Daily English 1246 Getting a Gynecological Exam

Dialogue/Story

Slow Speed begins at: 1:20
Explanation begins at: 4:17
Normal Speed begins at: 19:34

Complete Transcript

Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 1,246 – Getting a Gynecological Exam.

This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 1,246. I’m your host, Dr. Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in beautiful Los Angeles, California.

This episode is a dialogue between Matt and Dr. Rodriguez about having a gynecological exam – the kind of thing that a woman gets and a man does not. Let’s get started.

[start of dialogue]

Matt: Hello, viewers! On our show today, we have Dr. Rodriguez, who is here to tell us about women’s health. Welcome, Dr. Rodriguez.

Dr. Rodriguez: Thanks for having me.

Matt: Tell us. As a gynecologist, what one piece of advice would you give to women to help them stay healthy?

Dr. Rodriguez: Well, as part of their regular checkups, they should be getting a gynecological exam.

Matt: This may surprise you, but I’ve never had one. Ha, ha!

Dr. Rodriguez: When women come in for an exam, I check several things. I do a breast exam to check for lumps to detect breast cancer. I also show women how to do this at home on their own.

Matt: Is that all?

Dr. Rodriguez: No, I do a pelvic exam and a Pap smear to rule out cervical cancer. I also look for anything problematic, such as unusual discharge or signs of STDs.

Matt: That sounds painful. Ouch!

Dr. Rodriguez: It’s not painful and it’s very important. I also discuss with women their menstrual cycles, issues related to being sexually active, birth control methods, fertility issues, and menopause.

Matt: I didn’t know what I was missing!

Dr. Rodriguez: My point is that it’s important for women to talk to their doctor about any medical issues they may have.

Matt: And my point is: I’m glad I’m not a woman!

Dr. Rodriguez: That’s not the message . . .

Matt: Thanks for coming in, doctor. And now, let’s talk about something really important – celebrity news!

[end of dialogue]

The term “gynecology” (gynecology) refers to the study of and practice of medicine for women, more specifically for those parts of the human body that only women have – and if you don’t know what parts those are, you’ll have to ask your parents. Our dialogue begins with Matt saying, “Hello, viewers!” “Viewers” implies that Matt is on some sort of television program, and that is, in fact, the case. He next says, “On our show today,” meaning on our television program, “we have” – we have as a guest – “Dr. Rodriguez, who is here to tell us about women’s health.”

He then says, “Welcome, Dr. Rodriguez,” and Dr. Rodriguez says, “Thanks for having me,” meaning thanks for inviting me to be on this show, on this television program. Matt then says, “Tell us. As a gynecologist, what one piece of advice” – what one thing – “would you give to women to help them stay healthy?” A “gynecologist” is a doctor who is specialized in gynecology, women’s medicine.

Dr. Rodriguez answers Matt’s question by saying, “Well, as part of their regular checkups, they should be getting a gynecological exam.” A “checkup” (checkup) is when you go to the doctor to have the doctor look at you and make sure there is nothing wrong with you. A checkup is usually something you do every year or perhaps every two years. We’ll sometimes refer to it as a “regular checkup,” meaning it’s scheduled even if you aren’t sick. You go to the doctor and have the doctor examine you, look at you, make sure you’re okay.

Dr. Rodriguez is recommending that women get regular gynecological exams. Matt says, “This may surprise you, but I’ve never had one. Ha, ha!” He laughs. Of course, Matt is a man and men don’t get gynecological exams, though they do get other kinds of exams that women don’t, and we won’t talk about those today. Dr. Rodriguez continues. She says, “When women come in,” that is when they go to her office, “for an exam,” an examination or checkup, “I check,” or look at, “several things. I do a breast exam to check for lumps to detect breast cancer.”

A woman’s “breasts” are those two parts of her upper body that are on her chest. A “breast exam” is when a doctor uses his or her hands to look at the breast to make sure there isn’t any problem– to make sure in particular there are no “lumps” (lumps). A “lump” is a hard, raised area of what we would call “tissue” (tissue) which is part of the body. A lump under the skin in the breast area could indicate that someone has breast cancer.

