|
Additional Lessons |
 About These
Lessons
The following classroom lessons are great for students
who want additional conversation, listening, and reading
practice. |
-
Conversation Lesson -
Beginner Level. Let's
Learn English conversation lesson
with a conversation video, a video script, audio
listening practice, video speaking practice, video
pronunciation practice, a new
words section, and a writing activity.
|
 Conversation Lesson
27 - I Can't Come In
(Beginner -
Conversation, Listening, Reading)
In this lesson Anna does not feel well. She calls her
boss and her doctor. What do they tell her to do? And
will she follow their advice? |
Lesson Video
Watch the video and then do the activities on this page. |
Video Script
Anna: Hello! I am sure that today, in Washington, D.C,. there are a lot of great
things to do. But I am not doing any of them. I am sick. Right now, I'm going to
call my boss and tell her I cannot come in to work.
Caty: Hello?
Anna: Ms. Weaver, Hi. I can’t come to work today.
Caty: Why not? What is wrong?
Anna: Well, yesterday I felt fine.
Anna: In the morning, I painted for hours. In the afternoon, I cut wood. Then, I
built a fire.
Caty: Anna, what do you mean? Why can’t you come to work today?
Anna: I do not feel well. I think I’m sick.
Caty: I’m sorry to hear that. I was sick last week, too. I had the flu.
Anna: (sneezes) What did you do?
Caty: I slept a lot and I drank a lot of water. Do you have a doctor?
Anna: Yes, I do.
Caty: You should call your doctor. And get lots of rest!
Anna: Thanks, Ms. Weaver. I’ll call right now. I'm calling my doctor.
Dr. Bennett: (to herself) Now, where does this thing go?
Dr. Bennett: Hello. This is Dr. Bennett. How can I help you?
Anna: Hello, Dr. Bennett. This is Anna.
Dr. Bennett: Oh, Hi, Anna. How can I help you?
Anna: I think I’m sick.
Dr. Bennett: Let me ask you a couple of questions. Do you have a sore throat?
Anna: Yes. I have a sore throat.
Dr. Bennett: Do you have a cough?
Anna: Yes. I have a cough.
Dr. Bennett: When did you start feeling sick?
Anna: This morning. Yesterday I felt great. In the morning I painted, for hours
- in the afternoon I cut wood -
Dr. Bennett: Excuse me, Anna. But I don’t need to know all that. Do you have a
fever?
Anna: Oh. My thermometer says 125 degrees?! What??
Dr. Bennett: Yeah, that’s not right.
Anna: Oh. Wait. The thermometer was in my hot cup of coffee.
Dr. Bennett: Please take it again, Anna.
Anna: Okay, the thermometer says 100.5 degrees.
Dr. Bennett: 100.5 degrees is not too high. I want you to drink lots of water.
Rest in bed and get lots of sleep.
Anna: That is what my boss said to do. Um, Dr. Bennett, when can I go to work?
Dr. Bennett: Don’t go to work for a couple of days.
Anna: Yes! I mean, I don’t want to make my co-workers sick.
Dr. Bennett: That’s right. Call me back in a couple of days.
Anna: I will, Dr. Bennett. And thanks.
Anna: Well, you heard the doctor – no work for a couple of days. I need water,
sleep and um … lots of movies! Well, the doctor didn’t say anything about
movies. But it can’t hurt! Until next time! |
Listening
Now practice listening to only the audio portion of the conversation. |
Speaking
Learn to pronounce the new words for this lesson. You also learn about irregular
past tense verbs. |
Pronunciation
Use this video to learn about how to ask two kinds of questions: WH-questions
and Yes/No questions. |
|
New Words |
- cough -
n. the act of forcing air through your throat
with a short, loud noise often because you are sick
- doctor -
n. a person who is skilled in the science of
medicine
- fever -
n. a body temperature that is higher than
normal
- fire -
n. the light and heat and especially the flame
produced by burning
- flu -
n. a common disease that is caused by a virus
and that causes fever, weakness, body aches, and breathing problems; also
called influenza
- rest -
v. to stop doing work or an activity
- sick -
adj. affected with a disease or illness; ill
- sneeze -
v. to suddenly force air out through your nose
and mouth with a usually loud noise because your body is reacting to dust or
a sickness
- sore -
adj. feeling or affected by pain
- thermometer -
n. an instrument used for measuring temperature
- throat -
n. the tube inside the neck that leads to the
stomach and lungs
- wood -
n. the hard substance that makes up the stems
and branches of trees and shrubs
|
|
Past Tense Verbs |
- cut / cut -
v. to use a sharp tool (such as a knife) to
open or divide (something, such as paper or wood)
- do / did -
v. to perform an action or activity
- drink / drank -
v. to take a liquid into your mouth and swallow
it
- feel / felt -
v. used to describe someone's physical or
mental state
- hear / heard -
v. to be aware of (sound) through the ear
- hurt / hurt -
v. to be a source or cause of pain
- paint / painted -
v. to cover (something) with paint or to put
paint on (something)
- say /said -
v. to use your voice to express (something)
with words
- sleep / slept -
v. to rest your mind and body by closing your
eyes and becoming unconscious
|
 Activity
What happens when you get the flu? Does your family have
a special way to get well again? Write about it in the
Facebook Comments section below. Then practice talking
about health problems with a friend.
Click
lesson activity to get the printable PDF version. The
page opens to a new window. |
|
|
Conversation
Lessons
Study all 52 English conversation lessons. Let's Learn
English conversation lessons each with a conversation
video, a video script, audio listening practice, video
speaking practice, video pronunciation practice, a new
words section, and a writing activity.
These
lessons are for beginners. |
|
Source:
Voice of America |
|
