unit 6 How are you?
2 Talking about being ill
Conversation 1
Heilo.Is that Sarah?
Yes,Hi.How are you? I'm fine.What about you? You weren't in class today.
I'm just phoning to make sure you're OK.
Oh,thanks.That's realy nice of you.
I'm not very well,Actually.Oh No.What's the problem?
I've got a really bad cole. I've been in bed all day.
Oh No!I'm sorry.Have you been to see anyone about it?
NO,I'll be all right.I just need to stay in bed for a while.
I already feel a bit better than I did this morning.
Conversation 2
Heilo.Hi,Janet.It's Teresa.How's it going?
Great,thanks.How are you? Not very well,actually.
That's why I'm phoning.
Can you tell ralph I can't come to class tonight?
Yes,of course.What's the problem?
Oh,I've just got a really upset stomach.
I've been in and out of the bathroom all day.
Oh No,that's awful! I'm sorry.Can I do anything to help?
That's really kind of you,but I'm all right.
I'll be fine tomorrow.
Have you taken anything for it?
No,I'm just drinking lots of water and trying to take it easy.
Rlght that sounds sensible.
Listen,I've got to go.
Yes,of course.I'll phone you tomorrow and see how you are.
OK.Thanks.bye.
James phillips is sleeping.
He fell asleep quite suddenly in the middle of our interview.
Normally,I would feel angry if someone did this to me.
I would think'How rude!Am I boring you?',
but with James I just feel sorry for him
because James is suffering from narcolepsy.
Narcolepsy is a medical condition which makes people feel tired all the time.
When you suffer from it,
you can't stop yourself from sleeping and when you fall asleep,
it is almost impossible to wake you up.
I tried to wake James up by shouting at him and ringing a loud bell,
but he just continued sleeping.
His wife,Michelle,told me he would probably sleep for an hour or more.
Usualy he sleeps between 16 and 20 hours a day.
What makes it worse is the fact he often has terrible nightmares while he sleeps.
For a long time,nobody realised James was ill.
When he was younger,James often overslept in the morning
and was late for school although he didn't usually sleep at school.
He often couldn't do his homework
because he usually went to bed at five or six in the evening.
His teachers just thought he was lazy and he often got bad grades.
After leaving school,his illness got worse.
He lost several jobs because he was always late
or he was found asleep at his desk.
Then,one day,he fell asleep while he was driving.
He crashed into a wall and broke his arm.
He was lucky he didn't kill himself.
He finally went to the doctor to ask for help.
He was told he had narcolepsy.That was ten years ago.
Unfotunately,there is no cure for the condition
and doctors aren't even sure what causes it.
At first,James was given some drugs which helped him to stay awake longer.
As a result,he went back to school and he got very good grades.
The school gave him extra time when he fell asleep during his exams
so that he could finish.
He can't work full-time,but he has a part-time job as a computer technician.
Five years ago,he met his wife, Michelle,
when they were both doing a computing course.
Michelle says,'He's a really good-looking guy,
so I was surprised he didn't already have a girlfriend.
Then I found out why!
He didn't actually come to the first three dates we arranged because
he was sleeping.
I wasn't going to give him another chance,
but then he explained his problem
and how the narcolepsy is worse whn he is very nervous-for example,
when going out with a beautiful girl for the first time!
I couldn't say no after that,could I?
He's intelligent,he's got a great sense of humour
and he's basically a normal guy
it's just that he can't do certain things like drive or have baths or
travel on his own because he can fall asleep at any moment.
It's all right,though,
because I'm not the kind of person who likes to go out very late,anyway.
I'm a bit shy.I like to spend time on my own,so we're a good match.
'So don't you ever get fed up with his sleeping?'I ask her.
'No,not really,"she replied,'although the other week,
we went out for dinner to celebrate our third wedding anniversary.
It was a really lovely restaurant.It was really romantic.
We ordered our meal and I just went to the loo for a moment.
When I came back,I found him asleep with his face lying in a plate of salad.
I was a bit fed up then,I must say,
but then the food was fantastic and he woke up in time for the dessert,
so it wasn't that bad!"
2 While you listen
Conversation 3
All right.How's it going?
Yes,fine.Are you OK?
Yes,not too bad.Did you have a nice weekend?
Yes,all right.I just stayed in and took it easy.
What about you?I spent most of it in bed.
I was feeling really ill,to be honest.
Why? Did you have a cold or something?
No,no.I went to new fish restaurant in town and I think I ate something bad.
I don't know,but I was up all Friday night, being sick.
Oh no! That sounds awful.
Yes,it wasn't very nice,but I'm feeling a lot better now.
Conversation 4
Good morning.Do you mind if I join you?
No,of course not.Have a seat.
Did you sleep well?
Yes,very.What about you?
No,I didn't,actually.I was up till two watching film on TV,
and then I got woken up by the people in the room next to me at about five.
Did you hear them?
No,I didn't.
You must be a really heavy sleeper,then,
because they were making a terrible noise.
it was unbelievable!Anyway,I couldn't get back to sleep for ages.
Honestly,I'm exhausted.
Maybe you should've stayed in bed and not come down for breakfast.
Yes,maybe,but I need to eat in the mornings.
And anyway,I have paid for it.
Conversation 5
Hello?Is that Barbara?
Yes,Angus!How are you? It's been ages.SO what's you been doing recently?
Yes,I know.I'm sorry.I've just been really busy with exams and studying.
What about you?Yes,everything's great.
I'm in a really good mood at the moment,actually.
Oh yes?Why?
Well,I haven't really told many people yet,but I'm pregnant.
Wow!That's brilliant!You must be really happy.
Yes,I'm really pleased.I really wnted to tell people before,
but I had to have a scan and check everything was all right first.
And is it?
Yes,yes.I had the scan yesterday and it's fine.
Wow!So when's it due? September 15th.
Really?So you're,what,almost three months pregnant already?
Yes.So do you know what it is yet?
No,I din't want to know.I'm just going to wait.
Well,anyway,that's brilliant.Congratulations!Thanks.
Anyway,listen,sorry.I've got to go or I'll be late for my art class.
I'll phone you back later.And well done!
Thanks.See you.
4 Good news