The Doctor Said I Need Rest

上个月我们要考试，我每天晚上都学习到十二点。

Shàng (fourth tone, falling) ge (neutral tone) yuè (fourth tone, falling) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) yào (fourth tone, falling) kǎoshì, (third tone, dipping) wǒ (third tone, dipping) měi (third tone, dipping) tiān (first tone, high and level) wǎnshang (third tone, dipping) dōu (first tone, high and level) xuéxí (second tone, rising) dào (fourth tone, falling) shí (second tone, rising) èr (fourth tone, falling) diǎn. (third tone, dipping)

We had exams last month, and I studied until midnight every night.

我希望考试考得好，所以很少休息。

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) xīwàng (first tone, high and level) kǎoshì (third tone, dipping) kǎo (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) hǎo, (third tone, dipping) suǒyǐ (third tone, dipping) hěn (third tone, dipping) shǎo (third tone, dipping) xiūxi. (first tone, high and level)

I wanted to do well, so I hardly rested at all.

星期三早上，我起床的时候觉得头很疼。

Xīngqīsān (first tone, high and level) zǎoshang, (third tone, dipping) wǒ (third tone, dipping) qǐchuáng (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) shíhou (second tone, rising) juéde (second tone, rising) tóu (second tone, rising) hěn (third tone, dipping) téng. (second tone, rising)

On Wednesday morning, my head was pounding as I got out of bed.

我的身体很热，可能是发烧了。

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) shēntǐ (first tone, high and level) hěn (third tone, dipping) rè, (fourth tone, falling) kěnéng (third tone, dipping) shì (fourth tone, falling) fāshāo (first tone, high and level) le. (neutral tone)

I was burning up — probably running a temperature.

我的同学看见了，非常关心我。

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) tóngxué (second tone, rising) kànjiàn (fourth tone, falling) le, (neutral tone) fēicháng (first tone, high and level) guānxīn (first tone, high and level) wǒ. (third tone, dipping)

A classmate saw the state I was in and was very concerned.

他说：“你的脸这么红，我们去医院吧。”

Tā (first tone, high and level) shuō: (first tone, high and level) “Nǐ (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) liǎn (third tone, dipping) zhème (fourth tone, falling) hóng, (second tone, rising) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) qù (fourth tone, falling) yīyuàn (first tone, high and level) ba.” (neutral tone)

He said, “Your face is bright red — let us go to the hospital.”

我们坐公共汽车去了学校附近的医院。

Wǒmen (third tone, dipping) zuò (fourth tone, falling) gōnggòng (first tone, high and level) qìchē (fourth tone, falling) qù (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) xuéxiào (second tone, rising) fùjìn (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) yīyuàn. (first tone, high and level)

We took the bus to the hospital near campus.

医生给我检查了身体，还问了我很多问题。

Yīshēng (first tone, high and level) gěi (third tone, dipping) wǒ (third tone, dipping) jiǎnchá (third tone, dipping) le (neutral tone) shēntǐ, (first tone, high and level) hái (second tone, rising) wèn (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) wǒ (third tone, dipping) hěn (third tone, dipping) duō (first tone, high and level) wèntí. (fourth tone, falling)

The doctor examined me and asked a great many questions.

他说：“你感冒了，还有一点儿发烧。”

Tā (first tone, high and level) shuō: (first tone, high and level) “Nǐ (third tone, dipping) gǎnmào (third tone, dipping) le, (neutral tone) hái (second tone, rising) yǒu (third tone, dipping) yìdiǎnr (fourth tone, falling) fāshāo.” (first tone, high and level)

He said, “You have a cold, with a slight fever as well.”

我问他：“我明天可以去上课吗？”

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) wèn (fourth tone, falling) tā: (first tone, high and level) “Wǒ (third tone, dipping) míngtiān (second tone, rising) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) qù (fourth tone, falling) shàng (fourth tone, falling) kè (fourth tone, falling) ma?” (neutral tone)

I asked him, “Can I go to class tomorrow?”

医生说：“不可以。你要多喝水，好好休息。”

Yīshēng (first tone, high and level) shuō: (first tone, high and level) “Bù (fourth tone, falling) kěyǐ. (third tone, dipping) Nǐ (third tone, dipping) yào (fourth tone, falling) duō (first tone, high and level) hē (first tone, high and level) shuǐ, (third tone, dipping) hǎohǎo (third tone, dipping) xiūxi.” (first tone, high and level)

The doctor said, “No. Drink plenty of water and get a proper rest.”

他给我开了一些药，让我一天吃三次。

Tā (first tone, high and level) gěi (third tone, dipping) wǒ (third tone, dipping) kāi (first tone, high and level) le (neutral tone) yìxiē (fourth tone, falling) yào, (fourth tone, falling) ràng (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) yì (fourth tone, falling) tiān (first tone, high and level) chī (first tone, high and level) sān (first tone, high and level) cì. (fourth tone, falling)

He prescribed some medicine and told me to take it three times a day.

回到宿舍以后，我给老师打电话请假。

Huí (second tone, rising) dào (fourth tone, falling) sùshè (fourth tone, falling) yǐhòu, (third tone, dipping) wǒ (third tone, dipping) gěi (third tone, dipping) lǎoshī (third tone, dipping) dǎ (third tone, dipping) diànhuà (fourth tone, falling) qǐngjià. (third tone, dipping)

Back at the dormitory, I rang my teacher to ask for leave.

老师说：“身体最重要，别担心考试。”

Lǎoshī (third tone, dipping) shuō: (first tone, high and level) “Shēntǐ (first tone, high and level) zuì (fourth tone, falling) zhòngyào, (fourth tone, falling) bié (second tone, rising) dānxīn (first tone, high and level) kǎoshì.” (third tone, dipping)

She said, “Your health comes first — do not worry about the exam.”

我在床上睡了两天，同学每天给我带饭。

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) chuáng (second tone, rising) shang (neutral tone) shuì (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) liǎng (third tone, dipping) tiān, (first tone, high and level) tóngxué (second tone, rising) měi (third tone, dipping) tiān (first tone, high and level) gěi (third tone, dipping) wǒ (third tone, dipping) dài (fourth tone, falling) fàn. (fourth tone, falling)

I stayed in bed for two days, and my classmate brought me meals every day.

星期六早上，我觉得舒服多了。

Xīngqīliù (first tone, high and level) zǎoshang, (third tone, dipping) wǒ (third tone, dipping) juéde (second tone, rising) shūfu (first tone, high and level) duō (first tone, high and level) le. (neutral tone)

By Saturday morning I felt a great deal better.

现在我每天早上都去锻炼，因为我知道身体比成绩更重要。

Xiànzài (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) měi (third tone, dipping) tiān (first tone, high and level) zǎoshang (third tone, dipping) dōu (first tone, high and level) qù (fourth tone, falling) duànliàn, (fourth tone, falling) yīnwèi (first tone, high and level) wǒ (third tone, dipping) zhīdào (first tone, high and level) shēntǐ (first tone, high and level) bǐ (third tone, dipping) chéngjì (second tone, rising) gèng (fourth tone, falling) zhòngyào. (fourth tone, falling)

These days I exercise every morning, because I know health matters more than marks.