Dr. Rodriguez uses the verb “to detect” (detect). “To detect” means to find and identify something – in this case, to make sure the woman doesn’t have breast cancer. Dr. Rodriguez says, “I also show women how to do this at home on their own,” meaning how women can examine or check their own breasts to make sure there are no lumps indicating possible cancer.

Matt then says, “Is that all?” meaning is that all that you do? Dr. Rodriguez says, “No, I do a pelvic exam and a Pap smear to rule out cervical cancer.” A “pelvic (pelvic) exam” is an examination of a woman’s pelvis, which is basically the sexual and what we would call “reproductive” organs – those parts of a woman’s body which would allow the woman to have a baby. So, the doctor does a pelvic exam and also does something called a “Pap (pap) smear (smear).”

A Pap smear is a special examination during which the doctor collects cells, or small parts of a woman’s body, in order to make sure that the woman doesn’t have any sort of cancer down in her pelvis area. The doctor then takes those small parts of the body, the cells, and sends them to be tested so that the doctor can see if there are any signs of cancer of the pelvis. The cancer that the doctor is trying to detect is called “cervical (cervical) cancer.” Cervical cancer is cancer of the cervix, which is inside of a woman’s body as part of her “sexual organs,” we would say. You can Google it.

The phrasal verb “to rule (rule) out” means to test something to make sure that it is not an option, to eliminate something as a possibility. If a doctor is trying “to rule out cervical cancer,” he’s trying to make sure that you do not have that kind of cancer by giving you a test. Unhappily, sometimes the doctor discovers that you do have cancer. He or she is not able “to rule it out.” Dr. Rodriguez continues, “I also look for anything problematic,” meaning anything that looks like it might be a problem, “such as an unusual discharge or signs of STDs.”

A “discharge” (discharge) is, in this case, a liquid that comes out of the body that is unexpected or perhaps indicates some sort of problem. “STD” stands for “sexually transmitted diseases.” These are illnesses that are passed or transmitted from one person to another through some sort of sexual contact. Interesting fact: 110 million Americans, as of 2016, have at any given time a sexually transmitted disease. The adult population of the United States in 2016 is around 216 million, meaning close to half of all Americans have an STD. So there’s that. Back to our dialogue.

Matt says, after Dr. Rodriguez talks about these unusual discharges, “That sounds painful. Ouch!” “Ouch” (ouch) is a word we use when something is painful, something is causing us pain. He, of course, is trying to make a joke. Dr. Rodriguez says, however, that “it’s not painful and it’s very important.” Dr. Rodriguez is referring, I think, to the pelvic exam and Pap smear she talked about earlier.

Dr. Rodriguez continues, “I also discuss with women their menstrual cycles, issues related to being sexually active, birth control methods, fertility issues, and menopause.” A “menstrual (menstrual) cycle (cycle)” is the process that women between certain ages go through each month as part of the body’s natural process of preparing a woman to have a baby, if the conditions are right.

“To be sexually active” means to be having sexual relations with another person. “Birth control” is a manner and approach, sometimes a specific drug or device, that is used to prevent a woman from getting pregnant. Research has found that the most effective form of birth control is not having sex. True. Another thing Dr. Rodriguez mentions is “fertility” (fertility). “Fertility” is the ability to have children, whether a man or a woman, or at least to participate in the creation of new life.

“Menopause” (menopause) is a period in a woman’s life when, as she gets older, she stops having her normal menstrual cycle and is therefore no longer able to give birth, to have a child naturally. This happens for many women sometime between the ages of 45 and 50. A man never has menopause per se, although men as they get older are also typically less fertile. Unless you’re Mick Jagger, the rock star who recently had a child, or we would say “fathered a child,” at the age of 71.

Matt, again trying to be funny, says, “I didn’t know what I was missing!” referring to what Dr. Rodriguez was talking about. The expression “I didn’t know what I was missing” is used to show how you were unaware of something. You didn’t know about something, especially something that perhaps you would want to participate in. That’s the joke here, of course. Matt, being a man, cannot have a gynecological examination.

Dr. Rodriguez says, “My point” – what I’m trying to say – “is that it’s important for women to talk to their doctor about any medical issues,” any problems, “they may have.” Matt says, “And my point is: I’m glad I’m not a woman!” Once again, Matt is trying to be funny. Dr. Rodriguez, however, doesn’t have much of a sense of humor. She doesn’t think this is funny. Dr. Rodriguez says, “That’s not the message . . .”

