C A bit, but it's very painful.

D Drops every six hours and tablets twice a day?

E No.

F I fell downstairs and I bent my wrist back.

G I see. But what sort of exercise should I do?

H Since yesterday afternoon.

D =Doctor P=Patient R=Receptionist

Conversation 1

P Good morning, Doctor.

D Good morning. What can I do for you?

P I've hurt my wrist.

D How did it happen?

P ……………………. 1 …………………………………….

D When was that?

P Three days ago now, I think, but it hasn't got any better.

D Well, let me just take a look at it. Hmm. Yes it is rather swollen. Can you move it?

P …………………… 2 …………………………….

D Well, I think you've only sprained it, but it could be a fracture, so we'd better get it X-rayed. You’ll have to go to hospital for that. Take this letter with you, and you ought to go as soon as possible.

P Right. Thank you. Goodbye,

D Goodbye now. And don't drive there, either!

P No, of course not, Doctor. Thanks. Bye.

Conversation 2

D Ah, Mr Scales. Do come in and sit down.

P Thank you.

D How are you? Are you still feeling very tired all the time?

P Yes, I am.

D Well, I've got your test results back now and they confirm what I thought. Your blood pressure and your cholesterol level are very high, and well, in fact, if you don’t change your lifestyle, you're going to have a heart attack sooner or later.

P Oh, I see. Oh, dear. What do I have to do?

D Well, there are three things that you ought to do. First, stop smoking. Secondly, you really must lose weight. Your cholesterol level is very high so you must reduce the amount of fat that you eat. And lastly, you must take more exercise. You mustn't do too much exercise at first, but build up gradually.

P ……………………….. 3 …………………………

D Walking is best. You needn't exercise every day, but you should walk about three miles four or five times a week.

P ……………………… 4 …………………………….

D That's another thing. You mustn't work so hard. Look, take this information and read it through. Then make an appointment to see our lifestyle consultant. She will work out a full diet and exercise programme for you. And don’t worry. That's the last thing you should do! I'll see you, again next month.

P OK. Thank you, Doctor. Goodbye for now.

D Goodbye.

Conversation 3

R Julia Carson has come to see Doctor Bates.

P Hello, Doctor.

D Good afternoon. Do take a seat. Now what seems to be the problem?

P My ear hurts. My left ear.

D I see. Could you just turn your head to the side a bit? That's it.

D Hmm. Yes. When did you first notice it?

P A couple of days ago. It started on Tuesday evening and it's been getting steadily worse.

D Could I just take a look at the other ear? Thank you. ... Well, you've got a bit of an infection in your left ear. I'll give you a prescription for some medicine. Now, you aren't allergic to penicillin, are you?

P ………………………… 5 ……………………….

D Fine. I'm prescribing some drops and some tablets. Put the drops into your left ear every six hours and take one tablet twice a day.

P ……………………. 6 …………………………

D Yes. That's right. It should clear up in about three days, but don't stop taking the medicine. Make another appointment for a week's time.

P I will. Thank you, Doctor. Goodbye.

D Goodbye.

Conversation 4

P Good morning, Doctor.

D Good morning. How can I help? P Well. I don't feel very well. I've got a headache and I've got this rash all over my neck and chest.

D Could you just slip your shirt off for a minute? How long have you been feeling unwell? P ……………………… 7 ……………………… D Just pop this thermometer under your arm for me, will you? Do you feel feverish?

P Yes. I do. D Yes. You've got a bit of a temperature. You can put your shirt back on now. Have you got a sore throat?

P No.

D Well, I think it's just a virus. There's nothing you can do really. But you must stay in bed and keep warm for a few days. Take some painkillers for the headache, if necessary.

P ………………………….. 8 ………………….

D Well, you should feel better in two or three days, but it would be best to stay off work till next week. Come back and see me if you don't feel any better after three days.

P All right. Thank you. Goodbye.

D Goodbye.

6 Summarize your answers to questions from exercise 4 in the chart.

	patient	symptoms	started	treatment
1
2
3
4

7 Say who of the patients have to, mustn't, or don't have to.

• go back to see the doctor again.

