VOA慢速英语20060823a

HEALTH REPORT - Working to Prevent AIDS -- and Lacking Enough Health Workers for the JobBy Jill Moss¹

Broadcast: Wednesday, August 23, 2006

This is the VOA Special English Health Report.


Attendees watch a performance during the International AIDS Conference

The sixteenth International AIDS Conference ended Friday in Toronto, Canada.

All week there was discussion of the need to do more to prevent H.I.V., the virus that causes AIDS. Speakers called for educating and empowering women to give them more control over their bodies.

The delegates also discussed research on male circumcision as a possible way to reduce the spread of H.I.V. Early studies have suggested that the removal of the foreskin from the penis may reduce the risk of infection. But AIDS experts say they are waiting for results from additional studies to confirm these findings.

Delegates also heard calls to speed up the development of microbicide gels to help protect women against H.I.V. during sex. Scientists say an effective microbicide appears to be five to seven years away. But even a partially² effective product could cut the number of new infections.

Research also continues on a vaccine³ to protect against the virus.

On another issue, critics of South African Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang called for her to resign. They say she continues to support traditional treatments like beetroot, garlic and lemon over antiretroviral drugs. These drugs are designed to suppress the growth of H.I.V.

The government of President Thabo Mbeki started to supply antiretroviral drugs a few years ago. But critics say only a small percentage of those in need receive them. AIDS has claimed more than two million lives in South Africa.

Stephen Lewis, the outgoing United Nations special representative for AIDS in Africa, spoke⁴ at the close of the conference. Mister Lewis called South Africa's actions wrong, immoral⁵ and indefensible. South African health officials rejected his statements.

The World Health Organization want everyone who needs antiretroviral drugs to receive them by two thousand ten. But its acting⁶ chief, Anders Nordstrom, said countries hit hardest by AIDS face a growing shortage of health care workers. The health agency estimates that more than four million health workers are needed to help the world deal with AIDS.

This issue will likely be discussed in detail at the next International AIDS Conference in two thousand eight in Mexico City.

Scientists identified the first cases of AIDS twenty-five years ago.

And that's the VOA Special English Health Report, written by Jill Moss. Transcripts⁷ and archives of our reports are at www.unsv.com. I'm Doug Johnson.

1 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

2 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

3 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。

4 spoke   

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。

5 immoral   

adj.不道德的，淫荡的，荒淫的，有伤风化的

参考例句：

• She was questioned about his immoral conduct toward her.她被询问过有关他对她的不道德行为的情况。
• It is my belief that nuclear weapons are immoral.我相信使核武器是不邪恶的。

6 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

7 transcripts   

n.抄本（ transcript的名词复数 ）；转写本；文字本；副本

参考例句：

• Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
• You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书，你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句