questions
Dr. Haskell found no lung cancer (something of a surprise), but the X-rays seemed to show a damned fine case of emphysema, and he told Sam that he’d probably be using oxygen for the rest of his life. It was a bad diagnosis, but give the guy a break. As the doctors say, when you hear hoofbeats, you don’t think zebras. Also, folks have a tendency to see what they’re looking for, don’t they? And although Dr. Haskell died what might be called a hero’s death, no one,including Rusty Everett, ever mistook him for Gregory House. What Sam actually had was bronchitis, and it cleared up not too long after The Wiz made his diagnosis.

Question 1: Does “It was a bad diagnosis” mean that “The diagnosis was bad” not “The diagnosis was wrong”?

Question 2: ...but give the guy a break, “give” is a typo, right? It is supposed to be “gave”, right?

Question

questions
Dr. Haskell found no lung cancer (something of a surprise), but the X-rays seemed to show a damned fine case of emphysema, and he told Sam that he’d probably be using oxygen for the rest of his life. It was a bad diagnosis, but give the guy a break. As the doctors say, when you hear hoofbeats, you don’t think zebras. Also, folks have a tendency to see what they’re looking for, don’t they? And although Dr. Haskell died what might be called a hero’s death, no one,including Rusty Everett, ever mistook him for Gregory House. What Sam actually had was bronchitis, and it cleared up not too long after The Wiz made his diagnosis.

Question 1: Does “It was a bad diagnosis” mean that “The diagnosis was bad” not “The diagnosis was wrong”?

Question 2: ...but give the guy a break, “give” is a typo, right? It is supposed to be “gave”, right?

Answer

1) It was wrong. Sam just had bronchitis.

2) The tense is right. Grammatically, 'Give the guy a break' is  an imperative, as in 'Give me a break!'. Stylistically, it's a rhetorical device, urging the readers ( or himself) not to be too judgemental about the doctor.

Answer

1. In this case, bad = wrong.

2. "give" is correct. "Give the guy a break" is an imperative sentence here, and it is usually used in this way.

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