Practice English Listening B1 Exercises – How are you feeling?

1 c   2 a   3 b

A

Mehmet:   Are you OK, Diana?

Diana:   I’m not sure. I feel kind of strange—hot and cold at the same time. And I think I might be getting a rash.

Mehmet:   Do you have any allergies? What did you have for lunch?

Diana:   I don’t think so. Just a chicken sandwich.

Mehmet:   Do you have a stomachache?

Diana:   No, but I think I might have a fever.

Mehmet:   Do you have a cough? You could be coming down with the flu.

Diana:   Oh no. I’ve had a flu shot.

Mehmet:   What are you looking for?

Diana:   I’m looking for my ginger tea. I take it at the first sign that I might be getting sick. Oh, thank goodness, here it is.

Mehmet:   Wow, you really do believe in ginger tea, don’t you?

Diana:   Absolutely! It really works.

Mehmet:   Maybe you should leave now and get some rest.

Diana:   I can’t do that—I have a meeting with clients in an hour. I think I’ll be fine. You know, I might not have a fever; I think it’s just a little hot in here.

Mehmet:   Yes, but you might still be coming down with a cold.

Diana:   Don’t worry! I’m feeling better already. I told you—the tea really works! Oh, here, take one!

Mehmet:   But I’m feeling fine.

Diana:   Take one—it’s flu season, and I don’t want you getting sick!

Mehmet:   OK, thanks.

B

Mehmet:   Do you have a stomachache?

Diana:   No, but I think I might have a fever.

Mehmet:   Do you have a cough? You could be coming down with the flu.

Diana:   Oh no, not again!

Mehmet:   What are you looking for?

Diana:   I’m looking for my tea. I take it when I think I might be getting sick.

1 b   2 a   3 c   4 a

A

Mehmet:   Diana, what’s wrong? Why are you wearing a mask?

Diana:   Oh, this! I’m just being careful. It is the flu season.

Mehmet:   But didn’t you say you had the flu shot?

Diana:   Yes, of course. But you never know.

Mehmet:   But…

Diana:   If I get sick, I’ll miss work, and we won’t meet our deadline. And if we don’t meet the deadline, we’ll probably lose the North Pole Ice Cream business.

Mehmet:   I know. The deadline is really important. We can’t miss it. But a mask, really?

Diana:   Yeah. It’s helpful. Oh, wait. I have an extra mask. Here take it.

Mehmet:   You want me to wear this? Hm. OK. Maybe it’s not such a bad idea. You know my sister is visiting me this weekend, and I was planning to show her the city and I shouldn’t get sick.

Diana:   OK, so you can’t get sick either. Do you want it?

Mehmet:   Sure. Better to be safe than sorry.

Diana:   Here you go!

Mehmet:   Thanks!

Diana:   Aren’t you going to put it on?

Mehmet:   Oh. OK. Now?

Diana:   Yes!

Mehmet:   I’ll see you later at the team meeting.

Diana:   Yup. See you there!

Co-worker:   What are you wearing?

Mehmet:   It’s a mask. It’s a long story. Never mind.

B

Mehmet:   Diana? What’s wrong? Why are you wearing a mask?

Diana:   Oh, this. I’m just being careful. It’s the flu season.

Mehmet:   You’ve had the flu shot, right?

Diana:   Yes, of course. But you never know. If I get sick, I’ll miss work, and we won’t meet our deadline.

A

1   2

B

Here are two easy things you can do to protect yourself.

First: get the flu vaccine

Second: ● wash your hands

               ● avoid touching your face

Now here’s my third piece of advice. If you catch the flu…

●  stay away from other people

●  avoid all public places

●  stay home and rest

●  drink plenty of fluids

Finally, once you feel better…

wait a couple of days

A:   Welcome to The Doctor is In. I’m your host, Ben Bryant. Today Dr. Pablo Ramos is here to talk to us about the flu.

B:   Thanks for the chance to discuss this important topic. No one likes getting the flu, but many people don’t realize how dangerous it can be. Thousands of people die from it every year.

A:   Really?

B:   Yes! The flu is quite contagious, so everyone needs to try to avoid getting it. That way, we won’t pass it on to others.

A:   Ok, so what can we do?

B:   Well, whenever you can, avoid crowded places. The flu virus is passed from one person to another through a cough, a sneeze, or a touch. So staying away from crowds helps.

A:   But we can’t stay away from people all the time!

B:   Of course not. Here are two easy things you can do to protect yourself: First, most healthy people should get the flu vaccine before flu season starts. But check with your doctor first, to make sure the vaccine is safe for you.

Second, wash your hands after you touch anything that other people have touched, such as a door handle. If you can’t wash your hands right away, avoid touching your face, especially your mouth, nose, or eyes.

