VOA慢速英语2012 SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Deadly Shark Bites Increase in Waters Near Western Australia

 

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Deadly Shark Bites Increase in Waters Near Western Australia

JUNE SIMMS: This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English. I’m June Simms.

FAITH LAPIDUS: And I’m Faith Lapidus. Today, we tell about deadly shark attacks near Australia’s west coast. We tell what happens when animals make people sick. We also have a new health warning about diesel¹ fuel, and tell how dry weather is affecting America’s longest River.

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JUNE SIMMS: A deadly shark attack along the coast of Western Australia could affect the future of sharks in the area. A great white shark recently killed a twenty-four-year-old man near the island of Wedge. Ben Linden of Perth was on his surfboard about four kilometers from the island when he was bitten.

Wedge is a popular place for family holidays. Witnesses described the attacking animal as huge. The great white shark is about one and one half meters long at birth, but can grow to three times that size.

The recent attack marked the fifth death by shark bite in Western Australian waters during the past ten months. Officials say there is normally one deadly attack in Australian waters every year. 

FAITH LAPIDUS: The increase in deadly attacks has caused officials to question whether sharks should continue to be protected from fishers and others. Sharks were declared protected in the nineteen nineties because their numbers had decreased. It was feared that the fish species might disappear forever.

But some people now say they believe protection has caused the number of great white sharks to increase. Australian Fisheries Minister Norman Moore questioned whether the animals should still be protected.

Wildlife experts say the number of great white sharks cannot be known, but that they are rare. They say the increase in attacks has resulted from more people taking part in water sports now than in the past.

JUNE SIMMS: The Humane² Society International noted³ a possible connection between increased shark attacks and the export of sheep from Fremantle, Australia.

The Society’s Alexia Wellbelove says that every year, thousands of dead sheep are thrown off ships as they leave for ports in the Middle East. She said the remains⁴ may appeal to sharks over a wide distance and increase shark attacks on people.

The society also noted comments by Peter Kerkenezov, a noted diver and animal health expert. He says sharks can probably identify individual livestock⁵ ships whether or not they are carrying animals. 

FAITH LAPIDUS: The Humane Society International has written to West Australian State and Australian federal officials to urge an investigation⁶ of possible links.

But Alison Penfold of the Australian Livestock Export Council says the society’s claims are totally wrong. She notes that the Australian Maritime⁷ Safety Authority bans the release of animals within twenty nautical⁸ sea miles of the nearest land. And, she says death rates on livestock ships are low. 

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JUNE SIMMS: Researchers estimate that more than two billion people a year get diseases spread by animals. More than two million of them die.

Delia Grace is a veterinary epidemiologist -- an expert in the spread of diseases involving animals. She is also a food safety expert. She works at the International Livestock Research Institute in Nairobi, Kenya. She explains that diseases transmitted between animals and people are called zoonoses.

DELIA GRACE: "A majority of human diseases are actually zoonotic. More than sixty percent of human diseases are transmitted from other vertebrate animals. Some of these diseases are pretty common. Some of the food-borne diseases and also diseases such as tuberculosis⁹, leptospirosis are not uncommon¹⁰. Others are quite rare."

FAITH LAPIDUS: Delia Grace says there are many different infection pathways for a person. Probably the most common one is for people to get sick from food. Other transmission pathways include direct contact with animals. And some diseases can be transmitted through water or through the air.

DELIA GRACE: "Diseases like avian influenza¹¹ or mad cow disease have actually killed very few people. But they are of interest because some of them have the potential to kill a lot of people -- diseases like the Spanish flu after the First World War or HIV/AIDS, both of which were originally zoonoses." 

Delia Grace is the lead writer of a new report called "Mapping of Poverty and Likely Zoonoses Hotspots." She points out that poverty and disease are closely linked, so preventing the transmission of animal diseases could help reduce poverty.

The report was prepared for Britain's Department for International Development. The report lists places where the diseases are most common. It identifies places where a disease has existed for a long time, a so-called endemic zoonosis, as well as places with new threats.

DELIA GRACE: "So in terms of the hotspots of the zoonoses which are there all the time -- not the new zoonoses, but what we call the endemic zoonoses -- we identified three countries which bear the greatest burden of these diseases. And those are India, Ethiopia and Nigeria. But in terms of the new diseases -- the diseases which haven't been there, but are emerging -- the hotspots are very different. They appear to be western United States and western Europe."

JUNE SIMMS: Delia Grace says things could get worse in the future as meat production increases to feed a growing world population. High production farms often raise animals close together. Crowding can allow diseases to spread quickly. Another concern is the use of antibiotics¹² in food animals, not only to prevent and treat diseases but to increase growth.

The report says an "incentive-based" system to encourage safer methods of raising animals could be more effective than increasing food inspections¹³. For example, small farmers could receive training and other help that would lead to official certification that their products are safe.

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FAITH LAPIDUS: The World Health Organization recently reported that diesel fuel exhaust causes cancer. Since nineteen eighty-eight, the WHO had rated exhaust from diesel engines as "probably carcinogenic" to humans. Now, it compares the risk to that of secondhand cigarette smoke.

The WHO announcement came after experts examined new research findings. Those included a long-term study of more than twelve thousand miners who were heavily exposed to diesel exhaust.

The diesel industry noted that the mining study lacked detailed¹⁴ information on exposure levels during its early years. Also, diesel engine makers¹⁵ say their new designs release far less pollution than older truck and bus engines.

