2008年ESL之就医 12 Getting a Cold

12 Getting a Cold

GLOSSARY 1

cold – an illness that is very common, especially in the winter, but not very serious; an illness that often includes sneezing, coughing, a runny nose andother symptoms* Some people think that you might get a cold if you go outside when your hair is wet.

contagious 2 – sharing an illness with other people; able to transfer one’s illness to another person* Harold went to work while he was contagious, and now all his co-workers aresick.

to play hooky – to not go to school or work when one is supposed to, usually because one wants to do something fun* Jake played hooky from school on Wednesday, going to the movies instead ofhis classes.

to run – for a nose to have liquid coming out of it when one is sick or cold* Shannon’s nose was running all day, so now the skin below her nose is brightred.

puffy – swollen 3; larger than usual, seeming to have air or water under the skin* After Terrence accidentally closed the car door on his finger, it became puffyand very painful.

hoarse 4 – a voice that sounds strange and is lower and rougher than usual, oftenbecause one is sick or because one has been shouting for a long time* Janice cheered loudly at the basketball game last night, and today her voice is very hoarse.

fever – a body temperature that is higher than normal, usually because one’s body is fighting against an illness* Having a fever of more than 103 degrees can be very dangerous.

nasal decongestant – a medicine that helps to clear one’s nose so that one canbreathe more easily when sick* Do you sell any nasal decongestants that won’t make me sleepy?

eye drops – a liquid that comes in a small bottle and is put in one’s eyes to makethem less red or itchy, especially when one is sick* Wendy has horrible allergies 5, but she uses eye drops to stop her eyes fromturning bright red.

cough medicine – a liquid medicine that one drinks to stop oneself fromcoughing (pushing air out of one’s throat and mouth very quickly while making aquick, loud sound when one is sick)* This cough medicine won’t make your cold go away, but it will make you feelbetter because you won’t be coughing as much.

to suck – to use one’s tongue to hold something in one’s mouth, often to get theflavor of it without biting or chewing* Does your baby suck his thumb?

throat lozenge – small, hard candies with medicine in them that one puts inone’s mouth so that the liquid comes off and goes down one’s throat, making asore throat feel better* When she has a sore throat, she uses throat lozenges and drinks hot tea.

to sneeze – to push air and a little bit of liquid out of one’s nose very quickly andwith a lot of force, usually making a loud noise at the same time, especially whenone is sick or has allergies* When they cleaned their garage, there was a lot of dust in the air and it madethem sneeze.

to contaminate 6 – to make something dirty or impure* People are worried that the chemical factory is contaminating 7 the river.

Kleenex – a brand of tissues, or very soft pieces of paper, that one uses to cleanone’s nose or wipe away tears* Frannie always carries Kleenex in her purse when she goes to see a sadmovie.

to blow (one’s) nose – to put a tissue (a very soft piece of paper) or a smallpiece of fabric 8 in front of one’s nose and blow air out of one’s nose very strongly and quickly* Oliver didn’t have any tissues, so he blew his nose on a paper towel.

germ – bacteria; a very small thing that cannot be seen without a special tool,but that can make people sick* That bathroom is very dirty and must be full of germs!

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS1.  Which of these is a type of medicine?

a)  A nasal decongestant.

b)  A Kleenex.

c)  A germ.

2.  Which of these would you take if your voice were hoarse?

a)  Eye drops.

b)  Cough medicine.

c)  Throat lozenges.

______________WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?

coldThe word “cold,” in this podcast, means an illness that is very common,especially in the winter, but not very serious: “Danielle didn’t go to work today,because she has a cold.”  Normally, the word “cold” refers to a low temperature:

“Put on a hat because it is very cold outside today.”  However, when we talk about people being “cold,” we mean that they are unfeeling, or that they don’tshow very much emotion: “Reese is so cold that he didn’t even cry when his mother died.”  Finally, the phrase “to get cold feet” means to become nervous orworried about something that one had planned to do, suddenly not wanting to doit anymore: “Some men get cold feet a few hours before their wedding.”

to runIn this podcast, the verb “to run” means for a nose to have liquid coming out of itwhen one is sick or cold: “The little girl’s nose started to run while she playedoutside in the cold air.”  The phrase “to run to (somewhere)” means to gosomewhere and do something very quickly: “Could you please run to the postoffice and buy some stamps this afternoon?”  The phrase “to run off (something)”

means to operate using a certain type of power: “Their computer runs off aspecial, long-lasting battery.”  Finally, the phrase “to run for (something)” means to try to be elected for a position, especially in the government: “How many people are running for the presidency 9 this year?”

CULTURE NOTEPeople who “catch a cold” (get a cold) have many other “symptoms” (a sign orsignal that something is wrong with one’s body) “besides” (in addition to) theones discussed in this podcast.  For example, they may have a “sore throat,”

when the inside of one’s throat hurts.  Throat lozenges can help to make the paingo away, as can hot drinks and warmth.

