“I am not crazy,” says Dr. William Farber, shortly after performing acupuncture (针灸) on a rabbit. “I am ahead of my time.” If he seems a little defensive, it might be because even some of his coworkers occasionally laugh at his unusual methods. But Farber is certain he’ll have the last laugh. He’s one of a small but growing number of American veterinarians ( 兽 医 ) now practicing “holistic” medicine-combining traditional Western treatments with acupuncture, chiropractic (按摩疗法) and herbal medicine.
“我并不疯狂”，在给一只兔子进行针灸后，威廉·法尔伯博士说道，“我只是领先于我的时代。”如果他显得有些防御性，那可能是因为即使是他的同事们偶尔也会嘲笑他那些不寻常的方法。但法尔伯却确信自己最终会笑到最后。他是少数几位美国兽医中的一员，现在正实践“整体”医学——将传统的西方治疗方法与针灸、按摩疗法和草药结合起来。
Farber, a graduate of Colorado State University, started out as a more conventional veterinarian. He became interested in alternative treatments 20 years ago when he suffered from terrible back pain. He tried muscle-relaxing drugs but found little relief. Then he tried acupuncture, an ancient Chinese practice, and was amazed that he improved after two or three treatments. What worked on a veterinarian seemed likely to work on his patients. So, after studying the techniques for a couple of years, he began offering them to pets.
法尔伯是科罗拉多州立大学的毕业生，最初是一名比较传统的兽医。20年前，当他遭受严重背痛时，他开始对替代疗法产生兴趣。他尝试了肌肉放松药物，但效果甚微。后来他尝试了针灸这一古老的中国疗法，令他惊讶的是，经过两三次治疗后他明显好转。既然这种方法对兽医有效，他认为对他的患者也可能有用。因此，经过几年的学习，他开始为宠物提供这些治疗方法。
Leigh Tindale’s dog Charlie had a serious heart condition. After Charlie had a heart attack, Tindale says, she was prepared to put him to sleep, but Farber’s treatments eased her dog’s suffering so much that she was able to keep him alive for an additional five months. And Priscilla Dewing reports that her horse, Nappy, “moves more easily and rides more comfortably” after a chiropractic adjustment.
雷·廷达尔的狗查理患有严重的心脏病。廷达尔说，在查理发生心脏病后，她曾考虑让他安乐死，但法尔伯的治疗显著减轻了狗狗的痛苦，使他得以额外多活了五个月。普里斯拉·德维报道说，她的马儿纳皮在接受按摩疗法调整后，“动作更为轻松，骑乘更为舒适”。
Farber is certain that the holistic approach will grow more popular with time, and if the past is any indication, he may be right: Since 1982, membership in the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association has grown from 30 to over 700. “Sometimes it surprises me that it works so well,” he says. “I will do anything to help an animal. That’s my job.”
法尔伯确信，随着时间的推移，整体疗法将变得越来越受欢迎。从过去的经验来看，他可能是对的：自1982年以来，美国整体兽医医学协会的会员人数从30人增长到超过700人。“有时候它如此有效会让我感到惊讶”，他说，“我会竭尽全力帮助动物，那是我的工作。”
24.What do some of Farber’s coworkers think of him?
法尔伯的同事们如何看待他？
A. He’s odd. 他很怪诞。
B. He’s strict. 他很严肃。
C. He’s brave. 他很勇敢。
D. He’s rude. 他很粗鲁。
25. Why did Farber decide to try acupuncture on pets?
为什么法尔伯决定对宠物尝试针灸疗法？
A. He was trained in it at university. 他在大学接受了训练。
B. He was inspired by another veterinarian. 他受到其他兽医的启发。
C. He benefited from it as a patient. 他曾作为病人从针灸疗法获益。
D. He wanted to save money for pet owners. 他想为宠物主人省钱。
26. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?
第三段的主要内容是什么？
A. Steps of a chiropractic treatment. 按摩疗法的步骤。
B. The complexity of veterinarians’ work. 兽医工作的复杂性。
C. Examples of rare animal diseases. 稀有的动物疾病的案例。
D. The effectiveness of holistic medicine. 整体疗法的效果。
27.Why does the author mention the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association?
作者为什么提及美国整体兽医学会？
A. To prove Farber’s point.为了证明法尔伯的观点。
B. To emphasize its importance. 为了强调它的重要性。
C. To praise veterinarians. 为了赞扬兽医们。
D. To advocate animal protection. 为了提倡动物保护。
答案：24.A 25.C 26.D 27.A
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