A nurse named Tincy got very sick with something called Parkinson’s disease. She found out because one of her feet was making a louder sound than the other when she walked. Her friends at work noticed something was wrong, so she went to see a doctor. The doctor told her she had Parkinson’s when she was 41 years old. Tincy was sad, but her boss told her she could still do her job and take care of her kids.

Tincy decided to help other people who are sick like her. She talks to other nurses who have Parkinson’s and they help each other. They want to make sure that people in the hospital get their medicine on time. Tincy won a prize for being a really good nurse. She says it’s important to stay happy and strong and to ask for help if you need it. Tincy’s son is proud of her for being a “super mum” because she works hard and takes care of her family even though she is sick.

Original news source: Parkinson’s disease: ‘You can have a career after diagnosis’ (BBC)

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Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Split the class into pairs or small groups. Give each group a card with a word or phrase related to the article (e.g. Parkinson’s disease, nurse, medicine). One person from each group will act out the word or phrase without speaking, while the others try to guess what it is.

– News Summary
Instructions: As a class, discuss the main events and ideas from the article. Then, have students work in pairs to write a short summary of the article using their own words. Afterward, have a few pairs share their summaries with the class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary words from the article (e.g. Parkinson’s disease, nurse, medicine) on separate small pieces of paper or index cards. Divide the class into teams and have one student from each team come up and choose a word. They must then draw a picture to represent the word while their team tries to guess what it is. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

– Sketch It
Instructions: Have students work in pairs or small groups. Give each group a scene or event from the article (e.g. Tincy going to the doctor, Tincy talking to other nurses). Students must sketch out the scene or event as accurately as possible. Afterward, have each group present their sketch to the class and explain what is happening.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Ask students to think about a time when they or someone they know had to ask for help. In pairs, have students share their stories and discuss why it is important to ask for help when needed. Then, have a few pairs share their stories with the class.

Comprehension Questions:

1. How did Tincy find out she was sick?
2. Who noticed that something was wrong with Tincy?
3. What did the doctor tell Tincy she had?
4. How old was Tincy when she found out she had Parkinson’s?
5. What did Tincy’s boss say she could still do?
6. Who does Tincy talk to to get help?
7. Why is Tincy’s son proud of her?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A nurse named Tincy got very sick with something called Parkinson’s disease. She found out because one of her feet was making a louder (1)______ than the other when she walked. Her friends at work (2)______ something was wrong, so she went to see a doctor. The doctor told her she had Parkinson’s when she was 41 (3)______ old. Tincy was sad, but her boss told her she could still do her job and take (4)______ of her kids.

Tincy decided to help other people who are (5)______ like her. She talks to (6)______ nurses who have Parkinson’s and they help each other. They want to make sure that people in the hospital get their medicine on time. Tincy won a prize for being a really good nurse. She says it’s important to (7)______ happy and (8)______ and to ask for help if you need it. Tincy’s son is proud of her for being a “super mum” because she works hard and takes care of her family even though she is sick.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is Parkinson’s disease?
2. How do you think Tincy felt when she found out she had Parkinson’s disease?
3. How would you feel if one of your feet made a louder sound than the other when you walked?
4. Do you think it’s important to ask for help when you need it? Why or why not?
5. What do you think Tincy’s boss said to her when she found out she had Parkinson’s disease?
6. How do you think Tincy’s friends at work felt when they noticed something was wrong with her?
7. Do you like helping other people? Why or why not?
8. How do you think Tincy’s son feels about her?
9. What do you think Tincy and the other nurses talk about when they help each other?
10. How do you think Tincy stays happy and strong even though she is sick?
11. What would you do if you won a prize for being really good at something?
12. Do you think it’s important to take care of your family? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. sick
2. Parkinson’s disease
3. nurse
4. doctor
5. medicine
6. prize
7. hospital
8. help
9. family
10. job

Meanings:
(A) Not feeling well or having a boo-boo
(B) A special person who knows a lot about sickness and helps people feel better
(C) Doing something nice for someone who needs it
(D) Something you get when you do something really good
(E) A special kind of sickness that makes your body move in a funny way
(F) The thing you do to make money and help your family
(G) A big building where sick people go to get better
(H) Special stuff that makes you feel better when you’re sick
(I) The people you live with, like your mom and dad and brothers and sisters
(J) A person who takes care of people who are sick
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. How did Tincy find out she was sick?
(a) Her friend told her
(b) She saw it on TV
(c) She felt very tired
(d) Her foot made a loud sound when she walked

2. Who noticed something was wrong with Tincy?
(a) Her boss
(b) Her friends at work
(c) Her kids
(d) Her doctor

3. How old was Tincy when she found out she had Parkinson’s?
(a) 30 years old
(b) 50 years old
(c) 20 years old
(d) 41 years old

