General Health British English Teacher

HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
MEDICAL ENGLISH · MEDICAL ISSUES · INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)
GENERAL
HEALTH
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1 Warm up
Look at the pictures below. Discuss the following questions in pairs or small groups.
picture 1 picture 2
picture 3 picture 4
1. When was the last time you saw a doctor?

2. Do you think it is important that everyone sees a doctor regularly? Why/why not?
3. In what ways has healthcare changed during COVID-19?
4. What do you think about the cost of visits to the doctor in your country?
5. Why is it important to see a doctor during childhood/adolescence/old age?
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HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)
GENERAL HEALTH
2 Vocabulary
Part A: Look at the words below. Match the words in the left column with the definitions in the right
column.
Group 1
1. symptom a. fold the edge of a piece of clothing e.g. to show your arm
2. slight b. a change in your body that may show bad health
3. itchy c. body’s way to remove something from the nose or throat
4. roll up d. needing to scratch
5. sneeze e. small, little or seen as unimportant
Group 2
1. sore a. a reaction when you eat or touch something your body disagrees with
2. allergy b. the act of reducing or removing pain
3. pollen c. a yellow powder found in flowers
4. fever d. painful e.g. because of infection
5. relief e. an increase in body temperature which may indicate illness
Part B: Fill in the blanks with words from Part A.
1. After the mosquito bit him, his skin felt very .
2. Bees are known for their ability to take from one plant to another.
3. The only symptom the patient had was a knee.
4. A runny nose is a of a cold.
5. Some children have an to peanuts that can be deadly.
6. Aspirin can help reduce high .
7. The doctor told the patient to use ice for pain .
8. There was a increase in the patient’s blood pressure.
9. As she entered the water, she decided to her trousers so that only her feet would
get wet.
10. To avoid spreading germs, cover your nose and mouth when you .
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HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
GENERAL HEALTH
3 Listening 1
Listen to the dialogue between a doctor and a patient. Circle the patient’s symptoms that you hear.
stomach pain sneezing
headache back pain
coughing runny nose
fever sore throat
itchy skin cut finger
4 Listening 2
You are going to hear the recording again. Read the questions below and answer them.
What symptoms does the doctor ask about?
1.
What was the patient’s blood pressure?
2.
What may have caused the patient’s symptoms?
3.
What is the patient diagnosed with?
4.
What does the doctor recommend?
5.
What should the patient do if he has breathing difficulties?
6.
How often should the patient take the medication?
7.

HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
GENERAL HEALTH
5 Vocabulary
Look at the sentences below. Match the words in bold with their definitions.
1. If you have a pre-existing condition, you may not get travel insurance.
2. Diabetes affects 415 million people around the world, many of whom live in low and middle-income
countries.
3. Overall, the patient appears to be in very good health.
4. Some people calculate the number of calories they consume each day.
5. Doctors recommend that patients maintain a healthy lifestyle to avoid certain conditions.
6. During the first three months of pregnancy, mothers are screened for certain conditions.
7. A urine test is often done to examine kidney function.
8. People in wheelchairs often need special assistance.
9. Weakness in the face, arm or leg is one of the symptoms of a stroke.
10. Patients with high cholesterol need to make changes to their diet.
a. a fatty substance found in your blood

b. a serious illness caused when a blood vessel in the brain breaks or is blocked
c. either of the two organs in the body that remove waste products from the blood and produce urine
d. examine or check somebody’s health
e. find out a total number, amount or a distance
f. general and including all the things or people that are involved in something
g. help or support
h. keep, continue at the same level
i. present from an earlier time
j. the body cannot produce enough insulin to control the amount of sugar in the blood

HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
GENERAL HEALTH
National Health Service

