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Cold and Flu
Pre-Reading Activities
A: What Do You Think?
Work alone and answer questions 1 - 3.
1. Which things on the list below are usually signs and symptoms of a cold
and which are signs and symptoms of influenza (flu)?
fever and chills, scratchy throat, sore throat, body aches,
stuffy nose, upset stomach, runny nose.
2. What kind of things do you do in your everyday life to try and avoid catching a cold?3. What do you do if you have a cold? Do you do anything special to try and make it go away faster? Now work in pairs and compare your answers for questions 1 - 3.
B: Test Your Medical Knowledge
Work in pairs and decide whether these statements are True or False. (You will be able to check your answers later
when you read the article.)
1. There are vaccines available that can prevent people from catching flus and colds.
2. There are more than two hundred viruses that can cause the flu.
3. Washing your hands can lower your chances of catching a cold.
4. It is easy to tell whether or not a small child has the flu.
5. Aspirin will help take away any aches and pains and is suitable for everyone.
6. Children with the flu usually have higher fevers than adults.
Reading Activities
A: Finding the Main Idea
Here is the headline of today's article but some of the words have been mixed up. Read the first paragraph of the article
and then try to put the words in the headline into the correct order. Write your answer on the line provided. (The first two
words are given to you as an example).
Headline: Nose Stuffy? Flu if or to Tell It's Cold a How NEW YORK Monday January 14 (Reuters Health) - Scratchy throats,
Your Answer: Stuffy Nose?________________________
stuffy noses and body aches all spell misery, but being able to
tell if the cause is a cold or flu may make a difference in how
long the misery lasts. (Continued./)
ARTICLE 2002 REUTERS LIMITED. LESSON 2002 WWW.ENGLISH-TO-GO.COM
B: Scanning
Here is the list of symptoms from Pre-Reading Activity A. Read the next part of today's article. Which signs and
symptoms does the article mention in connection with colds and influenza? Write them down under the appropriate
heading. Are there any that are not usually symptoms of either a cold or flu? Write them down under the Neither
Cold nor Influenza heading.
fever and chills, scratchy throat, sore throat, body aches, stuffy nose, upset stomach, runny nose
Influenza
Neither Cold nor Influenza
ARTICLE 2002 REUTERS LIMITED. LESSON 2002 WWW.ENGLISH-TO-GO.COM 1
(Continued./) The American Lung Association (ALA) has is- sore throat and body aches come on suddenly and are more sued new guidelines on combating colds and influenza, and severe than cold symptoms. Contrary to popular belief, upset one of the keys is being able to quickly tell the two apart. That's stomach is rarely a symptom of the flu, according to the ALA.
because the prescription drugs available for the flu need to be The group notes that it may be particularly difficult to tell taken soon after the illness sets in. As for colds, the sooner a when infants and preschool age children have the flu. It ad- person starts taking over-the-counter therapies, the sooner re- vises parents to call the doctor if their small children have flu- lief will come, according to the ALA.
The common cold and the flu are both caused by viruses.
If patients see a doctor within 2 days of symptom onset, the More than 200 viruses can trigger cold symptoms, while the flu flu can often be treated with one of four drugs that have been is caused by three viruses--influenza A, B and C. There is no shown to shorten the duration of symptoms, the ALA adds.
cure for either illness, but the flu can be prevented by the influ- These drugs are: oseltamivir (Tamiflu), zanamivir (Relenza), enza vaccine--and is, for most people, the best way to fight the amantadine (Symmetrel) and rimantadine (Flumadine). Some can be given to children older than one year.
But if the flu does strike, quick action can help. Although Both cold and flu symptoms can be eased with over-the- the flu and common cold have many similarities, there are some counter medications as well. However, children and teens with a cold or flu should not take aspirin for pain relief because of Cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, runny nose and scratchy the risk of Reye syndrome, a rare but serious condition of the throat typically develop gradually, and adults and teens often do not get a fever. On the other hand, fever is one of the hall- There is, of course, no vaccine for the common cold. But marks of the flu for all ages; children's fevers tend to be higher, frequent hand washing and avoiding close contact with people ranging from 103 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit (39-40 degrees who have colds can reduce the likelihood of catching one.
