VOA慢速英语Health Report - A Study Looks at Environmental

Health Report - A Study Looks at Environmental Influences on Children

健康报道 - 美国开始研究环境和遗传因素对儿童的影响
This is the VOA Special English Health Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语健康报道。
One of the largest health studies ever done in the United States will look at environmental influences on children.
美国有史以来最大的一次健康研究将着眼于环境对儿童的影响。
The study will examine the many environmental and genetic¹ factors that affect the health of children and the adults they become.
这项研究将探讨许多环境和遗传因素对儿童及其成年后健康的影响。
Dr. Steven Hirshfeld at the National Institutes of Health is the study director. Test projects have already begun, and he says the main part of the National Children's Study will begin next year.
美国国立卫生研究院的史蒂芬·希斯菲尔德（Steven Hirshfeld）担任研究主任。他表示，化验项目已经开始进行，全国性儿童研究的主要部分将于明年启动。
STEVEN HIRSHFELD: "Our goal is to understand how you can get the healthiest, most robust² child to develop into a healthy and contributing member of adult society."
希斯菲尔德：“我们的目标是了解如何将一个最健康、壮实的儿童培养成为一个健康的，对成人社会有贡献的成员。”
Researchers want to study one hundred thousand children across America. The study will collect information from before they are born until they are twenty-one years old.
研究人员希望对美国各地10万名儿童展开研究。这项研究将收集儿童从出生前到21岁的各类信息。
There are seven centers around the country where parents can join the study. Jennifer, three months pregnant, signed up for the study at the University of California, Los Angeles.
家长们可以通过分布全国的7个研究中心报名加入，怀孕三个月的珍妮弗在加州大学洛杉矶分校签署协议加入了这项研究。
JENNIFER: "Well, living in Los Angeles, I’m concerned, like, obviously about the pollution and the smog and that kind of stuff. And, you know, I’m also concerned about what I put in my body, like is the food genetically³ modified? Like, is the food organic? Like, do they add chemicals or preservatives⁴ to things and, like, how do those things have an effect on an unborn child?"
珍妮弗：“住在洛杉矶，我显然对污染、烟雾和诸如此类的东西非常关注。我同时还非常关注吃进身体的食物，例如它是不是转基因食品？是不是有机食品？是否添加了化学物质或防腐剂？这些食品对未出生婴儿有什么影响？”
Researchers at UCLA will consider questions like these as they study four thousand children in the Los Angeles area. They also plan to study one thousand children in a rural area. The aim is to see what effect pesticides⁵ used on nearby farms might have on the children's health.
加州大学洛杉矶分校的研究人员在对洛杉矶地区4000名儿童进行研究时会考虑到类似这些问题。他们还计划对农村地区的1000名儿童进行研究，目的是研究在农场周围使用农药对儿童健康可能会有什么影响。
Dr. Michael Lu is one of the lead investigators⁶ at UCLA.
迈克尔·卢（Michael Lu）医生是加州大学洛杉矶分校的研究带头人之一。
MICHAEL LU: “We’re examining a number of very important child conditions such as asthma⁷ and autism, pre-term birth and birth defects, obesity⁸ and diabetes⁹ and various behavioral and learning problems.”
卢：“我们正在研究一些非常重要的儿童病症，如哮喘和自闭症，早产和新生儿缺陷，肥胖症和糖尿病，以及各类行为和学习问题（或译为行为和学习障碍）。”
The researchers will also study mental health disorders¹⁰.
研究人员还将研究心理健康障碍。
MICHAEL LU: “I think this study has the potential to change the way we look at childhood health and development.”
卢：“我认为这项研究有可能会改变我们研究儿童健康和发展的方式。”
The goal of the National Children's Study is to create a database that researchers around the world can use. Dr. Hirshfeld, the study director, says this information could help solve some unanswered questions.
这次全国性儿童研究的目标是建立一个数据库供世界各地的研究人员使用。担任研究主任的希斯菲尔德医生表示，这些信息将有助于解决一些悬而未决的问题。
STEVEN HIRSHFELD: “We have knowledge gaps in many of the most important factors that influence not only the health and well-being¹¹ and development of children, but that begin the foundations of what could turn into chronic¹² conditions for adults.”
希斯菲尔德：“我们不仅在影响儿童健康发展的许多重要因素上存在知识空白，还在一些可能发展为成人慢性病的原始病因上存在知识空白。”
Findings from the study will be released as they become available. The information could lead to new policies and changes in existing laws on child health and the environment. The hope is that children can live healthier lives and grow into healthier adults.
研究结果出来后将及时公布。这些信息可能会导致一些新政策以及现有儿童健康和环境政策的变化，希望儿童可以健康生活健康成长。
And that’s the VOA Special English Health Report, by Caty Weaver¹³ and Carol Pearson. You can watch a video about the National Children's Study at voaspecialenglish.com. I’m Bob Doughty¹⁴.

1 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。

2 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

3 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

4 preservatives   

n.防腐剂( preservative的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The juice contains no artificial preservatives. 这种果汁不含人工防腐剂。
• Meat spoils more quickly without preservatives. 不加防腐剂，肉会坏得快。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5 pesticides   

n.杀虫剂( pesticide的名词复数 )；除害药物

参考例句：

• vegetables grown without the use of pesticides 未用杀虫剂种植的蔬菜
• There is a lot of concern over the amount of herbicides and pesticides used in farming. 人们对农业上灭草剂和杀虫剂的用量非常担忧。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 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。

8 obesity   

n.肥胖，肥大

参考例句：

• One effect of overeating may be obesity.吃得过多能导致肥胖。
• Sugar and fat can more easily lead to obesity than some other foods.糖和脂肪比其他食物更容易导致肥胖。

9 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

10 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

12 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

13 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

14 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。