“Conversation Starter Lesson Series: Intermediate” is designed for intermediate-level ESL learners who want to improve their fluency and confidence in speaking English.
Each lesson includes an engaging reading material with audio, vocabulary and expressions, comprehension questions, and discussion questions to be used for one to one class, group class, or self-study for both online and offline classes.
Unit 4: Health and Wellness
Story 04: Hospitals and Illnesses
Key Lesson Vocabulary & Expressions: Look over and review before proceeding.
- Ached
- Respiratory infection
- Antibiotics
- Fluids
- Grateful
- Medical help
- Care
- Serious
- Ignore
- Signs
Read or Listen to the following passage:
I remember the time I got really sick and had to go to the hospital. I had been feeling off for a few days, but I didn’t think much of it. Then, one morning, I woke up feeling absolutely terrible. My whole body ached, and I was having trouble breathing.
I knew I needed to go to the hospital, but I was scared. I didn’t want to be there by myself, so I called a friend to come with me. It was a good thing I did, because I ended up staying in the hospital for several days.
The doctors ran all sorts of tests and eventually determined that I had a serious respiratory infection. They gave me some strong antibiotics and fluids, and I started to feel better slowly. It was a tough few days, but I was grateful for the care I received at the hospital.
Since then, I’ve learned to pay closer attention to my body and not ignore any signs that something might be wrong. It’s important to take care of ourselves and seek medical help when we need it.
Comprehension Questions:
- How did the protagonist feel before going to the hospital?
- Why was the protagonist scared to go to the hospital?
- How long did the protagonist stay in the hospital?
- What did the doctors determine was wrong with the protagonist?
- What did the protagonist learn from the experience?
Conversations Starters:
- Have you ever been to a hospital before? What was your experience like?
- What are some common illnesses that people go to the hospital for?
- How can hospitals be improved to make patients more comfortable?
- Do you think it’s important for hospitals to have interpreters for patients who don’t speak the same language as the medical staff?
- What are some things people can do to prevent getting sick?
- How do different cultures view the role of hospitals and medical care?
- Have you ever had a positive or negative experience with medical staff? What happened?
- Do you think healthcare should be free?
- How do you think hospitals have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?
- What advice would you give to someone who is afraid of going to the hospital?
