English the American Way: A Fun ESL Guide to Language and Culture in the U.S. » Unit 12: What’s Up Now
Eeew! The dentist! No one likes going to the dentist in any language! We don’t want to offend dentists out there, but we bet even dentists don’t like going to the dentist. Still, it’s one of those things that must be done. Most dentists recommend a checkup every six months. The hygienist will do a cleaning, and the dentist will check for any problems and make sure the mouth looks healthy. But you know it’s bad news when you wake up with a throbbing headache and a pain in your mouth. What a nightmare! There’s no time to wait for your regular checkup appointment; you need to have it checked out immediately. Oh, come on; it’s not so bad. Don’t think of it as 20 minutes you’re spending with your mouth wide open, while someone puts sharp instruments in it and pokes around. Think of it this way: you’re spending 20 minutes in a big comfy chair while someone else is home taking care of the kids! (Somehow, we think you’re not buying that . . .)
DR. SMILEY: Hi, Lia. What seems to be the problem today?
LIA: I hope you can tell me! A chunk of my tooth broke off yesterday.
DR. SMILEY: That’s not good. Did you bite something hard?
LIA: No, I didn’t . . . that’s the weird thing. It just kind of fell out.
DR. SMILEY: Did it hurt when it broke?
LIA: Yes, it did, just a little; but it started to hurt like crazy this morning.
DR. SMILEY: I think we’d better take a full set of X-rays . . . Okay, open wide. Let me take a look. Oh, boy. Yes, it looks like you’ve exposed the root on your left molar.
LIA: rgscht rfghsh!! ghs gtfhhkj?
DR. SMILEY: Sorry. I’ll be done in a minute. I’m afraid you’ll have to have a root canal. I can put in a temporary filling, but you’ll have to come back in two weeks for the procedure.
LIA: Do I have to have a root canal? My tooth doesn’t really hurt too much.
DR. SMILEY: If we don’t take care of this quickly, it may become infected, and it will hurt a lot. I’ll tell Dina to set up an appointment, and I’ll see you back here in two weeks, on Tuesday, the 14th, at 3 p.m.
LIA: Will the procedure hurt?
DR. SMILEY: I’ll give you medication so that you won’t feel any pain. Relax! It’s not so bad!
| Tip 1 | Regular visits to the dentist can prevent problems from happening. The dentist is your friend! Yes, really! |
For short answers to past simple questions, don’t repeat the verb. Simply say: Yes, I did or No, I didn’t. We usually use the contraction in short answers.
Examples:
- Did you bite something hard? No, I didn’t.
- Did it hurt when it broke? Yes, it did.
Remember: The answer will be different with that wacky verb to be!
Examples:
- Were you eating something hard? Yes, I was.
- Was it very painful at the time? No, it wasn’t!
Use the prepositions in, at, or on to talk about time.
Examples:
In is used for periods of time.
in two weeks; in three months; in ten years
At is used for an exact time.
at 3 p.m.; at noon
On is used for days and dates.
on Tuesday; on August 6
See here. A regular visit to the eye doctor is another important step in keeping healthy, but when it comes to taking care of your vision, things can become a little fuzzy. Not all eye care is covered by health insurance. Many health plans will not pay for glasses, but most will cover medical care of eye diseases. Three kinds of professionals specialize in care of the eyes: opticians, optometrists, and ophthalmologists.
An optician is a professional who makes the glasses that an optometrist or ophthalmologist prescribes for a patient.
An optometrist can examine the eyes and prescribe corrective lenses. He can also treat some eye problems. An optometrist is not an M.D., but he has completed pre-med courses at a university and graduate courses at a college of optometry.
For serious eye problems, you should see an ophthalmologist, an eye professional who is an M.D. and who can perform surgery on the eye if necessary.
LIA: Hi. I’m here for my eye examination. I know I’m a little early. My appointment is at 2 p.m.
DR. SPECS: That’s fine. Is this your regular checkup, or have you been having any problems?
LIA: Well, I’m about due for my checkup, but I’m a little concerned about some headaches I’ve been having lately.
DR. SPECS: Hmm. Have you been under any extra stress at work or at home lately? That could cause some of your symptoms.
LIA: I’m always under stress! But maybe that’s all it is.
DR. SPECS: Let’s just check things out to be sure there’s no underlying problem. How about your family history? Any eye problems that you know of?
LIA: Actually, my grandmother had glaucoma, and my dad takes drops to control his eye pressure. Oh, yeah, and my mom had cataracts removed.
DR. SPECS: Well, I think it’s important to do a thorough exam. I’m going to check your vision, look at both the inside and outside of your eyes, and measure the pressure. I’ll need to dilate your pupils, so it’ll be a little while before you can drive home. And we’ll check the prescription for your glasses.
LIA: I’ll feel much better to know everything’s okay. Now that you mention it, maybe my prescription needs to be changed. Could that be causing my headaches?
DR. SPECS: Sure it could. We’ll check it out. If everything’s okay, I’ll see you back in two years for a regular checkup.
| Tip 2 | If you need to get glasses, there are plenty of places to get the prescription filled. But remember, you also can find anything on the Internet! There are websites that will take your prescription and send you exactly the cool frames you want—usually at a much lower price than the stores in your local mall. Yay! We love a bargain! |
Are you a pet lover? Do you share your home with a furry little friend who wags his tail when you come home from work, or who jumps in your lap and purrs? Do you share your ice cream cone with little Rover? Is he snuggled in your comfy chair? Pet lovers will tell you that their little friend is like one of the family . . . Woof! That means that little Rover gets lots of TLC . . . just like the kids! The upside of pet ownership is that no matter how bad a day you have, little Rover will be excited to see you. The downside is that you are committed to taking care of one more creature with aches and pains. In the United States, a doctor who is specially trained to treat animals is called a veterinarian. What’s the matter? Can’t say that one fast? Ha! Neither can most Americans! Because it’s such a tongue twister, most people refer to an animal doctor as “the vet.” We can all say that one!
VET: I haven’t seen little Rover here for quite a while. What seems to be the problem?
LIA: I’m really worried about him. You know he’s always been a very active dog, but lately he seems to be very stiff in the back legs. If he’s been lying down for a while, he has a tough time getting up. When he walks, I’ve noticed that he limps.
VET: Has he had any type of injury?
LIA: No, just the usual running and jumping. Nothing else.
VET: I know he’s a pretty active dog, but hip problems are quite common in that breed. Let me check him out thoroughly. I think we’ll need to get some X-rays to see what’s going on here. I’ll have to sedate him before doing the tests. Is that okay?
LIA: Sure, do anything you have to do. Can you do the tests now?
VET: No, you’ll have to bring him in tomorrow. It will take a little while for the sedative to work, and then he’ll need some time to wake up from it.
LIA: My poor little Rover!
VET: Let’s plan on tomorrow morning, first thing. Is that OK for you?
LIA: Absolutely! I’ll have him here first thing. What time do you open?
| Tip 3 | Health insurance is such a great idea for people that someone figured out it would be just as good for people’s pets. Yes, you can buy health insurance for Rover! Your vet will have all the details. That’s de—TAILS. Haha! |
| Tip 4 | Make friends with the doggie next door. You never know if he’ll be a millionaire one day. Haha! |
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