【英语】2020届人教版高考英语必修4练习：Unit2Workingtheland 8页

必修4　Unit 2 Working the land Ⅰ.阅读理解 A The health of millions could be at risk because supplies of medicinal plants are being used up. These plants are used to make traditional medicine, including drugs to fight cancer. “The loss of medicinal plants is a quiet disaster,” says Sara Oldfield, Secretary General of the NGO Botanic Gardens Conservation International.‎ Most people worldwide rely on herbal (药草制的) medicines which are got mostly from wild plants. But some 15,000 of the 50,000 medicinal species are under threat of dying out, according to the report from the international conservation group Plantlife. Shortages have been reported in China, India, Kenya, Nepal, Tanzania and Uganda.‎ ‎“Over-harvesting does the most harm, though pollution and competition from invasive species (入侵物种) and habitat destruction all contribute. Businessmen generally harvest medicinal plants, not caring about sustainability (可持续性),” the Plantlife report says. “Damage is serious partly because they have no idea about it, but it is mainly because such collection is unorganized.” Medicinal trees at risk include the Himalayan yew (紫杉) and the African cherry, which are used to treat some cancers.‎ The solution, says the report