Listen 5.2. Dr. House: Histories (Detailed listening)

 Listen 5.2.  Dr. House: Histories (Detailed listening)              3-4  level        20-30 minutes

GOAL.  To get a closer look at the language, so you listen for detail. Based on a hospital you will be exposed to medical language everywhere.

Materials: you need the DVD from the series from the first session (episode n. 10: Histories). Ask your friends or local library.

Procedure. You will squeeze the passage in three consecutive times. Each time getting more language  information from the passage. The transcript is given at the end of this working sheet.

1. The first time, warm up so you can scan the medical vocabulary in the passage to understand her medical problems (two passages)  (listen to it without stopping).

2. The other four tasks offered the learner six more specific questions with the transcript in order to pay attention at specific vocabulary related to the topic. (You work with 3-minute length -the minutes are given in brackets)

WARMING UP

TASK 1. Passage one (6:21> 8:12). Inside the conference room the medical team elaborates about Jane’s case.  At first listening, underline the vocabulary related to illnesses you hear.

medical history         twitch in the wrist    allergies      cranial trauma        brain tumour       mini-seizure    diabetes        magnesium levels     virus       hematoma        chemical imbalance     previous diagnosis   

LANGUAGE WORK. Detailed listening.

TASK 2. Complete the transcript for activity two using some items form task one.

[6:21] Cameron: The twitch could be a  ……………………………….., unrelated to the …………………..

Chase: ………………………….? [Foreman enters]

House: Glad you could join us, Eric. What’s the differential for a  …………………………………………?

Foreman: The patient’s a thirty-ish Jane Doe. I just thought I’d discharge her. [glares at Wilson]

Wilson: [glares back] Well, she’s my patient. No harm in a second opinion.

Chase: A blow to the head? A subdural ………………………………..?

Foreman: Read the file, no evidence of  ………………………………...

Cameron: A twitch could indicate a brain tumor.

TASK 3. Complete the transcript for activity two using some items form task one.

[7:16] House: The only thing we know for sure about Jane Doe is that her name isn’t Jane Doe. Which means no …………………………………………. Allergies, medication,  …………………………………, treatment – we have no baseline, no context for medical treatment.

Foreman: [holds up a needle] Wow. Looks just like insulin. 

House: [holds up a sweater] Vomit. Still moist. [sniffs] What do you think - a couple of days old?

Chase: Uhhh… trying to make me hurl?

House: Yeah. And here’s the big finish… [licks fingers] Salty. …………………………………..

Wilson: …………………………………….. could cause a twitch.

TASK 4.  Listen to the passage  again and fill in the blanks.

[6:39] Foreman: Or about a dozen other things. Come on, there’s two things homeless people are good at – getting sick, and  ………………………..………. If you’re so worried about it being a brain tumor, get her an MRI, when she’s clear on that, then you can  ……………………………... 

Wilson: Well, you’ve got her all figured out.

Foreman:  I’ve known a lot more homeless people than you have.

Wilson: Yes, you’ve got that going for you. How could I have ………………………………….?

House: The big question, you’re missing it, all of you. Who is she?

Foreman: Okay. Why are we on this case – just because Wilson asked?

House: Do I need a better reason?

Foreman: Most people ……………………, ……………...

TASK 5.  Listen to this passage again and fill in the blanks.

[7:55] House: Or high calcium. Or it’s ………………………………... The point is, we don’t know anything.

Foreman:  So do the MRI. Find out –

House: The MRI can wait. Hang a banana bag, give her 24 h. to correct the electrolyte imbalance, we’ll take it from there.

Wilson: Great. Thanks. [leaves]

Foreman: Okay. Even if she’s not ………………………………, what’s so fascinating about this case?

House: At the moment, how much you don’t want me to take it. That’s ………………… fascinating.

FOLLOW UP.   Go to webpages on the series: complete transcripts or fandom.      http://twiztv.com/scripts/house/    or visit the Canadian site    http://www.house-online.org/

  Listen 5.1.  House   (series 1  episode 10) KEY 

TASK 1.  Passage one. Jane walks up to a house in a run-down looking neighborhood. Music is playing inside and she wants to come in.

Q1.  How much is the fee for the party?  20 bucks (dollars)

Q2. Who can provide her with the money?  her friend James, who is inside

Q3.  What is he like?  blonde, friendly and big talker

TASK 2.  Passage two.  Dr Wilson and Dr Foreman are talking in he hospital hall 

Q1.  What are the results of the toxicity test?  negative /she’s “clean”

Q2. Why was she interned in the hospital being homeless? They are a teaching hospital

Q3.  Why was Dr Wilson involved in her case?  Some lessions on her arm

Q4. Foreman twitches her wrist ans asks how she is feeling? What is her answer?  Sure/am human

TASK 3.  Passage two (3:13>4:37).  Dr Foreman’s reactions to her are detached or negative.

Q1.  Dr Foreman dismisses her as ‘homeless’ which means crazy (problematic) &  no money.

Q2.  He explores her weak wrist asking her to perform two motions:

make a fist (around the fingers)  &  raise her arms above her head

Q3. When Wilson shouts ‘she is seizing’ (=convulsing), how does Dr Foreman react?

