英语听力精选进阶版 14412

Middle East virus possibly spread by camels

Summary

12 May 2014

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Saudi Arabia has issued its strongest warning so far over the possible connection between camels and a virus that has killed more than one hundred people in the country. The virus, known as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome¹, has infected nearly five hundred people in Saudi Arabia.

Reporter:

Sebastian Usher²

Report

Saudis who handle camels have been told to wear protective clothing - masks and gloves. In a statement, the Ministry³ of Agriculture advised people to avoid contact with the animals if they can and to drink only boiled camel milk. 

The Ministry is responding to increasing concern from health experts that camels are the likeliest carriers of the SARS-like virus, MERS, which has spread across much of the Middle East, but is at its most virulent⁴ in Saudi Arabia.

The camel remains⁵ a key part of traditional Saudi life. Some farmers have scoffed⁶ at the warnings, with one posting a video of himself hugging and kissing his camels, asking one to sneeze into his face.

1 syndrome   

n.综合病症；并存特性

参考例句：

• The Institute says that an unidentified virus is to blame for the syndrome. 该研究所表示,引起这种综合症的是一种尚未确认的病毒。
• Results indicated that 11 fetuses had Down syndrome. 结果表明有11个胎儿患有唐氏综合征。

2 usher   

n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员

参考例句：

• The usher seated us in the front row.引座员让我们在前排就座。
• They were quickly ushered away.他们被迅速领开。

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

4 virulent   

adj.有毒的，有恶意的，充满敌意的

参考例句：

• She is very virulent about her former employer.她对她过去的老板恨之入骨。
• I stood up for her despite the virulent criticism.尽管她遭到恶毒的批评，我还是维护她。

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

6 scoffed   

嘲笑，嘲弄( scoff的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He scoffed at our amateurish attempts. 他对我们不在行的尝试嗤之以鼻。
• A hundred years ago people scoffed at the idea. 一百年前人们曾嘲笑过这种想法。