Natural Medicines Since earliest days, humans have used some kinds of medicines.We know this because humans have survived.Ancient treatments for injury and disease were successful enough to keep humans from dying out completely. They were successful long before the time of modern medicine.Before the time of doctors with white coats and shiny (发亮的) instruments.Before the time of big hospitals with strange and wonderful equipment. Many parts of the world still do not have university-educated doctors.Nor do they have expensive hospitals.Yet injuries are treated.And diseases are often cured.How? By ancient methods.By medicines that might seem mysterious, even magical (有魔力的).Traditional medicines are neither mysterious nor magical, however. Through the centuries, tribal (部落的) medicine men experimented with plants.They found many useful chemicals in the plants.And scientists believe many of these traditional medicines may provide the cure for some of today’s most serious diseases. Experts say almost 80% of the people in the world use plants for health care. These natural medicines are used not just because people have no other form of treatment. They are used because people trust them. In developed areas, few people think about the source of the medicines they buy in a store. Yet many widely-used medicines are from ancient sources, especially plants.Some experts say more than 25% of modern medicines come, in one way or another, from nature. Scientists have long known that nature is really a chemical factory.All living things contain chemicals that help them survive.So scientists’ interest in traditional medicine is not new.But it has become an urgent concern.This is because the earth’s supply of natural medicines may be dropping rapidly.

In previous times, when fresh meat was inadequate, pigeons were kept by many households as a source of food. in short store in short provision in short reserve in short supply

The tomato juice left a brown stain on the front of my jacket. track trace spot point

A peculiarly pointed chin is his most memorable facial characteristic. mark feature trace appearance

Professor Taylor’s talk has indicated that science has a very strong influence on the everyday life of non-scientists as well as scientists. motivation perspective impression impact

The manager got angry just because his secretary was ten minutes late. lost his mood lost his temper lost his mind lost his passion

A complete change in policy is needed if relations are ever to improve. strict wide ever radical

At the meeting both sides exchanged their views on a wide scope of topics they were interested in. extent number collection range

American Wedding “I do.“ To Americans, those two words carry great meaning.They can even change your life, especially if you say them at your own wedding.Making wedding vows is like signing a contract.Now Americans don’t really think marriage is a business deal.But marriage is a serious business. It all begins with engagement.Traditionally, a young man asks the father of his sweetheart for permission to marry her.If the father agrees, the man later proposes to her.Often he tries to surprise her by “popping the question“ in a romantic way.Sometimes the couple just decides together that the time is right to get married.The man usually gives his francee(未婚妻) a diamond ring as a symbol of their engagement.They may be engaged for weeks, months or even years.As the big day approaches, their friends will provide many useful gifts.Today many couples also receive advice during engagement.This prepares them for the challenges of married life. At last it is time for the wedding.Although most weddings follow traditions, there’s still room for individualism(个人主义).For example, the usual place for a wedding is a church.But some people get married outdoors in a scenic spot.A few even have the ceremony while sky-diving or riding on horseback! The couple may invite hundreds of people or just a few close friends.They choose their own style of colors, decorations and music during the ceremony.But some things rarely change.The bride usually wears a beautiful, long white wedding dress.She traditionally wears “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.“ The groom wears a formal suit. As the ceremony begins, the groom and his attendants stands with the minister, facing the audience.Music signals the entrance of the bride’s attendants followed by the beautiful bride.Nervously, the young couple repeats their vows. Traditionally, they promise to love each other “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health.“ But sometimes the couple composes their own vows.They give each other a gold ring to symbolize their marriage commitment.Finally the minister announces the big moment: “I now pronounce you man and wife.You may kiss your bride!“ At the wedding reception, the bride and groom greet their guests.Then they cut the wedding cake and feed each other a bite.Later the bride throws her bouquet of flowers(花束) to a group of single girls.Tradition says that the one who catches the flower will be the next to marry.After the reception,many couples take a honeymoon,a one-to-two-week vacation trip,to celebrate their new marriage.

The First Bicycle The history of the bicycle goes back more than 200 years.In 1791, Count de Sivrac【C1】______onlookers in a park in Paris as he showed【C2】______his two-wheeled invention machine called the celerifere.It was basically an【C3】______version of a children’s toy which had been in use for many years.Sivrac’s “celerifere“ had a wooden frame, made in the【C4】______of a horse,which was mounted on a wheel at either end. To ride it,you sat on a small seat,just like a modern bicycle,and pushed【C5】______against the【C6】______with your legs—there were no pedals.It was impossible to steer a celerifere and it had no brakes,but despite these problems the invention very much【C7】______to the fashionable young men of Paris.Soon they were【C8】______races up and down the streets. Minor【C9】______werecommonasridersattemptedafinalburstof【C10】______.Controlling the machine was difficult,as the only way to change【C11】______was to pull up the front of the“celerifere“ and【C12】______it round while the front wheel was spinning in the air. “Celeriferes“ were not popular for long,【C13】______, as the【C14】______of no springs, no steering and rough roads made riding them very uncomfortable.Even so,the wooden celerifere was the【C15】______of the modern bicycle.

