INJURIES AND ILLNESS

SPEAKING. Work in pairs. Discuss these questions.

- How often do you go to the doctor’s?
- When was the last time you felt unwell? What symptoms did you have?
- Do you have a healthy lifestyle? Why/Why not?
A) Use the extra information in sentences 1-10 to guess the meanings of the words in bold.
1. He says he´s got the flu, but it´s really just a cold. He´s coughing a lot at night.
2. He´s developed an allergy to cats. He starts sneezing as soon as he comes near one.
3. It´s not really a stomach ache, it doesn´t really hurt. It´s just an upset stomach. I´ve got diarrhoea
and I feel sick.
4. I think I´ve sprained my ankle. I don´t think it´s broken.
5. She´s got a stiff neck. She can hardly turn it.
6. My gran´s got arthritis. The joints in her hands and her wrists are really swollen. She can´t hold
things.
7. I sometimes feel really dizzy and I have to sit down. The doctor says it might be because of high
blood pressure.
8. I´ve developed this nasty rash on the back of my hand. It´s all red and it´s really itchy.
9. I´ve been getting migraines - just very painful headaches - and I sometimes feel quite sick.
10. I hit my head and I got a nasty cut and a big bump appeared.

How many of the problems in boldand italicshave you had in the last five years? Are there any you have
never had?

B) Match the patients’ and doctors’ comments.

1. My ankle’s quite swollen. I can hardly walk on it.
2. I´ve done something to my back. It really hurts.
3. I hit my head and got this nasty bump.
4. I´ve had this nasty cough for weeks.
5. I´ve got this nasty rash. It´s really itchy.
6. It´s quite a nasty cut.
7. You´ve broken your leg, I´m afraid.
8. You´ve got very high blood pressure.

a) It´s a chest infection. It should clear up with antibiotics.

b) Don´t scratch it. I´ll give you some cream for the itchiness.
c) It´s probably just sprained, but we should have it X-rayed.
d) Well, I have been under a lot of stress recently.
e) Oh no! How long will I have to have it in plaster?
f) Did you feel dizzy or lose consciousness at all?
g) Will it need some stitches?
h) I´ll get the nurse to give you some painkillers; but you´ll need to rest it. Don´t do any lifting.

SOURCE: Outcomes Intermediate Unit 15 (SB.104, 108, 104)

Source: F2F Intermediate
SOURCE: Outcomes Intermediate Unit 15