Five thousand years ago, people thought that illnesses were the result of evil living in human bodies. They also believed that gods and superior spirits were punishing people through diseases. The practice of magic and witchcraft (巫术) was popular among many tribes, and charms (符咒) and images of gods to drive away the evil spirits were often used.
People also started using herbal(草药的) medicine and by trial and error (反复试验，不断摸索) learned how to cure stomachaches and fevers. They had a witch doctor in the community. He would treat people with simple herbal medicine and magic. Early medicine was practiced the way north tribal Indians did hundreds of years ago and the way some tribes practice it today.
The ancient Chinese believed that the body was ruled by two forces, which they called “yin” and “yang”. The body would become ill if one force overcame the other and the balance between them was changed. Acupuncture (针刺疗法) was the way to bring back the balance between the two.
Also sand painting was an important part of Navaho medicine. The medicine man paints loosely upon the floor of an earth-covered house, where the ceremony takes place, or on a buckskin (鹿皮) or a piece of cloth, by letting the colored sands flow through his fingers with control and skill.
Ancient Mesopotamians believed that diseases come either from an evil spirit or a physical problem, such as worms. The doctor would decide from which source the illness has come from and send the patient either to a herbalist or to a witch doctor.
Egyptians had a very advanced medicine. They would sometimes rely on the god’s power to receive healing, but they also treated illnesses and operated on minor health problems like snake bites. They sucked the blood from the wound and bound the affected limb to stop the poison from spreading.
66. The practice of magic and witchcraft was popular in ancient times because ________ .
A. people could avoid being punished by gods and superior spirits by doing this.
B. people thought they could avoid getting diseases in this way.
C. people believed the evil spirits could be driven away in this way.
D. people often got diseases and this way was very effective.
67. How many places are mentioned where early medicine existed in the passage?
A. Three. B. Four. C. Five. D. Six.
68. From Paragraph 2 we can learn that ________.
A. people can cure lots of diseases by combining herbal medicine and magic.
B. herbal medicine is so effective that it can cure all kinds of diseases.
C. witch doctors treated people only with herbal medicine.
D. people tried lots of times to cure illnesses with herbal medicine.
69. Ancient Chinese people believed that ________.
A. diseases were the result of evil living in human bodies.
B. people would fall ill if the balance in human bodies was disturbed.
C. a medicine man could cure people’s diseases by sand painting.
D. diseases not only came from evil spirits but also were physical problems
70. The passage mainly tells us ________.
A. why ancient people became ill.
B. about the most advanced medicine in ancient times.
C. about the development of herbal medicine.
D. how ancient people cured their diseases.
