Medical English Exercise | Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 1

QUESTIONS:
(Choose the best response for each one)

1. If pain disappears and then comes back again, it's referred to as "___RECURRENT__________" pain.
recurrent
reclusive
current

2. We'll have to ___RUN_______________________ ( = do) some blood tests.

race
run
jog

3. I need you to __TAKE A DEPP BREATH________________________.

take a heavy breath
make a deep breath
take a deep breath

4. I _EXAMINED_________________________ the patient last week. He seemed very healthy.

examined
examination
exam

5. Your test came back ____NEGATIVE______________________. You are healthy!

positive
increase
negative

6. If someone is HIV-_____POSITIVE_____________________, it means that he/she has the HIV virus.

neutral
positive
negative

7. If you give someone a "clean _BILL OF HEALTH____", it means that you have determined that the person is
completely healthy.
bill of health
sheet of health
paper of health

8. What's another word for "doctor" ?

shrink
physician
physiologist

9. My mother has a ______FEAR____________________ of needles. = She is afraid of needles.

horror
fear
panic

10. Hopefully we can __DETERMINE______________________ ( = find out) what's wrong with you.
name
deter
determine

Medical English Exercise | Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 2

QUESTIONS:
(Choose the best response for each one)

1.

Take these pills. They'll help _____EASE_____________________ ( = diminish) the headaches.

ease
facilitate
rectify

2. If someone asks you to __STRIP DOWN___________ to your waist, it means they would like you to take
off all the clothes above your waist. ( = your shirt, blouse, etc.)
strip down
take off
take down

3. What are some of the __SIDE EFFECTS___________________ of this medicine?

sideways action
side action
side effects

4. I'm going to prescribe some __PAIN KILLERS______________________ for you.

pain-removers
pain-killers
pain-takers

5. If something is "sensitive TO THE TOUCH____________", it hurts when you touch it.

to contact
to the touching
to the touch

6. I've __HAD MIGRAINES_____________________ since I was a little girl.

had migraines
had a migraine
been migrated

7. ______GET DRESSED____________________. = Put your clothes on.

Get dressed
Get dressed up
Get up

8. What's the opposite of the question above?

Dress yourself
Get down
Get undressed

9. ____DOES IT HURT______________________ when I touch it?

Is it pain
Does it hurt
Is there anguish

10. Some physical symptoms are actually caused by _____ANXIETY___________________ or stress.

anxious
anxiety
nervous

Medical English Exercise | Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 3

QUESTIONS:
(Choose the best response for each one)

1. We can ___RULE OUT_____________________cancer. = It's definitely not cancer.

rule up
rule out
rule in

2. Last year my grandfather was _____DIAGNOSED______________with Alzheimer's.

diagnosis
made a diagnosis
diagnosed

3. I can't ____AFFORD________________ ( = don't have enough money to buy) these brand-name drugs.
pay
afford
pay off

4. My doctor told me I was ____AT RISK ____________ for diabetes ( = that there was a chance I'd develop
diabetes).
at risk for
very risky
a risk taker

5. You should never neglect the ___WARNING SIGNS____ of an illness. Go see a doctor immediately!
warning signs
warning touch
road signs

6. D: Do you have a ___FEVER_______________________? P: No, my temperature is normal.

burn
thermometer
fever

7. It's not hopeless. This is something we can ___TREAT_______________________.

treat
treatment
give treatment

8. General __ANESTHESIA________________________, which makes you unconscious, is used for some procedures.
anesthesia
narcosis
passing out

9. I need to have surgery. = I need to have an __OPERATION________________________.

operative
operation
apparatus

10. Let me ask you a couple of questions about your medical __HISTORY________________________.
life-history
past
history

Medical English Exercise | Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 4

QUESTIONS:
(Choose the best response for each one)

1. I checked your __________________________ x-ray. Your lungs seem fine.

chest
foot
head

2. I think I'm __________________________ with something. = I think I'm starting to get sick.
coming to
coming down
coming apart

