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Pre-operative Counselling for Breast Reconstruction Surgery
Nurse Coordinator (speaking English) and Patient (speaking Japanese) talk through “Pre-operative Counselling for Breast Reconstruction Surgery”. You interpret both ways — English into Japanese, and Japanese into English — one segment at a time, exactly as in the CCL test.
Practise this dialogue with AI marking →Read it first if you like, then practise it cold: the recording plays one segment, you interpret, the next segment plays. Marking shows, segment by segment, what you kept, left out or changed.
Full transcript with model answers
Under each segment: a model interpretation, the information points an examiner checks, and the easiest thing to miss. Try the segment yourself first, then open it. The model is one good way to say it; other wordings that keep every point score just as well.
Thanks for coming in today, Ms. Tanaka. Before your reconstruction surgery next Thursday at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, I need to go over some important pre-operative instructions with you, if that's alright.
Model answer and marking points
田中さん、今日はお越しいただきありがとうございます。来週の木曜日にロイヤル・プリンス・アルフレッド病院で行う再建手術の前に、大切な術前の注意事項をいくつか確認させていただきたいのですが、よろしいでしょうか。
What an examiner checks here:
- thanks Ms. Tanaka for coming in
- reconstruction surgery next Thursday
- at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
- needs to go over important pre-operative instructions
- question: is that alright?
Easy to miss: Keep 'next Thursday' and the hospital name, and end with the permission question rather than a statement.
はい、よろしくお願いします。木曜日の手術ということですね。何か特別に準備しておくことはありますか。
Model answer and marking points
Yes, thank you. So the surgery is on Thursday, is that right? Is there anything special I need to prepare beforehand?
What an examiner checks here:
- agrees / thank you
- confirms surgery is on Thursday
- question: anything special to prepare?
Easy to miss: '木曜日の手術ということですね' is a confirmation, not new information; don't drop the preparation question.
You mustn't eat or drink anything after midnight, and please make sure you arrive by seven o'clock sharp on the morning of surgery.
Model answer and marking points
夜中の12時以降は何も食べたり飲んだりしないでください。それから、手術当日の朝は必ず7時きっかりに到着するようにしてください。
What an examiner checks here:
- must not eat or drink anything
- after midnight
- arrive by seven o'clock sharp
- morning of surgery
Easy to miss: Two numbers: midnight for fasting and 7 am sharp for arrival; don't swap or soften 'sharp'.
分かりました。今、血液をさらさらにする薬、アスピリンを毎日飲んでいるのですが、手術前にやめた方がいいですか。
Model answer and marking points
I understand. At the moment I'm taking a blood-thinning medication, aspirin, every day. Should I stop it before the surgery?
What an examiner checks here:
- understood
- currently takes a blood thinner, aspirin
- takes it every day
- question: should she stop before surgery?
Easy to miss: Keep both 'blood thinner' and 'aspirin', and render it as a question, not a decision.
Please stop taking aspirin seven days before surgery, unless your cardiologist has specifically told you to keep taking it for another reason.
Model answer and marking points
手術の7日前からアスピリンは中止してください。ただし、心臓の専門医から別の理由で飲み続けるようにと特に指示されている場合は別です。
What an examiner checks here:
- stop aspirin
- seven days before surgery
- exception: unless cardiologist specifically said to continue
- for another reason
Easy to miss: 'Seven days' and the 'unless your cardiologist told you to keep taking it' exception are both easy to lose.
そうなんですね。手術の後、どのくらい入院することになりますか。痛みはひどいでしょうか。
Model answer and marking points
I see. After the surgery, how long will I need to stay in hospital? Will the pain be bad?
What an examiner checks here:
- acknowledges
- question: how long in hospital after surgery?
- question: will the pain be severe?
Easy to miss: Two separate questions; don't merge them or drop the one about pain.
You'll usually stay in hospital for three nights after surgery, and the surgical drains are normally removed before you're discharged home safely.
Model answer and marking points
手術の後は通常3泊入院していただきます。ドレーン（排液管）は、ふつう退院前に安全に抜きます。
What an examiner checks here:
- usually three nights in hospital
- after surgery
- surgical drains normally removed
- before discharge home
Easy to miss: 'Three nights' (not days) and the drains being removed before discharge, not after.
傷跡はどのくらい目立つのでしょうか。将来、目立たなくすることはできますか。
Model answer and marking points
How noticeable will the scars be? Can they be made less noticeable in the future?
What an examiner checks here:
- question: how noticeable will the scar be?
- question: can it be made less noticeable later?
- refers to the future
Easy to miss: Both are questions about the scar; keep 'in the future' for the second one.
Scarring is unavoidable, but silicone sheets and massage can improve its appearance significantly, and revision surgery remains an option later.
Model answer and marking points
傷跡が残るのは避けられませんが、シリコンシートやマッサージで見た目をかなり良くすることができます。それに、あとで修正手術を受けるという選択肢も残っています。
What an examiner checks here:
- scarring unavoidable
- silicone sheets and massage
- improve appearance significantly
- revision surgery remains an option later
Easy to miss: Don't turn 'unavoidable' into 'minimal', and keep both silicone sheets and massage plus the revision option.
次の診察はいつになりますか。何か気をつけるべき症状はありますか。
Model answer and marking points
When will my next appointment be? Are there any symptoms I should watch out for?
What an examiner checks here:
- question: when is the next appointment?
- question: any symptoms to watch out for?
Easy to miss: Two questions; keep both as questions.
We'll see you again in two weeks for review, but please come back sooner if you notice fever, unusual swelling, or redness around the wound.
Model answer and marking points
2週間後にもう一度診察にお越しください。ただし、発熱、いつもと違う腫れ、傷口の周りの赤みに気づいたら、それより早く来てください。
What an examiner checks here:
- review in two weeks
- come back sooner if
- fever
- unusual swelling
- redness around the wound
Easy to miss: 'Two weeks' and all three warning signs (fever, unusual swelling, redness around the wound) must be kept.
分かりました。何か熱や腫れがあれば、すぐに連絡します。今日は詳しく説明していただき、ありがとうございました。
Model answer and marking points
I understand. If I have any fever or swelling, I'll contact you straight away. Thank you very much for explaining everything in such detail today.
What an examiner checks here:
- understood
- if fever or swelling, will contact immediately
- thanks for the detailed explanation today
Easy to miss: She mentions only fever and swelling here, not redness; don't add it back in.
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Practice dialogue written to the CCL specification (two speakers, segments of 35 words or fewer, about 300 words). It is a practice text, not a NAATI test paper, and the AI score is this site's estimate, not a NAATI result. All Japanese dialogues · All languages