Pre-reading questions:
- Have you been abroad? How was your stay?
- When do you usually visit a hospital?
Vocabulary:
- nationwide /ney-shuh n-wahyd/
- upcoming /uhp-kuhm-ing/
- determine /dih-tur-min/
- outpatient /out-pey-shuh nt/
- employ /em-ploi/
[adverb] existing or happening in all parts of a particular country
By the end of the month, the new products will be available nationwide.
[adjective] happening soon
Please check the calendar for the upcoming shows and events.
[verb] to find out or make certain facts or information
The students will determine their school festival activities.
[noun] a person who receives medical care from a hospital but who does not stay in the hospital for one or more nights
The hospital must keep enough doctors to treat outpatients.
[verb] to pay someone to work or do a job for you
The company employs around 200 skilled workers.
Around 400 hospitals in Japan nationwide will hire language translators to work with hospital staff in preparation for the upcoming 2020 Olympics. The translation methods and languages to be translated are going to be determined depending on the hospital’s needs. The medical institutions that will participate can have different methods such as having an actual medical translator, using videophone systems, or using a tablet with translation functions.
The said program was the result of a survey showing that doctors and hospital staff had difficulties communicating with foreign outpatients. Under this program, hospitals will be divided into the following: an emergency hospital per prefecture and non-emergency hospitals. Emergency hospitals will employ translators with a high level of medical skills.
The said program was the result of a survey showing that doctors and hospital staff had difficulties communicating with foreign outpatients. Under this program, hospitals will be divided into the following: an emergency hospital per prefecture and non-emergency hospitals. Emergency hospitals will employ translators with a high level of medical skills.
Comprehension Questions:
- In the article, why would 400 hospitals across Japan hire language translators?
- What are the two methods of translation that are mentioned in the article?
- What does the survey results say?
- How are the hospitals divided in the program?
- What kind of translators will emergency hospitals employ?
Discussion Questions:
- What do you usually do with English words, expressions, or sentences that you don’t understand? Please explain your answer.
- What is your opinion on hiring translators to help foreign outpatients?
- What languages do you think should be translated in hospitals? Please explain your answer.
- In your opinion, how should Japan prepare for the upcoming 2020 Olympics?
- In your opinion, how will medical translators improve its services in Japanese hospitals?