A visit to the doctor: exercise, examples, words

Today we offer you the opportunity to become familiar with vocabulary for studying English that will help you understand the scenario of a typical doctor’s appointment. This story gives you the chance to strengthen your medical vocabulary related to health conditions and procedures. When you fill in the blanks using the appropriate words, you will not only improve your understanding of medical terminology, but also enhance your overall comprehension of the English language. Before completing the exercises, we will introduce some new vocabulary. In addition to medical terms, you will encounter other words, but this should aid you in completing the exercises.

Medical vocabulary: words you should know before visiting the doctor

1. receptionist [rɪˈsɛpʃənɪst] – a person employed to receive and assist visitors or patients in a hospital, hotel, or office.
   • Example: “The receptionist greeted me warmly as I entered the hospital.”
2. chemist [ˈkɛmɪst] – a person who is professionally qualified to prepare and sell medicines, drugs, and other pharmaceuticals.
   • Example: “I bought some painkillers from the chemist for my headache.”
3. ward [wɔːrd] – a large room in a hospital where patients are accommodated, often with several beds.
   • Example: “She spent a week in the maternity ward after giving birth to her baby.”
4. appointment [əˈpɔɪntmənt] – a formal arrangement to meet or visit someone at a particular time and place.
   • Example: “I have an appointment with my doctor at 3 PM today.”
5. operation [ˌɒpəˈreɪʃən] – a surgical procedure performed on a patient.
   • Example: “The surgeon will perform the operation tomorrow morning.”
6. waiting [ˈweɪtɪŋ] – the action of staying where one is or delaying action until a particular time or until something else happens.
   • Example: “We spent hours in the waiting room before the doctor finally called my name.”
7. examine [ɪɡˈzæmɪn] – to inspect someone or something in detail to determine their nature or condition.
   • Example: “The doctor will examine your throat to see if you have strep throat.”
8. agreement [əˈɡriːmənt] – a negotiated and typically legally binding arrangement between parties as to a course of action.
   • Example: “We reached an agreement on the terms of the contract.”
9. attempt [əˈtɛm(p)t] – an effort to achieve or complete something.
   • Example: “She made an attempt to climb the mountain but had to turn back due to bad weather.”
10. speech [spiːtʃ] – the expression of or the ability to express thoughts and feelings by articulate sounds.
    • Example: “The politician delivered a powerful speech to the crowd.”
11. treatments [ˈtriːtmənts] – medical care given to a patient for an illness or injury.
    • Example: “After the diagnosis, the doctor recommended several treatments for my back pain.”
12. pulse [pʌls] – the rhythmic throbbing of arteries as blood is propelled through them, typically as felt in the wrists or neck.
    • Example: “The nurse checked my pulse to monitor my heart rate.”
13. prescription [prɪˈskrɪpʃən] – a written instruction from a medical practitioner that authorizes a patient to be provided a medicine or treatment.
    • Example: “The doctor gave me a prescription for antibiotics to treat my infection.”
14. operate [ˈɒpəreɪt] – perform a surgical procedure.
    • Example: “The surgeon will operate on the patient’s knee tomorrow.”
15. bill [bɪl] – a statement of money owed for goods or services supplied.
    • Example: “After my hospital stay, I received a bill for the medical treatment.”
16. treat [triːt] – give medical care or attention to; try to heal or cure.
    • Example: “The doctor will treat your symptoms with antibiotics.”
17. periscope [ˈpɛrɪskəʊp] – an optical instrument consisting of a tube with mirrors and lenses, used to view objects not in the direct line of sight.
    • Example: “The submarine captain looked through the periscope to observe the surface.”
18. stethoscope [ˈstɛθəskəʊp] – a medical instrument for listening to the action of someone’s heart or breathing.
    • Example: “The doctor used a stethoscope to listen to my heartbeat.”
19. skin [skɪn] – the thin layer of tissue forming the natural outer covering of the body of a person or animal.
    • Example: “Proper skincare is essential to keep your skin healthy.”