Health Checks for Better Health
Every five years, healthy adults are invited to a free health check. Are you between 40 and 74 years old with no
pre-existing conditions? If so, then you should get an invitation from the health authority for your health check.
Health checks establish the state of your overall health. It can tell whether you are at high risk for certain
conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and stroke. For those over 65, dementia symptoms
will be discussed.
The health check helps you to understand the risk factors of certain conditions and gives you advice on prevention.
Your individual cardiovascular risk will also be calculated and explained. The health check plays an important role
in identifying problems before they do damage.
It only takes 20-30 minutes of your time. You will be asked questions about your lifestyle and family history by
a health professional. Height, weight and blood pressure will also be assessed. A simple blood test will be taken
that can show whether you are at risk for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and diabetes.
You will also receive an individual assessment that tells you how to improve your diet, exercise, lose weight or stop
smoking. It will also discuss whether it is necessary to take medicine to lower your blood pressure or maintain a
healthy cholesterol level.
Health checks are available at various centres throughout the country. You can have one at your local GP surgery,
pharmacy or even leisure centre. Health checks are also available in your communities at mobile health units or
your workplace.
Over 7 million people are affected by conditions that are screened at health checks. Health checks are responsible
for preventing 2,500 heart attacks in the first 5 years of operation. This is because individuals received proper
assistance and treatment following their health check.
The latest research indicates that:
• for every 30 to 40 people having a health check, 1 person is diagnosed with high blood pressure
• for every 80 to 200 people having a health check, 1 person is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes
• for every 6 to 10 people having a health check, 1 person is identified as being at high risk of
cardiovascular disease

HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
GENERAL HEALTH
6 Reading for general information

You are going to read a text about health checks. Look at the questions, scan the text on the next
page, and choose the correct answer.
1. The purpose of this page is to ...
a. tell the general public about free health checks.
b. tell health professionals about the risk factors of patients.
c. tell doctors what to check in patients.
d. tell people how to stay healthy.
2. Health checks ...
a. tell you when to go to the hospital.
b. tell you what to do in an emergency.
c. tell you how healthy you are.
d. tell you about your family history.
3. Health checks are done by ...
a. health professionals.
b. surgical specialists.
c. internists.
d. medical students.
4. Health checks are available at ...
a. GP surgeries, pharmacies, workplaces, mobile health units.
b. GP surgeries, grocers, pharmacies, workplaces.
c. workplaces, pharmacies, leisure centres, butchers.
d. GP surgeries, schools, workplaces, mobile health units.
7 Reading comprehension
Read the text again and answer the following questions.
1. How often are health checks?

2. How long do the health checks take?
3. Why is a blood sample taken?
4. What questions will you be asked at the health check?
5. What is assessed at the health check?
6. How many people have conditions that are examined at the health check?
7. According to research, for every 80-200 health checks, one person is diagnosed with what?

HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
GENERAL HEALTH
8 Language point - őrst conditional
Read the grammar explanation:
First conditional expresses a future scenario that might happen and is often used in medical
examinations. Assuming the condition is completed, the outcome is likely to happen.
If + present tense, will (may, might, can, could, should) + infinitive
Example:
• If you want to be healthy, you could quit smoking.
• If he loses weight, he will be healthier.
Match parts of sentences so that they are logically and grammatically correct.
1. If you eat too much in the evening, a. you will have many health problems.
2. If he has high blood pressure, b. you may have trouble sleeping.
3. If she gets the flu, c. he will require medication to lower it.
4. If you are at risk of heart disease, d. you should have a regular health check.
5. If you do not exercise, e. if he continues his unhealthy lifestyle.
6. He will become dehydrated f. if he doesn’t drink enough water.
7. You will get high cholesterol g. if you eat a diet high in fat
8. He will be at risk of a heart attack h. she will have to rest at home.
Now, create your own sentences that start with:
1. If you feel sick, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2. If she gets to bed late tonight, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. She will have to check his temperature, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. If your muscles hurt, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. If your finger is bleeding, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. You should go to the doctor, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
GENERAL HEALTH
9 Talking point
Choose one of the tasks.
• Discussion
With a partner or in small groups discuss the following questions about a healthy lifestyle.
1. Do you think people should be screened for diabetes and heart disease every five years or more
often? Why or why not?
2. How are health checks done in your country?
3. What can health professionals do to get their patients to follow a healthy lifestyle?
• Role Play
In pairs, you are going to do a role-play between a doctor and a patient. Be sure to change the roles
in each scenario.
Scenario 1
Patient: You are visiting the doctor for a health check. Your height is 178cm and weight is
90kg. You have a very stressful job and you work very long hours. You do not have time
to eat and when you do you eat a lot of junk food. Your only exercise is a 20-minute walk
twice a month. You want some advice to get healthier.
Doctor: Ask your patient questions about height, weight and lifestyle. Do the BMI
calculation. Give some advice on how to make lifestyle changes.
Scenario 2
Patient: You are visiting the doctor for a health check. Your height is 160cm and your
weight is 48 kg. You are very active and always worry about your weight. You exercise
over two hours per day. Your family worries that you are not eating enough. You want
some advice of how you can change your lifestyle without gaining too much weight.
Doctor: Ask patient questions about height, weight and lifestyle. Calculate the BMI and
offer advice on how to make lifestyle changes.

HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
GENERAL HEALTH
10 Optional extension/medical practice
Listen to the recording between a health professional and patient. Answer the questions and fill in
the missing patient information.
Patient 1
Why did the patient gain

weight?
Height:
cm or
ft
inches
Weight:
kg or
stone
pounds
BP:
Pulse:
Patient 2
What is going to happen

after the vitals check?
Height:
cm
Weight:
kg
BP:
Pulse:
BMI:
What will the doctor do?

HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
TEACHER MATERIALS · INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)
GENERAL HEALTH
Transcripts
3. Listening 1
Doctor: Good afternoon. What brings you here today?
Patient: Well, I woke up this morning feeling rather poorly.
Doctor: Do you have any specific symptoms? Stomach pain? Headache? Fever?
Patient: A bit of a headache, I guess. I have also been sneezing a lot and I have a runny nose.
Doctor: Do you have a sore throat?
Patient: Erm... no. But my skin feels itchy.
Doctor: First, let me take your temperature.
Patient: Okay.
Doctor: Well, you have a slight fever. It is almost 38 degrees. Let me check your BP.
Patient: So... should I roll up my sleeve?
Doctor: No that’s not necessary. Your BP is normal 120/80.
Patient: That’s good news, right?
Doctor: Yes. Now, let me check your throat. Can you open up wide and say "ahhh".
Patient: Yes. Okay. ...ahhh.
Doctor: All seems okay. Do you have allergies?
Patient: Not that I know of. I’ve never had anything like this before.
Doctor: Have you done anything different in the past few days?
Patient: Not as far as I know. I’ve been out in the garden the last two days.
Doctor: Have you had any recent changes in your lifestyle? New food? New routine?
Patient: Not that I can think of. I’ve only been planting some new flowers...
Doctor: Ah. That could be it. I believe you may have an allergy. There is a lot of pollen at this time
of year.
Patient: Really. But what can I do? How long will this last?
Doctor: Usually, these symptoms just go away after some time. But... I will give you something to
help you get some relief.
Patient: Thank you, doctor. Does this mean I have to stop my garden work?
Doctor: No, no. But it would be best to limit the time you spend outdoors. If you experience any
difficulty breathing contact me immediately or call emergency services.
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GENERAL HEALTH
Patient: Okay, I will. Does this mean I will have this allergy every year?
Doctor: It is difficult to say. Some people have allergies all the time and others get them on occasion.
Now take this medication daily in the evening after eating. It’s best to take it with a large
glass of water.
Patient: Yes, sure. How long should I take it?
Doctor: Take it for one week. If your symptoms do not go away come back and see me.
Patient: Thank you, doctor. Goodbye
10. Optional extension/medical practice
