Exercise 9. Read and translate the text. Write the annotation to the text

MODULE 6

NATURE HEALS

Exercise 1.Write the transcription of the following words. Read and memorize the words. Make sentences with them.

to destroy руйнувати, знищувати

petal пелюстка

sepal чашолистик

calyx чашечка (квітки)

ovary зав’язь

stigma приймочка

to fertilize підживлювати, запилювати

fertilization добриво, запилення

tiny мізерний

kidney нирка

to harden тверднути

side-products побічні речовини

pain біль

annual щорічний, (тут)однорічна рослина

fibre волокно

resin смола

soft drink безалкогольний

nut горіх

to refresh освіжати

bush кущ

 

 

Exercise 2.Write the transcription and translation of the following words of Greek and Latin origin.

 

Gland; lacteal; latex; diameter; morphine; opium; codeine; narcotic; cultivate; mythology; marijuana; hashish; textile; capsule; exude; organism; alcohol; extract; stimulate; caffeine; insecticide; ornament.

 

Exercise 3.Read and translate the text.

 

Long ago people had already found out that some plants are extremely poisonous. However, in very small, correct doses, they can cure the ill. So, herbal poisons must be looked upon with the well-known saying in mind: “There is some god in everything”.

The Common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is one of the strikingly ornamental plants of the country-side. It was brought to central Europe from the light forests of southern and western Europe by man, who discovered a splendid remedy in its handsome flower. It is a real queen among medicinal herbs because its toxic chemicals are effective in treating the heart and nerves. But care must be taken and the drug used only by physicians. An overdose means death.

The healing drug is obtained from the rosette of basal leaves which forms in the plants first year. In the second year, a 1m stem, or longer, grows from its centre with a spike of large, downward turned flowers along one side. The lower lip of the corolla is decorated with dark spots and a light rim. The common foxglove is not always purple in colour. Darker and lighter specimens and even white flowers are often found.

The foxglove is often grown in gardens as an ornamental flower, or in large quantities for the needs of the pharmaceutical industry. More frequently grown for medicinal purpose is a relative Digitalis Lanata (наперстянка шерстиста), which comes from the Balkans. It is a warmth-loving plant and has a much higher content of the substances required. The quantity of such chemicals is directly dependent on the intensity of photosynthesis. Therefore, the effective substances are mostly in the leaves, and in the afternoon when the sun is at its hottest. At night, the chemicals are broken down and transferred to another part of the plant.

Digitalis folium is a biannual or perennial herb, which is very common in England and is naturalized in North America. The common wild form of the plant has a purple corolla about 4 сm long. The fruit is bilocular capsule which contains numerous seeds. Digitalis may be readily grown from seed. In the wild state it is usually found in semi-shady positions. It grows well in sandy soil provided that a certain amount of manganese is present, this element being apparently essential and always to be found in the ash. The chief constituents of the dried leaves and seeds are as follows:

Leaves: digitoxin 0.2 to 0.3 % gitoxin (bigitalin) and gitalin.

Seeds: digitalin (Digitalium verum), gitalin, digitonin (saponin), and gitonin.

Common foxglove has a long history as a medicinal herb. It was used in folk treatment in Ireland in the 5th century, in the rest of Europe from the 11th century, and it was introduced into orthodox medicine by William Withering around 1775.

Now digitalis preparations are mainly used for their action on cardiac muscle.

 

 

Exercise 4.Translate the words. Pay attention to the way they were built. Group the following words according to the parts of speech.

 

Structure, destructive, destruction, colour, colourless, grow, growth, ripe, unripe, ripen, hard, harden, poison, poisonous, painless, harmful, cultivate, cultivation, cultivated, toxic, intoxicate, intoxication, intoxicating, produce, production, productivity, stimulant, stimulation.

 

 

Exercise 5.Answer the questions to the text.

 

Can we use poisonous plants for curing? 2. From what part of foxglove is the healing drug obtained? 3. How is this plant decorated? 4. What are the colours of the foxglove flowers? 5. What is the quantity of chemicals in the plant dependent on? 6. What is the time of collecting foxglove? 7. What are the chief constituents of the leaves and flowers? 8. Is this plant cultivated in Ukraine? 9. What medicines on digitalis base can you name? 10. What other poisonous plants which grow in Ukraine do you know? Are they used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries?