Some people have many “aches and pains” when they catch a cold, meaningthat their body, or only certain body parts, hurt.  In particular, they might have a“headache” (a pain inside one’s head).  Other people “have the chills,” meaningthat they feel cold even when the room is warm.  They get “goose bumps” (small,raised areas on one’s skin when one is cold), even while other people who arenot sick might be “complaining” (saying negative things) about how warm theroom is.  In addition, people with a cold sometimes feel “fatigued” (tired) or“weak” (without very much energy; not strong).

Unfortunately, there is no “cure” (something that one can do to become healthy again) for the common cold, so people just have to wait for it to end.  However,they can do many things to “alleviate” (make something less bad) the symptoms.

Nasal decongestants, cough medicines, eye drops, and throat lozenges can allhelp to “ease” (make a little bit better) the symptoms.  It is a good idea to rest inbed, drink lots of liquids, and stay warm.  Many Americans believe that eating abowl of hot chicken soup can also make them feel better when they catch a cold.

______________Comprehension Questions Correct Answers:  1 – a; 2 – c

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPTWelcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 389: Getting aCold.

This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 11 389.  I’m your host, Dr.

Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development inbeautiful Los Angeles, California.

Our website is eslpod.com.  You can download an 8 to 10 page Learning Guidefor this episode on our website.  The Learning Guide will help you improve yourEnglish even faster.  You get all of the vocabulary words, definitions, new samplesentences, additional definitions not talked about on the audio podcast, culturenotes, comprehension checks, and a complete transcript 10 of everything we say onthis episode.

This episode is called “Getting a Cold.”  It’s dialogue between Walt and Irene. Irene is getting sick; she’s getting a cold.  Let’s get started.

[start of dialogue]

Walt:  What’s the matter with you?

Irene:  I have a bad cold. Walt:  Why didn’t you stay home from work?  You’re probably contagious! Irene:  I had no choice.  I have an important presentation this afternoon and Ican’t play hooky.

Walt:  You can’t give a presentation in your condition.  Your nose is running, youreyes are red and puffy, your voice is hoarse, and you look like you’re running afever.

Irene:  Gee, thanks.  I know I look terrible, but I’ll get through it.  I’m taking anasal decongestant, I’m using eye drops, and I’m taking cough medicine andsucking on throat lozenges.  I should be better by the time of the presentation. Ahchoo! Walt:  Oh, geez!  You just sneezed all over me.  You’ve contaminated 12 me forsure!

Irene:  Sorry.  Where’s the Kleenex?  I need to blow my nose. Walt:  I’m out of here!  You’re a walking germ machine.

[end of dialogue]

Walt begins our dialogue by asking Irene, “What’s the matter with you?”  “What’s the matter?” means what is wrong, so: “What is wrong with you?”  Irene says, “Ihave a bad cold.”  A “cold,” in this case, means a very common illness orsickness.  It usually causes you to sneeze (sound of a sneeze), to cough (soundof coughing), to have a runny nose, so that when you talk you sound a littlefunny.  These are all parts of having a cold; it’s very common, not serious, but notvery fun, either.  “Cold” has a couple of different meanings in English; take a lookat our Learning Guide for some additional explanations.

Walt says, “Why didn’t you stay home from work?” meaning why did you come towork, why didn’t you just stay at your house.  “You’re probably contagious!” hesays.  Notice Walt doesn’t really care about how Irene feels; he’s only worriedthat she is contagious.  To be “contagious” means to be able to give yoursickness, or transfer your illness, to another person.  Some diseases – somesicknesses – are contagious; if you have it, you could give it to another person. A cold is an example of that.

Irene responds, “I had no choice (I had no option).  I have an importantpresentation this afternoon and I can’t play hooky.”  The expression “to play hooky” is an informal one that means not to go to school or work when you’resupposed to, usually because you want to do something fun.  I never did this when I was a student, but some students will not go to school, and instead goplay games or go do something else instead of going to school.  Some people dothis for their work, as well.  We call it “to play hooky,” it means you are doingsomething fun instead of what you should be doing.

Walt says to Irene, “You can’t give a presentation in your condition (meaning youare too sick to give a presentation).  Your nose is running, your eyes are red andpuffy, your voice is hoarse, and you look like you’re running a fever.”  These areall things that can happen if you have a cold.  To say that your nose is “runny,” orthat your nose is “running,” means that you have liquid coming out of your nose. This happens when you are sick, when you have a cold.  “To run,” as a verb, has a couple of different meanings in English; take a look, once again, at theLearning Guide for some additional explanations.

Walt says, also, that Irene’s eyes are red and puffy.  Something that is “puffy”

(puffy) means swollen, larger than usual, something that is bigger than it shouldbe.  If your eyes are puffy, that means they are bigger than they should be,around your eyes in particular.  “Your voice is hoarse.”  When we say your voiceis “hoarse” (hoarse), we mean it sounds strange.  It’s lower or rougher thanusual, usually because you are either sick or because you have been shoutingfor long time.  People go to sporting events – to football, basketball, or baseballgames – and they are yelling 13 – they are shouting for their team.  Afterwards, theirvoice may be hoarse; it may sound strange because they have been shouting.

