环球英语 — 145：Predicting Disease by Watching。。。

　　Voice 1
Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight¹ program. I’m Rachel Hobson.
Voice 2
And I’m Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
Today’s Spotlight is on avoiding diseases³ by watching the weather.
Voice 2
In Africa, a valley stretches north to south for thousands of kilometres. It runs from northern Syria in Southwest Asia to central Mozambique in eastern Africa. In some places it is one hundred sixty [160] kilometers wide. In some places it is a few thousand meters deep. It helps to form some of the world’s highest mountains and deepest lakes. Some of the world’s most powerful volcanoes⁴ are there. And experts have found many examples of ancient life near it. It is the Great Rift⁵ Valley. The Great Rift Valley is a place of great beauty.
Voice 1
But the Great Rift Valley can also be a place of great tragedy and sadness. It was here in 1930 that scientists investigated an unknown disease². The disease was affecting sheep near the Great Rift Valley, in the country of Kenya. Doctors identified the disease as Rift Valley Fever, or, RVF.
Voice 2
RVF is not permanently⁶ active. Instead, it appears about every five [5] years in an outbreak. RVF affects animals very severely⁷. For example, in a normal outbreak of the disease, about ten [10] percent of adult sheep die. And about ninety [90] percent of young sheep die. RVF also causes pregnant⁸ animals to immediately lose their unborn babies. The disease spreads quickly.
Voice 1
RVF mostly affects animals. But, it can also affect people. Small flying insects, mosquitoes, usually carry and spread the virus. People can get the virus from the bite of an infected mosquito. Or, they can get the virus by touching⁹ the blood or bodily fluids¹⁰ of an infected animal. In rare cases, people can become infected by breathing in the virus.
Voice 2
People suffering from RVF usually experience physical problems similar to influenza¹¹ - like fever, weakness, and back pain. They may lose body weight. People usually recover after a few days or a week. But the infection can be severe. RVF can cause severe bleeding, pressure on the brain, and very bad eye problems. These problems can be painful and permanent. About one [1] percent of RVF infected people die.
Voice 1
There are some ways to prevent and control Rift Valley Fever. Doctors can sometimes treat it with drugs. Injected drug vaccinations¹² can protect animals from the disease. People can also spread chemicals around the area to kill insects. RVF outbreaks usually only happen about once every five [5] years. But the effects are always tragic¹³. RVF is especially dangerous because it is difficult to predict. People usually do not know when the disease will attack. So, it is hard to use these prevention methods well.
Voice 2
For example, in 1997 Kenya experienced¹⁴ a severe RVF outbreak. International aid experts and health workers tried to react to the crisis¹⁵. But they were too slow. By the time aid workers arrived, the crisis was already over. The RVF outbreak had killed about four hundred [400] people.
Voice 1
But scientists believe that they may have found a way to help people prepare for outbreaks of diseases like RVF. Assaf Anyamba is a climate expert at NASA, the National Aeronautics¹⁷ and Space Administration¹⁸, in the United States. He studies weather movement and repeating weather patterns. Assaf says that studying weather patterns and climate changes can help to predict, or expect, an outbreak of disease.
Voice 2
For example, the temperature of the sea influences the temperature of the air above it. When water temperature changes, it makes the air move, influencing the wind. These changes in wind movement influence weather and rainfall in many places - even far away!
Voice 1
Assaf and his team observe weather all around the world. They collect many different kinds of information. For example, they study cloud movement and how much rain an area receives. They study how much water is in the air. And they look at the plants in a particular area.
Voice 2
Assaf sends the weather information he gathers to different organizations - like the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization. These groups send the information to the affected¹⁹ countries. Then health workers can be prepared for the outbreak. They can bring enough medicine to affected areas. And they can react to a disease crisis sooner.
Voice 1
Recently, Assaf showed the world that predicting the weather could save lives. It could avoid suffering like that in Kenya, in 1997. In September 2006, Assaf noticed changes in the weather in Kenya. The sea was especially warm. And rainfall began to increase. Soon, flooding began. Disease carriers²⁰ like mosquitoes mate¹⁶ and reproduce²¹ best in warm, wet weather like this. Assaf says that all these conditions were right for a possible disease outbreak.
Voice 2
Assaf and his team warned the Kenyan government. And the Kenyan government reacted quickly. They knew that people could get RVF by touching infected animals. So, they banned animal sacrifice of cows, camels, goats, and sheep during a particular yearly²² celebration. Experts believe that this act reduced the risk of spreading the disease there.
Voice 1
The first case of the RVF outbreak appeared in Kenya in December 2006. But this time health experts were prepared. And they reacted immediately. This time, there were fewer deaths from RVF than in 199]. In that year, four hundred [400] people died. But in 2006, only one hundred four [104] people died.
Voice 2
Predicting disease outbreak by following weather is a good method. But there are some limits to how helpful this method can be. Aid workers already have a lot of work to do in developing countries. Experts say that it may be difficult for them to follow the weather too. And even with a warning, aid workers may not be able to react quickly enough. They may still have limited resources. Just knowing when a disease outbreak may begin is not enough. Dr. Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum is a climate change expert with the WHO. He agrees.
Voice 3
“We run the risk of just coming up with a very [exact] warning system without having any [ability] to [react]. [For example,] you cannot solve malaria²³ problems in Africa just by providing better risk information.”
Voice 1
Assaf believes that although the method is not perfect, it can be a great help to global public health.
Voice 4
“This is [the most important part] of ten [10] years of [hard, devoted] work. It is a great pleasure to have the [chance] to translate scientific [research] and analysis results into products that [help] global public health.”
Voice 2
So, when the weather changes, Assaf and his team will be watching - and hopefully, saving²⁴ lives.
 

