At the doctor’s office – Covid

In this animated dialogue, a patient visits his doctor because he has many classic Covid-19 symptoms. 

But first, you may need to look at the most common health problems, ways to ask about someone’s health, and typical responses.

Then, it might be necessary to check some simple conversations between doctor and patient

Okay! Now you’re ready for this simple but useful dialogue in times of pandemic. Listen carefully, and after doing that, practice here. Look up the words you don’t know and enjoy this unique lesson!

At the doctor’s office

If you don’t look well – you should see a doctor / go to your doctor. And for that, you may need to make an appointment with your doctor.

The two expressions see a doctor and go to the doctor can be used to indicate a need to consult a doctor, that is, to obtain medical advice and any necessary treatment.

We started with the most common health problems, ways to ask about someone’s health, and typical responses.

Now let’s look at a simple conversation between doctor and patient. This is an interactive listening and speaking practice. Please listen and then repeat after Mark. Have fun learning to talk with a doctor and speak English now.

How are you feeling today?

Not very well, Doctor.

Tell me about it.

Well, I have a terrible headache.

How about your throat?

It hurts a little.

Do you have a cough?

Yes, I have a cough, too.

Do you feel weak?

Yes, I get tired very quickly.

Let’s take your temperature.

Your temperature is 39.1 degrees Celsius.

You have a fever.

It seems the you have the flu.

Oh, that’s terrible.

Don’t worry.

Take this medicine and rest.

OK. I understand.

Please come back next week for a checkup.

I will.

Thank you Doctor.

Find a few more useful sentences below. Listen carefully and write them down.

9/11 and heroes

We have recently learned how to use the words birthday and anniversary. This lesson shows the noun anniversary used to talk about the 20th anniversary of the September 11 tragedy. Note that the ordinal number indicating the number of years precedes the word anniversary.

The attack remains one of the most traumatic events of the century, not only for Americans but also for the world.

Around the US, every year, people pause to remember those who lost their lives on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, vowing to “never forget.”

“9/11” is shorthand for the date, September 11, 2001. On that date, four airplanes were hijacked or taken over by 19 terrorists, part of the terrorist group called “al-Qaeda,” and used as giant, guided missiles to crash into landmark buildings in New York and Washington. Two planes struck the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York. As people rushed out of the towers, many rushed in to help, including firefighters and police officers, who saved thousands of lives.

Almost 3,000 people died, and thousands were injured or later developed illnesses connected to the attacks, including firefighters who had worked in toxic debris. Citizens of 77 different countries were among the casualties.

The third plane destroyed the western face of the Pentagon – the giant headquarters of the US military just outside the nation’s capital, Washington DC.

And the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania after passengers fought back. There is speculation that the hijackers had meant to attack the Capitol Building in Washington DC.

  • All 246 passengers and crew aboard the four planes were killed
  • At the Twin Towers, 2,606 people died – then or later of injuries
  • At the Pentagon, 125 people were killed

Around 17,000 people were in the buildings when they were hit by the planes. Most of them left safely. As they rushed out, firemen, police officers, and other volunteers rushed in to help those still trapped. We call these heroes “first responders”. The buildings were very damaged, though, and before the first responders could help everyone, they collapsed.

On the one hand, the world witnessed the searing destructiveness of naked hate that day; on the other hand saw many performing incredible acts of heroism, sympathy, and gratitude.

People came from all over the world to help. Some came to help the injured. Some came to help clean up the site. Others brought food and support messages for the workers. Many people worked around the clock (all day and all night without stopping) to clear the rubble and the debris, and eight months later, the last of the steel was removed.

To help us remember, a permanent 9/11 Memorial and a Museum were opened at the site of the original World Trade Center on the 10th anniversary of the attacks. Together, they remind us what happened that day and help us remember all the people who lost their lives. They also let us remember the importance of helping each other and making our community and world a better place.

PRACTICE

  • What does the word “hero” mean to you? Do you think of someone with superhuman strength or someone you know?

  • What makes a hero?

  • How can we show support and gratitude to those who act heroically or are absolutely and genuinely committed to the well-being of our community, country, or the world? 

I got a haircut

Start by watching the video to listen to the introductory explanation. Pause it, finish reading the post, and then go back to the exercises in the video.

Have/get + object + past participle

We use this structure, the Passive Causative form, to talk about services that we receive, about things which we don’t do by ourselves but someone else does for us.

  • I had/got my hair cut.
  • I got/had my car repaired.
  • I am going to have/get my house painted.

If you’re doing the action, you can simply use “cut”:

  • cut my hair.

When someone cuts your hair for you, you have/get a haircut,

  • He got a haircut and did/ran other errands during the lunch hours.
  • I was planning to finish work early today, get a haircut, and maybe do some shopping.

Now it’s your turn

Do you cut your hair? If not, who cuts your hair?

How often do you get a haircut?

“Of” e receitas: an oatmeal recipe

Oatmeal (mingau de aveia) can be the most comforting and fulfilling breakfast, lunch, or dinner. A student was having (eating) a bowl of oatmeal during the class (online classes allow for that), and I asked her to share her oatmeal recipe with me. Then, she started listing the ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons of the oats (aveia)

She thought that she had to use “of the”, because of phrases like the end of the day, the cost of the meal, a member of the team, etc.

So I decided to prepare this lesson.

In this context, when we are listing the ingredients of the recipeOF is being used to show what type of substance or thing we are referring to when talking about the amount:

  • two kilos of sugar
  • millions of dollars
  • a bar of chocolate

There are many different oatmeal recipes, and the purpose of this lesson is not the recipe itself but to learn how to say it. Here is an easy one only to show you how the ingredients are listed. Notice the 1/2 cup of rolled oats

Okay, now let’s look at some situations in which we use of the:

the end of the day

used to show what a part belongs to or comes from
the back of the house
the last scene of the movie

the cost of the meal

used when talking about a feature or quality that something has
the beauty of the scenery
the length of the swimming-pool

a member of the baseball team

used to show what group one or more things or people belong to
some of the students
‘Mona Lisa’ is one of the best-known paintings.
Two of the guests are vegetarian.

Now, here is a very common situation in which we use only of: a cup of coffee

used to say what something contains
several packets of cigarettes
truckloads of refugees

Okay! Let’s see what other ingredients my student adds to her oatmeal recipe, starting from the beginning:

  • 2 tablespoons of oats
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 1 tablespoon of whey protein
  • 1 banana
  • a dash (pitada) of cinnamon

Way to go Mariane! Bon apettit!