The WHO says stronger rules are needed to limit diesel emissions¹⁶ into the air.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency continues to rate diesel as only a "likely" cause of cancer.

(MUSIC)

JUNE SIMMS: The longest river in the United States, the Mississippi, is suffering because of the country’s extended drought. The Army Corps¹⁷ of Engineers is working to keep the river open to shipping¹⁸. Russell Errett with the Army Corps says the news is not all bad. He says the Mississippi River is still the best way to ship crops and other products. But water levels do not look good.

FAITH LAPIDUS: Army Corps Captain Terry Bequette says the levels have dropped five or seven meters from last year. He spoke¹⁹ from the ship MV Pathfinder.

TERRY BEQUETTE: “You see probably fifteen or twenty foot more bank than we had at this time last year. The sand bars behind you were not exposed last year at this time.”

JUNE SIMMS: Heavy rains flooded areas along parts of the Mississippi last year. But the river levels are so low this year that people can now see wrecked²⁰ ships normally hidden under water. Still, Captain Bequette said the level, in his words, “is not the end of the world.”

Yet there is concern. Agricultural producers in America’s Middle West ship corn, soybeans and wheat to nations around the world. About sixty percent of all grain exported from the United States travels on barges²¹ on the Mississippi. 

As water levels drop, these boats will have to lighten their loads. If shipping suffers, it affects American agriculture and other parts of the economy. Chemicals and coal also are carried on the river.

FAITH LAPIDUS: Jasen Brown is a hydraulic²² engineer with the Army Corps of Engineers. He says ships need a channel, or passage, almost three meters deep and ninety one meters wide for safe travel.

He says the river levels must be carefully watched, especially since they are expected to get lower. Government experts and the industry are starting to co-operate to get the most information possible. 

JASEN BROWN: “We’re starting to initiate²³ some communication between the navigation industry, the Coast Guard and the Corps, to make sure that we are accounting²⁴ for all the things that need to be accounted for as water levels drop.”

Part of the job depends on Captain Bequette and his crew. They find shallow areas that could make travel dangerous. Then they have to decide if it is necessary to remove dirt from these places to make them deeper. The easier way is to deploy²⁵ buoys²⁷ to mark the worst places. They show ships what areas to avoid. 

TERRY BEQUETTE: “We run a dredge survey, and then they decide whether it needs dredging or if we can buoy²⁶ it. If we can bouy it certainly that is the quickest solution. Obviously the further it drops, the more dredging sites are going to pop up.” 

(MUSIC)

JUNE SIMMS: This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS was written by Kane Farabaugh, Jerilyn Watson contributing. I’m June Simms.

FAITH LAPIDUS: And I’m Faith Lapidus. Join us again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

1 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

2 humane   

adj.人道的，富有同情心的

参考例句：

• Is it humane to kill animals for food?宰杀牲畜来吃合乎人道吗？
• Their aim is for a more just and humane society.他们的目标是建立一个更加公正、博爱的社会。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 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。

5 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

6 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

7 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

8 nautical   

adj.海上的，航海的，船员的

参考例句：

• A nautical mile is 1,852 meters.一海里等于1852米。
• It is 206 nautical miles from our present location.距离我们现在的位置有206海里。

9 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。

10 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。

11 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

12 antibiotics   

n.（用作复数）抗生素；（用作单数）抗生物质的研究；抗生素，抗菌素( antibiotic的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century 20世纪抗生素的发现
• The doctor gave me a prescription for antibiotics. 医生给我开了抗生素。

13 inspections   

n.检查( inspection的名词复数 )；检验；视察；检阅

参考例句：

• Regular inspections are carried out at the prison. 经常有人来视察这座监狱。
• Government inspections ensure a high degree of uniformity in the standard of service. 政府检查确保了在服务标准方面的高度一致。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

15 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

17 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

18 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

19 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

20 wrecked   

adj.失事的，遇难的

参考例句：

• the hulk of a wrecked ship 遇难轮船的残骸
• the salvage of the wrecked tanker 对失事油轮的打捞

21 barges   

驳船( barge的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The tug is towing three barges. 那只拖船正拖着三只驳船。
• There were plenty of barges dropping down with the tide. 有不少驳船顺流而下。

22 hydraulic   

adj.水力的；水压的，液压的；水力学的

参考例句：

• The boat has no fewer than five hydraulic pumps.这艘船配有不少于5个液压泵。
• A group of apprentics were operating the hydraulic press.一群学徒正在开动水压机。

23 initiate   

vt.开始，创始，发动；启蒙，使入门；引入

参考例句：

• A language teacher should initiate pupils into the elements of grammar.语言老师应该把基本语法教给学生。
• They wanted to initiate a discussion on economics.他们想启动一次经济学讨论。

24 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。

25 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

26 buoy   

n.浮标；救生圈；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The party did little to buoy up her spirits.这次聚会并没有让她振作多少。
• The buoy floated back and forth in the shallow water.这个浮标在浅水里漂来漂去。

27 buoys   

n.浮标( buoy的名词复数 )；航标；救生圈；救生衣v.使浮起( buoy的第三人称单数 )；支持；为…设浮标；振奋…的精神

参考例句：

• The channel is marked by buoys. 航道有浮标表示。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Often they mark the path with buoys. 他们常常用浮标作为航道的标志。 来自辞典例句