Tingroom Radio—流感--传播增速和人类的抗体

 Times when diseases² spread throughout the world are called pandemics. The W-H-O says the next flu pandemic is likely to kill as many as six-hundred-fifty-thousand people in industrial countries. The greatest effect will likely be in developing countries. Health care resources in those countries are limited, and populations are weakened³ by poor health and diet. Eighty years ago, the flu virus took months to spread around the world. Today, airplane travel means a virus can spread around the world within days. Experts say another virus like the one that appeared in nineteen-eighteen could be as dangerous as any disease¹ ever known. Medical experts have identified three major kinds of flu. They call them type A, B and C. People may get it and not even know it. But researchers study the other two kinds very closely⁴. Viruses change to survive. This can make it difficult for the body to recognize and fight an infection. A person who has suffered one kind of flu usually cannot develop that same kind again. The defense⁵ system produces antibodies. These substances stay in the blood and destroy the virus if it appears again. But the body may not recognize a flu virus that has even a small change.

1 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

2 diseases   

n.疾病( disease的名词复数 )；弊端；恶疾；痼疾

参考例句：

• Smoking is a causative factor in several major diseases. 抽烟是引起几种严重疾病的病因。
• The illness frequently coexists with other chronic diseases. 这种病往往与其他慢性病同时存在。

3 weakened   

adj.虚弱的v.（使）削弱， （使）变弱( weaken的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The team has been weakened by injury. 这个队因伤实力减弱。
• In his weakened condition, he is very susceptible to cold. 他身体很弱，因此很容易患感冒。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 closely   

adv.紧密地；严密地，密切地

参考例句：

• We shall follow closely the development of the situation.我们将密切注意形势的发展。
• The two companies are closely tied up with each other.这两家公司之间有密切联系。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。