Walt also says to Irene that it looks like she’s running a fever.  A “fever” is whenyour body temperature is higher than normal.  Often, this happens because youare fighting against – or your body is fighting against this sickness – this illness. Notice the verb “to run.”  You’re “running a fever.”  That means you have a highfever; your temperature is higher than it should be.

Irene says to Walt, “Gee, thanks.”  She’s trying to be funny here; Walt it is tellingher all the terrible things that are wrong with her, and, of course, that’s not a very complimentary 14 – a very nice – thing to say to someone.  Irene says, “I know Ilook terrible, but I’ll get through it,” meaning I’ll survive.  To “get through”

something means to go through something and still be able to complete it.  Shesays, “I’m taking a nasal decongestant.”  A “nasal decongestant” is a medicinethat helps clear your nose, so you can breathe more easily when you have a coldor are sick.  “Nasal” refers to your nose. Irene also says she’s using eye drops.  “Eye drops” are a kind of liquid thatcomes in a small bottle.  You put the drops – the little pieces, if you will, of liquidinto your eyes to make them less red.  Usually this is something that people do ifthey are sick, if they are having problems with their eyes.  Irene also says she’s taking cold medicine and sucking on throat lozenges.  “Cough medicine” is usually a liquid medicine that you drink so that you don’t cough as much – to stopyou from coughing.  She says she’s sucking on throat lozenges.  “To suck”

means to use your tongue to hold something in your mouth, without biting orchewing it.  A “throat lozenge” is a small, hard piece of candy, really, withmedicine that helps you feel better if you have a sore throat.  If your throat is hurting you, you can put a lemon or cherry throat lozenge in your mouth, and thatwill help your throat feel a little better.

Irene says, “I should be better by the time of the presentation,” but then shesneezes.  Walt says, “Oh, geez!  You just sneezed all over me.”  To “sneeze,” ofcourse, means that things come out of your nose very quickly; you may sneeze ifyou have a cold.  Walt is complaining that Irene sneezed all over him, meaning when she sneezed little pieces of liquid fell on him.  He says, “You’vecontaminated me for sure!”  To “contaminate” means to make something dirty ornot pure.

Irene says, “Sorry.  Where’s the Kleenex?”  “Kleenex” (Kleenex) is what manyAmericans call tissue paper that you use when you have a cold.  They’re very soft, small pieces of paper that you use to clean your nose, for example. Kleenex is the name of some tissues that are made by a particular company, butbecause they’re so popular people just refer to these soft pieces of paper – thesetissues as Kleenex.

Irene says, “I need to blow my nose.”  To “blow your nose” means to take one ofthese small pieces of tissue – a piece of Kleenex – and put it in front of yournose, and then blow air out of your nose to get the liquid out from your nasalcavities (your nasal area – your nose).  So, blowing your nose is something youwould do with, for example, a small tissue or a handkerchief, which is also usedto blow your nose with.  A handkerchief is usually made of cloth, however, notpaper.

Walt says, “I’m out of here!” meaning I’m leaving right now.  “You are a walkinggerm machine,” he says to Irene.  The word “germ” is another word for bacteria;germs are bacteria.  They are small things that you can’t see, normally, but thatmake you sick.  When Walt says Irene is a germ machine, he means that she is creating these germs – creating these things that will make other people sick,including him.  Once again, Walt is more interested in his own health than in thefact that Irene is not feeling well.  So, let’s hope that Walt gets sick!

Now let’s listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal speed.

[start of dialogue]

Walt:  What’s the matter with you?

Irene:  I have a bad cold. Walt:  Why didn’t you stay home from work?  You’re probably contagious! Irene:  I had no choice.  I have an important presentation this afternoon and Ican’t play hooky.

Walt:  You can’t give a presentation in your condition.  Your nose is running, youreyes are red and puffy, your voice is hoarse, and you look like you’re running afever.

Irene:  Gee, thanks.  I know I look terrible, but I’ll get through it.  I’m taking anasal decongestant, I’m using eye drops, and I’m taking cough medicine andsucking on throat lozenges.  I should be better by the time of the presentation. Ahchoo! Walt:  Oh, geez!  You just sneezed all over me.  You’ve contaminated me forsure!

Irene:  Sorry.  Where’s the Kleenex?  I need to blow my nose. Walt:  I’m out of here!  You’re a walking germ machine.

[end of dialogue]

The script for this episode was written by someone who never plays hooky, Dr.

Lucy Tse. From Los Angeles, California, I’m Jeff McQuillan.  Thanks for listening.  We’ll seeyou next time on ESL Podcast.

English as a Second Language Podcast is written and produced by Dr. Lucy Tse,hosted by Dr. Jeff McQuillan.  This podcast is copyright 2008.