I catch a cold now and then. always occasionally constantly regularly

Housewives who do not go out to work often feel they are not working to their full ability. capacity strength length possibility

Shelly had prepared carefully for her biology examination so that she could be sure of passing it on her first endeavor. intention attempt purpose desire

They bought the land in order to build a new office block. with a purpose to with a view to with a goal to with a reason to

She can speak French and German,let alone English. to say nothing of to speak nothing of to talk nothing of to tell nothing of

A.a lot of money B.British people C.morning D.local people E.national issues F.local issues

Ants as a Barometer of Ecological Change At picnics, ants are pests.But they have their uses.In industries such as mining,farming and forestry, they can help gauge (测定) the health of the environment by just crawling around and being antsy(坐立不安). It has been recognized for decades that ants—which are highly sensitive to ecological change—can provide a near-perfect barometer(气压计) of the state of an ecosystem.Only certain species,for instance, will continue to thrive at a forest site that has been cleared of trees.【B1】______And still others will move in and take up residence. By looking at which species populate a deforested area, scientists can determine how “stressed“the land is.【B2】______Ants are used simply because they are so common and comprise(构成) so many species. Where mine sites are being restored, for example, some ant species will recolonize(重新移居到……) the stripped land more quickly than others.【B3】______Australian mining company Capricorn Coal Management has been successfully using ant surveys for years to determine the rate of recovery of land that it is replanting near its German Creek mine in Queensland. Ant surveys also have been used with mine-site recovery projects in Africa and Brazil,where warm climates encourage dense and diverse ant populations.“ We found it worked extremely well there,“says Jonathan Major, a professor of environmental biology.Yet the surveys are perfectly suited to climates throughout Asia,he says,because ants are so common throughout the region.As Major puts it:“That’s the great thing about ants.“ Ant surveys are so highly regarded as ecological indicators(指示器) that governments worldwide accept their results when assessing(评估) the environmental impact of mining and tree harvesting.【B4】______. Why not? Because many companies can’t afford the expense or the laboratory time needed to sift(详审) results for a comprehensive survey.The cost stems, also, from the scarcity(缺乏) of ant specialists.【B5】______ A.This allowed scientists to gauge the pace and progress of the ecological recovery. B Yet in other businesses, such as fanning and property development, ant surveys aren’t used widely. C.Employing those people are expensive. D.They do this by sorting the ants, counting their numbers and comparing the results with those of earlier surveys. E.The evolution of ant species may have a strong impact on our ecosystem. F.Others will die out for lack of food.

The newspaper did not mention the degree of the damage caused by the fire. range level extent quantity

Please give my best wishes to your family. notice attention regards cares

Some people would like to do shopping on Sundays since they expect to pick up wonderful articles in the market. batteries bargains baskets barrels

Local Newspapers in Britain 1.Britain has a large circulation (发行量) of the national newspapers.The Daily Mirror and The Daily Express both sell about 4 million copies each day.On average, every family will buy one newspaper in the morning, and take two or three on Sundays. 2.Local newspapers are just as popular as the national ones in Britain.Local papers have a weekly circulation of 13 million.Nearly every town and country area has its own paper, and almost every local paper is financially holding its own.Many local newspapers are earning good profits. 3.Local newspapers have their special characteristics.They mainly satisfy interest in local events—births, weddings, deaths, council meetings, and sports.Editors often rely on a small staff of people who know the district well.Clubs and churches in the neighborhood regularly supply these papers with much local news.Local news does not get out of date as quickly as national news.If there is no room for it in this week’s edition, a news item can be held over until the following week. 4.The editor of a local newspaper never forgets that the success of any newspaper depends on advertising.For this reason, he is keen to keep the good will of local businessmen.If the newspaper sells well with carefully chosen news items to attract local readers, the businessmen will be grateful to the paper for the opportunity of keeping their products in the public eye. 5.Local newspapers seldom comment on problems of national importance, and editors rarely take sides on political questions. But they can often provide service to the community in expressing public feeling on local issues.A newspaper can sometimes persuade the council to take action to improve transport, provide better shopping facilities, and preserve local monuments and places of interest. A.Keeping Good Relations with Local Businessmen B.Service Provided by Local Newspapers C.Large Circulation of the National Newspapers D.Special Features of Local Newspapers E.Power of Local Newspapers F.Popularity of Local Newspapers

The passage indicates that ancient treatments for injury and disease were______.

Which of the following statements is NOT true?

It is believed by scientists that traditional medicines______.

What do the majority of the people in the world use for health care?

It can be seen from the passage that the earth’s supply of natural medicines______.