Herbal Medicine: Gaining Momentum 草药疗法──渐成显学
- 详细资料
- 创建于 2003年6月23日
- 最后更新于 2024年5月25日
- 发布于 2011年5月29日
- 作者：Mike Lee
- 点击数：373
课文朗读
课文讲解
Melinda and Leo are enjoying tea at a café. Leo checks his watch and takes several capsules: 玛琳达和李欧在咖啡馆里高兴地喝着茶，李欧看看手表，然后吞了几颗胶囊：
M: Leo, what’s that you’re taking with your oolong tea?
李欧，你用乌龙茶吞什么？
L: It’s an herbal treatment for my skin problems. My dermatologist gave me some pills, but they didn’t seem to help. So I went to a medical herbalist for help.
这是治我皮肤病的药，药草做的。我的皮肤科医师给我一些药丸，可是好像没什么用，所以我去看了中医。
M: I know you’ve had skin problems for some time, but I don’t notice a marked improvement in your skin right now.
我知道你这阵子一直有皮肤方面的问题，但我不觉得你皮肤状况现在有显着的改善。
L: I just started the treatment. However, I ordered us oolong tea because a new Japanese study suggests that drinking it three times a day can help skin disorders.
我才刚开始这个疗程而已，总之呢，我之所以给我俩点乌龙茶，是因为日本有一项新的研究，发现一天喝三次乌龙茶有助于改善皮肤问题。
M: Well, it’s safe to drink oolong tea, but I still have concerns. Namely, is herbal medicine safe, and why is it preferable to conventional treatment?
喝乌龙茶当然是很安全的，但我还是有疑虑，像是草药安全吗？还有它为什么比一般化学制药受欢迎？
L: My herbalist pointed out that the greatest advantage of herbal remedies is their quality of synergy. Unlike conventional pharmaceutical medicine, these capsules were tailor-made for my ailment.
我的中医师说，草药最大的好处，在于药草相互调合的作用；这些胶囊不像一般化学制药，它们可是专门为了我的病症调制的。
M: In other words, you’re suggesting that herbal ingredients are stronger in combination than they would be individually?
换句话说，你的意思是药材混合调配着吃，要比单独吃疗效更好啰？
L: Exactly. Also, they tend to offer fundamental relief, rather than mask symptoms. Let’s meet up here in two weeks to see if the herbal medicines are working.
一点也没错，而且草药是治根，不是只减轻表面的症状而已。我们两个星期后在这儿再碰面一次，看看草药有没有效。
M: You’re on.
没问题。
Vocabulary
单词发音
momentum [moˋmɛntəm] n. 推力﹐动力
dermatologist [͵dɝməˋtɑlədʒɪst] n. 皮肤学者；皮肤科医生
herbalist [ˋhɝb!ɪst] n. 种草药的人; 草药商; 草药医生
marked [mɑrkt] adj. 显着的﹐ 明显的﹐ 易见的
concern [kənˋsɝn] n. 担心，挂念
namely [ˋnemlɪ] adv. 即，那就是
preferable [ˋprɛfərəb!] adj. 更好的，更可取的，更合意的[（+to）]
remedy [ˋrɛmədɪ] n. 治疗；治疗法
synergy [ˋsɪnɚdʒɪ] n.【医】（肌肉或神经的）协同作用
pharmaceutical [͵fɑrməˋsjutɪk!] adj. 制药的
ailment [ˋelmənt] n. 病痛；（尤指轻微的）疾病
mask [mæsk] v. 掩饰；伪装，遮蔽
Sentence of the Day
That'll save your skin.
那可帮你度过难关
save one’s skin 使自己幸免于难
课文讲解
Melinda and Leo meet up two weeks later: 玛琳达和李欧两星期后再次见面：
M: Okay, your skin has definitely improved. How do you feel overall?
是没错，你的皮肤真的有改善。整体来说，你觉得怎么样？
L: Fine, robust even. Other than synergy, the other great advantage of herbal medicine is the general lack of side effects. The unwanted effects of the herbs in my capsules naturally balance each other.
很好啊，甚至觉得更健康了，除了药材的调和作用，草药另一个最大的好处就是通常没有副作用；我吃的胶囊，药材成分里带有不必要作用的部分，都自然相互中和掉了。
M: My grandmother always used herbal medicine, but I’m still a bit worried. Just because something is natural doesn’t mean it’s safe. After our last talk, I found out that the U.S. is currently testing some of the most popular herbal medicines.
我奶奶以前都是用草药治病，但我还是有点担心，天然的东西也不代表绝对是安全的。上次跟你讲完话之后，我才知道美国目前正在试验一些很受欢迎的草药。
L: It’s a welcome avenue of research. The interaction of conventional pharmaceuticals with herbal medicine is a new field.
这个领域的研究很受肯定，化学制药和草药的互动是一门新的领域。
M: You know Harvard is creating an institute for non-traditional medicine which will study the benefits of massage and acupuncture.
你知道哈佛大学正在成立一个非传统医学的新机构，研究按摩和针炙的益处。
L: Your grandmother would have loved that!
你奶奶听到一定会很高兴的！
M: Everything but the name. She considered Western medicine “non-traditional.” For her, herbal cures were “traditional.” It looks like we’re going to have a lot of new treatment options.
除了这个名称之外。她认为西医才是「非传统」。对她来说，草药疗法才是「传统的」。看来我们会有许多不同医疗方式的选择。
L: Indeed. It’s a matter of figuring out what will help you in particular. It may be conventional pharmaceuticals or it may be an alternative.
的确。弄清楚什么是对自己最有效的医疗方式才是最重要的，它可能是一般的化学制药，也可能是另类疗法。
M: Now, let’s order some more oolong tea, baby face.
那么，我们现在再加点乌龙茶吧，娃娃脸（亦指皮肤如婴儿般好）。
－by Michael Loncar
Vocabulary
单词发音
overall [ˋovɚ͵ɔl] adv. 总的来说；大体上
robust [rəˋbʌst] adj. 强健的﹐ 健壮的
side effect 副作用
avenue [ˋævə͵nju] n. 途径，方法[（+to）]
interaction [͵ɪntəˋrækʃən] n. 相互作用﹐相互影响
massage [məˋsɑʒ] n. 按摩; 推拿
acupuncture [͵ækjʊˋpʌŋktʃɚ] n. 针灸﹐针刺（疗法）
Sentence of the Day
These are more than old wives' tales.
这些可不是无稽之谈。
old wives' tales 荒诞故事; 无稽之谈