A Visit to the Doctor

B) Sport and fitness metaphors

I scored an own goal (= made things worse rather than better) when I told my boss it had only taken me a day to write the report. Now she wants me to write several a week.

My boss always seems to be moving the goalposts (= changing the rules), which makes it very difficult to know what he wants.

The new EU laws aim to provide a level playing field (= fair situation)for all member states.

He’s too young to be in the running (= seriously considered)for such a job.

The two main parties in the election are still neck and neck (= level with smb. and equally likely to win) in the opinion polls.

Politicians often skate around (= don’t talk directly about)a subject.

The students all sailed through (= passed very easily)their exams.

ACQUIRING COMMUNICATION SKILLS

4.19. Read the dialogues and discuss the questions below with a partner.

Doctor: Well, what's the matter with you, Mr. Walker?

Mr. Walker: You’d better ask me what is not the matter with me, doctor. I seem to

be suffering from all the illnesses imagin­able: insomnia, headaches, backache, indigestion, constipa­tion, and pains in the stomach. To make things still worse, I’ve caught a cold, I’ve got a sore throat, and I’m constantly sneezing and coughing. To crown it all, I had an accident the other day, and hurt my right shoulder, leg and knee, and nearly broke my neck. If I take a long walk, I get short of breath. In fact, I feel more dead than alive.

Doctor: I’m sorry to hear that. Anyhow, I hope things aren’t as bad as you imagine. Let me examine you. Your heart, chest and lungs seem to be all right. Now open your mouth and show me your tongue. Now breathe in deeply, through the nose... There doesn’t seem to be anything radically wrong with you, but it’s quite clear that you’re run down, and if you don’t take care of yourself, you may have a nervous break­down and have to go to hospital. I advise you, first of all, to stop worrying. Take a long rest, have regular meals, keep to a diet of salads and fruit, and very little meat. Keep off alco­hol. If possible, give up smoking, at least for a time. Have this tonic made up and take two tablespoonfuls three times a day before meals. If you do this, I can promise you full re­covery within two or three months.

Mr. Walker: And if I don’t, doctor?

Doctor: Then you’d better make your will, if you haven’t yet done so.

Mr. Walker: I see. Well, thank you, doctor. I shall have to think it over and decide which is the lesser evil: to follow your advice or prepare for a better world.

2. At the Dentist’s

Nell: Hello, is that you, Bert? Nell here. I'm so glad I've found you in.

Bert: Hello, Nell. How’re things?

Nell: Fine. Listen, Bert. I’m bursting with news. Just imagine - yesterday I had the first real patient of my own.

Bert: You don’t say so! Who was it?

Nell: A nice old dear with a lot of teeth to be pulled out. It’s such wonderful practice for me!

Bert: Are you quite sure that some of his teeth couldn’t be filled?

Nell: None of them! I sent him to have his teeth X-rayed, so it’s all right.

Bert: How did you manage to get such a marvellous patient, I wonder?

Nell: He came with a bad toothache. It had been bothering him for a day or two already.

Bert: Were there no other dentists in the surgery?

Nell: No, I was the only one. It was Sunday.

Bert: Poor old thing! I hope you didn’t try to pull out all his teeth at once, did you?

Nell: Don’t be silly. I just chose the easiest one to begin with.

Bert: I see... And how did you get along?

Nell: Wonderfully. I tested his blood pressure and gave him a couple of injections, though he said that my smile worked better than any injection.

Bert: Oh, he did, did he? And he didn’t have a heart attack after the tooth was taken out? It would have been natural for an old man.

Nell: No, he just felt a bit sick and giddy. I gave him a tonic and told him to stay in bed for a while and take his temperature.

Bert: Perhaps I’d better drop in and check his heart? I’m on sick leave now and can do it at any time.

Nell: You needn’t. I’ll ring him up and in case he’s running a high temperature, I’ll let you know. But I do hope he won’t. The day after tomorrow he’s coming again.

Bert: Are you sure he’s not going to make an appointment with some other dentist?

Nell: I don’t think he will. When he was leaving, he said he looked forward to having all his teeth pulled out and he would keep them all as souvenirs to remember me by.

Bert: Well, I wish you good luck then. Hope to hear from you soon. Bye for now, Nell.

Nell: Good-bye, Bert. I’ll let you know how things are going on.

Questions:

1. What do you usually do when you get sick?

2. How often do you go to see the doctor? What specialists do you usually visit?

3. Do you always follow the doctor’s prescriptions?

4. How often do you visit the dentist? What problems with your teeth do you usually suffer from?

5. How would you feel when treated by a young doctor, who might have not very much experience? Have you ever been treated by such?

6. What usual treatment do Russian patients get from dentists?

4.20. a) Are you or any of your friends or relatives hypochondriac? Can a hypochondriac be treated or cured? Read the text and discuss these questions and the situation described in the text with a partner. b) Find a synonym to the word ‘doctor’ used in the text. c) Ask 7-10 questions about the text and be ready to retell the story.

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