HomeMy WebLinkAboutRead Aloud Book Gr. 3-Lesson 8An interpreter has a unique job. This person knows more than one language. An
interpreter’s job is to help people communicate when they do not speak the same
language. There are special kinds of interpreters who work in hospitals, called medical
interpreters, and they help doctors and patients understand each other when they don’t
speak the same language.
Before medical interpreters worked in hospitals, it was hard for doctors to speak to
some patients. Sometimes a family member or a friend of the patient would know the
same language as the doctor. But there are many diffi cult words in medicine that few
people know. This can make it hard for a doctor to treat a patient. If a doctor cannot
understand a patient, it is hard for the doctor to conceive of what is wrong with the
patient. Doctors came to the realization that they would need help speaking to their
patients. So they hired medical interpreters.
Medical interpreters have to learn a lot of medical words. They must learn the
words for illnesses and the parts of the body in different languages. When the doctor
asks a question, the medical interpreter changes the question to the language that the
patient understands. When the patient answers in his or her language, the medical
interpreter changes this answer back to the language that the doctor understands. It is
the interpreter’s job to get the meaning right. He or she needs to focus and concentrate
so that the interpretation is correct. For doctors and nurses to do their jobs correctly,
they cannot work with conjectures, or guesses. They must have facts. When medical
interpreters correctly tell doctors what patients say, doctors and nurses are more likely
to deduce what steps will lead to a cure.
Medical interpreters must have a good understanding of basic medical concepts.
Sometimes a patient cannot understand why he or she is ill. A medical interpreter can
help patients picture what caused the illness.
Medical interpreters act as part of a team with doctors and nurses. When everyone
on the team works together, they can help patients who are sick, no matter what
language they speak.
COMPREHENSION Why do doctors need medical interpreters? Which words tell
you how interpreters help patients and doctors?
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The twins, Sydney and Nick, were watching television when their mother came into the
room. “Kids,” she said, “I need you to run to the corner grocery store for me.”
“Can we go when our show is over?” they begged.
“OK,” their mother told them. “But listen closely. I need a bunch of fl owers, a box of cream
cheese, and a jar of thyme. The herb thyme. It’s a spice. Have you got that?” she asked.
“Yes!” the twins answered, though they were barely paying attention. From their viewpoint,
their television show was much more important than some shopping list.
When their show fi nally ended, the twins walked to the store. “So,” Nick said, “do you
remember what Mom needs?”
Sydney looked surprised. “I thought you were listening!” she replied. She tried to recall
a mental image, but her mind was blank. “Didn’t Mom say she needed some fl our?”
Nick nodded. “Yea, that sounds familiar!” he agreed. They ran to get a bag of fl our. Then
they tried to recall what else they were supposed to buy. Nick’s memory was foggy, but he
recalled hearing the word cheese. “Mom always buys cheddar cheese,” Nick said. “I’m sure
that’s what she needs.” They ran to get a block of cheddar cheese.
“There was one other thing we were supposed to get,” said Sydney. “Oh! Mom asked us
to buy her more time.”
“But that doesn’t make any sense,” Nick said. “There’s no logic to that.” He could only
draw one possible conclusion. “Mom always complains that she never has a chance to get
everything done,” he said. “That must be what Mom meant when she said she needed more
time,” Nick reasoned.
Sydney agreed. “Then I guess we’re done shopping,” she said.
They paid for their groceries and carried them home from the store. But when their mother
saw what they had bought, she groaned. “Kids,” she told them, “I needed a bunch of fl owers
and a box of cream cheese, not a bag of fl our and a block of cheddar cheese. And where’s
my jar of thyme?”
“Oh,” said Sydney. “Do you mean the herb thyme?”
“Of course!” said their mother. “The spice!”
The twins looked embarrassed. “I think we were brainwashed earlier,” they cried. “Television
took over our minds and ruined our comprehension! But we promise we’ll bring home the
correct things this time!” And they ran back out to the grocery store.
COMPREHENSION Using words from the story, explain how Sydney and Nick try to
remember their mother’s grocery list. How would this story be different if Sydney and
Nick had listened attentively to their mother from the beginning?
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