奥运会主席:寨卡病毒不会影响里约奥运会进程

AS IT IS 2016-07-01 Olympic Chief: Zika Not Top Concern at Rio Games 奥运会主席:寨卡病毒不会影响里约奥运会进程

Excitement is building for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

The opening ceremony will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on August 5.

For months, news media have been reporting on Rio’s dirty water, mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus, transportation and security issues.

That does not sound promising¹ for a city expecting famous athletes, government leaders and visitors from around the world for the games.

But during a recent visit to VOA’s headquarters in Washington, Olympic Organizing Committee chief Sidney Levy² said something surprising: his top concern is not the Zika virus.

Zika spreads to human beings through mosquito bites. Experts are especially concerned about infected mosquitoes biting pregnant³ women. They say this could cause microcephaly, which is linked to brain defects from birth.

Sidney Levy said he has 4,000 people working to make Rio’s sports centers ready for the 2016 Olympics.

“Today, I have 4,000 people working for myself. In the fields, in the beaches in the parks, in t-shirts, and I have not a single case of Zika. So we really think this is not a threat.”

Levy defended his claim. He said a study by researchers at England’s Cambridge University shows the likelihood⁴ of getting infected with Zika during August in Rio is one-in-1 million.

Still, some athletes have expressed concerns about competing at the 2016 Olympics. The Irish golfer Rory McIlroy said recently he would not travel to Rio because he was worried about Zika. And a group of 150 doctors, scientists and bioethicists wrote a letter to the World Health Organization. They want the Olympics moved or postponed⁵ because of Zika.

Levy said workers have been using insecticide products in the city for months and they will continue to do so during the games. Insecticides are designed to kill insects.

Also, August is winter in Earth’s Southern Hemisphere⁶. This should mean somewhat cooler temperatures and fewer active mosquitoes.

With so many people coming into Brazil, Levy told VOA he is more concerned about security and transportation.

The city of Rio de Janeiro has been making improvements to its public transport system. It has new underground rail lines, new roads, new light trains and buses. Levy said he thinks more than four times as many city residents will use public transportation after the games than before.

“So when we decided⁷ to do the games, the main question is, ‘Why to do the games?’ Why go into that such complicated effort? And there is just one answer. Is for: ‘What can the games do for your city?’ That's what really the matter. And we decided to do a major transformation⁸ of the public transportation system in Rio de Janeiro. We decided that seven years ago, and we went for that."

Rio is home to more than six million residents. About 500,000 more people are expected to visit there during the Olympics. City officials are preparing for the large number of arrivals. They also plan to use 85,000 security officers during the games.

Only two years ago, the World Cup finals were played in Rio. And an estimated two million people crowded the city’s streets during the visit of Pope⁹ Francis. Sidney Levy said city officials learned from that experience and plan to use the same system to keep people safe.

Levy seems happy with the way Olympic organizers prepared for the games. He said they kept working even when faced with other issues, such as the impeachment¹⁰ trial of Brazil’s president.

But he admitted to being dissatisfied with one aspect of the Games preparation. The water of Guanabara Bay is still not clean. Some Olympic sailing events are to be held in the bay. Right now only 50 percent of the sewage flowing into those waters is being treated. Levy said he hoped the number would be closer to 80 percent.

But there have already been two test sailing events. And none of the competitors got sick.

"And we are able to run the competition. We will run the competition. No athlete is going to get sick. But we failed to clean the waters for the population."

If the water is not clean in time for the Olympics, Levy says the sailing events will be moved to another area.

Words in This Story

sewage – n. waste material (such as human urine and feces) that is carried away from homes and other buildings in a system of pipes

impeachment – n. the act of charging a public official with a crime done in office

bioethicist – n. an expert in biology and medicine who understands the rules of good and bad behavior

birth defect – n. a problem, disease or fault contracted before birth that makes a baby not perfect

1 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

2 levy   

n.征收税或其他款项，征收额

参考例句：

• They levy a tax on him.他们向他征税。
• A direct food levy was imposed by the local government.地方政府征收了食品税。

3 pregnant   

adj.怀孕的，怀胎的

参考例句：

• She is a pregnant woman.她是一名孕妇。
• She is pregnant with her first child.她怀了第一胎。

4 likelihood   

n.可能，可能性

参考例句：

• We must try our best to reduce the likelihood of war.我们必须尽最大努力减少战争的可能性。
• I don't think there is any likelihood of his agreeing to it.我认为不会有他同意那件事情的可能。

5 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

6 hemisphere   

n.半球，半球地图

参考例句：

• This animal is to be found only in the Southern Hemisphere.这种动物只有在南半球才能找到。
• In most people,the left hemisphere is bigger than the right.多数人的左脑比右脑大。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

9 pope   

n.（罗马天主教的）教皇

参考例句：

• The Pope is the spiritual leader of many Christians.教皇是众多基督徒的宗教领袖。
• The Pope is the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church.教皇是罗马天主教的最高领袖。

10 impeachment   

n.弹劾；控告；怀疑

参考例句：

• Impeachment is considered a drastic measure in the United States.在美国，弹劾被视为一种非常激烈的措施。
• The verdict resulting from his impeachment destroyed his political career.他遭弹劾后得到的判决毁了他的政治生涯。