He was watching TV. It was about 10:45 p.m. All of a sudden, he felt something in his chest. It was a fullness that he had never felt before. The feeling was dull and painless.
But it quickly became a very strong "chest ache." His chest felt full, sort of like his belly did after Thanksgiving dinners. He could feel a little bit of sharpness in the area of his heart. Then he felt a tiny electric current go down his left arm and into his left hand. His hand felt numb.
He couldn't believe it. I'm having a heart attack, he thought. No, it couldn't be. He was perfectly healthy, or at least he was the last time he saw his doctor. When was that, one year, or two years, ago? Well, it didn't matter.
Your doctor could give you a clean bill of health on Monday and you could drop dead on Wednesday. But he had great genes, no one in his family had ever died of a heart attack. In fact, no one in his family had ever died of anything at his age. He kept hoping the sensation would just disappear.
But the feeling of fullness remained, yet without the slightest bit of pain. He checked his front door. It was locked. That would be a problem if he called 911; would they break the door down, or do they have master keys to most buildings? His windows were open; they could just remove a screen.
Should he call 911, no, the ambulance alone would be at least $500. The emergency room bill would be in the thousands. And what about the embarrassment if this was a false alarm? Should he call his brother, who would come over and, and what? He was getting confused. He turned down the TV. He didn't want it blasting away at his dead body in the middle of the night.
✅ Vocabulary Words
| No. | Word | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | All of a sudden | suddenly; unexpectedly; without warning | All of a sudden, he felt something in his chest. |
| 02 | a fullness | a feeling of tightness or pressure, often associated with heart attack symptoms | It was a fullness that he had never felt before. |
| 03 | dull and painless | not sharp or intense, and causing no initial suffering | The feeling was dull and painless. |
| 04 | chest ache | a continuous, moderate pain in the chest area | ...a very strong "chest ache." |
| 05 | after Thanksgiving dinners | the feeling of being very full after the traditional large holiday meal | ...sort of like his belly did after Thanksgiving dinners. |
| 06 | tiny electric current | a slight tingling or shocking sensation (a type of referred pain) | Then he felt a tiny electric current go down his left arm. |
| 07 | hand felt numb | his hand lost sensation or feeling (another heart attack symptom) | His hand felt numb. |
| 08 | perfectly healthy | in excellent physical condition; without illness | He was perfectly healthy. |
| 09 | clean bill of health | an official assurance from a doctor that a person is healthy | Your doctor could give you a clean bill of health on Monday... |
| 10 | great genes | a positive genetic inheritance, suggesting good health and longevity in the family | But he had great genes. |
| 11 | kept hoping | continued to wish or expect (the symptoms to go away) | He kept hoping the sensation would just disappear. |
| 12 | feeling of fullness remained | the sense of chest pressure continued | But the feeling of fullness remained. |
| 13 | with the slightest bit of pain | having no noticeable discomfort, only pressure | ...yet without the slightest bit of pain. |
| 14 | break the door down | forcibly enter the apartment by damaging the entrance | ...would they break the door down? |
| 15 | master keys | a single key that can open all or most doors in a building | ...do they have master keys to most buildings? |
| 16 | remove a screen | take off the mesh covering from the open window for easy access | They could just remove a screen. |
| 17 | false alarm | an emergency warning that turns out to be unnecessary or mistaken | And what about the embarrassment if this was a false alarm? |
| 18 | getting confused | becoming unable to think clearly or rationally (a possible symptom of oxygen deprivation/shock) | He was getting confused. |
| 19 | turned down the TV | lowered the volume of the television | He turned down the TV. |
| 20 | blasting away | playing very loudly or excessively (at a dead body) | He didn't want it blasting away at his dead body... |
❓ Comprehension Questions & Answers
| No. | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | What time was it when the man felt the symptoms? | About **10:45 p.m.**. |
| 02 | What was the first feeling he experienced in his chest? | A **fullness** that was initially **dull and painless**. |
| 03 | What two different feelings did the fullness eventually turn into? | A **strong "chest ache"** and a **little bit of sharpness** near his heart. |
| 04 | What happened to his left arm and hand? | He felt a **tiny electric current** go down his arm, and his **hand felt numb**. |
| 05 | What was the man's initial response when he thought he was having a heart attack? | **Disbelief** (No, it couldn't be, I'm perfectly healthy). |
| 06 | What two arguments did he use to try to convince himself it wasn't a heart attack? | He was **perfectly healthy** and he had **great genes** (no one in his family had died of a heart attack). |
| 07 | What was the problem with his front door if he called 911? | It was **locked**, and he wondered if they would have to **break it down**. |
| 08 | What was the potential solution for the 911 responders to get in? | His **windows were open**, so they could just **remove a screen**. |
| 09 | What two major expenses did he worry about? | The **ambulance ride** (at least \$500) and the **emergency room bill** (in the thousands). |
| 10 | What was his fear if the symptoms turned out to be nothing? | The **embarrassment** of a false alarm. |
| 11 | What final, non-medical action did he take? | He **turned down the TV**. |
| 12 | Why did he lower the volume of the TV? | He didn't want it **blasting away at his dead body** in the middle of the night. |
| 13 | What symptom *disappeared* near the end of the passage (before the story continued in the prior response)? | The **slightest bit of pain** (but the fullness remained). |
| 14 | What emotion is suggested by his confusion and inaction? | **Shock** (or panic/fear). |
| 15 | What is ironic about his worry over money at this moment? | He prioritized the cost of an ambulance/ER bill over **his life**. |