英语课程计划-World Heart Day

World Heart Day was created by the World Heart Federation¹. Its aim is to inform people around the world that heart disease and stroke are the world’s leading causes of death. Over 17 million people die each year from these. Another main aim is to educate the world population that 80 per cent of deaths from heart disease are premature². Most people who suffer heart attacks and strokes could live longer if they changed their lifestyle. Fewer people would die from heart complaints if they were more aware of the main risks. These include smoking, eating an unhealthy diet and not exercising. Experts say heart disease will lose China’s economy around $558 billion between 2005 and 2015. Other countries will also lose billions.

The heart is a strong, muscular organ. Its job is to pump blood around our body. The heart contracts and expands in a non-stop rhythm to push our blood around a system of arteries³ and veins⁴. The average human heart works at 72 beats per minute. In an average lifetime, it will beat approximately 2.5 billion times. The average weight of a human heart is around 300g. It is the size of a clenched⁵ fist. Advances in heart surgery means people can have heart replacement⁶ operations. In less serious cases, doctors can fit the heart with plastic valves and pumps to help it beat. World Heart Day is a good time for all of us to think more about this vital organ and live a life that keeps our heart strong and healthy.

1 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

2 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

3 arteries   

n.动脉( artery的名词复数 )；干线，要道

参考例句：

• Even grafting new blood vessels in place of the diseased coronary arteries has been tried. 甚至移植新血管代替不健康的冠状动脉的方法都已经试过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This is the place where the three main arteries of West London traffic met. 这就是伦敦西部三条主要交通干线的交汇处。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 veins   

n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理

参考例句：

• The blood flows from the capillaries back into the veins. 血从毛细血管流回静脉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I felt a pleasant glow in all my veins from the wine. 喝过酒后我浑身的血都热烘烘的，感到很舒服。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 clenched   

v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He clenched his fists in anger. 他愤怒地攥紧了拳头。
• She clenched her hands in her lap to hide their trembling. 她攥紧双手放在腿上，以掩饰其颤抖。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。