Dialogue: 1
Nurse: Miss Anders?
Patient 1: Yes, that’s me. Hello.
Nurse: Ah, great. hello. Can I ask you through here, please? Let’s check your height and weight.
Patient 1: Ok ... I think I may have (erm) ... gained some.
Nurse: Why do you think that?
Patient 1: Well, I was at a few family events and I ate more than usual, I guess.
Nurse: Okay. Let’s see. Your height is 162cm and your weight is ... 68 kg. Yes, I see that is a little
more than the last time.
Patient 1: What is that in Imperial? I am not good with metric.
Nurse: 5 ft 4 inches and weight: 10 stone and 10 pounds. Now, let’s check your BP. Ok, so BP
140/90. That is a bit high. And pulse is 70 so that is in range.
Patient 1: Should I see the doctor?
Nurse: Although there is nothing to worry about just yet, I think you could schedule an
appointment with your GP and discuss your results.
Dialogue: 2
Assistant: Hi, I am going to check your vitals before your blood test.
Patient 2: Hello, Ok.
Assistant: Let’s see your height is 174cm and your weight is 90kg. Do you know your BMI?
Patient 2: No, I do not. How can I know? Where can I find out?
Assistant: Don’t worry. I will show you after we do the BP and pulse. Now, try to relax.
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GENERAL HEALTH
Patient 2: Ok. Thank you.
Assistant: BP: 150/80 and pulse is 75. Given your age of 55 and low exercise level, your BMI is 29.7
which means you are overweight.
Patient 2: Yes, I guess I should make some lifestyle changes.
Assistant: The doctor will give you suggestions.
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HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
GENERAL HEALTH
Key
1. Warm up
5 mins.
This exercise is to help students get acquainted with the topic of general health.
Monitor the task and encourage discussion based on the images and questions.
2. Vocabulary
5 mins.
This exercise will pre-teach vocabulary in the listening exercises. Students can do this activity in pairs. Check
answers after and be certain that students understand before continuing with the listening activity.
Group 1
1. → b. 2. → e. 3. → d. 4. → a. 5. → c.
Group2
1. → d. 2. → a. 3. → c. 4. → e. 5. → b.
Part B
3-5 mins.
This exercise will help the students understand the words in context before attempting the listening.
1. itchy 2. pollen 3. sore 4. symptom 5. allergy

6. fever 7. relief 8. slight 9. roll up 10. sneeze
3. Listening 1
3-5 mins.
Students will listen and circle the words that they hear in the recording. Have students check their answers in
pairs and then the whole class.
✓ sneezing ✓ headache ✓ runny nose ✓ itchy skin
4. Listening 2
5-8 mins.
Students will listen again and answer the questions. Let them check answers in pairs or small groups. For the
expression "feeling poorly" see if students can think of other expressions to indicate illness – ill, unwell, under the
weather, rough (informal).
1. stomach pain, headache, fever

