Discussion Starters

Flu Shots
Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions

1. Do you get a flu shot every year?

2. Does your doctor recommend the flu shot?

3. Do you think it’s important for children and the

elderly to be vaccinated for the flu?

4. What risks are associated with flu shots?

B. Vocabulary Preview

Match up as many words and meanings as you can.

Check this exercise again after seeing the words in context on page 2.

1. influenza a)  to allow the immune system to fight a disease on its own

2. vaccine b)  to relate, to connect

3. risk c)  the medical term for “flu”

4. associate d)  a possible problem

5. allergic e)  a bodily change caused by taking medicine

6. side effect f)  producing a negative reaction in the body

7. mutate g)  to demand, to not accept “no”

8. preventative h)  to stop something negative from happening

9. immune system i)  to change forms

10. insist j)  a substance given to a person to prevent a disease

11. outweigh k)  to be more important than something else

12. let nature take its course l)  the body’s natural defense against disease

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 Flu Shots
Discussion Starters

Reading
FLU SHOTS
Weighing the risks

1. I nfluenza is the long word for “flu.” The flu makes it difficult Could it be the flu?
for the body to fight off other illnesses. Some doctors think FLU SYMPTOMS
everyone should get an annual flu vaccine.
• cough
2. There are some risks associated with flu shots. People who are • fever
allergic to eggs or chicken can get sick from flu vaccines. Injecting • runny nose
a foreign substance into the body can also have side effects. The • sore throat
• body aches
flu shot doesn’t always work, either. This is because the influenza
• fatigue
virus mutates.

3. There are other preventative measures besides getting flu shots.

Frequent handwashing is one. Staying home from work or school
greatly reduces the spread of flu. Do you stay in bed when you’re sick?

4. Some people never seem to get sick. Perhaps they are born
with stronger immune systems. Or maybe they are positive
people who believe in healthy lifestyles.

5. Doctors insist that people in certain groups get vaccinated

for influenza. Young children and the elderly are more likely
to die from flu-related illnesses. In these cases, the benefits of
the flu shot outweigh the risks. Healthy people may prefer to
let nature take its course.

Comprehension
Discuss these questions in pairs, and write the answers in your notebook.

1. According to some doctors, how often do people need the flu vaccine?

2. Who should not get a flu vaccine?

3. Why doesn’t the flu vaccine always prevent influenza?

4. What is mentioned as a more natural way of preventing the spread of flu?

5. Who needs the flu vaccine the most?

Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( I N T / V E R S I O N 3 . 2) 2
 Flu Shots
Discussion Starters

Vocabulary Review
A. Complete the Sentences

Complete the sentences using vocabulary from page 1.

You may need to change the word forms.

1. People who are              to animals have difficulty keeping pets.

2. If you want a strong              , make sure to get enough sleep.

3. My doctor              that I start eating healthier.

4. You could take a pill to help fight the infection, or you could              .

5. Flu bugs are              with cold weather.

6. A              measure is to cover your mouth with your elbow.

7. One of the possible              of the medicine is muscle weakness.

B. Choose the Correct Word

Choose the word with the closest meaning to

the underlined word or phrase in the following sentences.

1. The virus mutated, so a 3. There is a season each year 5. There is a higher risk of
new vaccine was created. when a lot of people get the catching the flu when
influenza virus. you travel to certain
a) prevented
foreign countries.
b) changed a) bird
c) stopped b) stomach a) system
d) died c) flu b) danger
d) sick c) version
2. The benefits of having a d) place
family doctor outweigh the 4. There is a vaccine you can
challenges of finding one. get to prevent chicken pox.

a) worsen a) shot
b) offset b) pill
c) require c) book
d) include d) instructions

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 Flu Shots
Discussion Starters

Discussion
1. Do you trust your doctor to make important decisions
about your health, such as whether or not to get a shot?

2. Is the world too worried about the spreading of disease?

3. Do you get sick often? Why do you think you are healthier
(or less healthy) than your friends or family members?

4. Do you worry about flu pandemics such

as bird flu or swine flu? Why or why not?

Class Opinion
Walk around the class and ask your classmates questions.
Write their answers in the chart below.

Do you stay home

Do you (or would
Does your country from school, work,
Classmate’s name: you) get the flu shot
offer free flu shots? and social events
every year?
when you are sick?

Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( I N T / V E R S I O N 3 . 2) 4
 Flu Shots
Discussion Starters

Listening
Fill in the blanks as you listen to the recording.

FLU SHOTS
Weighing the risks

1.              is the long word for “flu.” The flu makes it

difficult for the body to fight off other illnesses. Some doctors think
everyone should get an annual flu              .

2. There are some              associated with flu shots.

People who are              to eggs or chicken can get
sick from flu vaccines. Injecting a foreign substance into the body can
also have              . The flu shot doesn’t always work,
either. This is because the influenza virus mutates.

3. There are other              measures besides getting

flu shots. Frequent handwashing is one. Staying home from work or
school greatly reduces the spread of flu. Do you stay in bed when
you’re sick?

4. Some people never seem to get sick. Perhaps they are born
with stronger              . Or maybe they are positive
people who believe in healthy lifestyles.

5. Doctors              that people in certain groups get

vaccinated for influenza. Young children and the elderly are more likely
to die from flu-related illnesses. In these cases, the benefits of the flu
shot              the risks. Healthy people may prefer
to let nature take its              .

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 Flu Shots
Discussion Starters

Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION: TEACHING TIPS: LEVEL: Int

Students read about flu shots and why See Discussion Starters Teaching Guide TIME: 1.5–2 hours
they are controversial. They learn and ([Link]
TAGS:  flu, flu shots, flu shot,
practice new vocabulary and discuss for a variety of ways to use the reading.
influenza, vaccine, vaccines,
health issues.
vaccination, health

Pre-Reading Vocabulary Review

A. WARM-UP QUESTIONS A. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES

Have students work in small groups or as a class. 1. allergic 5. associated

2. immune system 6. preventative
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW 3. insists 7. side effects
4. let nature take its course
1. c 3. d 5. f 7. i 9. l 11. k
2. j 4. b 6. e 8. h 10. g 12. a
B. CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

Reading (and/or Listening) 1. b 2. b 3. c 4. a 5. b

Read individually, in small groups, or as a class. Go over the flu Discussion

symptoms in the box. You can also play the listening as your
students read along. A gap-fill version of the reading is available Answers will vary.
on page 5. Help your students with vocabulary and expressions Can be done individually or in small groups or pairs.
that they are unfamiliar with.

Class Opinion
Comprehension
Have students walk around the class and ask their classmates
1. Some doctors think people should questions. They should record their answers in the chart.
get the flu vaccine every year.
2. People who have an allergy to chicken
Listening
or eggs should not get the vaccine.
3. The flu virus is always changing,
1. Influenza, vaccine
so the vaccine doesn’t always work.
2. risks, allergic, side effects
4. Two natural ways of preventing the spread of flu are
3. preventative
washing your hands and staying home when you are sick.
4. immune systems
5. Young children and the elderly are more
5. insist, outweigh, course
at risk of dying from flu-related illnesses.

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