Speaking Boost · B2 · Lesson 23 of 50
Speaking Boost B2 · Block 5: Health and the Body

Why did doctors believe in bloodletting?

For about two thousand years, doctors treated many illnesses by removing blood from the patient. Learn to imagine different situations with the second conditional and wish, and to discuss how medical knowledge changes.

1

Warm-up

5 min
1.1

Medicine and treatment

Answer each question with 2–3 sentences.

  1. When did you last visit a doctor?
  2. Do you trust doctors? Why or why not?
  3. What would you do if you felt ill at night?
  4. Do you know any old home remedies?
  5. What medical discovery do you think is the most important?
  6. What do you wish doctors could do?
2

Words and phrases

12 min
2.1

New words

Read each word and the example. Then say a sentence about medicine.

2.2

Which word?

Choose the word that fits.

  1. For centuries, was a common treatment for many illnesses.
  2. A is a worm-like animal that feeds on blood.
  3. The examined the patient and suggested a treatment.
  4. Doctors hoped the treatment would the patient.
  5. Some old treatments were and made people weaker.
  6. A modern tests whether a treatment really works.
  7. Without , operations were extremely painful.
  8. Medical has saved millions of lives.
2.3

Opposites and pairs

Choose the right answer, then press Check answers.

  1. a physician is a
  2. a surgeon performs
  3. harmful =
  4. to heal = to become
  5. an anaesthetic stops you feeling
  6. a belief is an idea you think is
2.4

Useful phrases

Use these phrases to imagine situations.

  • If I were a doctor in 1700,...Якби я був лікарем у 1700 році,...If I were a doctor in 1700, I would probably practise bloodletting.
  • If we knew more,...Якби ми знали більше,...If we knew more, we would act differently.
  • I wish I knew...Шкода, що я не знаю...I wish I knew more about medicine.
  • I wish I could...Шкода, що я не можу...I wish I could see the future of medicine.
  • It would be better if...Було б краще, якби...It would be better if people checked the evidence.
  • Imagine if...Уяви, якби...Imagine if we still used leeches for everything.
  • If I were you,...На твоєму місці...If I were you, I'd see a doctor.
  • What would you do if...?Що б ти зробив, якби...?What would you do if you lived then?
3

Read and react

8 min
3.1

Bloodletting

Read the text. Hover over the dotted words for help.

Why did doctors believe in bloodletting?

For about two thousand years, one of the most common medical treatments in the world was bloodletting: removing blood from a patient to cure an illness. It was used in ancient Greece, in the Middle Ages and well into the nineteenth century.

The idea came from the theory of the four humours, which said that the body contained blood, phlegm and two kinds of bile, and that illness appeared when they were out of balance. If a patient had a fever, a doctor would remove blood to restore the balance. Doctors used knives, special tools and sometimes leeches.

There was a famous case in December 1799. After a throat illness, the first American president, George Washington, was bled several times, and he died shortly after. Historians still debate how much the treatment contributed to his death, but many think it did not help.

In the nineteenth century, doctors began to compare the results of treatments and count the outcomes. Gradually, bloodletting became less popular. Today it is used for a few rare conditions, and leeches are used in some kinds of surgery.

The story shows how a belief can survive for centuries without evidence. If doctors did not test their ideas, medicine would not make progress.

What accepted ideas of today might look strange in the future?

3.2

True or false?

  1. Bloodletting was used for about two thousand years.
  2. The theory of the four humours said illness was caused by an imbalance.
  3. Historians agree that bloodletting killed George Washington.
  4. Today bloodletting is used for all illnesses.
  5. In the nineteenth century, doctors began to compare the results of treatments.
3.3

What do you think?

  1. Why do you think people trusted bloodletting for so long?
  2. Which of today's treatments might look strange in the future?
  3. How do we know if a treatment really works?
  4. Would you have trusted a doctor in the past?
4

Grammar for speaking

10 min
4.1

Grammar for speaking

Second conditional

If + Past Simple, would + base verb. It describes unreal or unlikely situations in the present or future. Use were for all persons after if.

If I were a doctor in 1700, I would practise bloodletting. If we knew more, we would act differently. What would you do if you lived then?

Wish + Past Simple

Use wish + Past Simple for present situations you want to be different. Use wish + could for abilities you do not have.

I wish I knew more about medicine. I wish I could see the future of medicine. She wishes she had more time.

Block 5 review

Use the grammar from this block.

modals of deduction (L21) · first conditional, unless (L22)

Common mistakes: if + Past Simple, would + base verb, and were after if. ✗ If I will know → If I knew. ✗ If I would be you → If I were you.

4.2

Choose the right form

  1. If I
    a doctor, I would study history.
  2. If we
    more, we would act differently.
  3. What
    if you lived then?
  4. I wish I
    more about medicine.
  5. If she
    more time, she would study.
  6. I wish I
    travel back in time.
  7. He would help you if he
    .
  8. If I
    you, I'd see a doctor.
4.3

Fix the mistake

Each sentence has one mistake. Type the correct words.

