The Old Woman and the Doctor from Aesop with a podcast and list of new vocabulary taught in real context for ESL students
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The Old Woman and the Doctor
An old woman became almost totally blind from a disease of the eyes, and, after consulting a doctor, made an agreement with him in the presence of witnesses that she should pay him a high fee if he cured her, while if he failed, he was to receive nothing.
- consult: to ask for a specialist’s advice
- witness: someone who sees an occurrence
The doctor accordingly prescribed a course of treatment, and every time he paid her a visit, he took away with him some article out of the house, until at last, when he visited her for the last time, and the cure was complete, there was nothing left.
- accordingly: in accordance with what has been said
- article: an object or item
- prescribe: to order the use of medication
When the old woman saw that the house was empty, she refused to pay him his fee; and, after repeated refusals on her part, he sued her before the magistrates for payment of her debt.
- refuse: say no, deny, decline, reject
- sue: litigate, prosecute, file a suit
- magistrate: law officer, judge
On being brought into court, she was ready with her defence. “The claimant,” said she, “has stated the facts about our agreement correctly. I undertook to pay him a fee if he cured me, and he, on his part, promised to charge nothing if he failed. Now, he says I am cured; but I say that I am blinder than ever, and I can prove what I say.
- claimant: plaintiff, applicant, suitor
- undertook: assumed, took on
When my eyes were bad, I could at any rate see well enough to be aware that my house contained a certain amount of furniture and other things; but now, when according to him I am cured, I am entirely unable to see anything there at all.”
- furniture: the movable items in a room or home like tables, chairs, etc.
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