2. 120/80
3. pollen
4. an allergy
5. limit time outdoors
6. contact doctor or emergency services immediately
7. once-daily
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HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
GENERAL HEALTH
5. Vocabulary
5 mins.
This activity can be done in pairs. It is a vocabulary check prior to the reading. Make sure students understand
the vocabulary before continuing to the next activity.
Make sure that students understand the word: *insulin: a chemical substance produced in the body that controls
the amount of sugar in the blood (by influencing the rate at which it is removed); a similar artificial substance given
to people whose bodies do not produce enough naturally.
1. i 2. j
3. f 4. e
5. h 6. d
7. c 8. g
9. b 10. a
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-health-check/what-is-an-nhs-health-check-new/
6. Reading for general information
5 -7mins.
Students scan for answers. Check answers in pairs and then the whole class.
1. a. 2. c. 3. a. 4. a.
7. Reading comprehension
8-10mins.
Students have to read the text more thoroughly to find the answer. Have them check in pairs and then the whole
class.
1. every 5 years
2. about 20-30 minutes
3. to see if you are at risk of heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, stroke
4. lifestyle and family history
5. blood pressure, weight and height
6. over 7 million
7. diabetes
8. Language point - first conditional
5-8 mins.
This is a review of the first conditional. It can be used when giving advice. Have students work in pairs to complete
the sentences. Be sure to check sentences for accuracy.
1. → b. 2. → c. 3. → h. 4. → d. 5. → a. 6. → f. 7. → g. 8. → e.
Students’ own answers.
Monitor this task and elicit answers. Make sure that the sentences are grammatically correct.
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GENERAL HEALTH
9. Talking point
5-8 mins.
The purpose of this discussion is to have students recycle vocabulary and phrases from the lesson. It will help
them to practice important vocabulary.
10 mins.
Students get to role play doctor/patient roles. The doctor has to calculate BMI. There are several websites where
this can be done or give them the formula and have them do the calculation.
Website: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmi-m.htm
BMI formula: weight (kg)/height(m)2
Underweight: less than 18.5
Healthy range – 18.5-24.9
Overweight – 25-29.9
Obese – 30+
The doctor role can practice using 1st conditional to offer advice to the patient.
10. Optional extension/medical practice
8 mins.
Students will listen and answer the questions. This exercise gets them familiar with vital signs and different height
and weight systems. Explain that in US and UK imperial measurement is still used. In the UK although it is metric,
the older population are more familiar with imperial than metric. Have students check answers in pairs and then
the whole class.
Patient 1
1. ate more than usual

2. 162
3. 5
4. 4
5. 68
6. 10
7. 10
8. 140/90
9. 70
Patient 2
10. blood test

11. 174
12. 90
13. 150/80
14. 75
15. 29.7 - overweight
16. give lifestyle suggestions
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HEAAADERLOGORIGHT

MEDICAL ENGLISH · MEDICAL ISSUES · INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)

1. When was the last time you saw a doctor?

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 1/9

2. slight b. a change in your body that may show bad health

3. itchy c. body’s way to remove something from the nose or throat

4. roll up d. needing to scratch

5. sneeze e. small, little or seen as unimportant

2. allergy b. the act of reducing or removing pain

3. pollen c. a yellow powder found in ﬂowers

4. fever d. painful e.g. because of infection

5. relief e. an increase in body temperature which may indicate illness

Part B: Fill in the blanks with words from Part A.

1. After the mosquito bit him, his skin felt very .

3. The only symptom the patient had was a knee.

4. A runny nose is a of a cold.

5. Some children have an to peanuts that can be deadly.

6. Aspirin can help reduce high .

7. The doctor told the patient to use ice for pain .

8. There was a increase in the patient’s blood pressure.

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stomach pain sneezing

headache back pain

coughing runny nose

fever sore throat

itchy skin cut ﬁnger

What symptoms does the doctor ask about?

What was the patient’s blood pressure?

What may have caused the patient’s symptoms?

What is the patient diagnosed with?

What does the doctor recommend?

What should the patient do if he has breathing diﬃculties?

How often should the patient take the medication?

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a. a fatty substance found in your blood

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National Health Service

The latest research indicates that:

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6 Reading for general information

1. The purpose of this page is to ...

a. tell the general public about free health checks.

b. tell health professionals about the risk factors of patients.

c. tell doctors what to check in patients.

d. tell people how to stay healthy.

2. Health checks ...

a. tell you when to go to the hospital.

b. tell you what to do in an emergency.

c. tell you how healthy you are.

d. tell you about your family history.

3. Health checks are done by ...

4. Health checks are available at ...

a. GP surgeries, pharmacies, workplaces, mobile health units.

b. GP surgeries, grocers, pharmacies, workplaces.

c. workplaces, pharmacies, leisure centres, butchers.

d. GP surgeries, schools, workplaces, mobile health units.

1. How often are health checks?

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8 Language point - őrst conditional