IDIOM CONNECTION

Medical Idioms and a Sick Boy

Introduction

Do you know anyone who was very sick recently?

Reading

The little boy came down with the flu at the beginning of the month. He was usually in the best of health so his mother was surprised when he began to show signs of an illness. When she took his temperature, she found that he was running a fever that was very high. When the illness took a turn for the worse she began to worry that he would not pull through. She went to the hospital and the staff were able to nurse her child back to health. After several days he was back in the schoolyard playing with the other boys and girls.

Reading Questions

Answer the following questions. The answers can easily be found in the reading above.

1. What did the little boy come down with?

2. Was he usually in the best of health?

3. Was his mother surprised when he began to show signs of an illness?

4. Who took his temperature?

5. Was he running a fever?

6. Did the illness take a turn for the worse?

7. Did his mother worry that he would not pull through?

8. Did the staff nurse him back to health?

Making Connections and Idiom Meanings

Some of the idioms have another meaning or are connected to another meaning. Use this information to help you choose the correct meaning for each of the following idioms:

1. to come down with an illness
a)   to recover from an illness
b)   to become sick with an illness
c)   to imagine that you are sick

2. to be in the best of health
a)   to be very healthy
b)   to be recovering from an illness
c)   to be very sick

3. to show signs of an illness
a)   to look very healthy
b)   to show indications of an illness
c)   to seem to be fine

4. to take someone's temperature
a)   to examine someone
b)   to go to the doctor
c)   to measure someone's temperature

5. to run a fever
a)   to be feeling bad
b)   to have a normal body temperature
c)   to have a high body temperature

6. When you take a turn for the better, it means that you improve. The opposite of this is to take a turn for the worse. What would to take a turn for the worse mean?
a)   to become better
b)   to become more sick
c)   to stay the same

7. to pull through
a)   to visit the hospital
b)   to recover from an illness
c)   to become very sick

8. to nurse someone back to health
a)   to go and see a nurse
b)   to watch as someone becomes very sick
c)   to help someone become healthy again

Your score is: ___ out of 8

Statement and Response

Choose the best response to each of the following statements:

1. “My friend came down with something after her holiday.”
a) “How is she now?”
b) “I didn't have any problems either after my trip.”

2. “My grandmother is in the best of health.”
a) “Really, what's wrong with her?”
b) “That's great to hear.”

3. “The patient is showing no signs of an illness.”
a) “That is very good.”
b) “That doesn't sound so good.”

4. “The nurse took my temperature this morning.”
a) “What was it?”
b) “Why not?”

5. “ I think that the boy is running a fever.”
a) “Great, I am happy that he is doing well.”
b) “What time did you check his temperature?”

6. “The patient's condition took a turn for the worse yesterday.”
a) “Good, I am glad that he is doing well.”
b) “How is he today?”

7. “I don't think that the man is going to pull through.”
a) “Is there anything more that we can do?”
b) “I agree. He should be better soon.”

8. “We are trying to nurse our child back to health.”
a) “What's wrong with him?”
b) “What is the nurse's name?”

Your score is: ___ out of 8

Grammar Focus

Choose the word or expression that makes each of the following sentences correct:

1. My aunt ________________ a cold last night.
a)   came down in
b)   came down to
c)   came down with

2. The woman is _________________________.
a)   in the best of health
b)   in the best of her health
c)   in best health

3. The girl is _________________ an illness.
a)   showing signs with
b)   showing signs to
c)   showing signs of

4. The nurse stopped to ____________________________.
a)   put the boy's temperature
b)   take the boy's temperature
c)   take up the boy's temperature

5. The little boy was _____________________.
a)   run a fever
b)   running the fever
c)   running a fever

6. The woman's condition recently ___________________________.
a)   turned for the worse
b)   took a turn for the worse
c)   made a turn for the worse

7. Luckily, the man _______________ and his health is now good.
a)  pulled down
b)  pulled through
c)  pulled up

8.The doctors were able to ____________________________.
a)  nurse the girl back to health
b)  nurse the girl back up to health
c)  nurse the girl back down to health

Your score is: ___ out of 8

Discussion Questions

Answer the following questions using the idioms from this section:

1. Have you recently come down with a cold?

2. Do you often miss time from work or school when you come down with a cold?

3. Do you think that you are in the best of health?

4. Are most of your family members in the best of health?

5. Have you ever felt sick but showed no signs of any illness?

6. Have you ever had a sick pet that did not show any signs of an illness?

7. Have you ever taken someone’s temperature?

8. Have you taken your own temperature recently?

9. When was the last time that you were running a fever?

10. Have you ever run a high fever?

11. Do you know anyone whose illness suddenly took a turn for the worse?

12. Have you ever had an illness that took a turn for the worse?

13. Do you know anyone who was so sick that he or she did not pull through?

14. Do you know any movies where the main character did not pull through?

15. Did your mother ever nurse you back to health when you were sick?

16. Did you ever nurse a sick person back to health?

Role Play

Student A: You are traveling with your friend. Your friend suddenly comes down with the flu and is running a high temperature. You are trying to nurse your friend back to health.

Student B: You believe that you are not really sick and you resist all of the efforts of your friend to try and make you rest and stay calm.

Different Remedies

There are different treatments for various sicknesses in different families and in different countries.
What different treatments can you have for the following:
1) a cold
2) the flu
3) a headache
4) hiccups
5) a toothache

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