And then Matt interrupts. He, we would say, “cuts her off.” He stops her from speaking. He says, “Thanks for coming in, doctor. And now let’s talk about something really important – celebrity news!” “Celebrity” refers to someone who is famous. Matt, of course, is now going to talk about something that most people don’t consider very important at all – what rich, famous people are doing, people like, you know, Mick Jagger.

Now let’s listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal speed.

[start of dialogue]

Matt: Hello, viewers! On our show today, we have Dr. Rodriguez, who is here to tell us about women’s health. Welcome, Dr. Rodriguez.

Dr. Rodriguez: Thanks for having me.

Matt: Tell us. As a gynecologist, what one piece of advice would you give to women to help them stay healthy?

Dr. Rodriguez: Well, as part of their regular checkups, they should be getting a gynecological exam.

Matt: This may surprise you, but I’ve never had one. Ha, ha!

Dr. Rodriguez: When women come in for an exam, I check several things. I do a breast exam to check for lumps to detect breast cancer. I also show women how to do this at home on their own.

Matt: Is that all?

Dr. Rodriguez: No, I do a pelvic exam and a Pap smear to rule out cervical cancer. I also look for anything problematic, such as unusual discharge or signs of STDs.

Matt: That sounds painful. Ouch!

Matt: I didn’t know what I was missing!

Dr. Rodriguez: My point is that it’s important for women to talk to their doctor about any medical issues they may have.

Matt: And my point is: I’m glad I’m not a woman!

Dr. Rodriguez: That’s not the message . . .

Matt: Thanks for coming in, doctor. And now, let’s talk about something really important – celebrity news!

[end of dialogue]

If you want to rule out any problems with your English in the future, the best thing is to prepare by listening to our wonderful dialogues by our scriptwriter, Dr. Lucy Tse. Thank you, Lucy.

From Los Angeles, California, I’m Jeff McQuillan. Thanks for listening. Come back and listen to us again right here on ESL Podcast.

Glossary

gynecologist – a medical doctor who specializes in the treatment of diseases and conditions of women/girls, especially the female reproductive (having babies) system

* Our family doctor recommends having our teenage daughters see a gynecologist when they turn 16 or when they become sexually active.

checkup – a periodic medical exam that evaluates the health of the patient, not scheduled to treat a particular illness or injury

* I have to take Keith to the doctor tomorrow, but it isn’t anything serious. It’s just time for his annual checkup.

gynecological exam – a medical exam, typically performed once every one to two years, of a woman’s reproductive (having babies) system

* Can I have a gynecological exam while I’m being treated for an infection?

breast exam – the use of one’s hands to search for unusually hard tissue (body material) in a woman’s breasts that might indicate breast cancer

* How often are women supposed to give themselves a breast exam?

lump – a hard, raised area of tissue (part of the body) under the skin

* Trent was hit in the head by a baseball, so he might have a lump on his forehead for a few days.

to detect – to find and identify something that can be measured, especially referring to a medical condition

* Researchers detected dangerous levels of lead in the area’s drinking water.

breast cancer – a dangerous medical condition when cells divide (reproduce) quickly and uncontrollably in the breasts (the part of a woman’s body that produces milk for a baby)

* Can eating a lot of fatty foods increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer?

pelvic exam – a medical exam of a woman’s sexual and reproductive organs

* When male doctors perform a pelvic exam on a female patient, a female nurse is often in the room.

Pap smear – Papanicolaou test; a medical exam that collects cells from the cervix (the top of the vagina and the bottom of the uterus) so that they can be tested for signs of cancer

* The Pap smear was abnormal, so Dr. Lu asked me to come in for more testing.

to rule out – to conduct further testing in order to eliminate something as a possibility; to no longer have to consider an option

* Kev ruled out renting an apartment in Beverly Hills because it is too expensive.

cervical cancer – a dangerous medical condition when cells divide (reproduce) quickly and uncontrollably in the cervix (the top of the vagina and the bottom of the uterus)

* Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers for women, but fortunately, it can be prevented or treated though good medical care.

discharge – a liquid that comes out of a container or space where it had been held, often abruptly or unexpectedly

* The factory was fined for the discharge of hazardous chemicals into the river.

