hospital

C H A P T E R 11

A T T H E H O S P I T A L

(Scene: Vicky, a young woman from Greece, and Maureen, her college friend, enter the emergency room of City Hospital. Vicky has a bandage wrapped around her left hand).

Vicky: I don't know if it was necessary to come here to the hospital.

Marvin: You have a nasty cut on your left hand. Even if the bleeding has stopped, you might need a tetanus
shot. By rights, you should have a doctor look it over. Easy does it!

Vicky: I feel embarrassed to be here. My hand's no longer bleeding. Let's go!

Marvin: Don't be so pig-headed! Look, I'm all upset. I feel personally responsible since I closed the car door
on your hand! And I don't like the looks of the cut.

Vicky: It's my fault, really! I shouldn't have held onto the door for so long while getting into your car. Please don't
blame yourself! It's sweet of you to care so much.

Marvin: I'm kind of high-strung, especially when I see blood. I make no secret of it. We're here now. Let's
check it out.

Vicky: Oh, Marvin, look at that man they are wheeling in! He looks like he was in a bad accident.

Marvin: I'd hate to be in his shoes. Vicky, are you all right? You're not going to pass out, are you, from loss of
blood?

Vicky: I'm fine. Besides, it's hardly bled at all.

Marvin: Some date I turned out to be! I pick you up and crush your hand in my car door!

Vicky: Would you say that you had a crush on me?

Marvin: I'm really sorry! (pause) Why hasn't the nurse arrived? A person could bleed to death in this place!

(A nurse enters)

Nurse: Can I help you? What seems to be the problem?

Marvin: Help me? That's a laugh. It's my girlfriend who needs help. I closed a car door on her hand. I really
pulled a boner!

Nurse: Do you want to speak to the police, miss. Was this a violent act?

Vicky: No! It was simply an accident! It's really a slight cut. Let me show you.

Nurse: The bleeding has stopped. We'll have to clean it up and properly bandage it for you. I'll have the doctor
examine it. Off the record, it doesn't look bad. The doctor will probably suggest a tetanus injection, perhaps
an x-ray, and maybe some stiches.

Marvin: Stiches? Oh-h-h-h....

Vicky: Marvin, you had better sit down. You're looking very pale. You look like you've seen a ghost.

Marvin: Stiches bring to mind some bad memories.

Nurse: Why don't you relax here, sir. I'll take the young lady with me. Perhaps, you'd like some
coffee while you wait? Would you like a magazine to pass the time?

Marvin: No...no....

Nurse: Is he your husband?

Vicky: No, he's just a friend. He just seems to have a difficult time dealing with the sight of blood.

Marvin: I can handle it. Could you just direct me to the nearest men's room?

EXERCISES

Exercise 1:Select the meaning of the following idiom most appropriate to the above dialogue. An
answer key is at the end of the chapter.

1. Nasty cut: (a) a cut done in a violent mood, (b) a serious cut, (c) a cut on the face

2. By rights: (a) the correct thing to do, (b) to read one's legal rights, (c) to be right-handed

3. Look something over: (a) examine, (b) to see something, (c) to briefly glance at something

4. Easy does it: (a) behave gently, (b) to accomplish something with effort, (c) to do something several times

5. Pig-headed: (a) to look like a pig, (b) to be ignorant, (c) to be stubborn

6: All upset: (a) to turn something upside down, (b) to turn over, (c) to be emotionally disturbed

7. Like the looks: (a) to find something pleasing, (b) to fall in love one first sight, (c) to look several times

8. Sweet of someone: (a) to offer candy to someone, (b) to act kindly, (c) to speak romantically

9. High-strung: (a) to be wound too tightly, (b) to easily get disturbed, (c) to yell

10. Make no secret of something: (a) to be unable to keep a secret, (b) to dislike secrets, (c) to be open
about or willing to disclose information

11. Check it out: (a) to purchase something, (b) to examine something, (c) to write a check

12. To be in someone's shoes: (a) to be wearing someone else's shoes, (b) to be in someone else's
circumstances, (c) to desire to own someone else's property

13. To have a crush on someone: (a) to press against someone, (b) to hit someone, (c) to have
affection for someone

14. Pull a boner: (a) to pick at a bone, (b) to pull something out of the ground, (c) to make a foolish mistake

15. Off the record: (a) for private knowledge, (b) to forget something that was recorded, (c) to have too much
to record

16. Bring to mind: (a) to recall, (b) to force, (c) to attempt to forget

17. Pass the time: (a) to hand someone a clock, (b) to be engaged in an activity while waiting, (c) to meditate

18. Dealing with: (a) to play cards, (b) to be involved with a certain type of person or thing, (c) to exchange
money for something

19. Handle it: (a) to be able to emotionally or physically capable, (b) to lift, (c) to find a handle on something

Exercise 2: Fill in the correct idiom from the above list. An answer key is at the end of the chapter.

