VOA慢速英语2009年-SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Breathing Easier: Wa

VOICE ONE:

This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Faith Lapidus.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Bob Doughty¹. This week we talk about the lung disease asthma².

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VOICE ONE:
　
A boy in Lima, Peru gets treatment for asthma

Asthma is a serious lung disease that makes it difficult to breathe. The World Health Organization says asthma affects about three hundred million people worldwide. An estimated two hundred fifty thousand people die from the disease every year. And, more than five hundred thousand are hospitalized.

Asthma happens when tissue that lines the airways³ to the lungs begins to expand or swell⁴. The swelling⁵ makes the airways smaller. The muscles in the airways tighten⁶. Cells in the airways begin to produce too much of a thick, sticky substance called mucous⁷. The mucous causes the airways to close even more. This makes it difficult for air to flow in and out of the lungs.

VOICE TWO:

This series of events is called an asthma attack. As asthma sufferers struggle to get air into their lungs, they may begin to cough a lot. They may also make a whistling or squeaky sound, called wheezing⁸, when they breathe. Some asthma sufferers have tightness or pain in the chest. They say it feels as if someone is sitting on them. When asthma is most severe, the person may have extreme difficulty breathing. The disease can severely⁹ limit a person's activity, and even lead to death.

VOICE ONE:

Doctors do not know what causes asthma. Researchers believe a combination of environmental and genetic¹⁰ factors may be responsible. Forty percent of children who have parents with asthma will also develop the disease. Seventy percent of people with asthma also have allergies¹¹. Allergies are abnormal reactions of the immune system in response to otherwise harmless substances.

Doctors have identified many of the things that may start, or trigger, an asthma attack. Triggers are things that cause the asthma sufferer's airways to swell. Different people are affected¹² by different triggers. Allergens are one of the most common triggers. These impurities¹³ in the air cause allergic¹⁴ reactions. Some the more common allergens include animal fur, dust, mold and pollen¹⁵.

VOICE TWO:

Pollen is a fine dust that comes from grass, trees and flowers. Mold is a type of fungus¹⁶. It can grow on the walls and floors of homes. It is commonly found in wet or damp areas like bathrooms, kitchens and basements. A study by the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that twenty-one percent of asthma in the United States is linked to mold and dampness in homes.

Air pollution can also trigger asthma. Cigarette smoke is a major problem for asthma sufferers. So is air pollution caused by cars. Chemical sprays like air fresheners, hair spray, household cleaning products and even strong perfumes can also trigger an asthma attack.

VOICE ONE:

Some people cough, wheeze¹⁷ or feel out of breath during or after exercise. They are said to suffer from exercise induced asthma. During the winter, breathing in cold air can trigger asthma symptoms. So can colds and other respiratory infections.

VOICE TWO:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than twenty-two million people suffer from asthma in the United Sates. Among adults, more women have the disease than men. Asthma affects more than seven million children each year and is considered one of the leading childhood illnesses. It is more common among boys than girls.

The National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases says the disease affects African Americans more than whites. African American children die from the disease at five times the rate of white children.

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VOICE ONE:

Special English reporter June Simms has a thirteen year old son with asthma. Arick first showed signs of the disease when he was about two years old. He had a bad cold that seemed to last longer than usual. It was very difficult for him to breathe. When his mother listened to his chest she could hear that squeaky whistling sound known as wheezing. Arick was diagnosed with asthma during an emergency visit to the doctor.

The doctor gave Arick a medicine called albuterol. Albuterol helps to relax the muscles in the airways of the lungs and increases air flow. The doctor also gave Arick a special machine called a nebulizer. It is attached to a mask that he placed over his mouth and nose. The nebulizer turned the liquid albuterol medicine into mist. Arick inhaled¹⁸ the mist through the mask. The treatments made it easier for him to breathe. During times when Arick's asthma was really severe, he was also given steroids to help reduce swelling in his airways.

VOICE TWO:

As Arick grew older, the doctor replaced his nebulizer with a small medical device called an inhaler. He also began seeing a doctor who specializes in treating patients with asthma. This doctor said Arick was "a poor perceiver of his asthma." That means he had a hard time realizing when it was out of control. She advised his parents to use a special device called a peak flow meter. It measures the amount of air Arick is able to push out of his lungs. This can help him realize he is having a problem before he feels it.

The doctor also discovered that Arick suffers from allergies. He now takes daily medicines to help keep his asthma and allergies under control. In two thousand five, he successfully completed the American Lung Association Open Airways for Schools Program. Now Arick is considered an expert in his asthma management. It has been more than two years since he has been to a hospital emergency room because of asthma. And, he is using his inhaler a whole lot less.

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VOICE ONE:

Asthma has become a major health problem around the world, and a great problem for individuals, families and economies. The yearly economic cost of asthma is close to twenty billion dollars.

And, the World Health Organization says asthma rates are increasing worldwide by an average of fifty percent every ten years. The largest increase has been among children.

The Global Initiative for Asthma, or GINA, was formed in nineteen ninety-three to raise attention about the growing problem. It also seeks to improve asthma care around the world.

