英语听力精选进阶版 6227

A Fifth of Brits are Sufferers of Hay Fever 大约五分之一的英国人患花粉过敏症

The UK has been enjoying some lovely summer weather recently. Brits have been making the most of the sunny spell by flocking to the beach and having barbeques in their gardens.

But there is often an unwelcome accompaniment to the sounds of sizzling sausages on the barbeque and buzzing bees in the flowers. The clamour of sneezing and people blowing their noses makes an unpleasant soundtrack to Britain's best summer weather. What is going on?

It is hay fever, an allergic¹ reaction to pollen² from trees, grass and other plants. When the pollens³ come into contact with the tissue inside the nose, they start an immune reaction that causes sneezing, itching⁴ and a runny nose.

Between 15 and 20% of people in the UK are thought to be affected⁵ by hay fever, with the numbers being even higher among teenagers.

Allergy⁶ specialist Professor Stephen Durham has calculated that the number of sufferers has doubled over the last twenty years. What is causing the rise?

"There's some evidence that pollution exacerbates⁷ it," he says. "And you've also got the hygiene⁸ hypothesis - that our bodies aren't as strong because we aren't exposed to infections when we are small children that our systems rebel against."

There is interesting evidence from Austria to suggest that hay fever is related to living in an increasingly sanitised environment.

Researchers there found that young children in regular contact with farm animals are less likely to develop allergies⁹ later on. Children living on farms were found to be three times less sensitive to hay fever and nearly four times less likely to suffer from asthma¹⁰ than those living in a non-rural environment.

Perhaps the worst news for hay fever sufferers is that their ailment¹¹ can never be cured completely. So perhaps it's time we got used to a... a... a... achoo!

Glossary 词汇表

sunny spell 持续有阳光的天气 

flocking 成群结队 

accompaniment 伴随物 

sizzling 咝咝响的 

buzzing 嗡嗡响的 

clamour 喧闹 

blow one's nose 擤鼻子 

allergic 过敏的 

pollen 花粉 

tissue （人、动植物的）组织 

immune reaction 免疫反应 

itching 瘙痒的 

runny nose 流鼻涕 

exacerbate 加重、恶化 

hypothesis 假设 

be exposed to infections 与感染接触 

sanitised 清洁的 

asthma 哮喘 

non-rural 非农村的 

ailment 小疾病

1 allergic   

adj.过敏的，变态的

参考例句：

• Alice is allergic to the fur of cats.艾丽斯对猫的皮毛过敏。
• Many people are allergic to airborne pollutants such as pollen.许多人对空气传播的污染物过敏，比如花粉。

2 pollen   

n.[植]花粉

参考例句：

• Hummingbirds have discovered that nectar and pollen are very nutritious.蜂鸟发现花蜜和花粉是很有营养的。
• He developed an allergy to pollen.他对花粉过敏。

3 pollens   

n.花粉( pollen的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Brownian movement of pollens also shows the fractal characteristics. 花粉的布朗运动轨迹也具有分形特征。 来自互联网
• In contrast, C. sinensis var. sinensis and assamica couldn't be distinguished by the morphology of pollens. 至于不同地区的台湾山茶之间、或是茶与阿萨姆茶之间，皆无法以花粉形态来区分。 来自互联网

4 itching   

adj.贪得的，痒的，渴望的v.发痒( itch的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The itching was almost more than he could stand. 他痒得几乎忍不住了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• My nose is itching. 我的鼻子发痒。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

6 allergy   

n.(因食物、药物等而引起的)过敏症

参考例句：

• He developed an allergy to pollen.他对花粉过敏。
• The patient had an allergy to penicillin.该患者对青霉素过敏。

7 exacerbates   

n.使恶化，使加重( exacerbate的名词复数 )v.使恶化，使加重( exacerbate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Stripping the land in these ways allows faster surface runoff and exacerbates flooding. 这些做法终将使土地裸露、地表径流加快，从而加重了洪水的威胁。 来自辞典例句
• This policy exacerbates the gap between rich and poor. 这项政策加剧了贫富差距。 来自互联网

8 hygiene   

n.健康法，卫生学 （a.hygienic）

参考例句：

• Their course of study includes elementary hygiene and medical theory.他们的课程包括基础卫生学和医疗知识。
• He's going to give us a lecture on public hygiene.他要给我们作关于公共卫生方面的报告。

9 allergies   

n.[医]过敏症；[口]厌恶，反感；（对食物、花粉、虫咬等的）过敏症( allergy的名词复数 )；变态反应，变应性

参考例句：

• Food allergies can result in an enormous variety of different symptoms. 食物过敏会引发很多不同的症状。 来自辞典例句
• Let us, however, examine one of the most common allergies; hayfever. 现在让我们来看看最常见的变态反应的一种--枯草热。 来自辞典例句

10 asthma   

n.气喘病，哮喘病

参考例句：

• I think he's having an asthma attack.我想他现在是哮喘病发作了。
• Its presence in allergic asthma is well known.它在过敏性气喘中的存在是大家很熟悉的。

11 ailment   

n.疾病，小病

参考例句：

• I don't have even the slightest ailment.我什么毛病也没有。
• He got timely treatment for his ailment.他的病得到了及时治疗。