Interesting facts.

The 16th-century French diplomat Jean Nicot being in Portugal saw a miraculous plant imported from America and brought tobacco leaves to France to treat Catherine de Medici for her migraines. Nicot believed that the plant could cure cancer, headaches and many other diseases. But time showed that he was absolutely wrong. We owe Nicot the word “nicotine”.

Task 1. Learn the following words by heart:

medicinal plants	[mə'dɪs(ə)n(ə)l] [plɑːnts]	лекарственные растения
herbal remedies	['hɜːb(ə)l] ['remədɪz]	лекарство растительного происхождения
primary health care	['praɪm(ə)rɪ] [helθ] [kɛə]	первичный уход (помощь) за здоровьем
to distinguish and name the kinds of plants	[dɪ'stɪŋgwɪʃ] [neɪm] [kaɪndz] [plɑːnts]	различать и называть виды растений
chemical compounds	['kemɪk(ə)l] ['kɔmpaundz]	химические соединения
essential	[ɪ'sen(t)ʃ(ə)l]	существенный, важный
maintenance	['meɪnt(ə)nəns]	поддержка
secondary metabolites	['sek(ə)nd(ə)rɪ] [mə'tæbəlaɪts]	вторичные метаболиты
estimate	['estɪmeɪt]	определять, устанавливать, оценивать
defence mechanism	[dɪ'fens] ['mekənɪz(ə)m]	механизм защиты
to deter predation	[dɪ'tɜː][pri'deɪʃən]	зд. отпугивать вредителей
pollination	[pɔlə'neɪʃ(ə)n]	опыление
to yield medicinal compound s	[ji:ld] [mə'dɪs(ə)n(ə)l] ['kɔmpaundz]	давать(производить) лекарственные соединения
herbs and spices	[hɜːbz] [spaɪs əz]	травы и специи
species	['spi:ʃi:z]	1.вид, 2.род (ед. и мн.число без изменений)
purgative action	['pɜːgətɪv] ['ækʃ(ə)n]	слабительное действие
mucilage	['mju:sɪlɪʤ]	растительная слизь

Task 2. Find the words and word-combinations in the text, reproduce the context they are used in and translate into Russian:

1. medicinal plants

2. the collection and use

3. all kinds of drugs

4. the father of medicine

5. the word drug comes from

6. means “dried plant”

7. currently available

8. herbal remedies

9. WHO

10. pharmaceuticals

Task 3. Answer the questions:

1. When did the collection and use of medicinal plants begin?

2. What does the word drug come from and what does it mean?

3. Do herbal remedies have a long history of use?

4. What part of the world’s population uses herbal medicine for primary health care?

5. What do all plants produce?

6. What substances do many plants synthesize?

7. What useful synthesized substances can we name?

8. How many secondary metabolites have been isolated?

9. What role do alkaloids play?

10. What do herbs and spices used by humans yield?

11. The functions of secondary metabolites are varied, aren’t they?

12. Are drug plants cultivated and collected today?

13. What are some drugs made from?

14. What is rhubarb used for? What part of the plant is used for medicinal purpose?

15. Althaea is used as a sedative and what forms is it used in?