Read the passage carefully before attempting Exercise 1 (Multiple Choice) and Exercise 2 (Fill in the blanks dropdown) below.
Kezia woke up on Tuesday morning feeling terrible. Her throat was sore, her head was pounding, and she had a high temperature. She thought it was just a cold, so she stayed in bed and drank plenty of water. But by Thursday, she was feeling worse, not better. Her flatmate, Darius, was worried. “You should see a doctor,” he said. “This doesn’t look like a normal cold.”
Kezia called her local health centre and made an appointment for the same afternoon. When she arrived, the waiting room was busy, but she only waited about fifteen minutes. The doctor, Dr. Patel, asked her several questions. How long had she been ill? Did she have a cough? Was she eating and sleeping properly? He checked her temperature and looked at her throat carefully. “You have a bacterial infection,” he told her. “It’s not serious, but you will need antibiotics. You must finish the whole course, even if you start feeling better after a few days.”
Dr. Patel also told Kezia to rest at home for at least two more days and to drink warm liquids regularly. He said she should come back if her temperature went above 39 degrees. Kezia left the health centre feeling relieved. She was going to follow the doctor’s advice carefully this time. “Next time I feel ill,” she told Darius, “I’m not going to wait so long before calling the doctor.”
Exercise 1
Read the passage about a visit to the doctor carefully, then choose the correct answer for each question based on the text.
Example: Why did Maria go to the doctor?
Answer: She went to the doctor because she had a sore throat and a fever.
A Visit to the Doctor
Have you ever felt nervous in a doctor's waiting room? Most people visit the doctor at least once or twice a year, but it can still feel a little stressful. Before you read, think about these two questions: What do you usually do when you feel ill? and What information does a doctor need to help you? Keep these questions in mind as you read the passage below.
Reading Passage: Not Just a Cold
Kezia woke up on Tuesday morning feeling terrible. Her throat was sore, her head was pounding, and she had a high temperature. She thought it was just a cold, so she stayed in bed and drank plenty of water. But by Thursday, she was feeling worse, not better. Her flatmate, Darius, was worried. "You should see a doctor," he said. "This doesn't look like a normal cold."
Kezia called her local health centre and made an appointment for the same afternoon. When she arrived, the waiting room was busy, but she only waited about fifteen minutes. The doctor, Dr. Patel, asked her several questions. How long had she been ill? Did she have a cough? Was she eating and sleeping properly? He checked her temperature and looked at her throat carefully. "You have a bacterial infection," he told her. "It's not serious, but you will need antibiotics. You must finish the whole course, even if you start feeling better after a few days."
Dr. Patel also told Kezia to rest at home for at least two more days and to drink warm liquids regularly. He said she should come back if her temperature went above 39 degrees. Kezia left the health centre feeling relieved. She was going to follow the doctor's advice carefully this time. "Next time I feel ill," she told Darius, "I'm not going to wait so long before calling the doctor."
Key Vocabulary in Context
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| sore | adjective | painful, especially in a part of your body | She had a sore throat and could not speak loudly. |
| temperature | noun | the measurement of how hot or cold something is; a high temperature means your body is hotter than normal | The nurse checked his temperature with a small device. |
| appointment | noun | a time that you arrange in advance to meet someone, for example a doctor | I made an appointment with the dentist for next Monday. |
| bacterial infection | noun phrase | an illness caused by very small living things (bacteria) entering the body | The doctor said his cough was a bacterial infection, not a virus. |
| antibiotics | noun (plural) | medicine that kills bacteria and treats infections | The doctor gave her antibiotics to take three times a day. |
| course | noun | a complete set of medicine you must take over a period of days | You must finish the full course of tablets to feel completely better. |
| relieved | adjective | feeling happy because a worry or problem has gone away | She felt relieved when the doctor said it was not serious. |
| flatmate | noun | a person who lives with you in the same flat or apartment | His flatmate cooked dinner for him while he was feeling ill. |
Reading Strategies & Comprehension Tips
Skimming for the Main Idea
Before reading in detail, quickly look at the title and the first sentence of each paragraph. This tells you that the text is about a woman who feels ill, visits a doctor, and gets advice. You do not need to understand every word to get the general idea.
Scanning for Specific Information
Some questions will ask you about specific details, such as the doctor's name, the number of days Kezia should rest, or the temperature she should watch for. Scan the text by looking for numbers, names, and capital letters quickly. For example, look for "39 degrees" or "Dr. Patel" without reading every word.
Understanding Sequence
Pay attention to time words: Tuesday, Thursday, same afternoon. These words show you the order of events. Kezia felt ill on Tuesday, she called on Thursday, and she went to the doctor that same afternoon. Understanding this sequence will help you answer questions about what happened first, next, and last.
Inferring Meaning from Context
You may not know the word antibiotics, but the text explains that Kezia has a bacterial infection and the doctor said she will need them. You can understand that antibiotics are medicine for infections, even without knowing the exact word before reading.
Common Reading Pitfalls & Traps
Trap 1: Confusing "worse" with "better"
The text says Kezia felt "worse, not better" by Thursday. Some students read quickly and think she was improving. Read comparative adjectives carefully. Worse means more ill; better means less ill.
Trap 2: Who was worried?
A question might ask "Who decided Kezia should see a doctor?" It was her flatmate, Darius, who suggested it — not Kezia herself. Do not confuse the characters or assume Kezia made that decision alone.
Trap 3: "Finish the whole course" — what does this mean?
The doctor said Kezia must finish all the antibiotics, even if she starts feeling better. Students sometimes think she can stop taking medicine when she feels better. This is the opposite of what Dr. Patel said. Read the instruction carefully.
Trap 4: The waiting time
The waiting room was busy, so some students might think Kezia waited a long time. However, the text clearly says she only waited about fifteen minutes. Do not let the word "busy" mislead you about the actual time she waited.
Quick Summary
In this passage, Kezia feels very ill for several days before her flatmate Darius persuades her to call a doctor. She visits a local health centre, where Dr. Patel examines her and tells her she has a bacterial infection. He gives her antibiotics and clear instructions about resting and returning if she gets worse. Kezia leaves feeling relieved and promises herself she will not wait so long next time. The text practises key vocabulary related to health and medical visits, and it follows a clear sequence of events with realistic, natural dialogue.
Now read the passage carefully and complete Exercise 1 (Multiple Choice) and Exercise 2 (Fill-in-the-gap dropdown) below.
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