STDs – sexually transmitted diseases; illnesses that are passed from one person to another through sexual contact and/or intercourse (sex)

* Which STDs can be transmitted from a mother to her baby during childbirth?

menstrual cycle – the process through which women experience bleeding through the vagina once each month; periods

* In the past, women were not allowed to swim at certain times during their menstrual cycle, but that has changed.

sexually active – engaged in sexual activity; having one or more sexual partners; having intercourse (sex)

* What percentage of American teenagers is sexually active?

birth control – devices and medicine used to prevent pregnancy

* Birth control pills are effective only if women remember to take them every day.

fertility – one’s ability to have children

* How do alcohol and drug abuse affect fertility among women?

menopause – the period in a woman’s life when she stops having periods (bleeding during the menstrual cycle) and can no longer give birth, usually between the ages of 45 and 50

* During menopause, many women experience “hot flashes” when they suddenly feel uncomfortably hot, even if it is cold outside.

didn’t know what I was missing – a phase used to show that one was unaware of what he or she did not know or have

* When I was a kid, we never ate seafood, so I didn’t know what I was missing.

Comprehension Questions

1. Which of these things is part of a pelvic exam?
a) A breast exam
b) A Pap smear
c) Menstrual cycles
2. What happens when a woman enters menopause?
a) She has a gynecological exam.
b) She no longer has menstrual cycles.
c) She begins using birth control methods.

Answers at bottom.

What Else Does It Mean?

lump

The word “lump,” in this podcast, means a hard, raised area of tissue (part of the body) under the skin: “Feel this lump. Do you think it could be cancer?” A “lump” is also any solid piece of something that has an irregular shape: “My gravy always has too many lumps in it.” Or, “Try using a strainer to get rid of lumps in the sauce.” The phrase “to have a lump in (one’s) throat” means that one wants to cry or feels that one must cry: “That movie was so sad! I had a lump in my throat the whole time.” Finally, the phrase “to take (one’s) lumps” means to accept bad things as they happen, but not be strongly influenced by them: “The job was awful, but she took her lumps and moved on.”

discharge

In this podcast, the word “discharge” means a liquid that comes out of a container or space where it had been held, often abruptly or unexpectedly: “How can we prevent sewer discharge into local rivers during heavy rainfall?” When referring to healthcare, “discharge” is when a patient is allowed to leave the hospital: “After her discharge from the hospital, Mery had to take a lot of medications and have frequent appointments with her doctor.” Sometimes a “discharge” is what happens when someone shoots a gun: “The loud discharge of the ceremonial guns made everyone jump with surprise.” Finally, an “honorable discharge” is when someone leaves the military not as a punishment, but with recognition that one has performed duties well: “He served in the military for four years before receiving an honorable discharge.”

Culture Note

Health Education in Schools

Most public schools offer some “form” (type) of health education. The courses typically “cover” (discuss) basic “anatomy” (the study of the parts of the human body), “nutrition” (the value of the foods we eat), “exercise” (physical activity to keep the heart healthy, build muscles, and/or lose weight), basic “first aid” (the ability to help people who have been injured) and information about “diseases” (illnesses; sicknesses) and their “prevention” (what one can do to not get sick). These courses are taught at “age-appropriate levels” (with simpler concepts for younger children, and more complex topics for older children).
Sometimes health education is part of another class. For example, nutrition might be taught as part of a social sciences class, anatomy might be taught as part of a biology class, and exercise might be taught as part of a PE (physical education; gym) class. In the older “grades” (groups of students who are approximately the same age) health education is more likely to be a “separate” (independent; not tied to other classes) course.

Health education can be “controversial” (with strong feelings and opinions on two or more sides of an issue), especially “when it comes to” (as it relates to) sexual health. Some parents do not want the schools presenting information about “sexuality” (sexual identity) and sexual activity to their children. They usually can “opt out” (choose not to have their children participate in the class or particular lessons) of “sex ed” (education about sexual health) classes as long as they promise to provide similar education, typically at home.

Comprehension Answers

1 - b

2 - b