Inside view
I. Time Allotment
2 periods
II.Teaching Objectives and Requirements
1. Develop the Ss’ awareness of involving of talking about health issues;
2. Strengthen Ss’ ability to ask about people's health;
3. Provide Ss some information about how to express uncertainty.
III. Teaching Procedures
Inside View
Conversation 1
Step1 Lead-in
a. Ask Ss to talk about their own experiences of feeling sick;
b. Ask Ss to talk about the steps of recovering and advices given by others;
Step 2 Prediction task. Ask students to predict what is going on in the photo.
Pay attention to the positions of Kate and Janet, Janet’s facial expression and what things there are in the room.
(1) Where are Kate and Janet?
(2) What do you think happens in the conversation?
Step 3 Go through the vocabulary list and students can be familiar with them.
New words
properly ad. 合适地
homesick a. 想家的
depressed a. 沮丧的
make a fuss 大惊小怪
Step 4 Language and culture
Some British universities organize the study periods by terms (as at Oxford University), normally with three terms a year and in each term there are exams for the course(s) students take; some courses may last longer than a term. Some other universities organize the study periods by semesters, normally with two semesters per year between October and May. At the end of the first semester, there may be an exam or phase test (ie a test which checks students’ learning of the course up to that point), and then a final exam at the end of the second semester (the end of the academic year).
In some universities, the term and the semester systems run at the same time for different academic programmes. In some programmes, there might be a fourth term, usually during the summer, for those who would like to finish their course credits earlier or who have to do their work placement during the summertime. So when international students consider studying at a British university, it is useful to find out which system is operating there.
A tutor may refer to the person who teaches the course (maybe a professor or a lecturer). It is also normal for students to have a personal tutor – an academic member of staff in the department who may teach this student or not – who has responsibility for a number of personal tutees for the whole of their period of study in the university. Personal tutors appraise their personal tutees regularly and give guidance and help when they have academic, social and personal difficulties.
I can’t face something
means I don’t want to do something because it is too difficult or unpleasant.
Keep an eye on something
means to look after (take care of) something.
Step 5 Detailed study of the video clip
Task 1: Watch Conversation 1 and complete the exercises.
Listen to the Conversation 1 three times. Before listening, ask Ss in pairs to choose a role each, and one is Janet and the other is Kate. When the conversation is read for the first time, ask the pairs to listen carefully according to their roles and take notes if necessary. When the conversation is read for the second time, ask Ss to do a role-play to fill in the information. When the conversation is read for the third time, check out the answers.
Step 6 Critical thinking
How’s your social life?
Do you have any worries about your school work?
Conversation 2
Step 1 Warming-up activity
1 Why doesn’t Janet have a boyfriend?
2 Why does it take her a long time to write essays?
3 What does the doctor advise her to do?
Step 2 Detailed study of the video clip
Step 3 Language and culture
Fed up with something means annoyed or bored with something that you have accepted for too long.
Home comforts refer to things which can make you feel comfortable as if you were at home. First-year students might miss the comforts of home.
To be run down means to feel tired, lacking energy and not functioning properly.
To be depressed generally means to feel sad and without hope; it indicates a general loss of interest in life, combined with a sense of reduced emotional well-being. This is natural as a normal response to some events in life, but if it affects a person’s behaviour and physical state it may be a depressive illness.
Step 4 Practice Everyday English
Ask Ss to work in pairs and answer the questions about everyday English.
Everyday English
Mostly homesick.
But it’s nothing.
I don’t want to make a fuss.
She’s a bit fed up with Western food.
I’ll have a word with your tutor.
If you’re run down …
Asking about people's health
You don't look good.What's the matter?
Is anything wrong?
Do you feel sick?
Do you have any other symptoms?
Talking about medical complaints
I'm not sleeping well.
I've lost my appetite.
I feel a bit sick.
Sympathizing
You poor thing!
Step 5 Work in pairs and act out the conversation
Student A What is your illness?
Student B I’ve got a sore throat and I feel very sick.
Student C Well, he did not have enough clothes on when the
weather suddenly became cold a few days ago.
Student A Is it OK for me to see if you have got a temperature?
Student B Please do. I have also got a headache and a blocked nose.
Student A Is everything else all right with you?
Student C His mother is very ill at home. So he has been worrying about her.
Student B The doctor there said her illness is very serious, but I don’t have enough money to travel back home and I am going to have this important exam.
Student A All right. I will give you some Chinese herbal medicine for your temperature, sore throat and yourself warm. Unfortunately you cannot do much for your mother at the moment.
Student B Many thanks. I will take the medicine and follow your advice.