She doesn’t want to be discharged/ she is manipulating the doctor

Q4. When Foreman explains her reasons to stay the main one he proposes is  a bed + free meals

Q5. When he looks inside Jane’s bag, what does he bet 20$ on? there is insulin in it.

TASK 5.  Passage three (5:27> 6:21).  Dr Wilson catches up with Dr House in the hallway and expresses his frustration.  According to him,

Q1.  Dr Foreman’s figured Jane was cheating with a  scam /faked convulsion.

Q2.  Dr Foreman overlooked Jane’s wrist twitch and the seizure becuse he only wanted

to get her out of the hospital /discharge her

Q3. Dr House starts to look interested snapping: ‘that’s not  even  close  to  being true’.

Listen 5.2. Dr. House   (series 1  episode 10) KEY 

TASK 1.  Passage four (6:21> 8:12). The medical team elaborates about Jane’s case.  Activity one. At first listening, underline the vocabulary related to illnesses you hear. All the items except ‘virus’.

TASK 2. [6:21 scene] mini-seizure    + diabetes + hematoma  +  cranial trauma +  brain tumour      

TASK 3 [7:16 scene]  medical history  + previous diagnosis + chemical imbalance  +  low magnesium (levels)    

TASK 4.  [6:39 scene]  running scams + bounce her out of here  + doubted your medical opinion + wouldn’t, you do.

TASK 5    [7:55 scene]  a coincidence +  faking  +  pretty

Visit the Canadian site    http://www.house-online.org/   or read the annex 1 at the end (4 pages with transcript)

ANNEX 1.  HOUSE, M.D.  -1X10: HISTORIES
Original Airdate on FOX:  February 8, 2005
http://www.twiztv.com/scripts/house/season1/house-110.htm
Written by Joel Thompson         Directed by Daniel Attias              Transcript written by prettyannamoon
Archived at TWIZ TV.COM                      http://www.opensubtitles.org/en/subtitles/242260/house-m-d-en

[“Jane Doe” walks up to a house in a run-down looking neighborhood. Music is playing inside; a bouncer stands by the door.]

Jane Doe: Hi. Sounds like a good party.

Bouncer: 20 bucks.

Jane: Okay. No problem, I, ah, I just got it in here somewhere. [rummages in purse] Oh god, I’m - I’m sorry, I guess I must have forgotten to go to the machine.

Bouncer: Yeah, and ah, brush your teeth. Lady, you don’t have two cents.

Jane: I can - I can get it from - from my friend who’s inside, he can give it to me and then I can bring it back out here to you. [During this, a shot of her wrist, which is twitching]

Bouncer: You don’t know anybody here.

Jane: Yes I do! James, he’s blonde and he’s really friendly and he’s a big talker. [on verge of tears] I need to see him.

Bouncer: [pauses, seems to feel sorry for her] Go on in.

[Inside the house music is playing, strobe lights are flashing, people are dancing. A tall girl and a short girl seem to take special note of Jane. ]

Jane: [wanders through rooms, stops by a door in the yellow wall] James? James? James?

Tall Girl: [obviously high] Hi.

Jane: Do you know where James is?

Tall Girl: Oh yeah, he’s, he’s around here somewhere.

[Strobe lights flash; Jane seems mesmerized. We take a CG trip past Jane’s eyes and into her central nervous system, which is sparking like Chevy Chase’s Christmas lights]

Tall Girl: Let’s go find him.

[The previous lines echo strangely in Jane’s head as the girl leads her through the house.]

Jane: Where is he?

Tall Girl: [Grins at Short Girl as she passes by. She shows some pills in her outstretched hand, then pops them in her mouth.]

Jane: I really need to find him

Tall Girl: [stops and kisses Jane, moving the pills to Jane’s mouth in the process]

Jane: [spits pills out] What are you doing?

Short Girl: Bitch! [She shoves Jane into a wall. Jane falls to the floor and stays there.]

[A CG trip through her ear shows Jane’s sparking nerves again. Cut back to blurred shots of party from floor level. Sirens wail, sounds of the party being raided.]

Jane: NO! She’s trying to help me… get off her! [Policeman 1 grabs Jane] Get off me!

Policeman 1: Settle down! [Jane falls limp]

Policeman 2: [to Policeman 1] Move!

Policeman 1: Geez, I didn’t touch her.

Policeman 2: Great. Now we gotta go to the hospital.

[Credits]

[Wilson and Foreman are walking down the hospital hall.]

Wilson: Homeless. Admitted 24 hours ago with a suspected drug overdose. Her tox screen’s clean, but she’s still delusional.

Foreman: Homeless, usually means crazy; no money. Cuddy’s not going to like this –

Wilson: [interrupts] We’re a teaching hospital. No ID. Doesn’t even seem to know her name. I got called in because of some lesions on her arm.

Foreman: Homeless always means no roof, at least, there’s too much sun

Wilson: The lesions were non-cancerous, but I noticed a twitch. Her wrist.