20. blood [blʌd] – the red liquid that circulates in the arteries and veins of humans and other vertebrate animals, carrying oxygen to and carbon dioxide from the tissues of the body.
    • Example: “The nurse drew blood for testing.”
21. temperature [ˈtɛmp(ə)rətʃə] – the degree of heat present in a substance or object, especially as expressed according to a comparative scale and shown by a thermometer or perceived by touch.
    • Example: “My temperature was 38°C when I had a fever.”
22. heart [hɑːt] – a hollow muscular organ that pumps the blood through the circulatory system by rhythmic contraction and dilation.
    • Example: “A healthy lifestyle is important for maintaining a strong heart.”
23. meter [ˈmiːtə] – a device that measures and records the quantity, degree, or rate of something, especially a unit of measurement.
    • Example: “The electricity meter measures how much energy we use.”
24. barometer [bəˈrɒmɪtə] – an instrument measuring atmospheric pressure, used especially in forecasting the weather and determining altitude.
    • Example: “A falling barometer usually indicates that bad weather is approaching.”
25. thermometer [θəˈmɒmɪtə] – an instrument for measuring and indicating temperature, typically one consisting of a narrow, hermetically sealed glass tube marked with graduations and having at one end a bulb containing mercury or alcohol that expands and contracts in the tube with heating and cooling.
    • Example: “I checked my temperature with a thermometer when I felt unwell.”
26. kilometer [ˈkɪləˌmiːtə] – a metric unit of measurement equal to 1,000 meters.
    • Example: “The distance to the hospital is three kilometers from here.”
27. receipt [rɪˈsiːt] – a written acknowledgment that something has been received.
    • Example: “Make sure to keep your receipt as proof of purchase.”
28. medicine [ˈmɛdɪsɪn] – the science or practice of the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease (in technical use often taken to exclude surgery).
    • Example: “The doctor prescribed some medicine to alleviate my symptoms.”
29. biologist [baɪˈɒlədʒɪst] – a scientist who studies living organisms and their interactions with each other and their environments.
    • Example: “The biologist conducted research on the behavior of ants.”
30. therapist [ˈθɛrəpɪst] – a person skilled in a particular kind of therapy.
    • Example: “She is a physical therapist who specializes in sports injuries.”
31. threat [θrɛt] – a statement of an intention to inflict pain, injury, damage, or other hostile action on someone in retribution for something done or not done.
    • Example: “The company received a threat from hackers demanding ransom.”
32. symptom [ˈsɪmptəm] – a physical or mental feature that is regarded as indicating a condition of disease, particularly such a feature that is apparent to the patient.
    • Example: “Coughing is a common symptom of the flu.”
33. room [ruːm] – a space that can be occupied or where something can be done.
    • Example: “I was shown to a room where I could wait for my appointment.”
34. dormitory [ˈdɔːmɪt(ə)ri] – a large bedroom for a number of people in a school or institution.
    • Example: “The college students lived in a dormitory on campus.”
35. examining [ɪɡˈzæmɪnɪŋ] – to inspect something closely and thoroughly to determine its nature or condition.
    • Example: “The doctor is examining the X-ray to look for any fractures.”

Exercise – A Visit to the Doctor

Read the text below with the missing words, write instead of the missing words using the list of words. The exercise consists of 14 sentences, 4 options are offered for each of them, choose the one that fits best.

1. receptionist, chemist, ward, appointment
2. operation, ward, waiting, examine
3. agreement, attempt, speech, appointment
4. treatments, pulse, symptoms, prescription
5. operate, bill, treat, examine
6. periscope, pulse, symptom, stethoscope
7. skin, pulse, symptoms, blood
8. pulse, temperature, blood, heart
9. meter, barometer, thermometer, kilometer
10. prescription, bill, receipt, medicine
11. receptionist, chemist, biologist, therapist
12. treatment, threat,  symptom, stethoscope
13. operation, room, ward, waiting room, dormitory
14. operation, receipt, prescription, examining

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