Harry’s Business Trip 1

Harry is on a business trip.

Yesterday he was supposed to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai.

However, things didn’t turn out the way they were supposed to.

In fact, nothing went the way it was supposed to.

Everything went wrong and he didn’t get on his flight.

As a result, he is still in San Francisco.

Exercise:

1.— What was he supposed to do yesterday?

  — Yesterday he was supposed to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai.

2. In fact, nothing went the way it was supposed to.

The following is a summary of what happened.

Yesterday morning he got up as usual and had breakfast.

Everything seemed to be fine and he was looking forward to the trip.

He was just about to check out of his hotel when he felt a pain.

It was a pain in his lower back.

It was a dull pain at first -- not too bad.

So he didn’t worry about it and checked out of the hotel.

Then he got on the shuttle bus to the airport.

Exercise:

1.— When did he first feel a pain?

    — He was just about to check out of his hotel when he felt a pain.

2. He was just about to check out of his hotel when he felt a pain.

About halfway to the airport, the pain in his back started to get worse.

It was a growing pain, and he was beginning to worry.

Soon it was difficult for him to sit in his seat.

The pain was getting worse.

He wanted to lie down.

He started to sweat and breathe quickly.

He was in real pain then.

On a scale of 1 to 10, the pain was an 8.

Exercise:

1.— When did the pain start to get worse?

  — About halfway to the airport, the pain in his back started to get worse.

2. It was a growing pain, and he was beginning to worry.

Repeat & Read Sentences:

1. In fact, nothing went the way it was supposed to.

2. He started to sweat and breathe quickly.

3. Yesterday he was supposed to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai.

4. About halfway to the airport, the pain in his back started to get worse.

When the bus got to the airport, the bus driver helped him get off.

It was difficult for him to walk, but he finally made it to the terminal.

Inside the terminal, he went to the men’s bathroom.

He went to the toilet, but that didn’t help.

Instead of improving, his felt dizzy, and he threw up.

By now he was wet from all his sweating.

He knew he couldn’t get on his flight.

Exercise:

1.— How did he feel after he went to the toilet?

  — After going to the toilet, his felt dizzy and he threw up.

2. He knew he couldn’t get on his flight.

Repeat & Read Sentences:

1. It was a growing pain, and he was beginning to worry.

2. When the bus got to the airport, the bus driver helped him get off.

Harry’s Business Trip 2

He used his phone to call the airline.

He explained the situation and cancelled his reservation.

Then he called 911 for emergency help.

911 is the emergency number to call for help in the United States.

Exercise:

1.— What did he use to contact the airline?

  — He used his phone to call the airline.

2. He explained the situation and cancelled his reservation.

An ambulance arrived about ten minutes after he called.

By then he was in so much pain that he could barely walk.

Once inside the ambulance, they gave him oxygen to help him breathe.

But the pain was still terrible.

Then they drove him to a hospital near the airport.

Luckily, the hospital was on his health plan.

That means his health insurance is supposed to pay for everything.

Medical costs in the United States are very high.

Exercise:

1.— How long did it take for the ambulance to arrive?

  — An ambulance arrived about ten minutes after he called.

2.— Where did the ambulance take him?

  — The ambulance drove him to a hospital near the airport.

3. That means his health insurance is supposed to pay for everything.

Repeat & Read Sentences:

1. He used his phone to call the airline.

2. An ambulance arrived about ten minutes after he called.

3. His health insurance is supposed to pay for his medical costs.

4. Once inside the ambulance, they gave him oxygen to help him breathe.

When he arrived at the hospital, he was taken to the emergency room.

After some tests, a doctor told him he had a kidney stone (肾结石).

It was a very small stone, but it caused a lot of pain.

It was passing through a small tube in his body, from his kidney to his bladder (膀胱).

The pain would go away once it got to his bladder.

Until then, he had to take pain medicine to reduce the pain.

Exercise:

1.— Where was he taken when he got to the hospital?  — When he arrived at the hospital, he was taken to the emergency room.

2.— What was causing the pain?

  — A kidney stone was causing the pain.

3. Until then, he had to take pain medicine to reduce the pain.

Harry didn’t have to stay at hospital for very long.

With the pain medicine, the pain went away very quickly.

He took a taxi back to his hotel and checked in for another night.

Then he called the airline and made a reservation for another flight.

The flight will leave tomorrow.

Until then, he’ll just rest in his hotel.

There may even be a good movie to watch.

Exercise:

1.— Where will he be until his next flight?

  — He'll stay in his hotel and get some rest until his next flight.

2.— How did he get back to his hotel?

  — He took a taxi back to his hotel.

3. He took a taxi back to his hotel and checked in for another night.

So, when you’re traveling, please be prepared for emergencies.

Make sure you have medical insurance.

You never know when something like this can happen to you.

So be prepared.

Exercise:

1.— What should you have before traveling?

  — It's a good idea to have medical insurance before traveling.

2. You never know when something like this can happen to you.

Repeat & Read Sentences:

1. Harry didn’t have to stay at hospital for very long.

2. When he arrived at the hospital, he was taken to the emergency room.

3. It was a very small stone, but it caused a lot of pain.

4. You never know when something like this can happen to you.