ESL Podcast 222 – Alternative Medicine

I have been suffering from back pain for years. I’ve tried several treatments prescribed by my doctor, but nothing has had a lasting¹ effect. I finally decided² to try alternative medicine.

My friend, Amelia, swore by acupuncture³. She said that her knee pain went away after only a few weeks of therapy. She was skeptical⁴ when she first started, but she knew after only a few sessions that it was working for her and that this was no New Age nonsense. She thought it might work for me, too.

My co-worker, Ray, suggested that I try some homeopathic treatments. He said that taking herbal supplements that are all natural has helped him recover after getting injured on the job a couple of months ago. He took these as complementary to the traditional medication his doctor gave him. He said that even though the herbs he takes haven’t undergone clinical trials, his own experience told him that they work.

I’m a little nervous about trying these unorthodox treatments, but after hearing about Amelia’s and Ray’s experiences, I’m willing to give them a try. Nothing has worked so far, so what do I have to lose?


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 acupuncture   

n.针灸，针刺法，针疗法

参考例句：

• Written records show that acupuncture dates back to the Song Dynasty.文字记载表明，宋朝就已经有了针灸。
• It's known that acupuncture originated in China.众所周知，针灸起源于中国。

4 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。