A:   What about antibiotic hand wash, the kind you don’t need water for?

B:   It works pretty well when you can’t get to a restroom. But washing your hands frequently with soap and water for a full minute is the best way to kill the flu virus. Now here’s my third piece of advice. Not everyone can avoid catching the flu. If you do catch the flu, stay away from other people. Avoid all public places, such as work or school. Just stay home, rest, and drink plenty of fluids. Finally, once you feel better, wait a couple of days—until you are no longer contagious—to return to your normal activities. That way you can avoid passing the virus on to anyone else.

A:   A listener just texted with a question: “Does vitamin C help prevent the flu?”

B:   Some doctors believe that vitamin C can help your body fight illness, including the flu. However, getting vitamin C through food, such as oranges, probably works better than taking vitamins.

A

a

B

1 c   2 c   3 a

KEEPING COOL

It’s hot, really hot. There’s no swimming pool or air conditioning. You should reach for an ice-cold glass of water or maybe a dish of ice cream, right? Wrong, at least according to people who live in hot, tropical climates. How about a cup of hot tea or a spicy dish full of chilies instead? Just listen to people in India, where hot tea is the most popular drink. Or ask people in Mexico, where archeologists have found evidence that ancient people were cooking up hot, spicy drinks more than 2,400 years ago!

So why are hot drinks and spicy foods so popular in hot climates? At first glance, this doesn’t make a lot of sense. But if you look a little closer—at the science behind body temperature—it makes perfect sense because hot drinks and chilies can actually cool you down. Here’s how it works: Your body temperature stays within about one degree of the normal body temperature. If your temperature goes higher, your blood begins to move toward the surface of your body. This causes your body to sweat. As a result of the sweat evaporating, you start to feel cooler and your body temperature goes back down.

How do the hot drinks and chilies fi t into this picture? You have temperature sensors in your mouth, along your tongue, and all the way down into your stomach. When hot drinks, like tea or coffee, hit those sensors, they send a signal to your brain. Some foods, like ginger and black pepper, but most of all, chili peppers, cause those sensors to respond in the same way. Then the brain sends out a message: Start sweating! You may not like sweating, but it is extremely important, especially in hot climates, because the body cools down when sweat evaporates.

So, what about that ice-cold glass of water? Will it cool you off? It can actually have the opposite effect. The sensors in your mouth will tell your brain, “Ah, nice and cool.” As a result, the brain sends out the message, “Time to stop sweating”—exactly what you don’t want. However, keep in mind that when you sweat, your body loses water, so drinking water on hot days is still very important. You just might want to leave out the ice cubes.

A

Possible answer: She wants to show ways to stay healthy.

B

1   a water bottle, oranges, and tea with honey

2   eating oranges

3   tea with honey

Hello everyone, I’m Hae-young. Today I want to show you a few easy ways to stay healthy. There are a few things I do regularly when I feel like I may be coming down with a cold.

First, I drink a lot of water because drinking plenty of fluids is very important to stay healthy. That’s why I carry this water bottle with me everywhere I go. Next, I make sure I get enough vitamin C. Oranges have a lot of vitamin C so I eat a few oranges as a snack. As soon as I have a cough or a stuffy nose I drink tea with honey. It always makes my nose and throat feel better

Finally, I try to get at least 8 hours of sleep when I’m feeling sick. Your body needs a lot of rest when you don’t feel well. There it is. Simple!

1 e   2 g   3 a   4 c   5 f   6 h   7 b   8 d

A:   So, Dan, tell me what’s wrong.

B:   I’m not feeling well, Doctor Phan. I have a cough and a stuffy nose. And I feel a little tired.

A:   It sounds like it might be a cold. I don’t think it’s the flu because it’s not flu season yet. But it’s coming soon. Have you gotten a flu shot yet?

B:   No, I haven’t.

A:   You should get the flu vaccine as soon as you can. But wait until you get over this cold.

B:   Sure.

A:   I’m going to give you some medicine. Take it three times a day when you eat a meal.

B:   OK. I’ll do that.

A:   Now, you’ll be contagious for a few more days. So, you should avoid being around a lot of people as long as you’re still contagious. Don’t go to the office. You might spread the virus to others.

B:   Alright. I won’t go to work.

A:   Remember to drink lots of water while you are sick. And have a hot drink, like tea, before you go to bed. It will help you sleep. But not coffee!

B:   Will do.

A:   And wash your hands after you cough or sneeze.

B:   Of course!

A:   Now, stay home and rest until your cold is gone. And make another appointment to see me once you feel better. I’ll give you the flu shot then.

B:   I will. Thank you, Doctor Phan.