VOA慢速英语2011--Groups Press for US Ban on Antibiotics i

Agriculture Report - Groups Press for US Ban on Antibiotics² in Healthy Animals

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
Antibiotics are used to cure bacterial³ infections. But about fifty years ago, farmers started to give small amounts of these drugs to healthy animals in their feed. Scientists found that antibiotics improve the growth rate of animals.
But the practice soon led to criticism. Public health experts observed antibiotic¹-resistant⁴ bacteria growing in these animals. Experts say bacteria develop resistance from continual exposure to antibiotics. And resistant bacteria can make it harder to treat infections in humans.
Today big livestock⁵ producers around the world use antibiotics for animal growth. Some countries are considering restrictions⁶ or already have them. South Korea is banning the practice in July. The European Union began to enforce a ban five years ago. Several EU members had already stopped the practice before that.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration first proposed to ban antibiotic use in healthy animals in nineteen seventy-seven. Congress, however, asked for more research. Today there is no ban. But in June of last year the FDA asked producers to stop the practice over time.
That recommendation was not enough for some critics. Five environmental and consumer groups are asking a court to force a ban by the federal agency. Steve Roach is with the group Food Animal Concerns Trust, or FACT.
STEVE ROACH: "As far as we can tell, all they were trying to do was kindly⁷ ask the industry to make changes. And we just do not believe that is [an] adequate response."
His group wants the government to ban the use of two common antibiotics at levels below those used to treat sick animals.
STEVE ROACH: "After thirty years, I think it is time for someone to put a little more pressure on them. And that is what the aim of the lawsuit⁸ is."
Supporters of low-level antibiotic use in animals say there is no solid evidence linking it to drug-resistant infections in humans. They also say that in addition to increasing growth, the drugs help suppress diseases in animals confined together in large feeding operations.
Ron Phillips is with the Animal Health Institute, a trade group for the animal-drug industry. He says suppressing animal disease means a safer food supply.
RON PHILLIPS: "Sicker animals result in greater contamination on the meat. So the way to control pathogens on the farm, so that they do not transfer through the food chain, is to make sure we have healthy farm animals."
Experts say the largest source of resistant bacteria is the overuse and misuse⁹ of antibiotics among people.
And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson and Steve Baragona. You can read, listen and learn English with our programs and activities at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Bob Doughty¹⁰.

1 antibiotic   

adj.抗菌的；n.抗生素

参考例句：

• The doctor said that I should take some antibiotic.医生说我应该服些用抗生素。
• Antibiotic can be used against infection.抗菌素可以用来防止感染。

2 antibiotics   

n.（用作复数）抗生素；（用作单数）抗生物质的研究；抗生素，抗菌素( antibiotic的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century 20世纪抗生素的发现
• The doctor gave me a prescription for antibiotics. 医生给我开了抗生素。

3 bacterial   

a.细菌的

参考例句：

• Bacterial reproduction is accelerated in weightless space. 在失重的空间，细菌繁殖加快了。
• Brain lesions can be caused by bacterial infections. 大脑损伤可能由细菌感染引起。

4 resistant   

adj.(to)抵抗的，有抵抗力的

参考例句：

• Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
• They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。

5 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

6 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

7 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

8 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

9 misuse   

n.误用，滥用；vt.误用，滥用

参考例句：

• It disturbs me profoundly that you so misuse your talents.你如此滥用自己的才能，使我深感不安。
• He was sacked for computer misuse.他因滥用计算机而被解雇了。

10 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。