What do you think is the most common illness? Do you get ill sometimes? We are lucky to live now, because there are lots of medicines to make people better.
The most common illness in the world is the cold. It often begins with a sore throat. Then you sneeze and your nose runs. You usually have a headache too. Often you cough later. It’s not a very bad illness, but you can feel quite ill.
There isn’t a cure (治愈) for a cold, but you can take medicines to make you feel better. For instance, aspirin (阿斯匹林) can stop your headache. It is good to rest, and to drink a lot of water too. A doctor once said to me, “With the proper medicine, a cold will continue for seven days. With no medicine, it will continue for a whole week!”
Where does our medicine come from? A long time ago, people knew that some plants made them feel better. They ate the leaves, the roots, the fruit, or the seeds of plants. For instance, the juice of lemons makes a sore throat feel better.
In modern times, scientists have looked at these plants, and found out which chemicals (化學物質) are in them. Many of our medicines today are made from those chemicals.
There are some illnesses which we can’t cure yet. And nobody has found a cure for old age. But because of modern medicines, most people now live longer than their grandparents.
小題1:How does a cold often begin?
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小題2:Can aspirin stop a headache?
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小題3:How long does a cold usually continue?
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小題4:What kind of juice makes a sore throat feel better?
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小題5:What are many of our medicines today made from?
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