At a
Pharmacy
Everyone get
sick at one time or another and needs to go to drug
store or pharmacy to get some medicine. If it's a minor
condition, you can get over-the-counter medication. If
not, you may need to get a prescription from a doctor
first. Maybe you just need some allergy medication for
hay fever, or aspirin for a head ache, or antacid for an
upset stomach. In these case you may have to talk to the
pharmacist. Using the expressions below can be helpful.
|
Expression |
|
Response |
|
What do you recommend for
( ...a
cold)? |
|
You
could try these COLD BE GONE
tablets. They work
wonders. |
|
Do you have anything for a
( ...
sore
throat)? |
|
Yes,
these throat lozenges should work. |
|
What do you suggest for
( ...
an upset
stomach)? |
|
You
could try these antacid tablets. |
|
I need something for a
( ...
headache)? |
|
Why
don’t you try aspirin? |
What are over-the-counter medications?
Over-the-counter medication is medication that does not
require a doctor's
prescription in order
to be
purchased. In many countries
prescription drugs
require a doctor’s orders
before they can
be
purchased at a pharmacy. These
drugs are
usually very potent, may
be
addictive if not used
properly,
and may have
numerous adverse side effects.
Over-the-counter drugs, however, do
not need a
doctor’s orders to be
purchased.
There are a multitude of over-the-counter drugs
that are used for the treatment
of a
wide variety
of ailments and illnesses, including the following:
upset
stomachs
headaches
muscle
aches and pain
allergies
stuffy
noses
persistent
itching
minor
burns and scalds
runny noses
disinfectants
(for cleaning cuts and other minor wounds),
ointments
or liquids (to remove warts and corns)
It is also
helpful to know
over-the-counter medication comes in variety of
packages and forms.
Look at the examples below.
Antacid tablets
Allergy pills
Cough drop lozenges
Cold capsules
Tube of muscle relaxant ointment
Bottle of cough syrup
Dialogue
Students should work together in pairs and read the
following dialogue, one student reading one part, the
other student reading the other. Note the expressions
used
in
the dialogue and the
progression of the conversation. The dialogue can be used as a
model to have similar conversations.
Pharmacist:
Good morning, may I help you?
Customer:
Yes, I need this prescription filled.
Pharmacist:
OK, it’ll be ready in a few minutes.
Customer:
I’ve also had a runny nose for a couple of days, can you recommend something?
Pharmacist:
This decongestant is very effective, but be careful using it. It causes drowsiness
and
you
shouldn’t drink
any alcohol when taking this it.
Customer:
OK, I’ll try it. I also need some
band-aides and sun screen.
Where are those?
Pharmacist:
The band-aides are on aisle 3, on the left and the sun screen is on aisle
2,
on
the top shelf.
Customer:
Thanks
Pharmacist:
Will that be all?
Customer:
That should do it.
Pharmacist:
That comes to $34.56.
Customer:
That expensive! Why so much?
Pharmacist:
The prescription medication is expensive. It cost $25.99. I may be able
to get
you a
generic
drug for about half that price, but
I would have to
consult your
doctor first.
Customer:
No, that’s OK. Don’t bother.
Pharmacist:
Here’s your change. Have a good day.
After reading, close
your book and tell your partner a summary of the
dialogue. Then
switch and
have your partner tell his or her summary. Start like
this:
This
dialogue is
about
a man at a pharmacy. He is ...This
may seem silly, since you both already know what the
dialogue is about, but the purpose is to practice using
your English, not to give information or test your
reading skills.
1.
Pair work- discussion
When was the last time you when to a pharmacy?
Tell your partner about it using some
of
the ideas for
discussion below.
Your
partner should ask
questions to get
more
information.
2. Pair work- Role Play
The situation: At a
pharmacy
Working with a partner, role play the situations, using
the information below
The roles:
pharmacist, customer
The
customer
should ask
for
a recommendation for the problems
below.
The pharmacist should
ask
the following:
how
long the symptoms have been present
if the
customer is allergic to any medicines
why
they have the symptoms (if known)
the
severity of the problem
The problems
Stuffy/runny nose
Fever
Sore muscles
Headache
Diarrhea
Constipation
Insomnia
Severe
Itching
Upset stomach
Dandruff