• take some medicine.

• make another appointment.

• stop taking the tablets.

• go to work.

• go to hospital.

• stay in bed.

• have an X-ray.

• keep warm.

8 Choose other patients from the waiting room picture. Work with a partner and take it in turns to roleplay their conversations with the doctor.

9 Read the text and questions. For each question (1-5), decide which is the correct answer a, b, c or d.

I'm sure I'm not the only person my age (15) who hates going to the dentist. Channel 4's late-night documentary Open wide last Tuesday was excellent for people like me. However, none of my school friends watched it because they didn't know it was on. Why can't television companies let us know about such important programmes in advance?

T his programme was important because it showed how methods for helping people with toothache have developed over the centuries. If you think visiting the dentist today is an uncomfortable experience, just be grateful you didn't live 200 years ago! Then, the programme told us, the only cure for toothache was removing the tooth. There weren't any dentists, so the person who cut your hair also pulled out your bad teeth, and there was nothing to stop you feeling the pain.

The programme has also completely changed my attitude to looking after my teeth. My parents were always saying to me things like, “Don't eat too many sweets,” and, “Brush your teeth after meals”, but I never paid much attention. Now I've seen what damage sugar can do, especially if I don't use a toothbrush regularly, I'm going to change my habits. Many people would benefit from a repeat of this programme.

Sophie Ashley, Oxford

1 Why has Sophie written this letter?

A to complain about the time a television programme was shown.

B to ask for more television programmes designed for school children.

C to advise people to watch a particular television programme.

D to persuade a television company to show the programme again.

2 What can a reader find out from this letter?

A how to encourage young people to take care of their teeth.

B where to get information about future television programmes.

C what kinds of subjects young people enjoy studying at school.

D which television channel shows the most interesting programmes.

3 What did Open wide say about toothache?

A In the past, nobody could make it stop.

B Dentists used to help people who had it.

C Hairdressers have it more than other people.

D Ways of curing it have changed.

4 What does Sophie think about her parents now?

A They don't know as much as she does about teeth.

B Their advice is worth listening to.

C They eat things which are bad for them.

D They don't clean their teeth often enough.

5 Which of these gives information about the programme Sophie watched?

A

11.30 pm Open wide

A play about a 19th-century dentist and how he brought comfort to his patients.

B

11.30 pm Open wide

The series about health care for teenagers. This week, good eating habits.

C

11.30 pm Open wide

This history of the dentist’s profession shows what happens when we eat.

D

11.30 pm Open wide

How to prepare young children for that first visit to the doctor or dentist.

LISTENING

10 Match the problems with the treatment.

S ore throat Headache Cold A cut An insect bite Sunburn Indigestion Upset stomach

After-sun lotion Medical lozenges Antihistamine cream Decongestant Painkiller Kaolin liquid Antacid Bandaid, antiseptic cream

11 Listen to Conversation A and fill in the missing words from exercise 10.

Conversation A

At the Drug Store

Natalie: Good morning. Do you have anything for a_______ _________? Pharmacist: How long have you had it? Natalie: It just started yesterday. Pharmacist: Well, I recommend these _________. They'll relieve the pain. Natalie: Thank you. Pharmacist: But if it gets any worse, you should see your doctor.

12 Look at Conversation A and the words in the box in exercise 10.

With a partner, practise similar conversations in a drug store.

13 Listen to Conversation B, look at the words in bold and practise similar conversations using the information below.

• Chipped a tooth/ a toothache/ broken dentures

• Down the street/uptown/ on Birch Street

• Today/ on Sunday/ this evening

Conversation B

Emergency dental treatment

Front Desk Clerk:How can I help you? Consuela: I need a dentist. I've lost a filling. Front Desk Clerk: How bad is it? There's a dentist down the road but they're closed over the weekends. Consuela Rodriguez: It's pretty painful! And, I'm traveling to LA tomorrow. Front Desk Clerk: There is a 24-hour emergency dental service downtown. Wait here. I'll call them for you.