Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[stevenukd]

Dear Teachers,

1. The older gent suggested the young one accompany him on his rounds so the community could become used to a new doctor.

- �accompany him on his rounds� here means �accompany him to all the houses so the community could become used to a new doctor�, right?

2. The doctor said �Why not cut back on the amount you�ve been eating and see if that does the trick?�.

- �if that does the trick� here means �if that is the cause which gives you the disease�, right?

Thanks a lot to Teachers,

Stevenukd

[CP]

1. When doctors make their rounds, they go visit all their patients to check on them.

When in a hospital, the rounds are just from room to room where the doctor's patients are located. In a village, it would be from house to house of the current patients. So your interpretation is correct.

2. "Does the trick" means "works" or "accomplishes the goal" or "is effective," etc. In this case, the sentence could be re-written, "Why not cut back on the amount you�ve been eating and see if that works?"

If the doctor was talking about the patient's weight, then it would mean "see if that helps you lose weight." If about nausea, then it would mean "see if that helps reduce the nausea." And so on.
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