 

 

Exercise 6.Insert the words from the brackets to fit each gap. Translate the sentences.

 

(healing, nerves, photosynthesis, poisons, remedy, drug, heart, leaves, overdose, medicinal)

 

1. Herbal … must be used with care. 2. The foxglove, a striking plant, provides a useful … 3. People discovered a splendid … in the handsome flowers of foxglove. 4. An … poisonous plants means death. 5. The quantity of chemicals depends on the intensity of … 6. Foxglove has a long history as a … herb. 7. Its toxic chemicals are effective in treating … and … 8. The … drug is obtained from the rosette of basal …

 

 

Exercise 7.Using the text translate the sentences into English.

 

1. Люди давно з’ясували, що деякі рослини отруйні. 2. Лікувальний препарат отримують з листя самої розетки, яке формується протягом першого року життя рослини. 3. Наперстянка проста не завжди має пурпуровий колір. 4. Це теплолюбна рослина. 5. Вночі хімічні речовини розпадаються і переходять в іншу частину рослини.

Exercise 8.Makeup a plan to the text. Using the plan retell the text in writing.

 

Шкала оцінювання

„3” 15 речень Не повністю розкриті всі пункти плану; структура твору нелогічна; не висловлена власна думка з теми твору.
„4” 20 речень Розкриті всі пункти плану, але допущені незначні помилки, які стосуються стилю та структури твору; подається власне бачення на проблему.
„5” 25 речень Повністю розкрито всі пункти плану; структура есе – логічна та продумана; висловлена власна думка щодо проблеми, яка розглядається.

Use this table when writing your compositions:

Додаткова ідея in addition; equally important; likewise; furthermore; moreover; besides; also; too; again; and then; in other words;
Протилежна ідея on the other hand; in contrast; at any rate; but; despite; although true; however; nevertheless; instead; still; nonetheless although; though; even though; whereas; while; on the contrary;
Порівняння in a like manner; in the same way; likewise; on the same hand; similarly;
Поступка after all; although true; and yet; at the same time; granted; naturally; perhaps; of course;
Вибір або альтернатива otherwise; if unless;
Пояснення in fact, indeed;
Приклад for example; for instance;
Час after a short time; after a while; afterward; at last; at length; lately; presently; recently; shortly; since then;
Послідовність + результат finally; first, eventually; gradually; last; next; secondly; thirdly; ultimately;
Результат accordingly; as a result; as a consequence therefore; consequently; hence; thus; so
Висновки in conclusion; in summary; in brief; in short; on the whole; to conclude; to summarize; undoubtedly;

 

Exercise 9. Read and translate the text. Write the annotation to the text.

 

 

THE MYSTERIOUS POWER OF MAGIC

 

Plants for making spells have always been shrouded in the mystery of magic. Faith in the magic power of some plants has always grown out of certain known facts, such as the shape of the root. From there it is only a short step to believing in the magical powers of plants to work charms.

The Thorn-apple (Datura stramonium) together with deadly nightshade (Bella donna) and Henbane belong to the egg plant family (Solanaceas), which contain remarkable chemicals. According to the way they are used, they are either deadly poisonous, magically narcotic (inducing sleepiness) or medicinal. They were essential ingredient of magical narcotic love poisons which were intended to arose the interest of a chosen partner. Another plant famous for its magical properties was mandragora. In western France a tried and sacred means for awakening love was Verbena, which is mentioned in the old Celtic-Brittany romantic poem about Tristan and Isolda.

Nature's magic, concealed in plants, chased away spirits, devils and witches. The Common tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) could even chase away vampires and werewolves. But much of the magical power attri­buted to plants was greatly exaggerated and was only sustained by superstition. One superstition claimed that girls growing hydrangeas on their window-sills would never marry.

However, large numbers of plants really are an invaluable aid to man as a source of vitamins and natural medicine. The plants themselves are magical aids, maintaining on earth.

 

 

ЗАВДАННЯ ДЛЯ ПОЗААУДИТОРНОЇ САМОСТІЙНОЇ РОБОТИ СТУДЕНТА

Module 5