2006年VOA标准英语-US Gears Up For Bird Flu Pandemic

By Carol Pearson
Washington, DC
18 April 2006
 
watch US Bird Flu Plan report
 
  
  
President Bush is expected to sign off on a plan on how the United States would handle bird flu pandemic if Americans contract the disease.  VOA's Carol Pearson has details.

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The first cases of bird flu in the United States could show up in the next few weeks with the spring bird migration¹.

In preparation the Bush administration has drafted a plan that spells out in detail how the government would respond to a pandemic that could claim close to two million American lives and possibly overwhelm the U.S. health care system.

The World Health Organization says, in a worst-case scenario², 90 million Americans could contract the disease, as many as 10 million would need hospitalization.

 
David Nabarro 
  
Late last month at the U.S. Senate, United Nations bird flu planner David Nabarro stressed the danger of the current strain of bird flu. "The extraordinary thing about H5N1 is it is a very virulent³ and horrible virus.  It has also moved into 20 countries during the last six weeks."

The U.S. plan is still evolving but it will include directives on who will be the first to be vaccinated⁴ and where U.S. currency could be printed if U.S. mints could not do the job.  It also includes a plan for drive-through medical exams to check for signs of the disease and expanding Internet capability⁵ so more people could work from home and avoid contact with others.

U.S. scientists are still debating such things as how much vaccine⁶ would be needed and who would have priority in receiving it. 

American poultry⁷ growers already have tightened⁸ security measures.  Poultry farms severely⁹ restrict visitors, and chickens and other poultry do not mix with other livestock¹⁰.

President Bush is expected to sign off on the plan soon.

1 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

2 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

3 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。

4 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

5 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

6 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

7 poultry   

n.家禽，禽肉

参考例句：

• There is not much poultry in the shops. 商店里禽肉不太多。
• What do you feed the poultry on? 你们用什么饲料喂养家禽?

8 tightened   

收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
• His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。

9 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

10 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。