Have you ever visited the doctor with an earache or a sore throat? Chances are, you (1) ... antibiotics to treat the problem. Alexander Fleming (2) ... across the first antibiotic, penicillin, by accident in 1928. The medicine was then developed and became widely available in the 1940s. It (3) ... against anything from blood poisoning to tonsillitis. In fact, since then, antibiotics (4) ... so easy to obtain that they are being overused. They are really for treating serious bacterial infections. Some people believe that antibiotics can be used to cure the common cold or flu but, as these are both viruses, antibiotics (5) ... no effect on them whatsoever. The overuse of antibiotics (6) ... infections known as superbugs to develop. These superbugs are too tough {устой­чи­вый) for antibiotics to fight and may be a big problem for future generations. So what can we do? Well, only take antibiotics when necessary and, if your doctor (7) ... them to you, be sure to follow the instructions and finish the course.