And in general, flu symptoms including fever and chills, ARTICLE 2002 REUTERS LIMITED. LESSON 2002 WWW.ENGLISH-TO-GO.COM
C: True or False
Now go back to Pre-Reading Activity B and do the following things:
1. Check to see if your answers are correct according to the article.
2. Change your answers if they are incorrect.
3. If a statement is false, change the false statement to make it true.
D: Check Your Understanding
Here is a paragraph summarizing the message of today's article. Fill the gaps in the sentences with information from the
article. (Put one word only in each gap.)
Cold and flu symptoms are similar but ____________ symptoms are more serious and develop faster. If you are able to tell that you have the ____________, and see a doctor, you may be treated with one of ____________ drugs which will ____________ the length of thesymptoms. These medications, however, must be taken within ____________ days of the flu starting, so it is important that you try to workout which illness you have and then go and see a ____________ if you have the flu.
Post-Reading Activities
You may do one or more of these.
A: Language
1. The article contains a lot of information written in the present simple tense. For example, "upset stomach is
rarely a symptom of the flu, according to the ALA."
Why are sentences like this one in the present simple?
2. Students sometimes confuse present active with present passive sentences (Subject + be verb + past
participle of the main verb). Look at these sentences from today's article. Change the verbs in brackets (which
are in the infinitive form) into the correct form - present active or present passive sentences.
a.
Scratchy throats, stuffy noses and body aches all ________ (to spell) misery.
The common cold and the flu ________ (to cause) by viruses.
The flu ________ (to cause) by three viruses--influenza A, B and C.
There ________ (to be) no cure for either illness.
Cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, runny nose and scratchy throat typically ________ (to develop)
gradually, and adults and teens often do not _______ (to get) a fever.
On the other hand, fever ________ (to be) one of the hallmarks of the flu for all ages.
There ________ (to be), of course, no vaccine for the common cold.
But frequent hand washing and avoiding close contact with people who ________ (to have) colds reduces
the likelihood of catching one.
ARTICLE 2002 REUTERS LIMITED. LESSON 2002 WWW.ENGLISH-TO-GO.COM 2
B: Remedies
Part One: In pairs, try and match the words and the pictures below.
garlic, lemon and honey drink, aspirin, vaccination, throat lozenges, cough syrup,
someone washing their hands, cough, sneeze, nose drops
Part Two: In a conditional sentence, the result or main clause is dependent on the first event happening (if). The zero
conditional uses if + present simple, + present simple. We can use the zero conditional when we are talking
about something that is generally true or a fact. For example: If I have a bloody nose, I lie on my back.
Match the problem with the remedy by drawing a line.
10. If I want to get over a cold quickly, C: Complaints
1. Isn't it horrible when everybody around you is sick and won't stop complaining? Today you are at a party at your teacher's house. Everybody is sick and grumpy and complaining. Each of yourclassmates has two complaints. You must talk to everybody and remember their complaints, but you can not writeanything down.
You will be told when to stop. Then in groups, try and remember everyone's complaints. (Note: One person inyour group should write down the complaints.) The team who can remember the most complaints, wins! You willhave 5 minutes to remember. Your teacher will tell you when to start. Good luck! 2. What were your complaints? Write them both down on a piece of paper and give them to another student. (Be sure to include your name on the pieces of paper.) They will write down some advice or suggest a remedy for you.
For example: I have a headache. You should take some aspirin
ARTICLE 2002 REUTERS LIMITED. LESSON 2002 WWW.ENGLISH-TO-GO.COM 3
TEACHERS' NOTES AND ANSWER KEY
Pre-Reading Activities
Post-Reading Activities
A: What Do You Think? - Notes
A: Language - Notes
Make sure students have a clear understanding of what the words 'flu', 'cold', and If you want to put some pressure on students and give them a chance to practice working quickly and accurately, set a time limit which will allow most to This activity gives students an opportunity to pool their knowledge about colds and finish, but only if they hurry. (A few of the sentences have been altered slightly for flus. They can also use their dictionaries, if necessary, to check the meanings of some of the symptoms that are listed. Try to avoid becoming involved in thediscussion and allow students plenty of opportunities to compare and share their A: Language - Answers
ideas. Today's article gives answers for questions 1 and 2. Students will be given an Present simple is used for sentences that contain factual information that doesn't opportunity to see if their answers were correct in the Reading Activities.