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

3 diseases   

n.疾病( disease的名词复数 )；弊端；恶疾；痼疾

参考例句：

• Smoking is a causative factor in several major diseases. 抽烟是引起几种严重疾病的病因。
• The illness frequently coexists with other chronic diseases. 这种病往往与其他慢性病同时存在。

4 volcanoes   

n.火山( volcano的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Volcanoes and geysers erupt. 火山和间歇喷泉均能喷发。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He has been able to tell us more about active volcanoes than any man alive. 他现在比任何人都能更多地向我们讲述有关活火山的情况。 来自《用法词典》

5 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

6 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

7 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。

8 pregnant   

adj.怀孕的，怀胎的

参考例句：

• She is a pregnant woman.她是一名孕妇。
• She is pregnant with her first child.她怀了第一胎。

9 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

10 fluids   

n.液体，流体( fluid的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He is taking cold fluids. 他正在喝冷饮。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• You can contract Aids if your bodily fluids come into contact with the bodily fluids of someone else who is infected with HIV. 如果你的体液与染有HIV者的体液接触，你就会染上艾滋病。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 vaccinations   

n.种痘，接种( vaccination的名词复数 )；牛痘疤

参考例句：

• Vaccinations ensure one against diseases. 接种疫苗可以预防疾病。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I read some publicity about vaccinations while waiting my turn at the doctor's. 在医生那儿候诊时，我读了一些关于接种疫苗的宣传。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

14 experienced   

adj.有经验的；经验丰富的，熟练的

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather.有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• Perhaps you and I had better change over;you are more experienced.也许我们的工作还是对换一下好，你比我更有经验。

15 crisis   

n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段

参考例句：

• He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
• The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。

16 mate   

n.伙伴，同事；配偶；大副；v.(使)交配

参考例句：

• Where is the mate to this glove?这副手套的另一只在哪儿？
• She has been a faithful mate to him.她一直是他忠实的配偶。

17 aeronautics   

n.航空术，航空学

参考例句：

• National Aeronautics and Space undertakings have made great progress.国家的航空航天事业有了很大的发展。
• He devoted every spare moment to aeronautics.他把他所有多余的时间用在航空学上。

18 administration   

n.经营，管理；行政，行政机关，管理部门

参考例句：

• Who is in charge of the administration of your company?你们公司的行政工作由谁负责？
• The teachers are responsible to the school administration.教师向学校行政负责。

19 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

20 carriers   

（自身不受感染而传播疾病的）带菌者( carrier的名词复数 )； （尤指经营空运的）运输公司； 搬运人； 军输车

参考例句：

• Mosquitoes are carriers of disease. 蚊子是疾病的传播媒介。
• The chair carriers arrived at the crack of dawn. 轿是一早就到了。

21 reproduce   

v.生育，繁殖，复制，重做

参考例句：

• The machine can reproduce a key in two minutes.这机器能在两分钟内复制一把钥匙。
• The picture will reproduce well.这照片会印得很清楚。

22 yearly   

adj.每年的，一年一度的；adv.一年一次地

参考例句：

• The flower show is a yearly event in our town.我们镇上的花展一年举行一次。
• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。

23 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

24 saving   

n.节省，节约；[pl.]储蓄金，存款

参考例句：

• Energy saving is term strategic policy of our country.节约能源是我国长期的战略国策。
• Old-fashioned housewives were usually very saving.旧时的家庭主妇通常都很节俭。