Doc-in-a-Box
Two friends discuss going to the doctor. The Grammar focuses on Quantifiers and Relative Clauses.
Gail: “I need to go to the doctor.”
Betty: “What’s wrong?”
Gail: “I have pain here, and here. In my abdomen, two different places.”
Betty: “Did you take anything for it?”
Gail: “I took aspirin, but it didn’t help. I was thinking about taking ibuprofen.”
Betty: “Do you have a fever, or any other symptoms?”
Gail: “No, not really.”
Betty: “How long has this been bothering you?”
Gail: “It just started yesterday.”
Betty: “Did you eat anything unusual?”
Gail: “I ate a lot of that bean soup my wife made.”
Betty: “I’d lay odds it’s just gas. Those two spots are always where I get it.”
Gail: “You’re pulling my leg.”
Betty: “I’m not, I’m sure that’s what it is.”
VOCABULARY WITH IDIOMS
Lay odds means to be very sure about something. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Pull someone’s leg means to kid, fool, tease, or trick someone. See online Idioms Dictionary.
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
Suggested Topic for Comments: Quantifiers
“I ate a lot of that bean soup yesterday.” Notice that the quantifier “a lot of,” like “a number of” or “a couple of,” must be followed by “of” and preceded by the indefinite article “a.” Also, since a lot of refers to bean soup, it must be followed by a singular verb if in subject position: “A lot of the bean soup is still available.” Whereas if it refers to a plural noun, e.g. “A lot of drivers choose the fast lane,” the verb is plural.
INTERMEDIATE-ADVANCED DIALOGUE
New Idioms are “Wuffo” and “Second thoughts.” The Grammar focus is on Relative Clauses.
Gavin: “This candy machine will probably rob me blind.”
Blake: “What are you here for?”
Gavin: “I sprained my ankle.”
Blake: “No, I meant candy, or some soft drink?”
Gavin: “Oh, sorry. I just wanted some water.”
Blake: “Is it strange, having this machine here?”
Gavin: “To tell you the truth, I more expect a drinking fountain in a doctor’s office than a machine that sells bottled water.”
Blake: “Do they make extra money this way?”
Gavin: “Doctors already make too much money.”
Blake: “I suppose so. Anything else give you second thoughts about this place?”
Gavin: “The receptionist, if I’m going to be a wuffo.”
Blake: “What about her?”
Gavin: “All that jewelry she’s wearing. Seems bizarre in a medical office.”
Blake: “She could be working in a tattoo parlor.”
Gavin: “Exactly. Does she look like a medical assistant?”
Blake: “I would expect a stethoscope on her neck. Instead, she has some kind of necklace from Hawaii, seems like.”
Gavin: “Have you ever been here before?”
Blake: “No. Have you?”
Gavin: “No.”
VOCABULARY WITH IDIOMS
Doc-in-a-box means a neighborhood or other retail-type medical office specializing in walk-in patients. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Rob me blind means get a lot of money from me by deception or extortion. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Second thoughts means new doubts about someone or something. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Wuffo, which is slang for why or what for, is an annoying person who keeps asking why or what for. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Seems like means “it seems”; appear to be or give the impression of being. See online Idioms Dictionary.
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
Suggested Topic for Comments: Relative Clauses
“A machine that sells bottled water.” The relative clause here may be defined as an adjective modifer after the noun, or a complex postnominal adjectival modifier.
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