A Pain in the Ear
耳痛是一种常见病，耳痛为常见症状，常因耳部疾病引起（原发性或耳源性耳痛），也可因耳部邻近器官或其他器官疾病所致（继发性或反射性耳痛）。耳痛的严重程度与病变的严重性不一定都一致，但也可能是某些严重疾病的信号（如耳部的恶性肿瘤）。 耳咽管(从喉咙背后通到中耳的管道)阻塞是儿童及成人最常见的耳痛原因，通常感冒、鼻窦感染或过敏都会加重耳痛。
Why is it that young children always get ear aches, but adults never do? Find out on this Moment of Science.
It’s two in the morning, and like most people you’re fast asleep. But then your eyes pop open and your three year old is standing there, (1)tugging her ear and saying, “Mommy, my ear hurts.”
If you’re a parent with a young child, this (2)scenario is probably nothing new. In fact, the typical (3)toddler averages about four ear aches per year. But when’s the last time you had an ear infection? Clearly, little kids are much more likely to get an ear infection than adults. What makes kids so (4)susceptible?
Most infections happen in the middle ear, a pocket about the size of a small grape located just behind the eardrum. When kids get a cold, the (5)auditory tube–a shaft running from the middle ear to the throat–can become filled with fluid.
For grownups this usually isn’t a problem, since adult tubes are large enough to let the fluid (6)drain away. But in children under three, the auditory tube is a lot smaller and more likely to get (7)clogged up. Bacteria love this sort of clogging, and soon they move in and cause infection. The ear reacts by making (8)pus, a thick liquid that fights bacteria. As the pus builds up it pushes on the eardrum, causing pain.
Fortunately, the cure is pretty (9)straightforward. A good dose of antibiotics and your child will be good as new in a few days. So if what seems like a constant series of ear infections is (10)wearing you and your child out, (11)take heart. Around when most kids turn three, their auditory tubes become large enough to make infection less likely.
译文:
已经是凌晨两点钟了，就像其他人一样你正在睡梦当中。但是你突然睁开眼睛，发现你三岁的女儿站在那里，拽着她的耳朵说：“妈妈！我的耳朵痛。”
如果你是一个年幼孩子的家长，你就会知道这样的情景并不新奇。实际上，大部分幼童每年平均有四次耳痛。但是你最后一次耳朵感染是多久呢？明显地，小孩比大人更容易患耳朵感染。究竟是什么让小孩如此脆弱呢？
大多数感染发生在中耳。在鼓膜后面有一个小葡萄般大小的囊。当儿童感冒以后，耳咽管就会就会充满液体，耳咽管是从中耳到喉咙的通道。对于大人来说，这根本不是一个问题，因为大人的耳咽管大得足以让液体流走。但是对于三岁以下的儿童，他们的耳咽管更小更容易被堵塞。细菌很喜欢这种赌塞，很快他们就会滋生，引起感染。耳朵这时会做出反应产生一种浓稠的杀灭细菌的脓液。随着脓液的积聚，它会压迫耳膜，引起疼痛。
幸运的是，治愈很简单。只需一剂好的抗生素，你的孩子在几天内就会康复,如同新生一般。因此如果一系列的耳朵感染似乎让你和你的孩子筋疲力尽了，一定要振作起来。当大多数儿童到三岁以后，他们的耳咽管就会变得足够大，感染也会变少了。
Notes:
(1)tug [t?ɡ] n.拖船；拖曳；苦干 vi.用力拉；竞争；努力做 vt.用力拉；较量；用拖船拖
The boy tugged at his mother's hand.
男孩用力拉着妈妈的手。
To pull or drag forcibly; tug.
那部电影演得拖拖拉拉。
(2)scenario [si'nɑ:ri?u] n.方案；情节；剧本
The selected scenario failed to load. Select a different scenario.
所选方案加载失败。请选择另一个方案。
(3)toddler ['t?dl?] n.学步的小孩；幼童装
We want to buy Childrenwear and Baby Garments, Readymade Garments, Athletic Wear, Dresses, Junior Apparels, Swimwear, Toddler.
我们要采购童装和婴儿服装，成衣，运动服，洋装，年少的衣服，游泳衣裤。
(4)susceptible [s?'sept?bl] adj.易受影响的；易感动的；容许…的 n.易得病的人
I think "feeling right" is especially susceptible to outside pressures.
我认为“感觉正确”特别会受到外部压力影响。
(5)auditory tube咽鼓管；耳咽管
(6)drain away v.渐渐枯竭；排去；流尽
Some of experts in Russia were drained away to the United states in recent years.
最近几年俄罗斯一些专家外流到了美国。
The water will soon drain away .
水不久便会流出了。
(7)clog up:阻塞；塞满
They hope the volume of dirty traffic will clog up the keyword filters.
他们希望大量包含敏感信息的数据流能够堵塞关键词过滤系统。
(8)pus [p?s] n.脓；脓汁
As the pus leaves, soul more readily anchors into the form.
当脓液离开时，灵魂就更容易锚定到形体中。
(9)straightforward [,streit'f?:w?d] adj.简单的；坦率的；明确的;径直的 adv.直截了当地；坦率地
I must insist on you give me a straightforward answer.
我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。
(10)wear out 磨损,耗尽；穿破；使精疲力竭
We must wear the enemy out in a month.
我们必须在一个月之内把敌人拖垮。
(11)take heart振作；鼓起勇气
If you want to follow your dreams as well as provide for a certain future take heart.
假如你既想追随梦想，又想有一个美好的未来，那么鼓起勇气去努力吧。 |