In a one to one situation, spend some time discussing the topic with the student.
a. Scratchy throats, stuffy noses and body aches all spell misery.
b. The common cold and the flu are caused by viruses.
A: What Do You Think? - Answers
c. The flu is caused by three viruses--influenza A, B and C.
d. There is no cure for either illness.
e. Cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, runny nose and scratchy throat typically
B: Test Your Medical Knowledge - Notes
develop gradually, and adults and teens often do not get a fever.
The points raised in these questions are covered in today's article. Do not let them f. On the other hand, fever is one of the hallmarks of the flu for all ages.
look at the article yet and avoid giving them the answers. They will be able to check g. There is, of course, no vaccine for the common cold.
whether or not they were correct when they read the article.
h. But frequent hand washing and avoiding close contact with people who
have colds reduces the likelihood of catching one.
Reading Activities
A: Finding the Main Idea - Notes
B: Remedies - Answers
Students should look at the words in the headline and see which ones are repeated Part Two: 1. d, 2. i, 3. e, 4. f, 5. g, 6. j, 7. h, 8. a, 9. c, 10. b
in the first paragraph (stuffy noses, to tell, if, a cold or flu). They should askthemselves what the main idea of the first paragraph is. If they do these two things, C: Complaints - Notes
they should be able to put the words into the correct order without much difficulty.
Below are 20 complaints. Cut them out onto strips of paper and give each student two each. If you have more than ten students, you could divide them into two A: Finding the Main Idea - Answer
Stuffy Nose? How to Tell if It's a Cold or Flu
Text to be copied and cut up for students:
B: Scanning - Notes
This list may not satisfy those students who want a complete list of symptoms for colds and flu. If students query the list, you may like to give them this information:
Usual Signs and Symptoms of Colds: runny nose, sore throat and
hoarseness, watery eyes, cough, mild fever.
Usual Signs and Symptoms of Influenza: chills and high fever, weakness
and feeling tired, aches and pains (muscles, head, eyes), dry cough, sore throat.
My nose is sore from blowing it too much.
My ears are blocked.
B: Scanning - Answers
Influenza
Neither Cold nor Influenza
*Fever and chills are not common symptoms for a cold.
**The article says with flu, a sore throat is usually more severe.
Allow students about five minutes to talk to everybody in the room, but be sure they C: True or False - Notes
don't write anything down. When they have finished, put students into groups of The purpose of this activity is for students to see how well they did at testing their three or four. Write the following headings on the board for the designated writer medical knowledge in Pre-Reading Activity B. Make sure that students change their answers if they were incorrect. Also, false statements need to be changed to makethem true.
Student's Name:
Complaint:
C: True or False - Answers
1.
False (There are no vaccines available for colds.)
False (This figure applies to colds, not the flu.)
When you say "GO" they try to tell the group's designated writer as many
complaints as they can. (Note: This could get rather noisy.) Allow them 5 minutes False (The article says that it is particularly difficult to tell.)
and then say "Stop". The group who has remembered the most complaints wins.
False (Aspirin should not be taken by children and teens because of the risk of
Reye syndrome.
2. These sentences can be written using "should". (In a one to one situation you
may like to focus on this part of the activity and skip Number 1.) D: Check Your Understanding - Answers
Cold and flu symptoms are similar but flu symptoms are more serious and develop
Please Note: The Anna Grammar page - Countables - Colds and
faster. If you are able to tell that you have the flu, and see a doctor, you may be
Flu may be useful. We also have another Upper-Intermediate Instant
treated with one of four drugs which will shorten the length of the symptoms.
lesson about the flu called Influenza 2000. Parts of this lesson could be
These medications, however, must be taken within 2 days of the flu starting, so it is
used as a follow up or for homework. (vaccines, epidemics, viruses, important that you try to work out which illness you have and then go and see a doctor if you have the flu.
2002 English To Go Ltd. All rights reserved. News article 2002 Reuters, used with permission. Not to be reproduced or stored in any way without the permission of English To GoLtd. http://www.english-to-go.com English To Go and Instant Lessons are the registered trade marks of English To Go Ltd. email: [email protected] 020114hltfr
ARTICLE 2002 REUTERS LIMITED. LESSON 2002 WWW.ENGLISH-TO-GO.COM 4

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