VOA标准英语2011--Israel Practices Biological Attack Response

Israel Practices Biological Attack Response

The Israeli government has carried out a two-day exercise it says is aimed at boosting preparedness for any terrorist attack aimed at sparking an outbreak of a highly contagious¹ disease. Israeli officials emphasize the biological weapons drill is routine, but it comes amid rising tensions in the region, particularly from Iran.

Ha-Emek Hospital in Afula, 100 kilometers north of Tel Aviv. Personnel are responding to a simulated biological weapons attack.

In this exercise no one knows what contagious agent has been used, anthrax, botulism or another deadly organism. The staff must identify the agent and within hours begin vaccinating² the local population against it.

Israeli Assistant Defense³ Minister Ze'ev Snir is in charge of the program. He says the drill is held each year in a different part of Israel.

"This is a general preparedness that we are trying to work on," said Snir. "I believe that our Ministry⁴ of Health is at a good level of preparedness. And this kind of drill will make us even better prepared."

The exercise comes amid rising tensions in the region. Western governments last week tightened⁵ sanctions against Iran after the United Nations nuclear agency (IAEA) said it had evidence that Iran was trying to build a nuclear bomb.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for even tougher measures.

"Iran is developing nuclear weapons. It is important to impose sanctions, tough sanctions, on this regime - even tougher than those that have been imposed over the past few days," said Netanyahu.

Israel's defense minister said the country does not want to take military action against Iran over its nuclear program, but at some point may have no other option. Iran says it would retaliate⁶ if attacked. And so would its allies in neighboring Lebanon and Gaza.

Several rockets fired from Lebanon landed Tuesday 50 kilometers north of Afula, without causing casualties.

Shlomo Brom, an analyst⁷ with the Institute of National Security Studies, says he believes a military strike against Iran is only a distant possibility.

"Certainly there are discussions in the Israeli government on the option of an Israeli attack against the Iranian nuclear program as a last resort. But I do not think that it is imminent," Brom explained.

In January, security forces will hold another drill, this one responding to a simulated radiological attack such as from a uranium-laced weapon or "dirty bomb."

1 contagious   

adj.传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。
• He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。

2 vaccinating   

给…接种疫苗( vaccinate的现在分词 )； 注射疫苗，接种疫苗

参考例句：

• At first blush, vaccinating the wolves against rabies seems a simple solution. 乍一看来，为狼群注射防狂犬病疫苗是一种简单的办法。
• Also vaccinating children against misers (measles) has saved many lives. 还有，给儿童进行疫苗接种防止麻疹也挽救了许多生命。

3 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。

4 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。

5 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。

6 retaliate   

v.报复，反击

参考例句：

• He sought every opportunity to retaliate against his enemy.他找机会向他的敌人反击。
• It is strictly forbidden to retaliate against the quality inspectors.严禁对质量检验人员进行打击报复。

7 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。