2007年VOA标准英语-New Reports of Bird Flu in Southeast Asia

By Martin Secrest
Washington, D.C.
17 January 2007
 
watch Bird Flu report

Bird flu has killed again in Indonesia and is picking up speed elsewhere in Asia, with fresh outbreaks in Vietnam and a new human case reported in China [Wed., Jan. 10].  The case underscores widespread fears that humans can and do contract the deadly virus. 

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Indonesian health officials vaccinate poultry against bird flu, 17 Jan. 2007

The H5N1 bird flu virus killed a 14-year-old boy on the outskirts³ of Jakarta, the country's first fatality⁴ in six weeks.   

Meanwhile, Vietnam reports that the virus has spread to a fourth province, as officials brace⁵ for the worst prior to February's Lunar New Year festivities, when people and poultry are on the move.

Bird flu has killed more than 125 people worldwide.  Experts fear millions of people could die if the virus mutates into a strain that is more contagious⁶ to people. 

Dr. Shan Lu is with the University of Massachusetts Medical School, which is trying to develop a DNA-based bird flu vaccine⁷. "Clearly the bird flu is spreading to more places. The question is when they will jump to humans.  That is the question we don't know, but we have to prepare."

In Vietnam, recent bird flu outbreaks in southern provinces necessitate⁸ the killing⁹ of some 30,000 birds.  Over a year ago, Vietnam imposed a ban on hatching ducks, but many farmers ignored it.  Ducks can carry the virus without showing symptoms.  Health experts worry especially about migratory¹⁰ birds, which may spread outbreaks of bird flu. 

1 vaccinate   

vt.给…接种疫苗；种牛痘

参考例句：

• Local health officials then can plan the best times to vaccinate people.这样，当地的卫生官员就可以安排最佳时间给人们接种疫苗。
• Doctors vaccinate us so that we do not catch smallpox.医生给我们打预防针使我们不会得天花。

2 poultry   

n.家禽，禽肉

参考例句：

• There is not much poultry in the shops. 商店里禽肉不太多。
• What do you feed the poultry on? 你们用什么饲料喂养家禽?

3 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

4 fatality   

n.不幸，灾祸，天命

参考例句：

• She struggle against fatality in vain.她徒然奋斗反抗宿命。
• He began to have a growing sense of fatality.他开始有一种越来越强烈的宿命感。

5 brace   

n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备

参考例句：

• My daughter has to wear a brace on her teeth. 我的女儿得戴牙套以矫正牙齿。
• You had better brace yourself for some bad news. 有些坏消息,你最好做好准备。

6 contagious   

adj.传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。
• He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。

7 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

8 necessitate   

v.使成为必要，需要

参考例句：

• Your proposal would necessitate changing our plans.你的提议可能使我们的计划必须变更。
• The conversion will necessitate the complete rebuilding of the interior.转变就必需完善内部重建。

9 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

10 migratory   

n.候鸟，迁移

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• This does not negate the idea of migratory aptitude.这并没有否定迁移能力这一概念。