Text A        Amazing Wormwood

1. Wormwood, a perennial herb or shrub of the genus Artemisia of the family Asteraceae, produces a strong fragrance.

2.  Wormwood is renowned for its high medicinal value. It may warm meridians, remove moisture, dispel cold, stop bleeding, diminish inflammation, relieve asthma, suppress coughing, prevent miscarriage, and guard against allergy. Its leaves can be dried and mashed into "moxa" for making moxa sticks or "inkpad". The whole plant can be used to kill insects, or to fumigate rooms, and in its powdered form can be used as a natural vegetable dye.

3. Concerning the origin of wormwood's name, it is said that there was a famous doctor named Xiao Ai serving King Wu more than 3,000 years ago. One day, when Xiao Ai went to treat a critically ill soldier in spite of diarrhea that he had been suffering for many days, he accidentally tripped over a mosquito-repellent weed fire and was extensively burnt. However, after having examined the soldier, he found that his wounds were healed. Thus he decided to treat soldiers’wounds with the burning weeds, and unexpectedly the soldiers’ conditions improved. King Wu highly praised Xiao Ai, but Xiao Ai did not dare to take the credit, saying “it’s the weed that works.” King Wu thus declared to the whole army: “Weeds usually have no name, but from this day on, this weed will be named Xiaoai or mugwort.”

4. Wormwood culture enjoys a long history. Chinese people believe that wormwood can exorcise evil spirits and bring good fortune, and they have made it a tradition to hang wormwood on the door during the Dragon Boat Festival.

5. In recent years, based on local conditions, some villages in Henan Province has pushed forward with the industrial development of wormwood by transferring land, introducing wormwood seeds, purchasing agricultural machinery, deepening processing, and extending the wormwood supply network.

6. Thanks to wormwood, these villages shakes off poverty and embarks on a "green" road to get rich, and add another specialty.

参考译文

艾草，菊科蒿属植物，多年生草本或略呈半灌木状，植株有浓烈香气。

全草入药，有温经、去湿、散寒、止血、消炎、平喘、止咳、安胎、抗过敏等作用。艾叶晒干捣碎得“艾绒”，制艾条供艾灸用，又可作“印泥”的原料。此外全草可作杀虫的农药，或是薰烟作房间消毒杀菌药。艾草晒干粉碎成艾蒿粉，还能当天然植物染料使用。

关于艾草的由来，还有一段传说。相传，3000多年前武王身边有一位名医叫萧艾。有一天，泻痢多日的萧艾为了医治病情危急的将士带病出诊，却不小心被驱蚊的野草火堆绊了一跤，身体多处被火烧伤。当他给将士看完病时，意外地发现自己的病痛痊愈了。于是他突发奇想，用这野草点火烧灼病患的伤口，将士们的病情果然都好转了。武王大赞萧艾，萧艾不敢居功，答道：“此乃野草之功。”武王宣告全军：“野草本无名，从今以萧艾、艾蒿之名命之。”

艾文化由来已久，中国民间认为艾草有辟邪、招福的作用。端午节，挂艾草于门上，相沿成习，此风俗流传至今。

 近年来，河南一些村镇因地制宜，走上艾草产业发展之路，流转土地、引进艾种、购买农机、深化加工，延伸艾草产业链。

  小“艾”汇成大爱，艾香洒满中原。艾草不仅让这些村走上了“绿色”脱贫致富路，也成了当地又一大特产。

Pre-listening:

rodent /ˈrəʊdnt/ n.啮齿动物

repellent /rɪˈpelənt/ n.驱虫剂

dispel /dɪˈspel/ vt. 消除，驱散

phlegm /flem/ n. 痰；镇定，冷静

Words and Expressions:

perennial /pəˈreniəl/ n. 多年生植物   

miscarriage/ˈmɪskærɪdʒ / n.流产，失败，误送

Artemisia /ˌɑːtɪˈmɪzɪə/ n.艾，艾属    

moxa /ˈmɒksə / n.艾；灸料；灼烙剂

Asteraceae /ˈæstəˌreisii/ n.菊科       

inkpad /ˈɪŋkˌpæd / n.印泥；

meridian /məˈrɪdɪən / n.经络腧穴   

fumigate /ˈfjuːmɪɡeɪt / vt.熏制；香薰；用烟熏

moisture /ˈmɔɪstʃə(r) / n. 潮气，水分  

diarrhea /ˌdaɪəˈrɪə / n. 腹泻

inflamation /ˌɪnfləˈmeɪʃ(ə)n / n. 发炎，炎症

mosquito-repellent n. 驱蚊

exorcise /ˈeksɔːsaɪz / vt. 驱邪，除怪

thanks to  幸亏，由于，归功于

be renowned for  因......而著名;因某种特点、技能或成就而广为人知

shake off  摆脱; 从某种束缚、困境或不良状态中解脱出来

trip over  绊倒，摔倒

embark on 从事，着手，开始

take the credit  抢功劳

be based on  根据，基于，以...为基础

push forward with 推进