The oldest forms of medicine are enjoying a comeback. Modern holistic medicine is an approach that treats the whole patient, not just the disease. It is a way to maintain good health rather than cure illness. The most important influences on today’s holistic medicine are ancient Chinese medicine and Indian Ayurvedic medicine, both of which promoted whole body health.
Holistic medicine usually combines diet, physical exercise and meditation, together with other alternative techniques such as massage(按摩) and acupuncture(针炙). Herbal treatment, a practice of treating illness by using plants, is influenced by the writings of Culpeper as well as Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. Homeopathy(顺势疗法) is one of the forms of holistic medicine which is widely practiced in Europe and the USA. Homeopathy began in Germany in the early 1800s, when Samuel Hahnemann described how very tiny doses(剂量) of a drug had an effect on his patients. According to Hahnemann, the more the drug was diluted(稀释), the stronger its effects. The substance selected would produce similar effects to the disease itself if given in large doses. In the UK homeopathy is regarded as a non-traditional but just about acceptable treatment.
Meditation and contemplation have an important role in holistic medicine. They were brought to Europe by Indian teachers who combined Indian Ayurvedic medicine with Western beliefs. Transcendental meditation(超脱静坐) is one of the best known of these techniques. People repeat words inside their head to reach a state of deep relaxation.
The holistic movement has made many doctors look at the whole patient, not just the disease. Life-style, emotional problems and diet are just some of the factors that can affect a person’s health. Holistic medicine emphasizes good diet, exercise and fresh air, all of which contribute to health. Some clinics now offer holistic medicine along with traditional treatments, so that their patients can choose a combination of treatments that suits them. One problem with holistic medicine is that it is difficult for people to be sure a doctor is reliable. To solve this, many countries want alternative doctors to form professional bodies.
41．Modern holistic medicine centres upon        .
A．curing a disease                                          B．herbal treatment
C．continuous development                          D．keeping patients healthy
42．Which of the following does NOT belong to holistic medicine?
A．massage                                                     B．meditation
C．a balanced diet                                       D．a knee operation
43．The principle of homeopathy is that        .
A．the large doses of medicine that will not be harmful will take better effect
B．the disease will be cured sooner by taking larger doses of medicine
C．a small thinner dose of medicine will be more effective
D．the doses of medicine depend on how serious the illness is
44．Which of the following titles best sums up the passage?
A．Holistic Medicine                                       B．Traditional Medicine Returns
C．History of Medicine                                D．Combination of Treatments Works
45．What can we infer from the passage?
A．Relaxation is the key of holistic treatment.
B．Holistic medicine needs to become more trustworthy.
C．Holistic treatment is more beneficial than traditional treatments.
D．Holistic medicine will become the most welcome treatment soon.