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VOA慢速英语2013 索马里脊髓灰质炎病例增加

时间:2013-08-11 13:39:12

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AS IT IS 2013-08-06 Increase in Polio in Somalia; Health Officials Fear Virus Could Spread索马里脊髓灰质炎病例增加

Hello, and welcome again to As It Is.  I’m Steve Ember.

Today we tell we tell about cases of the disease polio in Somalia and the danger that it might spread beyond Somali borders.

Next, we hear about how video can show Alaskan salmon1 in action, as they make their yearly summer trip upstream to reproduce.

And finally, we mark the birthday anniversary of comedienne Lucille Ball.  The lovable redhead had a huge influence on the development of American television in the 1950s.

But first, the head of immunization at Somalia’s Ministry2 of Health says there are almost 100 confirmed cases of polio in south-central parts of the country. And, the disease is showing no signs of slowing down.  Polio also has been found in Somali refugee camps in Kenya. And there are fears that the virus could cross into Ethiopia.

The Ministry of Health official, Dr. Yassin Nur, says polio is now widespread in Somalia.  It was first identified in May. Of 94 known cases in the nation, the health official said at least one is in the self-governing area of Somaliland. 

He noted3 that Ethiopia’s long and porous4 border with Somalia could easily lead to a spread of polio.  The doctor spoke5 from Mogadishu.

In addition, 10 more cases of polio have been confirmed at the Dadaab refugee camps in Kenya.

The disease had almost been removed from the world, or eradicated6, before the new outbreak.  Active cases have been reported in only three countries – Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria.

A two-year-old Somali girl was confirmed to have been infected with polio in May.  She was the first known case in Somalia since 2007.  Dr. Nur said internally displaced people – IDPs -- are most at risk of getting the virus that causes polio.  He says the continual movement of people between countries raises the risk of spreading the disease.

Dr. Nur said he hopes a vaccination7 campaign will be able to “limit and control” the spread of the disease. The campaign was launched in cooperation with United Nations agencies as well as local and international organizations.

The U.N. says almost four million people have received a polio vaccination in Somalia since May.  Prevention is especially important because antibiotic8 drugs cannot help after someone is infected.  That’s because antibiotics9 are effective against bacteria, not viruses. 

Polio is mainly a disease that affects children.  But adults also get it.  Many people are infected without knowing it.  They may just have a higher than normal body temperature and pain in the throat.  But when polio attacks the central nervous system, patients can be paralyzed.  They may not be able to stand or walk.  When the disease affects breathing, some patients can die. 

You’re listening to As It Is from VOA Learning English. I’m Steve Ember.

Every year, biologists in Alaska launch an underwater video camera they call the Salmon Cam. The device can provide video of salmon in action as they make their summer trip upstream. Avi Arditti has more about this “must-see” video.

The salmon are swimming in waters that pass through Tongass National Forest -- the largest national forest in the United States. 

The salmon make this trip every year.  The adult fish struggle upstream, sometimes traveling hundreds of kilometers from where they start, in the ocean. They are going back to the freshwater areas where they hatched years earlier. After returning, they will mate, produce eggs and die.

Every year, the United States Forest Service puts a camera in the water to document the salmon’s trip. Pete Schneider is a biologist with the Tongass National Forest.

“The fish come right up to the camera sometimes or you get to see how they chase other fish away. Or you can see them digging their nests in the rocks and gravel10. You can be in at their level and look at them almost eye to eye.”

Pete Schneider has been operating the Salmon Cam every year since 1997. This year, he put it in the waters of Steep Creek11, where sockeye salmon mate and lay their their eggs.

Mr. Schneider says sockeye salmon are very tasty fish.

“Their meat is highly prized. It keeps very well, so a lot of the native tribes would seek out sockeye in particular because it cans and smokes very well.”

After the salmon have reproduced, they die in Steep Creek. Their bodies make a tasty meal for meat-eating creatures. Other animals visit the stream for the food. Bears, eagles and even wolves enjoy a fish dinner. Pete Schneider says the fish are an important food for the whole coastal12 ecosystem13 – not just people.

“It goes beyond just the eagle and the bear and the humans. It really feeds the insects and the plants and the soils benefit from it.”

And he says all very small organisms and creatures without backbones14 profit indirectly15 from the salmon. Their bodies fertilize16 the stream banks and feed the forest.

Later, when the eggs hatch, small fish and animals will feed on the fry, or baby salmon. The young fish travel downstream to the ocean. There some become a meal for larger fish, birds, seals, whales and fishermen. 

In a few years, the surviving fish battle again to swim upstream. Scientists and fishermen are studying this series of events. As Pete Schneider says, there is still a lot to learn about salmon. I’m Avi Arditti. 

