Doctor’s Office

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Part 1: Listen and Read: Listen to the recording on medical care, answer the questions, and then read along with the audio recording.

I was feeling a little under the weather the other day, so I decided to visit my doctor before things got worse. I called her in the morning, and I made an appointment for 9:30 a.m. When I arrived at her office, I had to fill out some insurance paperwork and a sheet describing my current medical condition, along with the symptoms I was feeling. After a few minutes, the nurse called my name and took me back to one of their examination rooms. She took my vital signs including my temperature and blood pressure, and then I waited until the doctor came in. After looking me over and asking a few questions, the doctor’s diagnosis was that I had a bacterial infection. She wrote me out a prescription for some medication, which I was supposed to take two times a day. After the exam, I went back to the reception area and paid the bill.

Part 2: Discussion

In some countries, people go to a general practitioner or a doctor trained to handle all general medical care. However, in other countries, people always go to specialists when they are ill. What is the medical care system like in your country? Are patients seen in individual, private examination rooms?

Part 3: Role Play

With a partner, pretend that you have one or more of these illnesses and symptoms. Have your partner recommend different treatments, including any home remedies.

backache, stomachache, nausea, the flu, a bad cough, diarrhea

Part 4: Online Investigation

Describing your own medical condition can be very difficult in a foreign language. Look at the following medical problems and decide how you would describe the problem in English. If possible, tell how the problem occurred. Use the Internet to help you with your description:

sprained ankle, broken bone, the flu, heat stroke, a snake bite, poison ivy

Part 5: Online Listening Practice (from www.esl-lab.com):