英语听力：自然百科 墨西哥的巫师镇

 In the coastal¹ Mexican city of Catemaco, indigenous² traditions have mixed with Catholicism to create a unique brand of spirituality that sometimes puts spells ahead of crucifixes. People patronize brujos, or witches, like Julia Garcia to remedy physical or emotional pain. 

"I cure many spiritual even physical things. If you have a cold, I can take care of it. If you have a bad hip³, I bandage it."

This young lady suffers from headaches and Julia treats her by performing a cleansing⁴ ceremony, or limpia. In the tradition of ancient folk curers, she may also prescribe special teas or potions that contain medicinal herbs like garlic, eucalyptus⁵ and rosemary. The methods employed are all white magic for good things. S. D. is an expert on Mexican culture who sees magic as integral to the social fabric⁶.

"Now magical thinking is a unique human feature and magical practices are probably as old as mankind itself. They always relate to basic human questions concerned about a person’s well-being⁷, physical and spiritual well-being of course, as well as a trice, awareness⁸ of his own finiteness."

But there’s more to the story of brujería than Julia is healing with white magic. When settling a score or getting back at someone, we may need to harness the power of the dark side: black magic.

"Satan, emperor of the infernal stars, Astaroth, Beelzebub, infernal spirits, at this moment, I ask for your presence and intervention⁹. Depending on the work to be done, one or another magic is used. If there is a sentimental¹⁰ problem, then red magic is used; if there is a problem with the neighbor, black magic is more likely to be used; to get rid of someone who is causing harm, we definitely use black magic."

In black magic, the ritual climax¹¹ usually involves a sacrifice.

"In order to complete the work the client asks for, at that moment, an offering of blood must be made. At that moment, all beings, up to the highest authority, are present. We can’t see them, but we can feel it in the body, the healer and the patient alike."

To outsiders, the work of Catemaco’s brujos, may seem like superstitious¹² nonsense. But as long as members of the community continue to find benefit in the age-old tradition, the brujos will practice their white and black magic.

1 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

2 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

3 hip   

n.臀部，髋；屋脊

参考例句：

• The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line.新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

4 cleansing   

n. 净化(垃圾) adj. 清洁用的 动词cleanse的现在分词

参考例句：

• medicated cleansing pads for sensitive skin 敏感皮肤药物清洗棉
• Soap is not the only cleansing agent. 肥皂并不是唯一的清洁剂。

5 eucalyptus   

n.桉树，桉属植物

参考例句：

• Eucalyptus oil is good for easing muscular aches and pains.桉树油可以很好地缓解肌肉的疼痛。
• The birds rustled in the eucalyptus trees.鸟在桉树弄出沙沙的响声。

6 fabric   

n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织

参考例句：

• The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。
• I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

7 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

8 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

9 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

10 sentimental   

adj.多愁善感的，感伤的

参考例句：

• She's a sentimental woman who believes marriage comes by destiny.她是多愁善感的人，她相信姻缘命中注定。
• We were deeply touched by the sentimental movie.我们深深被那感伤的电影所感动。

11 climax   

n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点

参考例句：

• The fifth scene was the climax of the play.第五场是全剧的高潮。
• His quarrel with his father brought matters to a climax.他与他父亲的争吵使得事态发展到了顶点。

12 superstitious   

adj.迷信的

参考例句：

• They aim to deliver the people who are in bondage to superstitious belief.他们的目的在于解脱那些受迷信束缚的人。
• These superstitious practices should be abolished as soon as possible.这些迷信做法应尽早取消。