Vocabualary practice

1. Write the missing letters to fill in the following symptoms.

1. I feel ill. I think I’m running a high t _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .

2. I’ve got the flu. I have a h _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and s _ _ _ t _ _ _ _ _ . My nose is c _ _ _ _ ed.

3. I’ve caught a cold. I’ve got a bad c _ _ _ _ and my b _ _ _ hurts.

4. I have food poisoning. I’ve got a s _ _ _ _ _ _ a _ _ e and I feel d _ _ _y.

5. My arm h _ _ _ _. I think I’ve broken it.

2. Put these health problems in three columns. Do you think they are not serious, more serious or very serious?

health problems	not serious	more serious	very serious
Cancer, toothache, cholera, hay-fever, a headache, a heart attack, a cold, asthma	a headache

3. Match the diseases with their symptoms.

1. flu	swollen glands in front of ear, earache or pain on eating
2. pneumonia	burning pain on abdomen, pain or nausea after eating
3. rheumatism	rash starting on body, slightly raised temperature
4. chickenpox	dry cough, high fever, chest pain, rapid breathing
5. mumps	headache, aching muscles, fever, cough, sneezing
6. an ulcer	swollen, painful joints, stiffness, limited movements

4. What does the doctor or nurse use the following things for?

Model: stethoscope For listening to a patient’s chest.

thermometer scales tape measure scalpel

5. Match the health problem with doctor’s recommendations.

health problem	doctor’s recommendation
Annie with a bad sunburn.	Take one three times a day after meals.
George who has broken his leg.	Take a teaspoonful last thing at night.
John who’s off to the Tropics.	Rub a little on before going to bed each night.
Paul with flu.	We’ll get the nurse to put a bandage on.
Liz with a bad cough.	You’ll need to have some injections before you go.
Sam who needs his appendix out.	I’ll ask the surgeon when he can fit you in for an operation.
Rose suffering with exhaustion.	You’ll have to have your leg put in plaster.
Alf who’s sprained his wrist.	I think you should have total bed rest for a week.

6. Think what medical problems might you have if…

1. you wear shoes that rub? 7. you eat food you’re allergic to?

2. you eat too fast? 8. you run unusually fast for the bus?

3. you smoke a lot? 9. you eat food that is bad?

4. you play football? 10. a mosquito bites you?

5. you go skiing? 11. you get wet on a cold day?

6. you stay too long in the sun? 12. you think you’re ill all the time?

7. Fill in the gaps with a suitable word.

1. I hit my hand on the desk and it really …………………………………………………… .

2. They say she died of heart ……………………………………………………………….. .

3. She had some apples that weren’t ready to eat and now she’s got stomach – …………… .

4. I’ve got this terrible …………. in my neck from sleeping in the wrong position.

5. He died of ………….. cancer even though he never smoked a cigarette in his life.

6. I went to the doctor and she gave me a ……………. for some tablets.

7. Pollution makes her …………… worse and it’s difficult for her to breathe.

8. There are different forms of hepatitis; one is a more serious …………….. than the other.

9. I hurt ……………. when I fell off the chair.

10. My back ……………… from sitting at the computer all day.

8. Read the following dialogues.

A: What did the doctor say?

B: He thinks I have too much stress.

A: Stress causes your stomachaches?

B: Stress causes different problems with different people.

A: So what did he tell you to do?

B: He said I need to think positive.

A: He didn’t give you any medication?

B: I hate medication. It makes me feel different.

A: So how do you think positive?

B: I think about nice things.

A: Like what?

B: Like a day at the beach, with my toes in the sand.

*****

A: I hate brushing my teeth.

B: It’s such a chore.

A: Brush, brush. Spit, spit.

B: What did they do in the old days?

A: They brushed with their fingers.

B: They also ate with their fingers!

A: Why do they call it the good old days?

B: Maybe because they didn’t have to brush and floss.

A: Who invented flossing?

B: A dentist, I’m sure.

A: I hate flossing more than brushing!

B: I can’t wait till all my teeth fall out.

9. Joyce Summers is talking about her family’s health. Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verbs.

To have, to eat, to lose, to stop, to do, to get, to go (2), to drink

My husband, Eric, worries about his health a lot. His father had a heart attack last year and Eric …………. smoking next day. But he ……….. very stressed at work and finds it hard to relax. Eric and I don’t ……….. alcohol, but only one or two glasses of wine a day. I’m trying to …………. weight at the moment and I ………….. some exercise every day. My son, Ian, is trying to ………… fit. He doesn’t ………….. fried food any more. He also ……………. to the gym a lot. I think he’s got a new girlfriend.

10. Read the following information and answer the questions.