閱讀暖身
Time雜誌報導了一則小故事：Sammy的媽媽不久前被診斷出乳癌，陪媽媽去拿藥時，領藥窗口的藥師卻小聲告訴她處方藥有可能導致卵巢病變，長期服用要記得檢查卵巢，Sammy很錯愕，如果藥師沒提醒，媽媽可能失去及時檢查的機會。這個問題醫生怎麼沒有說？看病時，怎麼問出那些醫生該說而沒說的問題？Time雜誌網站建議了一般人就醫可以提出的問題。進入文章前，請先想想下列英文怎麼說：
(a) 替代方案 (b) 調整 (c) 洞悉 1.“Are there different treatment options?”
Usually a doctor decides the best course of action rather than informs patients their options. However, when choosing the right treatment, it should be a shared decision-making process. You may have to ask your doctor about your (a) alternatives, and then (1) sort it out with the him.
通常醫生會決定最好的療程是什麼，而不見得會知會患者有哪些治療選項，但最好的治療方式應由雙方共同決定，主動詢問醫生有什麼替代治療方案，然後一起討論出最佳辦法。 2.“What else can I do to improve my condition?”
Medication may be high-efficiency but adjusting lifestyle is often more important. Daily habits like what you eat, how much you sleep, and whether you smoke or drink (2) account for 70% of the risk for illness. Some doctors prefer medication, unless patients ask for a lifestyle (b) adjustment.
藥物治療雖能快速見效，但生活習慣的調整常扮演更重要角色。生病的原因有七成來自日常作息，比如習慣吃什麼，睡眠是否足夠，有無抽菸喝酒習慣。有些醫生傾向藥物治療，此時就需要病患動詢問如何調整生活習慣。 3.“What are the side effects?”
headaches, skin rashes to mouth blisters, these are some of the common side effects when taking medications, and there can be more. Ask your doctor about it (3) with eyes wide open before going into any course of treatment.
頭痛、皮膚發癢、嘴破都是藥物治療常見的副作用，當然還可能有更嚴重的副作用。審慎詢問你的醫生，在治療開始前心底有個底。
4.“Should I get a second opinion?”
A doctor’s (c) insights into your symptoms and causes may be very different from another one’s. Seeking a second opinion is kind of offensive to your doctors’ expertise but it’s your health after all. Asking your doctor who else you could consult will be a good idea. Especially if you’re considering surgery or side-effect-heavy drugs.
不同醫生對於症狀、病因的診斷可能大相逕庭，徵詢其他醫生見解，或許有些冒犯醫師專業，但你的健康才是最重要的，尤其當你正在考慮重大手術或將服用有強烈副作用的藥物，直接問醫生你還可以向誰徵詢意見會是個好主意。
5.“Is there anything I should know but I haven’t asked yet?”
It happens all the time where physicians and patients see different things in a different order of importance. Doctors are just normal human being like us. They have the best intent, but they may overlook a patient’s greatest need so try reminding them.
醫生覺得沒什麼的事，病人可能覺得非常重要。畢竟醫生也是普通人，儘管用意良善，仍可能不小心忽略病患的真實需求，此時發問就是很好的提醒方式。 (1) sort sth/sb out 理出頭緒、解決
Sort 是分類，sort something out 就是把事情整理好，衍伸為理出頭緒的意思，是英文口語常見的說法。
We had a very productive meeting. I felt we sorted out a lot of problems.
(2) account for對…負有責任
Account當動詞時和for連用，是對一件事負有責任。
Who will have to account for the misprints in the dictionary?
誰必須對字典中的印刷錯誤負責？
(3) with one’s eyes (wide) open 心裡有底
with one’s eyes open睜大眼睛看清楚，衍伸為了解事情的經過、心裡有數。
I went into the job with my eyes open, fully knowing what it would involve.
我做這份工作前心裡有底會發生什麼事。 | 