And a birthday anniversary note: 

A red-haired icon17 of television comedy…

Finally, television and film actress Lucille Ball was born on August 6, 1911. She was especially important to the development of television as popular entertainment in the 1950’s.

Lucille Ball probably will always be remembered for her role as the silly but lovable red-haired Lucy Ricardo in the hit show, “I Love Lucy.”  Her real-life husband at the time, Desi Arnaz, also played her husband in the CBS comedy series.

Desi played the role of Ricky Ricardo, a Cuban-American singer and band leader who dealt patiently with Lucy’s happily crazy behavior.  Aided by her friend Ethel (that was Vivian Vance) Lucy was always plotting some wild scheme to perform with her husband’s band or get a part in the movies. 

Lucy: “Uh, what’ll I have to do?”

Ricky: “You gonna get me back on the television show.”

Lucy: “How?”

Ricky: “I don’ know how…”

Sometimes Desi would get angry and shout at her.  And sometimes she would make fun of the way he spoke English.

Ricky: “…but if you don’t, I’ll, I’ll…”

Lucy: “I will, Ricky. I’ll get you back on the show. Don’t even think of what you’ll do if I don’t” [she imitates his Cuban accent]

But the programs always ended happily.

Many of the “I Love Lucy” shows have become classics and scenes from them are still seen on television around the world.  

In addition to “I Love Lucy”, Lucille Ball starred in other television comedies and had a long career as a television executive.  She died in 1989.

And that’s As It Is for today.  From VOA Learning English, I’m Steve Ember. See you next time.

 


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1 salmon pClzB     
n.鲑,大马哈鱼,橙红色的
参考例句:
  • We saw a salmon jumping in the waterfall there.我们看见一条大马哈鱼在那边瀑布中跳跃。
  • Do you have any fresh salmon in at the moment?现在有新鲜大马哈鱼卖吗?
2 ministry kD5x2     
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。
3 noted 5n4zXc     
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 porous 91szq     
adj.可渗透的,多孔的
参考例句:
  • He added sand to the soil to make it more porous.他往土里掺沙子以提高渗水性能。
  • The shell has to be slightly porous to enable oxygen to pass in.外壳不得不有些细小的孔以便能使氧气通过。
5 spoke XryyC     
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。
6 eradicated 527fe74fc13c68501cfd202231063f4a     
画着根的
参考例句:
  • Polio has been virtually eradicated in Brazil. 在巴西脊髓灰质炎实际上已经根除。
  • The disease has been eradicated from the world. 这种疾病已在全世界得到根除。
7 vaccination bKGzM     
n.接种疫苗,种痘
参考例句:
  • Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。
  • Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。
8 antibiotic KNJzd     
adj.抗菌的;n.抗生素
参考例句:
  • The doctor said that I should take some antibiotic.医生说我应该服些用抗生素。
  • Antibiotic can be used against infection.抗菌素可以用来防止感染。
9 antibiotics LzgzQT     
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。
10 gravel s6hyT     
n.砂跞;砂砾层;结石
参考例句:
  • We bought six bags of gravel for the garden path.我们购买了六袋碎石用来铺花园的小路。
  • More gravel is needed to fill the hollow in the drive.需要更多的砾石来填平车道上的坑洼。
11 creek 3orzL     
n.小溪,小河,小湾
参考例句:
  • He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
  • People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。
12 coastal WWiyh     
adj.海岸的,沿海的,沿岸的
参考例句:
  • The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
  • This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。
13 ecosystem Wq4xz     
n.生态系统
参考例句:
  • This destroyed the ecosystem of the island.这样破坏了岛上的生态系统。
  • We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的利益。
14 backbones c4c409c030b485ea5d90968a63228387     
n.骨干( backbone的名词复数 );脊骨;骨气;脊骨状物
参考例句:
  • Why do hummingbirds and gorillas both have backbones? 为什么蜂鸟和大猩猩都有脊骨? 来自辞典例句
  • Simply adding bandwidth to the Internet backbones is not an answer. 只是简单的在互联网骨架上增加带宽是应付不了的。 来自互联网
15 indirectly a8UxR     
adv.间接地,不直接了当地
参考例句:
  • I heard the news indirectly.这消息我是间接听来的。
  • They were approached indirectly through an intermediary.通过一位中间人,他们进行了间接接触。
16 fertilize hk5x8     
v.使受精,施肥于,使肥沃
参考例句:
  • Fertilizer is a substance put on land to fertilize it.肥料是施在地里使之肥沃的物质。
  • Reading will fertilize his vocabulary.阅读会丰富他的词汇。
17 icon JbxxB     
n.偶像,崇拜的对象,画像
参考例句:
  • They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
  • Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

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