THE COMMON COLD


I. How often do you catch a cold? In which part of the year do you usually catch a cold?

II. What are the most common cold symptoms? Which of them do you usually suffer from?

III. What’s the best treatment for a cold?


IV. Match.


                                   1. stuffy/runny

                                                  a. throat

                                   2. mild

                                                  b. sniffling

                                   3. sore

                                                  c. illness

                                   4. respiratory

                                                  d. congestion

                                   5. be

                                                  e. nose

                                   6. red, itchy

                                                  f. passages

                                   7. nasal

                                                  g. fever

                                   8. breathing

                                                  h. eyes


V. Fill in the blanks in the following paragraph on the difference between a cold and the flu

The flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses but they are ____1.____ by different
viruses. Because these two types of illnesses have ____2.____ flu-like symptoms, it can be
difficult to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. In general, the flu is
____3.____ than the common cold, and symptoms such as fever, body aches, extreme tiredness, and dry
____4.____ are more common and intense. Colds are usually milder ____5.____ the flu. People with
colds are more ____6.____ to have a runny or stuffy nose. Colds generally do not result in serious
health problems, such ____7.____ pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations.


VI. Listen and answer the following questions.


1.  How many times do children usually catch a cold?


2.  Why isn’t it possible to become immune to colds?


3. Why do people get sick more frequently during the winter?


4. How does vitamin C help in treating colds?


5. How does chicken soup help in treating colds?


6. What did the doctor say about drinking and eating when you have a cold?


7. In what way can milk worsen a cold?


8. What do doctors recommend in general?