V. Speaking

1. In pairs, act out a dialogue. Then switch the roles.

Student Â: What is homeopathy?

Student B: Homeopathy is a system of medicine.

A: When was homeopathy discovered?

B: Homeopathy was discovered in the early 1800s by a German physician, Samuel Christian Hahnemann. A: How are homeopathic medicines prescribed? B: Homeopathic medicines are prescribed according to the law of the age-old principle that recognizes the body’s ability to heal itself.

2. Give as much information as you can about:

— the foundation of botany;

—later development^ of botany;

—the development of modem botany;

—the importance of botany; ~ famous scientists;

—the present state of botany.

Medicinal plants

1. Active vocabulary:
shoot	пагін
node	вузел
bud	брунька
blade	пластинка, листок
to release	випускати, звільняти
responsibility	відповідальність
purpose	ціль, призначення
harvest	врожай
herbs	лікарські трави, рослини
grass	трава
to mature	дозрівати
ripen	спілий
folk medicine	народна медицина
garlic	часник
intestinal	кишковий
to prevent	запобігати
prevention	профілактика, попередження
remedy	лікарський засіб
to cure	лікувати
shape	форма
wax	віск
II.R

2. Read and translate the text. Medicinal plants

Since time immemorial man has known about the medicinal properties of plants and widely used them for practical purposes.

Different parts of the plant may be used for medicinal purposes: roots and rhizomes, stems and leaves, flowers and inflorescences, fruits and seeds. All these parts are collected in certain period of time.

It is well known that the proper time of harvesting or collecting plants and herbs is during that period when active constituens of the plant are highest in their number and quality. Roots and rhizomes are collected in autumn after the vegetative processes have finished. Bark is collected in the spring before these processes begin. Leaves and flowering tops are collected when photosynthesis is most active which is usually about the time of flowering and before the maturing of the fruit and seed. Flowers are collected in the time of pollination. Fruits may be collected either before or after the ripening period. Seeds may be collected when fully matured.

All parts of the plant differ as to the shape, taste, colour, odour and pharmacological activity.

Many of the most useful plants and the time of their collecting were known and used in the treatment of certain diseases in antiquity long time before the development of sciences. Based on the results of observations and experience of many generations, folk medicine serves to some extend as the source of scientific medicine. The unripe seed capsules of the opium poppy were used as pain-killers in ancient Greece. Garlic was known to man 5000 years ago. Dioscorides, a Greek physician of the second century prescribed garlic for all lung and intestinal diseases. Hippocrates added that it was effective as a laxative and diuretic. Many medicinal plants were used for the prevention and curing of diseases by the ancient Slavs. The medieval physician Avicenna recommended especially the so called Rus’ medicines. Folk medicine compasses a wide variety of medicinal remedies and medications.

Medicinal plants, an integral part of folk medicine, are widely cultivated in Ukraine. Many successful remedies and resources of folk medicine are studied by specialists and researchers for use in scientific medicine.