2006年VOA标准英语-White House Releases Bird Flu Plan

By Scott Stearns
White House
03 May 2006

President Bush is instructing health officials to stockpile anti-viral drugs in preparation for a possible outbreak of Avian Flu. Scientists expect the flu to show up in American wild birds this year.

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Fran Townsend  
  

Homeland Security Adviser¹ Fran Townsend says there is no sign of Avian Flu in America, but the nation cannot afford to be complacent².

"We are not in the midst of a human pandemic, but we cannot predict when one will happen, this is why it is important for everyone to prepare," said Fran Townsend.

The Bush Administration is preparing by stockpiling medicine and asking business leaders and local officials to plan for an outbreak that could see up to 40 percent of workers absent for up to two weeks.

The White House's National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza³ includes plans to slow the arrival and spread of the virus, protect human health by limiting exposure, and ensure civil order and public safety.

Townsend says as part of its effort to prevent and contain outbreaks abroad the White House is pledging $334 million to strengthen international efforts to combat the virus.

"Minimizing the opportunities for the virus to mutate and helping⁴ other nations to prepare should a pandemic virus emerge is a global responsibility and is also the first line of defense⁵ for the United States," she said.

Townsend says scientists believe it is likely the virus will appear in wild birds in America later this year. But that does not represent a threat to human health or domestic poultry⁷ she says, because policies are in place to limit contact between wild and domestic birds.

Following the government's poor response to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Bush Administration is under pressure to demonstrate its preparedness for a flu pandemic that it says could kill between 200,000 and nearly two million people, depending on its virulence⁸.

Opposition⁹ Democrats¹⁰ say the president is moving too slowly. Massachusetts Senator Ted⁶ Kennedy says the plan is too little, too late.

"Today we are releasing a report showing that they have failed to take the steps needed to see that America is ready for this major national challenge," said Ted Kennedy. "They have failed to invest in hospital surge capacity, in needed information technology, in the public health surveillance and in the training programs that are needed for an effective response."

The H5N1 strain of avian flu has spread from Asia across Europe and into parts of Africa. It does not easily infect humans, but since 2003 it has sickened about 200 people and killed more than 100.

1 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

2 complacent   

adj.自满的；自鸣得意的

参考例句：

• We must not become complacent the moment we have some success.我们决不能一见成绩就自满起来。
• She was complacent about her achievements.她对自己的成绩沾沾自喜。

3 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。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

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 virulence   

n.毒力，毒性；病毒性；致病力

参考例句：

• The virulence of the café owner's anger had appalled her.咖啡店老板怒气冲天，充满敌意，把她吓坏了。
• Medical authorities were baffled,both as to its causes and its virulence.医疗当局对其病因及有多致命都还不甚了解。

9 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

10 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》