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I was nine years old when I had a sore throat. My mother called the doctor. He came and examined me. He took my temperature which was very high, and examined my throat. He told my mother to take me to the hospital at once. I was left alone in the ward and felt quite lonely and depressed.

A nurse woke me up in the morning and made me take some medicine. I was lying, thinking how lonely I was. Suddenly I heard a knock at the window. At first I thought it wasn’t for me. Then I heard it again. I went to the window, looked out and saw my friends standing under the window. They had come to see me before going to school.

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“Hi, Dzhamilia. We heard you were sick, so we decided to visit you before classes. We are sorry you are not with us.”

“I’m much better now. My temperature is not high today. I think they will let me leave the hospital soon. I am bored to death, with nothing to do. It is so nice of you to come and see me. How are you all?”

“Everything is OK with us. We miss you and need you at school. The teacher said to tell you hello and wishes you to be well soon. We are waiting for you.”

I thanked them for coming. My temperature went down, maybe because of seeing my friends.

Exercises

I. Understanding the Story
What do you think is the main idea in this story?
1. Sickness can kill you.
2. Kindness can make you better.
3. Hospitals are boring places.

II. Vocabulary
In a pair or group, make a new sentence for these words.

III. Now you Talk
1. Describe what it is like is to be in a hospital. Has this happened to you?
2. Tell about a time when someone was especially kind to you.

IV. Now you Write
Write an email from the sick girl to a cousin.

V. Grammar Practice
Change the past tense to the future tense. Example: The girl was sick. The girl will be sick.

1. My mother called the doctor.
2. The girls came to the hospital.
3. My temperature went down.
4. My parents took me to the hospital.

VI. Role Play
1. The writer and her mother: At home they talk about what is wrong with her.
2. The writer, the mother, and the doctor: They discuss her sickness and what to do.
3. Two girls: They plan to go to the hospital to visit Dzhamilia.
4. The writer and her father: They talk about the visit of the school girls.
5. School girls and teacher: The girls report to the teacher about the visit.