Lesson 28 Patients and doctors 病人与医生

First listen and then answer the following question.

听录音,然后回答以下问题。

What are patients looking for when they visit the doctor?

This is a sceptical age, but although our faith in many of the things in which our forefathers fervently believed has weakened, our confidence in the curative properties of the bottle of medicine remains the same as theirs. This modern faith in medicines is proved by the fact that the annual drug bill of the Health Services is mounting to astronomical figures and shows no signs at present of ceasing to rise. The majority of the

5 patients attending the medical out-patients departments of our hospitals feel that they have not received adequate treatment unless they are able to carry home with them some tangible remedy in the shape of a bottle of medicine, a box of pills, or a small jar of ointment, and the doctor in charge of the department is only too ready to provide them with these requirements. There is no quicker method of disposing of patients than by giving them what they are asking for, and since most medical men in the Health Services are 10 overworked and have little time for offering time-consuming and little-appreciated advice on such subjects as diet, right living, and the need for abandoning bad habits etc., the bottle, the box, and the jar are almost always granted them.

Nor is it only the ignorant and ill-educated person who has such faith in the bottle of medicine. It is recounted of Thomas Carlyle that when he heard of the illness of his friend, Henry Taylor, he went off 15 immediately to visit him, carrying with him in his pocket what remained of a bottle of medicine formerly prescribed for an indisposition of Mrs. Carlyle's. Carlyle was entirely ignorant of what the bottle in his pocket contained, of the nature of the illness from which his friend was suffering, and of what had previously been wrong with his wife, but a medicine that had worked so well in one form of illness would surely be of equal benefit in another, and comforted by the thought of the help he was bringing to his friend,

20 he hastened to Henry Taylor's house. History does not relate whether his friend accepted his medical help, but in all probability he did. The great advantage of taking medicine is that it makes no demands on the taker beyond that of putting up for a moment with a disgusting taste, and that is what all patients demand of their doctors-to be cured at no inconvenience to themselves.

KENNETH WALKER Patients and doctors

New words and expressions 生词和短语

sceptical (1.1) /'skeptɪkəl/adj. 怀疑的

forefathers (1.1) /’fɔːfɑːðəz/n. 祖先

fervently (1.1) /'f3:vəntli/adv. 热情地

curative (1.2) /"kjʊərətɪv/ adj. 治病的

astronomical (1.4) / æstrə'nɒmɪkəl/ adj. 天文学的

tangible (1.6) / 'tændʒәbal/ adj. 实实在在的

remedy (1.6) $/{rem}\mathrm/n$ . 药物

ointment (1.7) /’omtment/ $n$ . 药膏

prescribe (1.16) /prɪs'kraɪb/v. 开药方

indisposition (1.16) /Inˌdɪspəˈzɪʃən/ n. 小病

disgusting (1.22)/dɪs'ɡʌstɪŋ/ adj. 令人讨厌的

inconvenience (1.23) /, Inkәn'viːniəns/n. 不便

A doctor with her patient

Notes on the text 课文注释

1 the same as theirs, 这里的 theirs 是指 our forefathers'。

2 only too ready to provide,非常乐意提供。在英语中 too... to do... 的结构通常表示否定,但如果在前面加上 only, 就有 “非常 ……能做” 的意思。

3 dispose of, 处理。

4 It is recounted of Thomas Carlyle..., 据说, 托马斯·卡莱尔 …… (有下面这件事)。托马斯·卡莱尔是十九世纪英国著名的散文作家和历史学家。

5 in all probability, 很可能。

6 put up with, 忍受。 Unit 4 Lesson 28

参考译文

这是一个怀疑一切的时代, 可是虽然我们对我们祖先笃信的许多事物已不太相信, 我们对瓶装药品疗效的信心仍与祖辈一样坚定。卫生部门的年度药费上升到了天文数字,并且目前尚无停止上升的迹象,这个事实证实了现代人对药物的信赖。在医院门诊部看病的大多数人觉得,如果不能带回一些看得见、摸得着的药物,如一瓶药水、一盒药丸、一小瓶药膏回家的话,就没算得到充分的治疗。负责门诊的医生也非常乐意为前来看病的人提供他们想要得到的药物,病人要什么就给什么,没有比这样处理病人更快的方法了。因为卫生部门的大多数医生都超负荷工作, 所以没有多少时间提出一些既费时而又不受人欢迎的忠告, 如注意饮食、生活有规律、 需要克服坏习惯等等,结果就是把瓶药、盒药、罐药开给看病的人而完事大吉。

并不只是那些无知和没受过良好教育的人才迷信药瓶子。据说托马斯·卡莱尔有过这么一件事:他听说朋友亨利·泰勒病了,就立刻跑去看他,衣袋里装上了他妻子不舒服时吃剩下的一瓶药。卡莱尔不知道药瓶子里装的是什么药, 不知道他的朋友得的是什么病, 也不知道他妻子以前得的是什么病, 只知道一种药对一种病有好处,肯定对另一种病也会有好处。想到能对朋友有所帮助,他感到欣慰,于是急急忙忙来到了亨利·泰勒的家里。 他的朋友是否接受了他的药物治疗,历史没有记载,但很可能是接受了。服药的最大优点是:除了暂时忍受一下令人作呕的味道外,对服药人别无其他要求。这也正是病人对医生的要求——病要治好,但不要太麻烦。

Comprehension 理解

Answer these questions:

1 Why do doctors readily provide their patients with medicines?

2 How does the anecdote about Thomas Carlyle illustrate the author's argument?

Vocabulary 词汇

Refer to the text to see how the following words have been used, then write sentences of your own using these words: sceptical (1.1); fervently (1.1); curative properties (1.2); astronomical figures (1.4); tangible (1.6); disposing (1.8); granted (1.12); indisposition (1.16); putting up with (1.22); inconvenience (1.23).