3. You will not feel any pain. = You won't feel __________________________.
things
painless
a thing

4. He's a __________________________ professional with over 20 years experience.

highly-qualified
high-qualifications
high-qualified

5. I'm going to refer you to a __________________________ of mine ( = a person I work with).

collage
college
colleague

6. I'm sorry, Dr. Beck is __________________________ patients today.

not having
not seeing
not healing

7. There is still no __________________________ for the common cold!

cure
save
treatment

8. Let me check my __________________________. Yes, tell Mr. Johnson that I can see him at 2:00 PM on Thursday.
graph
schedule
time

9. Is it a sharp pain or a __________________________?

dull
dull one
dulled one

10. I don't have __________________________ in my right index finger.

a feeling
any feelings
any feeling

Medical English Exercise | Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 5

QUESTIONS:
(Choose the best response for each one)

1. After you see a doctor, you might have to schedule a __________________________ appointment to see how
things are progressing.
follow-up
follow-through
fellowship

2. I think this might be the __________________________ of your illness.

cause
reasoning
reason

3. I think this might be the __________________________ behind your illness.

reasoning
cause
reason

4. D: Do you have any allergies? P: Yes, I'm __________________________ to penicillin.

having an allergy
allergic
allergy

5. A person who specializes in a particular field of medicine is called a __________________________.

surgeon
special doctor
specialist

6. My back is __________________________ me! = My back hurts very much!

killing
destroying
paining

7. Does this __________________________?

hurt
pain
painful

8. It's too early to __________________________ a diagnosis.

express
tell
make

9. She is ____ON THE PILL______________________. = She is taking birth control pills.

on pills
on the pill
on a pill

10. I almost ____PASSED OUT______________________ ( = lost consciousness) from the pain.

passed forward
passed out
passed over

Medical English Exercise | Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 6

QUESTIONS:
(Choose the best response for each one)
1. What type of university do doctors finish?
Med school (Medicine school)

Med school (Medical school)

Med school (Medication school)

2. There is no physical ______BASIS____________________ for these symptoms. I believe that the cause of your
problems is psychological.
base
basic
basis

3. He is __UNDERGOING____________( = in the process of receiving) treatment for a rare disease.

underwriting
undergoing
understanding

4. This usually ____INVOLVES______________________ ( = includes) some kind of radiation therapy.

involves
evokes
evolves

5. You have to ____AVOID______________________ fatty foods. = Don't eat fatty foods.

avoid
averse
avail

6. D: Have the symptoms disappeared? P: No, but they've ____DECREASED__________________ considerably.

decimated
decried
decreased

7. This is not a ___FATAL_______________________ disease. = You will not die from this disease.
fatal
fatalistic
fatality

8. If a patient is ___TERMINALLY____________________ ill, he/she will likely die from their disease.
terminally
tactfully
totally

9. An ______OUTPATIENT__________________ is someone who comes into a clinic/hospital periodically to receive

treatment.

outdoors type
outpatient
outside patient

10. Is this the first time you've ____EXPERIENCED

( = had) these symptoms?
explained
expressed
experienced

Medical English Exercise | Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 7

QUESTIONS:
(Choose the best response for each one)
1. Is "pulse" the same as "heart rate"?
yes
no
only in Australia

2. You're a little __________________________. You have to lose about 10 pounds.

heavy-set
overweight
really fat

3. There's not much I can tell you until we get __________________________ (from the lab).
your tests over
your tests have returned
your tests back

4. Depression is often caused by a chemical deficiency or __________________________ ( = improper proportion of

several chemical elements).
imbalance
balance
unbalance

5. It hurts when I __________________________ ( = urinate).

pay
peel
pee

6. Don't worry, it's only a __________________________ cut. It's not serious.

major
minor
minority

7. Cough, fever, and bruises are examples of minor __________________________ that people commonly suffer.
ailments
sicknesses
illnesses

8. I feel cold. = I have the __________________________.

chill
chills
chilies

9. If your nose or sinuses become congested, or __________________________, a decongestant medicine may help
you.
stuck
stuffed
stuffy

10. The doctor game me some __________________________ of the antibiotic.

no-charge examples
free examples
free samples

Medical English Exercise | Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 8

QUESTIONS:
(Choose the best response for each one)

1. The __________________________ ( = first ) symptoms of this condition are nausea and a high fever.
initial
initialed
initiative