VOICE TWO:

GINA is a joint¹⁹ effort between the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization. GINA released a report called "The Global Burden of Asthma" in two thousand four. It said asthma is not just a growing problem in industrial countries. It is also on the rise in developing countries.

The GINA report suggests that asthma rates in developing countries increase as they become more westernized. The report estimates that there may be an additional one hundred million people with asthma by the year two thousand twenty-five.

VOICE ONE:

While asthma cannot be cured, it can be successfully controlled. This year, GINA's World Asthma Day campaign was once again called "You Can Control Your Asthma." The organization launched the campaign in two thousand seven. Its aim is to show that a large majority of asthma patients can control the disease with correct treatment. GINA says several simple steps can help people control their asthma.

VOICE TWO:

People should take their asthma medicines the way their doctor says to take them. Most people need two kids of medicines. One is a quick-acting "rescue" medicine taken when needed to stop asthma symptoms. The other is a controller medicine taken every day to prevent these symptoms.

People should know the causes of their asthma symptoms and try to avoid these triggers. For example, try to avoid animals with fur, dust, pollen from trees and flowers or cigarette smoke. Some people may need to take medicines before they work hard or exercise.

Patients should work with their doctors to control the disease. They should go to the doctor for check-ups even if they are feeling fine. They should make sure they understand how and when to take their medicines. And they should act quickly to treat asthma attacks and know when to seek medical help.

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VOICE ONE:

This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS was written by June Simms. Our producer was Brianna Blake. I'm Faith Lapidus.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Bob Doughty. Archives of our programs are at voaspecialenglish.com. Join us again next week for SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

1 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

2 asthma   

n.气喘病，哮喘病

参考例句：

• I think he's having an asthma attack.我想他现在是哮喘病发作了。
• Its presence in allergic asthma is well known.它在过敏性气喘中的存在是大家很熟悉的。

3 AIRWAYS   

航空公司

参考例句：

• The giant jets that increasingly dominate the world's airways. 越来越称雄于世界航线的巨型喷气机。
• At one point the company bought from Nippon Airways a 727 jet. 有一次公司从日本航空公司买了一架727型喷气机。

4 swell   

vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强

参考例句：

• The waves had taken on a deep swell.海浪汹涌。
• His injured wrist began to swell.他那受伤的手腕开始肿了。

5 swelling   

n.肿胀

参考例句：

• Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。
• There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。

6 tighten   

v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧

参考例句：

• Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
• Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。

7 mucous   

adj. 黏液的，似黏液的

参考例句：

• Healthy,skin,mucous membranes,and cilia are natural barriers to many viruses.健康的皮肤，粘膜和纤毛是许多病毒的天然屏障。
• Seromucous glands contain both mucous and serous cells.浆粘液腺既含有粘液性细胞，又含有浆液性细胞。

8 wheezing   

v.喘息，发出呼哧呼哧的喘息声( wheeze的现在分词 )；哮鸣

参考例句：

• He was coughing and wheezing all night. 他整夜又咳嗽又喘。
• A barrel-organ was wheezing out an old tune. 一架手摇风琴正在呼哧呼哧地奏着一首古老的曲子。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 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。

10 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

11 allergies   

n.[医]过敏症；[口]厌恶，反感；（对食物、花粉、虫咬等的）过敏症( allergy的名词复数 )；变态反应，变应性

参考例句：

• Food allergies can result in an enormous variety of different symptoms. 食物过敏会引发很多不同的症状。 来自辞典例句
• Let us, however, examine one of the most common allergies; hayfever. 现在让我们来看看最常见的变态反应的一种--枯草热。 来自辞典例句

12 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。

13 impurities   

不纯( impurity的名词复数 )； 不洁； 淫秽； 杂质

参考例句：

• A filter will remove most impurities found in water. 过滤器会滤掉水中的大部分杂质。
• Oil is refined to remove naturally occurring impurities. 油经过提炼去除天然存在的杂质。

14 allergic   

adj.过敏的，变态的

参考例句：

• Alice is allergic to the fur of cats.艾丽斯对猫的皮毛过敏。
• Many people are allergic to airborne pollutants such as pollen.许多人对空气传播的污染物过敏，比如花粉。

15 pollen   

n.[植]花粉

参考例句：

• Hummingbirds have discovered that nectar and pollen are very nutritious.蜂鸟发现花蜜和花粉是很有营养的。
• He developed an allergy to pollen.他对花粉过敏。

16 fungus   

n.真菌，真菌类植物

参考例句：

• Mushrooms are a type of fungus.蘑菇是一种真菌。
• This fungus can just be detected by the unaided eye.这种真菌只用肉眼就能检查出。

17 wheeze   

n.喘息声，气喘声；v.喘息着说

参考例句：

• The old man managed to wheeze out a few words.老人勉强地喘息着说出了几句话。
• He has a slight wheeze in his chest.他呼吸时胸部发出轻微的响声。

18 inhaled   

v.吸入( inhale的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. 她合上双眼，深深吸了一口气。
• Janet inhaled sharply when she saw him. 珍妮特看到他时猛地吸了口气。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。