英语听力文摘 English Digest 3、大猩猩的健康

　　ambience: gorilla¹ vocalizations
The creatures of the rain forest are at risk from a whole range of human activities -- from hunting to destruction of their habitat. Scientists say that in central Africa, some wild animals are facing another threat from human beings, -- the measles². I'm Jim Metzner, and this is the Pulse of the Planet.
'Humans and gorillas³ share about a hundred fifty infectious diseases because we're so closely related.'
William Karesh is a field veterinarian with the Wildlife Conservation Society. After an outbreak of the Ebola virus decimated the population of gorillas and chimpanzees in the African country of Gabon, Karesh and his team were asked to do a medical checkup on the western lowland gorillas that live in a neighboring rain forest park. Well, after tracking down selected gorillas and immobilizing them with an anesthetic⁴, they took blood samples.
We can get a historical profile of all the infectious diseases they've been exposed to. Do they have antibodies against tuberculosis⁵, or do they have antibodies against influenza⁶ virus. We were surprised with the gorillas to find out the number of infectious diseases - probably fifteen to twenty - that they have already been exposed to. And it's probably the result of thousands of years of human encroachment⁷ in those habitats. Even though we think of them as wild places, native people have been living there for hundreds of thousands of years, and making contact with gorillas from time to time.'
It turns out that none of the gorillas that were tested had been exposed to measles, which has been known to kill gorillas in captivity⁸.
'So that's something we can actually protect them from, by working with the local human communities and the park staff and the researchers, to make sure they're all vaccinated⁹ for measles.'
To hear about our new CD, please visit pulseplanet.com Pulse of the Planet is made possible by the National Science Foundation. I'm Jim Metzner.

1 gorilla   

n.大猩猩，暴徒，打手

参考例句：

• I was awed by the huge gorilla.那只大猩猩使我惊惧。
• A gorilla is just a speechless animal.猩猩只不过是一种不会说话的动物。

2 measles   

n.麻疹，风疹，包虫病，痧子

参考例句：

• The doctor is quite definite about Tom having measles.医生十分肯定汤姆得了麻疹。
• The doctor told her to watch out for symptoms of measles.医生叫她注意麻疹出现的症状。

3 gorillas   

n.大猩猩( gorilla的名词复数 )；暴徒，打手

参考例句：

• the similitude between humans and gorillas 人类和大猩猩的相像
• Each family of gorillas is led by a great silverbacked patriarch. 每个大星星家族都由一个魁梧的、长着银色被毛的族长带领着。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 anesthetic   

n.麻醉剂，麻药；adj.麻醉的，失去知觉的

参考例句：

• He was given a general anesthetic.他被全身麻醉。
• He was still under the influence of the anesthetic.他仍处在麻醉状态。

5 tuberculosis   

n.结核病，肺结核

参考例句：

• People used to go to special health spring to recover from tuberculosis.人们常去温泉疗养胜地治疗肺结核。
• Tuberculosis is a curable disease.肺结核是一种可治愈的病。

6 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。

7 encroachment   

n.侵入，蚕食

参考例句：

• I resent the encroachment on my time.我讨厌别人侵占我的时间。
• The eagle broke away and defiantly continued its encroachment.此时雕挣脱开对方，继续强行入侵。

8 captivity   

n.囚禁；被俘；束缚

参考例句：

• A zoo is a place where live animals are kept in captivity for the public to see.动物园是圈养动物以供公众观看的场所。
• He was held in captivity for three years.他被囚禁叁年。

9 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？