[Cut to Jane lying in hospital bed, wrist twitching. Foreman is poking her finger on the opposite hand. Wilson stands in the background.]

Jane: Mmph

Foreman: You feel that?

Jane: Sure. I’m human.

Foreman: Make a fist around my fingers, tight as you can. Squeeze.

Jane: [grasps weakly] I am.

Foreman: Right. [nods] All right. Raise your arms above your head for me.

Jane: [raises arms halfway] Oh… [arms drop, starts seizing]

Wilson: [rushes forward] She’s seizing. Get me some Ativan.

Foreman: She doesn’t want to be discharged. She’s manipulating me.

Wilson: [holds up Jane’s arm, it snaps back and hits her face] It’s real. Check her finger sticks.

Foreman: Blood sugar’s 38. [nurse rushes in]

Wilson: I need D15. IV push stat.

[Cut to Foreman and Wilson walking down the hall toward the nurses’ station.]

Wilson: Fake low blood sugar. Now that’s acting.

Foreman: The blood sugar was real. But she’s probably diabetic. OD’d on her own insulin. [to nurse at desk] I need 2032. Do you have her effects out here? [to Wilson] Look, a seizure buys her a place to sleep while the nice doctors run their tests, maybe a few free meals. [nurse places bag on counter, Foreman look at it] $20 says there’s insulin in here. [Foreman opens the bag, makes face and turns away because of stench] Oh… put this back, please.

Wilson: What about the twitch?

Foreman: Her arm moved.

Wilson: Why fake a twitch? In case the seizure was too subtle? A twitch could indicate a tumor, which could indicate–

Foreman: [interrupts] A need to see a neurologist, which is why you called me. Keep an eye on her until 2:00 PM, watch her blood sugar, give her a nice hot lunch, and discharge her.

Wilson: [sighs and nods]

[Cut to Wilson, catching up with House in the hallway.]

Wilson: He’s wrong

House: Foreman is wrong? The neurologist is wrong, about a neurological problem?

Wilson: He took one look at her and figured it was a scam.

House: So, you figure he’s not being objective

Wilson: [exasperated] House, the woman had a twitch. She had a seizure.

House: Both of which Foreman saw?

Wilson: He just wanted her out the door!

House: Whoah, whoah, whoah, back up there, big fella. Foreman’s the guy you want to take a swing at.

Wilson: [frustrated sigh] I - just - want her to get some medical attention.

House: [starts to look interested] That’s not even close to being true. Something else. Something personal. [pauses] Give me the file. Looks like this will be fun.

[Cut to conference room]

Cameron: The twitch could be a mini-seizure, unrelated to the diabetes.

Chase: Brain tumor? [Foreman enters]

House: Glad you could join us, Eric. What’s the differential for a twitch in the wrist?

Foreman: The patient’s a thirty-ish Jane Doe. I just thought I’d discharge her. [glares at Wilson]

Wilson: [glares back] Well, she’s my patient. No harm in a second opinion.

Chase: A blow to the head? A subdural hematoma?

Foreman: Read the file, no evidence of cranial trauma.

Cameron: A twitch could indicate a brain tumor

Foreman: Or about a dozen other things. Come on, there’s two things homeless people are good at – getting sick, and running scams. If you’re so worried about it being a brain tumor, get her an MRI, when she’s clear on that, then you can bounce her out of here. 

Wilson: Well, you’ve got her all figured out.

Foreman: [flips open a magazine] I’ve known a lot more homeless people than you have.

Wilson: Yes, you’ve got that going for you. How could I have doubted your medical opinion?

House: The big question, you’re missing it, all of you. [He drops Jane’s smelly bag on the table.]

Foreman: Oh, geez.

House: Who is she?

Foreman: Okay. Why are we on this case – just because Wilson asked?

Wilson: [opens mouth in protest]

House: Do I need a better reason?

Foreman: Most people wouldn’t, you do.

House: [dumps contents of smelly bag on table, everyone turns away in disgust] The only thing we know for sure about Jane Doe is that her name isn’t Jane Doe. Which means no medical history. Allergies, medication, previous diagnoses, treatment – we have no baseline, no context for medical treatment.

Foreman: [holds up a needle] Wow. Looks just like insulin. [looks at Wilson]

House: [holds up a sweater] Vomit. Still moist. [sniffs] What do you think - a couple of days old? [puts it in Chase’s face]

Chase: Uhhh… trying to make me hurl?

House: Yeah. And here’s the big finish… [licks fingers]

Cameron: [muffled noise, as if about to be sick]

House: Salty. Chemical imbalance.

Wilson: Low magnesium could cause a twitch.

House: Or high calcium. Or it’s a coincidence. The point is, we don’t know anything.

Foreman: [exasperated] So do the MRI. Find out –

House: The MRI can wait. Hang a banana bag, give her 24 hours to correct the electrolyte imbalance, we’ll take it from there.

Wilson: Great. Thanks. [nods and leaves]

[House and Foreman exchange glances, Chase and Cameron leave.]

Foreman: Okay. Even if she’s not faking, what’s so fascinating about this case?

House: At the moment, how much you don’t want me to take it. That’s pretty fascinating.