英语听力精选进阶版 6227（在线收听）

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 allergic reaction to pollen from trees, grass and other plants. When the pollens come into contact with the tissue inside the nose, they start an immune reaction that causes sneezing, itching and a runny nose.

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

Allergy 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 exacerbates it," he says. "And you've also got the hygiene 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 allergies 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 asthma than those living in a non-rural environment.

Perhaps the worst news for hay fever sufferers is that their ailment 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