1. My thirteen-year-old sister thinks she is in love with her gym instructor. She has a tremendous
_________________ him.

2. Meg has found reading novels a wonderful way to ________________ in the evenings.

3. After examining all of the vans currently being offered by dealers, Louise told John that she
___________________ of the one offered by Toyota.

4. As the movers were lifting the piano, they nearly smashed it into the wall. I told them, "Watch what you're
doing! ________________!"

5. Larry was opening a can of coffee when the metal lid suddenly pulled off. As a result, he got a
_______________on his thumb.

6. Even though the demands of the order were extensive, I was assured by the owner of the store that his
company could ___________________.

7. When Leila got home, she fould her husband sitting at the kitchen table nearly in tears. He was
__________________ as a result of his tax audit.

8. You talk about someone being stubborn! I have never met a person as _________________ as Greg.

9. Remembering to send me a card was so kind. It's _________________ to recall my birthday.

10. Every time I phone that company, I speak with a different person. I just don't know who I'm
_________________ when I contact them.

11. Looking at the game in the antique shop filled my mind with memories. Specifically, it _____
________________ the summer of 1973.

12. You want to know what I really think of her actions? Well, __________________, I found them to be most
inappropriate and inconsiderate.

13. Don't be afraid to ask the salesperson questions. ______________, you should feel free to ask any
question before buying the car.

14. When Jeremy was a boy, he had a cocker spaniel for a pet. The dog was very playful, but in terms of
temperment, it was terribly __________________.

15. I don't want to rush you. Please, examine the painting carefully. I'll get you a magnifying glass so you can
_____________________ more thoroughly.

16. As I was lying in the stretcher, I overhead an attendant say, "He looks pretty bad. I wouldn't want to
_________________."

17. I don't make many mistakes with numbers now, but when I was first hired, I really
_________________, which nearly cost me my job.

18. She's very open about her feelings. She _______________________ of disliking tall, blond men.

19. You can't spend that amount of money without knowing how the car runs. I'll call a mechanic friend of mine.
He can come over and _______________ before you buy the car.

Exercise 3:Use the following idioms in a spoken sentence of your own creation.

1. Nasty cut: ________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

2. By rights: ________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

3. Look it over: ______________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

4. Easy does it: ______________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

5. Pig-headed: _______________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

6. All upset: _________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

7. Like the looks of: __________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

8. Sweet of (someone): ________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

9. High-strung: ______________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

10. Makes no secret of (something): _______________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

11. Check it out: ______________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

12. To be in (someone's) shoes: __________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

13. Chrush on (someone): _______________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

14. Pull a boner: _______________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

15. Off the record: _____________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

16. Bring to mind: _____________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

17. Pass the time: _____________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

18. Dealing with: ______________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

19. Handle it: _________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Exercise 4:Examine the previous sentences and decide which of them would be suitable for formal written expression through the use of synonyms. Rewrite those sentences using precise, appropriate synonyms.

Answers to exercise 1: 1 (b), 2 (a), 3 (a), 4 (a), 5 (c), 6 (c), 7 (a), 8 (b), 9 (b), 10 (c), 11 (b), 12 (b), 13 (c), 14 (c), 15 (a), 16 (a), 17 (b), 18 (b), 19 (a).

Answers to exercise 2:
    1. crush on                              11. brought to mind
    2. pass the time                     12. off the record
    3. likes the looks                    13. By rights
    4. Easy does it                       14. high-strung
    5. nasty cut                             15. look it over
    6. handle it                              16. be in his shoes
    7. all upset                              17. pulled a boner
    8. pig-headed                        18. makes no secret
    9. sweet of you                       19. check it out
10. dealing with it