  1. If I am you, I'd see a doctor. →
  2. If I know more, I would help. →
  3. What will you do if you lived then? →
  4. I wish I can travel in time. →
  5. If she would have time, she would study. →
  6. If doctors tested more, medicine will improve. →
4.4

Talk about it

Answer in detail. Use the second conditional and wish + Past Simple.

  1. What would you do if you lived in the year 1700?
  2. If you could change one thing about medicine, what would it be?
  3. What do you wish you knew about your own health?
  4. What would you do if you were a doctor for a day?
  5. Which old remedy would you try, if any?
  6. What would happen if people did not trust doctors?
5

Three views on medicine and a short talk

8 min
5.1

Three views on medicine

Three people have different views on medicine, old and new. Compare them. Who is the most careful? Who trusts doctors the most? What would you do in their place?

Person 1

Dr Ross, 45

  • Is a surgeon
  • Uses leeches in rare operations
  • Says old methods sometimes had a reason
  • Would never use bloodletting for a fever
Person 2

Maria, 60

  • Is a patient
  • Trusts her doctor
  • Wishes she understood more about her treatment
  • Would ask for a second opinion
Person 3

Prof Klein, 55

  • Is a historian of medicine
  • Studies old treatments
  • Says doctors believed in them honestly
  • Warns that today's ideas may change too
5.2

Mini-talk: medicine and change

Your teacher will time you.

  1. Plan for one minute, then speak for one or two minutes.
  2. Part 1: what a visit to the doctor is like in your country.
  3. Part 2: how medicine has changed (second conditional).
  4. Part 3: what you wish medicine could do.
2:00
6

Personal questions

10 min
6.1

Part I: Me

  1. Do you go to the doctor often?
  2. What would you do if you felt very ill?
  3. What do you do when you have a cold?
  4. Have you ever had an operation?
  5. Which medicine do you always keep at home?
  6. What would you do if you were a doctor?
  7. Do you read about health online?
  8. What do you wish you knew about your health?
6.2

Part II: Other people

  1. Who in your family works in medicine?
  2. Who always takes medicine at the first sign of illness?
  3. Who knows many old remedies?
  4. Who would you phone if you felt ill?
  5. Who do you know that is afraid of doctors?
  6. Who gives you health advice?
6.3

Part III: A bit deeper

  1. Should people trust traditional remedies?
  2. Should medicine be free for everyone?
  3. Would you like to live to a hundred?
  4. If you could cure one disease, which would you choose?
  5. Will robots replace doctors?
7

Roleplay

12 min
7.1

Guiding in a museum

You

Guide

You are a guide at a medical museum (your teacher is a visitor):
  • describe the old treatment
  • explain why people believed in it
  • say what you would do if you lived then
  • say what changed
Speak for at least 2 minutes in total. Use the second conditional.
Your teacher

Visitor

Says things like:
  1. What is this tool?
  2. Did it work?
  3. Would you have believed it?
  4. What changed?
7.2

Visiting a doctor

You

Patient

You visit a doctor (your teacher) and talk about your health:
  • say what the problem is
  • ask questions
  • say what you wish you could do
  • agree on a plan
You do most of the talking. Use: I wish I could... · If I were you... · What would happen if...?
Your teacher

Doctor

Says things like:
  1. What's the problem?
  2. How long have you had it?
  3. I'd recommend rest.
  4. Let's see how it goes.
8

Homework

at home

Your homework score

Do all four exercises, then press Check all homework. Correct answers will appear next to your mistakes.

– / 30
H1

Complete with a word

bloodlettingleechphysicianhealharmfulexperimentanaestheticprogress
  1. For centuries, was a common treatment for many illnesses.
  2. A is a worm-like animal that feeds on blood.
  3. The examined the patient and suggested a treatment.
  4. Doctors hoped the treatment would the patient.
  5. Some old treatments were and made people weaker.
  6. A modern tests whether a treatment really works.
  7. Without , operations were extremely painful.
  8. Medical has saved millions of lives.
H2

Choose the correct form

  1. If I a million, I'd travel.
  2. If she the answer, she would tell us.
  3. What if you won?
  4. I wish I taller.
  5. If he here, he'd help.
  6. I wish she come.
  7. They would be happy if they by the sea.
  8. If I you, I'd wait.
H3

Correct or incorrect?

Decide if each sentence is grammatically correct.

  1. If I were a doctor in 1700, I would practise bloodletting.
  2. If I am you, I'd see a doctor.
  3. If we knew more, we would act differently.
  4. If she would have time, she would study.
  5. I wish I knew more about medicine.
  6. I wish I can travel in time.
  7. What would you do if you lived then?
H4

Match the two halves

  1. If I were a doctor in 1700,
  2. If we knew more,
  3. I wish I knew
  4. I wish I could
  5. It would be better
  6. Imagine if we
  7. If I were you,

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© Yevheniia Kolesnykova, Academy of Languages. All rights reserved. No copying or reuse without written permission.