DEVELOPMENT REPORT - World TB Day

By Jill Moss¹
DEVELOPMENT REPORT -March 25, 2002: World TB Day

This is Bill White with the VOA Special English Development Report.

March twenty-fourth was World Tuberculosis² Day. The yearly³ event is held to improve knowledge,
understanding and action against tuberculosis. The main idea of this year’s campaign against tuberculosis is
“Stop T-B, Fight Poverty.
”
Organizers note the link between T-B and the world ’s poor people.

The World Health Organization estimates⁴ that about one-third of the world’s population is
infected with the bacteria that cause T-B. Infected people spread the disease⁵ by releasing⁶
particles⁷ from their mouths when they cough, sneeze, spit or talk. About two-million people
die from tuberculosis each year.

This year’s campaign calls on the world community to expand the program developed by
the W-H-O to fight T-B. The program is called Directly Observed Treatment, Short -course,
or DOTS.

There are five parts in the DOTS discovery and treatment plan. The first step requires
governments and health officials to continue T-B control programs. The next step uses
microscope technology to identify infected people.

The third step is a drug treatment program that may continue for as many as eight months. The fourth step of the
DOTS program is a guaranteed supply of all needed anti-T-B drugs in countries where the program is in place.
Finally, the World Health Organization says countries must establish a system for recording⁸ and reporting T-B
cases. World T-B Day started in Nineteen-Eighty-Two. At that time, an organization in the African country of
Mali suggested that a day be organized to educate people about tuberculosis. The group wanted governments and
organizations around the world to recognize the event, similar to World Health Day.

March twenty-fourth is also the day in eighteen-eighty-two when scientist Robert Koch announced his discovery
of the bacteria that cause T-B.

Governments and organizations around the world planned major events to observe World T-B Day. In Cambodia,
for example, there was a public march through the capital, Phnom Penh. In South Africa, tuberculosis researchers
held a health conference. And in Switzerland, children designed “Get Well
”
messages for young T-B patients
in Afghanistan.

Officials hope World T-B Day will improve international efforts to fight the disease.

This VOA Special English Development Report was written by Jill Moss. This is Bill White.

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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 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。

3 yearly   

adj.每年的，一年一度的；adv.一年一次地

参考例句：

• The flower show is a yearly event in our town.我们镇上的花展一年举行一次。
• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。

4 estimates   

估计

参考例句：

• Unofficial estimates put the figure at over two million. 非官方的估计数字为200万以上。
• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

6 releasing   

v.释放( release的现在分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• Releasing his arm, she laid her hand upon his shoulder. 她放掉他的胳膊，却把手放到了他的肩上。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
• The drag operation is still terminated by releasing the mouse button. 释放鼠标按键时，拖动操作将立即终止。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

7 particles   

微粒( particle的名词复数 )； 颗粒； 极少量； 小品词

参考例句：

• These small particles agglomerate together to form larger clusters. 这些颗粒聚结形成较大的团。
• The nucleus of an atom consists of neutrons, protons and other particles. 原子核由中子、质子和其他粒子构成。

8 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。