After-reading

Critical-Thinking Questions

Answer the following questions on a separate piece of paper or discuss in a group.

1. Why is it important to tell your doctor about any medical conditions you have and all the medications you take, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, and dietary supplements?

2. What would you say to someone who asked you for pills that were prescribed only for you?

3. At a party a friend offers you alcohol and a pill. What would you do, and why?

4. Explain why the following statement is a myth: Prescription drugs come from a doctor and a pharmacy, so they must be safe.

5. Explain why the following statement is a myth: It’s OK for me to use a prescription from the medicine cabinet that was prescribed for someone else in my family.

IV. SPEAKING TASKS

1. Which pharmacy items do you have in your home?

2. Which pharmacy items are good for a cold? Which are good for a cut? Which are good for a sprain? Discuss with a partner.

3. As far as you know you should follow some steps in order to treat a cut. Your task is to read the information about each step and say why we should act in exactly that way. For example: you must wash your hands while coming home because there are a lot of pathogenic bacteria which can provoke some disease.

Follow these steps to treat a cut.

1. Press gauze on the cut. Why should we do this?

2. Lift the cut above the heart. Why should we do this?

3. Clean the cut with soap and water. Then put antibacterial ointment on it. Why should we do this?

4. Cover the cut with a sterile pad and sterile tape. Why should we do this?

4. Work in pairs. Discuss with your partner pros and cons of taking antibiotics.

5. Translate and discuss the meaning of the following idioms: 1. Desperate diseases must have desperate remedies. 2. Patience is the plaster for all sores. 3. The remedy is worse than the disease. 4. Laughter is the best medicine.

6. You know that accidents happen, that’s why you should keep a first-aid kit at home. Tell you groupmates about the contents of your home first-aid kit.

7. Do you know the meaning of the following slang words concerning healing means: anabolics, benny, go pill, happy pill, no-go pill, sleeping pill, roids? Try to guess their meaning and share your ideas about what they are taken for.

V. GRAMMAR ACTIVITIES