2. These things are often __________________________. If your father had it, you might get it too.
hereditary
heresy
hearsay

3. An __________________________ is something that rids your body of disease-causing free radicals.

anti-toxin
anti-depressant
antioxidant

4. An __________________________ medication is one that doesn't require a prescription.

over-extended
over-the-counter
over-prescription

5. Which one of these does NOT mean "to pay attention to"?
to keep an eye on
to monitor
to repress

6. This is a __________________________ dangerous condition. You have to seek treatment right away.
potentially
possibly
passively

7. Which tests are you going to __________________________? What can I expect to experience during these
tests?
perform
perforate
profess

8. He was really sick, but he has made a __________________________.

completely healthy
better health
complete recovery

9. Another word for "high blood pressure" is __________________________.

hypotension
hypertension
hypoallergenic

10. Taking this medication will __________________________ your risk of a heart attack.
take down
lower
make less

Medical English Exercise | Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 9

QUESTIONS:
(Choose the best response for each one)

1. How many treatments will I need, and how much will it __________________________? ( = how much will I have
to pay)
charge
cost
pay

2. You'll have to quit smoking to get your asthma __________________________.

under pressure
out of control
under control

3. Your cholesterol levels are __________________________ ( = incredibly high).

off topic
off the scale
off color

4. It'll take about three weeks __________________________ start feeling better.

for you to
in which you
for a while

5. Under __________________________ circumstances should you drink alcohol. = You shouldn't drink alcohol no
matter what.
no
not
any

6. To "OD (oh-dee)" means to __________________________ (on a drug, etc.)

overdrive
overkill
overdose

7. I suggest you stop taking these sleeping pills. - You're becoming __________________________ ( = slightly
addicted to) them.
dependent on
depending on
dependent with

8. Will my health care plan __________________________ ( = pay for) this visit?

cover
pay
bankroll

9. I have to take special __________________________ ( = steps/ safeguards) because of your pacemaker.

prevention
precautions
premises

10. Just because your mother had breast cancer doesn't mean that you'll __________________________ it too.
diagnose
do
develop

Medical English Exercise | Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 10

QUESTIONS:
(Choose the best response for each one)

1. My grandfather was __________________________ to (the) hospital yesterday.

prescribed
admitted
accepted

2. There were two doctors __________________________ ( = working) when we arrived.

doing their duty
on demand
on duty

3. P1: Does the patient have health __________________________? P2: No, she is uninsured.
assurance
insurance
assistance

4. If you're unable to quit smoking altogether, you should at least __________________________. ( = do it less)
cut down
cut off
cut around

5. Everything went smoothly. There were no __________________________.

complications

compliments
completions

6. To "OD (oh-dee)" means to __________________________ (on a drug, etc.)

overdrive
overkill
overdose

7. I've been taking birth control pills __________________________. ( = for many years)
for years
on a yearly basis
yearly

8. There's nothing to worry about. This is a __________________________ ( = standard) procedure.

routine
routing
rooted

9. Even if you are infected, the symptoms might not __________________________ ( = appear) for weeks.
show off
show up
show

10. This is a contagious disease that can only be __________________________ by/through sexual intercourse.
transferred
transplanted
transmitted

1. I'm __________________________ for surgery ( = having surgery) tomorrow.

going in

going up

going out

2. The tests are __________________________. We have to retest you.

incredulous

inconclusive

inclined

3. Are you experiencing any __________________________? = Do you feel tired?

dizziness

pain

fatigue

4. Please __________________________ me ( = let me know) of any changes in your condition.

notify/inform

note

review

5. When there is a decrease in or disappearance of signs and symptoms of cancer, you can say that the cancer is in
__________________________.
regression

remittance

remission

6. How __________________________ is this treatment? ( = how well does this treatment work?)
affected

effective

ineffectual

7. I have a strange __________________________ ( = red patches) on my skin.

rash

rush

reach

8. This won't __________________________ long. = This won't require a lot of time.

do

take

make

9. Your regular doctor is often referred to as your "__________________________ care doctor".

primal

primary

principal

10. Most operations are not emergencies and are considered __________________________ surgery. ( = surgery
that you choose to have)
choosy

picked

elective