4C Natural medicines

Reading: guessing meaning from context

"Read the article quickly. Complete the sentence . Choose a), b) or c).

The wri t er t ried th e sand cure ...

a) beca u se he had h ealth probl em s.

b) bm didn't enj oy th e experien ce.

c) an d t h ough t i t was a posi t ive experien ce.

a) Look at the words in hold in t he article. Are they nou ns , verbs or adjectives?

t ri be

ga ining
allevia t es

4 ba cks up

5 pea k

scorching
crun ch i n g
measly

noun

The Sahara Dese1t is one of the driest regions on eaith. Very little grows in temperatures that can reach 57"C. So what could be healt hy about this place? According to the Saharawi, a tribe who live in the desert in the Western Sahara, it has more than enough of what is needed: heat and sand*.

The Saharawi have been using the sand cure* for hw1dreds of years. And recently this t reatment has been gainin g popularity with tonrists. My guide explained the technique: "We make a big hole, cover ourselves i n lotion*, get in the hole and stay

b) Choose the correct meani ngs of the words in 2a).

^t^rⁱ^be_a)b) group of an imals

^gaiⁿⁱⁿ^g^a)increasi n g b) decreasin g
^a^llevia^t^es^a)doesn't h elp b) h el ps

⁴^back^s^u^p^a)support s b) doesn't su pport

^p^eak^a)lowest po i n t ^b)highest poi n t
^sc^or^c^hing^a)very hot b) very cold
^c^runc^h^ing^a)ch ewi ng b) d rin kin g
e
^m^eas^l^ya) very la rge b) very small

Read the article again. Arc t hese sentences t me (T), false (F) or the article doesn't say (DS)?

[£] The sand cure is a m odern namral cure.

2 DTh e sa nd cure is onl y prac t ised i n the Saharan desert .

D Tourist s have been trying t h e sand cure.
D Th e sand cure can hel p wi t h stomach problem s.

s DLocal doctors don't think t h e sand cure is usefu l.

6 DTh e writ er t ried th e sand cure bec ause h e had h ad

too much t ea .

7 DIt's good to try t h e sand cure on w i nd y days.

s D Th e writ er spent less t i me i n the san d t h a n t h e

in the sun for a few hours."

The Saharawi believe the cure alleviates skin and back problems. And a local doctor backs up their claims. Dr Coulon has been a doctor in Morocco for more than 30 years and has tried the sand cure herself. "It's very good for your bones, muscles and circulation," she says.

So, after several cups of mint tea, Iagreed to try the cure myself. At midday the heat is at its peak and you can hardly walk on the scorching sand. Istmted wishing for a cooling wind. Bad idea. The experience of being buried in sand is not unpleasant - it's a bit like a hot, dry bath. But the experience of crunching on sand in your mouth is not pleasant at all.

After 20 minutes I was so relaxed I felt I could stay there for ever. The desert is so quiet. But ten minutes lat.er, my guides starting helping me out. I had spent a meas y half an hour in the sane!. The Saharawis spend two hours. My conclusions? Well ,

Ice1tainly felt more relaxed and very clean -when I'd got all the sand out of my ears, nose and mouth , of course.

*sand = som eth i ng found on beaches and in deserts