英语博客：ESL Podcast 721 – A Widespread Epidemic

　　Alan: Did you see today’s news? There’s been an outbreak of Podcaster’s Disease in the city.
Katja: Oh, my God, not Podcaster’s Disease! I would not want to come down with that.
Alan: The first outbreak was at the local high school, and the health authorities thought it was localized. But a second, more widespread, outbreak has been reported at the city’s government offices.
Katja: That’s terrible! I thought Podcaster’s Disease was very rare.
Alan: It is, and that’s why the authorities are so alarmed. It’s highly communicable, so they’re hoping it won’t turn into an epidemic¹, or worse, a pandemic.
Katja: I’ve heard that this disease is horrible, but I’m not sure what the symptoms are. Do you know?
Alan: From what I’ve read, sufferers of Podcaster’s Disease can’t stop talking and they speak in an announcer’s voice all the time.
Katja: Oh, my God, what a terrible fate!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。