英语课程计划-World Tuberculosis Day

World Tuberculosis¹ Day falls on March 24th each year. It is sponsored by the World Health Organisation². Its aim is to raise global awareness³ that tuberculosis is still an epidemic⁴ in many parts of the world. Many people in rich countries believe the disease has largely been wiped out. This is untrue. Tuberculosis (TB) kills over 1.6 million people each year. Almost all deaths are in the world’s poorest nations. March 24th is the day when Dr. Robert Koch made the discovery of the cause of tuberculosis in 1882. He identified the TB bacillus. In the late nineteenth century, TB was a major killer⁵, responsible for the deaths of 15 per cent of the populations of America and Europe. Dr. Koch's discovery helped find a cure for TB.

Tuberculosis is a disease that is spread through the air. It is preventable and curable, if people can get access to the right medicine. In rich countries, babies have injections to give them lifelong protection from TB. Babies in poorer countries are not as lucky. Over 1.5 million people died from TB in 2006. People who catch the disease have the TB bacillus in their lungs. They spread the disease when they cough, making it highly contagious⁶. The symptoms of tuberculosis are a terrible cough, fever, night sweats, and weight loss. The disease can also seriously affect other body organs. The WHO is working to halve⁷ the number of TB deaths by 2015.

1 tuberculosis   

n.结核病，肺结核

参考例句：

• People used to go to special health spring to recover from tuberculosis.人们常去温泉疗养胜地治疗肺结核。
• Tuberculosis is a curable disease.肺结核是一种可治愈的病。

2 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

3 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

4 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

5 killer   

n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者

参考例句：

• Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
• The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。

6 contagious   

adj.传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。
• He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。

7 halve   

vt.分成两半，平分；减少到一半

参考例句：

• Let's halve the project between our two teams.让我们两个队平均分担这项工程吧。
• I'll halve expenses with you.我要跟你平均分摊费用。