4. What did Tincy decide to do after she got sick?
(a) Quit her job
(b) Stay at home all day
(c) Help other people who are sick
(d) Go on vacation

5. What did Tincy win a prize for?
(a) Being a good mom
(b) Being a really good nurse
(c) Being sick
(d) Going to the hospital

6. What does Tincy’s son think of her?
(a) He is mad at her
(b) He is sad for her
(c) He is proud of her
(d) He doesn’t like her

7. What does Tincy say is important?
(a) Staying happy and strong
(b) Being sick
(c) Going to the hospital
(d) Quitting your job

8. What does Tincy’s boss tell her?
(a) She can still do her job and take care of her kids
(b) She should quit her job
(c) She should go on vacation
(d) She should stay at home all day

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. Tincy lost a prize for being a really good nurse.
2. Tincy’s foot made a louder sound than the other when she walked.
3. Tincy’s friends at work noticed something was wrong and told her to see a doctor.
4. Tincy’s son is disappointed in her for being a “super mum” because she doesn’t work hard and neglects her family even though she is sick.
5. Tincy is a nurse who got sick with something called Parkinson’s disease.
6. The doctor told Tincy she had Parkinson’s when she was 41 years old.
7. Tincy’s boss told her she couldn’t do her job and take care of her kids.
8. Tincy avoids talking to other nurses who have Parkinson’s to avoid helping each other.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. How did Tincy know something was wrong with her feet?
2. Who noticed that something was wrong with Tincy?
3. What did the doctor tell Tincy she had?
4. What did Tincy’s boss tell her?
5. What did Tincy win a prize for?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. How did Tincy find out she was sick?
Tincy found out she was sick because one of her feet was making a louder sound than the other when she walked.

2. Who noticed that something was wrong with Tincy?
Tincy’s friends at work noticed that something was wrong with her.

3. What did the doctor tell Tincy she had?
The doctor told Tincy she had Parkinson’s disease.

4. How old was Tincy when she found out she had Parkinson’s?
Tincy was 41 years old when she found out she had Parkinson’s.

5. What did Tincy’s boss say she could still do?
Tincy’s boss said she could still do her job and take care of her kids.

6. Who does Tincy talk to to get help?
Tincy talks to other nurses who have Parkinson’s to get help.

7. Why is Tincy’s son proud of her?
Tincy’s son is proud of her because she works hard and takes care of her family even though she is sick.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) sound
(2) noticed
(3) years
(4) care
(5) sick
(6) other
(7) stay
(8) strong
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. sick
Answer: (A) Not feeling well or having a boo-boo

2. Parkinson’s disease
Answer: (E) A special kind of sickness that makes your body move in a funny way

3. nurse
Answer: (J) A person who takes care of people who are sick

4. doctor
Answer: (B) A special person who knows a lot about sickness and helps people feel better

5. medicine
Answer: (H) Special stuff that makes you feel better when you’re sick

6. prize
Answer: (D) Something you get when you do something really good

7. hospital
Answer: (G) A big building where sick people go to get better

8. help
Answer: (C) Doing something nice for someone who needs it

9. family
Answer: (I) The people you live with, like your mom and dad and brothers and sisters

10. job
Answer: (F) The thing you do to make money and help your family
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. How did Tincy find out she was sick?
Answer: (d) Her foot made a loud sound when she walked

2. Who noticed something was wrong with Tincy?
Answer: (b) Her friends at work

3. How old was Tincy when she found out she had Parkinson’s?
Answer: (d) 41 years old

4. What did Tincy decide to do after she got sick?
Answer: (c) Help other people who are sick

5. What did Tincy win a prize for?
Answer: (b) Being a really good nurse

6. What does Tincy’s son think of her?
Answer: (c) He is proud of her

7. What does Tincy say is important?
Answer: (a) Staying happy and strong

8. What does Tincy’s boss tell her?
Answer: (a) She can still do her job and take care of her kids
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. Tincy lost a prize for being a really good nurse. (Answer: False)
2. Tincy’s foot made a louder sound than the other when she walked. (Answer: True)
3. Tincy’s friends at work noticed something was wrong and told her to see a doctor. (Answer: True)
4. Tincy’s son is disappointed in her for being a “super mum” because she doesn’t work hard and neglects her family even though she is sick. (Answer: False)
5. Tincy is a nurse who got sick with something called Parkinson’s disease. (Answer: True)
6. The doctor told Tincy she had Parkinson’s when she was 41 years old. (Answer: True)
7. Tincy’s boss told her she couldn’t do her job and take care of her kids. (Answer: False)
8. Tincy avoids talking to other nurses who have Parkinson’s to avoid helping each other. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