Learn the following vocabulary.

Here are some serious illnesses, with the word-stress underlined. Make sure you know the stress-pattern when learning longer words or phrases. It is a good idea to make a note of it.

dia be tes: disease where the body does not properly absorb sugar and starch

bron chi tis: inflammation in the breathing system, causing you to cough

heart disease: serious illness connected with the heart which can lead to a heart attack

skin cancer / lung cancer / breast cancer: harmful tumours in those areas

TB (or tubercu lo sis): infectious disease in the lungs

cho lera: an intestinal disease that can be caused by bad drinking water

hepa ti tis: inflammation of the liver

ty phoid: fever, with red spots on the chest and abdomen

heart attack/failure: when the heart fails

40. Which of these collocations are normal, and which are not normal? Correct the inappropriate ones.

1. Her mother died with skin cancer.

2. Is there a prescription price in your country?

3. In Britain, national security is a separate tax from income tax.

4. Healthcare is the biggest item in the nation's budget.

5. Are there insurance societies for private healthcare in your country?

6. Private dentists charge very high fees.

7. She suffers of a severe allergy and can't be in a smoky room.

Sort these everyday phrasal verbs and expressions connected with health and illness into two groups, depending on whether they have positive or negative meanings with regard to health. Use a dictionary if necessary.

Now fill the gaps using the expressions above.

Example: [Nurse to a visitor in a hospital] 'I'm sorry, Mr Pickering is rather.... poorly..........today and we're not allowing visitors.’

1. [Someone speaking to a colleague just returned to work after an illness] 'Hello, Frank, good to see you...........................’

2. [Person ringing their place of work] 'Jo, I won't be in today, I've...................... a cold.’

3. [Person in hospital, just beginning to get better, talking to a visitor] 'Oh, I'm OK. I'm............................ now. I still feel bad, but I should be out within a week or so.’

4. [Parent to a child with a cold] 'Don't worry, darling. Everyone has a cold now and then. You'll............................. it.’

5. [Someone to their partner, who is worried about them] 'Don't worry. It's nothing serious. I'm just feeling............................, that's all.’

6. [Someone ringing a workmate] 'I'm trying to............................. the flu, but nothing seems to help. I don't think I'll be in work tomorrow.’

7. Hilary was quite ill last week, but she's............................ now and should be back at work next week.