II. Listening Skills
Listening to People Talk About Health
1. M: I haven’t been to see my doctor for a very long time. I’m worried that he’ll be angry with me for not having a physical examination for so long.
W: Which is more important, the doctor’s feelings or your health? You’d better go if you want to make sure everything is all right with you.
It seems that the man worries more about the doctor’s feelings than his own health.
2. W: Oh, I’ve got a cold. I’m not used to the cold weather, and it often gets the best of me. What I need now is some good medicine.
M: The best medicine is to keep healthy. I promise you that if you get involved with some sort of physical exercise, you’ll get sick a lot less. Why don’t you try joining a gym?
The woman catches cold easily and believes in taking some good medicine, but the man thinks physical exercise is more important.
3. W: Exams are coming up soon. I’ve been so busy with schoolwork that I’ve had a lot of trouble sleeping.
M: School is important, but so is your health. Maybe you should talk to a doctor. Doctors see people all the time for this very problem. They can help you.
The woman has been so busy with schoolwork that she has had difficulty sleeping. The man believes that health is important that she should see a doctor.
4. M: Do you mind if I have a cigarette before we eat?
W: Well, actually, I do. If you don’t mind, could you smoke outside? If you want to poison your body and shorten your life, that’s your business. But as for me, I want to live long and healthy.
The woman asks the man to smoke outside because she wants to live long and healthy. She believes second-hand smoke causes cancer too.
5. W: Robert, when we last talked, you promised there would be less television and junk food, and more exercise in your life. But now you’re becoming quite overweight.
M: I know it’s bad, but I really like watching TV. After all we should enjoy ourselves while we are young.
W: But you’re risking your health watching TV so much.
M: Oh, yes: heart trouble, high blood pressure. But I’d rather die than give up TV.
The man once promised he would watch TV less, eat less junk food and have more exercise. But he believes it is more important to enjoy himself, although the woman says he’s risking his health watching TV so much.
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