How did the patents sound in both situations? How did the doctor sound? Make up similar dialogues between a doctor and a patient.

ALLERGIES

(04:52)

Do you think there is an increase in allergies nowadays? What can allergies be caused by? What should be done to avoid developing an allergy?

Listen to a radio interviewer talking to Dr Michael Peterson about the rise in the number of people suffering from allergies and complete the information while listening.

An allergy is a ________ ________ to a substance.

That reaction can be ________, an _______, ____ ____, ________ ____, a ____ of some kind – like ______ – or _________ difficulties – like ______.

Bottlefed babies are more likely to _______ _________ than _________ babies.

When our children are ________ we smother everything in disinfectant and _______ all traces of _____. Germs are ____. Too much cleanliness is ___.

We aren’t allowing our children’s ______ _______ to develop?

We need to ______ our children to germs so that their _______ mechanisms have a chance to develop and ___ ________.

If they aren’t exposed there’s a ______ that they’ll develop allergies and ____ ____________ later on.

Allergy problems do run in the ______. Scientists have identified cases in families where there’s been some kind of _______ ________ which _______ the immune system in some way.

This might result in members of a family being more _____ __ allergies – but not necessarily the same allergies.

There has been such an _______ in allergies over the past ___ years or so.

Lifestyles in a nutshell: ______ _____ use, all technology really. ______ ______ are considerably higher than they used to be.

We’re exposed to more _________ and _____ substances: diesel fumes, pesticides.

One type of allergy that has risen considerably is ____ ___________. In some places an allergy to ____ is very common. This is probably because soya is present in so many ____ ________ these days and our bodies haven’t had time to ______ to this change. We don’t eat in the same way as we used to. _________ ____ is a thing of the past. Now everything is _________ all year round.

Reasons for an increase in allergies are too much _____________, an obsession with ___________, too few _____ and too many ____________ foods, too little fresh _____ and ___ and an abuse of out of season food all year round, too many ____________ and altogether far too much ______.

 

Discuss the following questions.

What is an allergy and what allergic reactions can you name?

Why are allergies on the rise?

In what way did our lifestyle change and how did it affect an increase in allergies?

BILL OF HEALTH

(04:15)

Listen to the recording and complete the sentences.

1. Some American doctors do not want to ______ because they cannot afford the insurance policies.

2. The British Government is putting aside nearly ______ in order to cover compensation claims.

3. Adrian Bowe will receive compensation which could be _____ of pounds.

4. Critics say that more _____ are inevitable.

5. It is _____ for doctors to make accurate diagnosis all the time.

6. Online databases of symptoms and diseases can cause healthy people to start _____ nothing.

 

Listen again and answer the following questions.

1. Do doctors in Britain need private insurance?

2. What health problems did Adrian Bowe have and what was the result of his visit to a doctor?

3. How many cases of medical mistakes have been registered in Britain?

4. Why do critics say that even more mistakes are likely to be made?

5. What are advantages and disadvantages of online databases of symptoms?

 

3. Give the English equivalents to the following words and expressions:

Приступ мигрени, инсульт, инвалид, врачебная халатность, заслуживать (компенсацию), единичный случай, плохо себя чувствовать, терапевт.

 

4. Discussion.

Do you think the doctors should be punished if they make mistakes? Why/why not?

MEDICAL TOURISM

(04:10)

You are going to hear a radio programme about the rise of medical tourism. Before you listen, read the FACTS below, then discuss these questions.

· What surprises you most? Why?

· Is there anything you don’t find surprising? Why?

· Why do you think medical tourism is such a huge growth area?

THE FACTS

· The global medical tourism industry is worth $1billion a year.

· Around 50 million US residents – over 15% of the population – have no health care or insurance plan at all.

· Every year, hundreds of thousands of US citizens cross the border to Mexico for more affordable hospital treatment.

· India provides perhaps the most hi-tech services. Among other things, it specializes in cancer therapy and heart surgery.

· A hip replacement in Malaysia costs around ₤2,000, compared to around ₤10,000 in the UK (if you pay for it privately).

· Last year, more than 50% of all Austrian dental patients were treated in Hungary.

· Singapore attracts a quarter of a million overseas patients a year and ranks among the top six countries in the world for overall health care.

· Thailand is one of the most popular destinations in the world for those seeking cosmetic surgery.