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Common Cold

Date: Jul 18 2008

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Modern medicine can do a lot of things. It can keep you from getting the many illnesses and straighten your teeth. It can even bring people back from the dead in certain circumstances!

But one thing it can’t do is prevent the common cold. Getting colds is one of the most annoying parts of life. You’re not so sick that you can’t work but you’re sick enough that you feel really bad.

The trick to beating a cold is to notice it as soon as you can and start taking it easy. Listen to Marni and Amanda talk about how they can tell they’re getting colds.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Amanda

Marni: Oh God! Amanda!

Amanda: What is up with you?

Marni: I’m totally getting a cold.

Amanda: You know what? I think I am too.

Marni: It’s going around, I guess.

Amanda: What are your first symptoms?

Marni: You know how I know? It’s right in here, it’s right in the nose. A little hazy feeling right in my sinus area. It feels like it’s behind your eyes and in your nose.

Amanda: OK for me, sore throat…

Marni: Scratchy throat, yeah.

Amanda: ...and, this might sound weird, a different taste in my mouth. It’s not a bad taste, it’s just a different taste. Something’s going on with the saliva.

Marni: And then if it’s full on, you can’t even taste anything. That is the worst!

Amanda: The worst part about the cold is that there’s nothing you do about it.

Marni: Well…

Amanda: I think.

Marni: I’m a believer in, like, at first symptoms, trying to stave it off with echineacha and vitamin C. I’ve got a little cocktail that I make and sometimes it works but sometimes it’s just like, bam.

Amanda: So do you think that when you take it up front, it actually wards it off or it just shortens the duration. Like, you’re gonna get a cold.

Marni: Well, yeah, you’re gonna get colds, but I think if I catch it right in the beginning, I’ve been able to ward them off at times. But then, sometimes, no dice.

Amanda: I always get a cold right before a vacation. Every flippin’ time.

Marni: I do too. I’m a like a little kid. I get so excited to go somewhere it’s like, “Oh, no, you’re gonna sick instead.”

Amanda: I don’t know if it’s the excitement for me as much as I’m stressed out about the work I’m gonna miss so my body falls apart.

Marni: That’s not my problem.

Amanda: No, not so much?

Marni: I think it’s like a little kid. Like you’re so excited for your birthday party you just get sick. I get excited. I’m going somewhere. And then I just get sick.

Amanda: And there’s nothing worse than being sick on a vacation in a sunny place.

Marni: Yeah. Well, but the sun is good. Sun therapy. Vitamin D is good.

Amanda: I guess. There’s a silver lining, right?

Marni: Yeah but, God, I just hate feeling sick. So I’m gonna go home, take some vitamin C.

Amanda: Can I have some? Can I score some?

Marni: Yeah, come over.

Amanda: Thank you.

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Discussion

Both Marni and Amanda are getting sick. Marni can tell because of a funny feeling she gets behind her eyes. Amanda’s throat hurts and her mouth tastes weird.

Whenever Marni thinks she’s getting sick, she starts taking vitamin C and echinachea. It makes the cold not last as long, and sometimes she never gets sick at all.

Amanda always gets sick before she leaves town because she gets stressed out about how much work she’ll miss. Marni says she gets so excited for trips that she just gets sick.

When’s the last time you caught a cold? How could you tell you were getting it? Did you do anything to make it shorter or did you just wait it out?

Comments

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Bettytuzi33

Taiwan

I always get cold in winter and in summer both one time .

Bettytuzi33

Taiwan

I always get cold in winter and in summer each one time.

irawati

Indonesia

the last time I got cold when I was busy to work in a week. My body is so tired and feel fever. The first steps, I comsume honey a few days, take a vitamin B1 and get a rest. If I still sick, I usually take the generic medicine.

atekho_2006

Portugal

ohhh, its very bad day if u have cold, don't worry i give u some massage, its good to help u.

jennfier

China

I felt tired all the day!!!!!

oh man !someone please help me ! what a bad feeling I had . nothing is worth to do.

stay at home and do nothing ,just sleep, eat,go pepe…......

小元子

China

I offen get cold:(

korea baby

South Korea

the gralic and onion is very effective for cold.

amber rain

China

since i went abroad,i have never had cold

it is very important to keep our health

askim

Germany

When I have a cold my eyes are automatically filled with tears. I really can do nothing…This is so embarrassing especially when I'm in lesson and begin automatically to cry and everybody looks at me…

195854255

United States

I am pretty heathy and I haven't been sick for 3 years

ssspy

Turkey

when i was in army,i caught a cold. i haven't had time to relax. i used some powder medicine that can solve in water.that helped me.

brook-guo

China

Common cold is really a big problem we can`t adress in our life.When someone catch a cold,he feels badly with some symtoms sush as sore throat ,stuffy nose,cough and weird taste and so on.I think exercise can help a lot ,in addition,drink fresh water as much as you can and have a full sleep.

Urarikha

Thailand

I have not got a cold for long time. Vitamin and exercise can help me a lot. Don't forget to drink water about 8 glasses a day.

wangliang1986432@sina.com

China

I want to learn about you. This year I graduate from HeBei university of engineering.From your photo,I think you are a lovely girl.But I do not know that how old are you? Please forgive my taking the liberty .You look like my friend very much.I want to make friend with you.Just so so.

FROM

Armenia

there are some different ways that everybody can get rid of that damn cold.

For sore throat that I was dealing with last weak .............

Ivan Bear

China

many people catch cold in these days, so take care, every body, we should ward it off up front.

lgs1987025

China

i’m strong enough too maybe.

laihoa

Viet Nam

at the first sympton of a cold, like my nose running, i often drink a lot of fresh water, next, i go to bed early, take a long and deep sleep. The next morning, i will feel better. I rare use drug

laihoa

Viet Nam

at the first sympton of a cold, like my nose running, i often drink a lot of fresh water, next, i go to bed early, take a long and deep sleep. The next morning, i will feel better. I rare use drug

laihoa

Viet Nam

in the begining of a cold, at the first symton like nose running , i often drink a lot of fresh water, and go to bed immediately, take a long and deep sleep. The next morning, i feel better without using any drug.