Summary 摘要

A Drawing your information from the first paragraph (lines 1-12), write a list of points in note form outlining the author's argument that we have great faith in the power of medicine.

B Using this list of points, reconstruct the author's argument in not more than 80 words. Your answer should be in one paragraph.

Composition 作文

Write a composition of about 300 words on the following subject: 'A public health service is an essential part of social welfare.'

Argue for or against this idea. You may use some or all of the ideas given below if you wish:

1 No one should have the right to buy good health.

2 A public health service is expensive to run and is often abused.

3 No one objects to a public health service more than the doctors.

4 Example of a country where a public health service seems to be an impossibility: America.

5 Examples of countries with successful services: Sweden, Britain, Israel.

Key structures 关键句型

A Note the phrase in italics in this sentence:

Our confidence in the curative properties of the bottle of medicine remains the same as theirs. (II.2-3)

Write two sentences using the same as and different from.

B Read this sentence:

The fact that the annual drug bill of the Health Service is mounting to astronomical figures proves this modern faith in medicines.

Write this sentence again so that it begins with the words in italics. Then compare what you have written with lines 3-4.

C Supply the correct form of the verbs in parentheses in the following sentences. Do not refer to the passage until you have finished the exercise:

1 The annual drugs bill shows no signs at present of _____ (cease) to rise. (II.3-4)

2 The majority of the patients _____ (attend) the medical out-patients departments feel that they have not received adequate treatment ... (11.4-6)

3 There is no quicker method of _____ (dispose) of patients than by _____ (give) them what they are asking for, and since most medical men in the Health Services are overworked and have little time for _____ (offer) time-consuming and little-appreciated advice on such subjects as diet, right living, and the need for _____ (abandon) bad habits, etc., the bottle, the box, and the jar are almost always granted them. (II.8-12)

D Note the form of the verb in italics in this sentence:

Nor is it only the ignorant and ill-educated person who has such faith in the bottle of medicine. (I.13)

Write sentences which begin with the following words:

Not only; Never; Only now.

E Write sentences using the following expressions:

believe in (1.2); confidence in (1.2); in charge of (1.7); dispose of (1.8); advice on (1.10); the need for (1.11); prescribed for (1.16); ignorant of (1.16); suffer from (1.17); wrong with (1.18); benefit in (1.19); demand of (1.22); inconvenience to (1.23).

Special difficulties 难点

A Study the following pairs of words and then write sentences of your own to bring out the difference.

1 cease (1.4) - seize

It rained all day without ceasing.

He seized her hand and dragged her into another room.

2 receive (I.5) - take

When did you receive that letter?

He told me to take the keys from his pocket.

3 ask for (1.9) - ask

The school is asking for contributions towards a new swimming pool.

'What time did the train arrive?' he asked. Unit 4 Lesson 28

4 advice (1.10) - advise

She gave me some good advice about jobs.

She advised me about applying for jobs.

5 prescribed (1.16) - proscribed

If these don't work, I may have to prescribe you something stronger.

Gambling was proscribed by the new government.

B Explain the meaning of the words and phrases in italics:

1 The doctor in charge of the department is only too ready to provide them with these requirements. (II.7-8)

2 The soldiers charged at the enemy.

3 He was arrested and charged with murder.

4 How much did they charge you for installing this boiler?

C Note the use of ill- in this phrase: ill-educated (1.13).

Write sentences using the following phrases:

ill-advised; ill-informed; ill-prepared.

Multiple choice questions 多项选择题

Choose the correct answers to the following questions.

Comprehension 理解

1 Patients only feel that they have been adequately treated if they _____.

(a) have some remedy they can take home with them

(b) are confident in the curative properties of a bottle of medicine

(c) can attend the medical out-patients departments of hospitals

(d) see that the state spends more and more money on drugs

2 Because doctors are always working under pressure, they _____

(a) are not happy about handing out remedies

(b) feel morally bound to advise patients about diet and right living

(c) are sceptical about the curative powers of medicine

(d) are inclined to give patients what they are asking for

3 Even educated people can be misled into believing _____.

(a) that doctors know best

(b) you can't be cured by a bottle of medicine

(c) that a remedy that will cure one illness is also good for another

(d) they are experts in medical matters

4 What patients are looking for is _____.

(a) finding out what is really wrong with them

(b) getting out of a doctor's surgery as quickly as possible

(c) imposing their will on doctors

(d) having remedies which don't inconvenience them in any way Unit 4 Lesson 28

Structure 句型

5 _____ patients attending the medical out-patients departments ... (1.5)

(a) Most (b) The most (c) Majority (d) Majority of

6 They only feel they have received adequate treatment _____ they are able to carry home a tangible remedy. (ll.5-6) (a) in case (b) when (c) until (d) unless 7 _____ most medical men are overworked, - (ll.9-10) (a) Therefore (b) As a result (c) Because (d) On account 8 It is _____ the ignorant person who has such faith in medicine. (1.13) (a) not only (b) both (c) neither (d) nor Vocabulary 词汇 9 Our confidence in the curative _____ of the bottle of medicine remains. (1.2) (a) substance (b) possessions (c) contents (d) qualities 10 The annual drugs bill shows no _____ of ceasing to rise. (ll.3-4) (a) indication (b) signals (c) signposts (d) directions 11 Patients want a remedy they can _____ . (1.6) ... (a) drink (b) hold in their hands (c) carry (d) eat 2 There is no quicker method of getting _____ pa patients. (1.8) (a) on with (b) away from (c) through (d) rid of