B2 - Lesson 4 - Health & Medicine: Everyday Illnesses and Symptoms

 B2 - Lesson 4 - Health & Medicine: Everyday Illnesses and Symptoms


Lesson objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

  • describe common illnesses and symptoms naturally;
  • distinguish between several common health problems;
  • use useful health collocations;
  • use phrasal verbs such as throw up, pass out, come round, get sick;
  • discuss health experiences and give basic advice;
  • understand a B2-level text about getting ill while travelling.

1. WARM-UP — "How Healthy Are You?"

Part A — Quick questions

Ask the student to answer spontaneously.

  1. How often do you get ill?
  2. When was the last time you had a cold?
  3. What symptoms do you usually have when you're ill?
  4. Do you normally stay in bed when you're sick, or do you continue working?
  5. What is worse for you: a headache, a sore throat, or a stomachache?
  6. What usually helps you feel better?
  7. Do you think people take minor illnesses too seriously nowadays?
  8. What is one health problem you would never want to experience?

Part B — Would you rather...?

Discuss:

  • have a terrible headache for one day OR a mild headache for a week?
  • have a cold OR a stomach bug?
  • have a fever in summer OR a sore throat in winter?
  • sneeze every 30 seconds for an hour OR cough every 2 minutes for an hour?

2. VOCABULARY — Illnesses & Symptoms

3. READING — "The Holiday That Didn't Go According to Plan"

Read the text
The Worst Day of My Holiday

    When Daniel booked a week-long holiday in Greece, he imagined himself lying on the beach, swimming in the sea and eating seafood every evening. What he didn't imagine was spending almost an entire day in his hotel room.

    Two days after arriving, Daniel woke up feeling slightly under the weather. At first, he thought he had simply been sleeping badly. He had a mild headache and a runny nose, but he decided to ignore the symptoms.

    By lunchtime, however, things had changed. He had developed a high fever and a terrible sore throat. He was also coughing and sneezing constantly. His hotel receptionist suggested that he might have caught the flu and recommended that he see a doctor.

    Daniel decided to wait until the next morning. Unfortunately, during the night he started feeling nauseous. He had eaten seafood at a small restaurant earlier that day, so he began wondering whether he had food poisoning instead.

    At around 3 a.m., he suddenly threw up. After that, he felt slightly better, but he was exhausted and decided to stay in bed.

    The following morning, Daniel went to a local clinic. The doctor asked him several questions and examined him carefully. She explained that his symptoms were probably caused by a viral infection rather than food poisoning. She told him to drink plenty of water, rest and take some medicine to reduce his fever.

    Daniel spent the next two days recovering in his room.

"It wasn't exactly the holiday I'd planned," he said later, "but at least I learned an important lesson: sometimes your body knows when you need to slow down."

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS 

  1. Why do you think Daniel ignored his first symptoms?
  1. Do people sometimes continue their normal lives even when they are ill? Why?
  1. Is it possible to enjoy a holiday without being completely healthy?
  1. Do you think Daniel made the right decision by waiting until the next morning to see a doctor?

SPEAKING — "Health Habits"

Discuss:

  1. Why do some people go to work when they are clearly ill?
  2. Is staying in bed really the best way to recover?
  3. Why do people sometimes diagnose themselves using the internet?
  4. Are people more health-conscious now than in the past?
  5. What unhealthy habits are common among people who work at a computer?
  6. What does "a healthy lifestyle" mean to you?