万花筒2008-02-27:美国的文盲问题

Millions of Americans are too ashamed to get help for illiteracy¹

...to a problem that affects millions of Americans and yet is something of a silent epidemic², that's because the people affected³ are often hesitant to seek help. The problem is illiteracy. And as our Pierre Thomas reports now, it is an issue that affects people in a myriad⁴ of ways.  

For nearly all of her 45 years, Monica Baxley has lived with a crippling secret. "I cried a lot over this when I was alone. " Baxley was functionally⁵ illiterate⁶, avoiding the doctor out of fear she would have to fill out a medical form, or read a prescription⁷. (Okay)  

"My health is poor now, but I really believe that's because I never went to the doctor. " It is a life and death issue, and the reason for this is that literacy affects your health in so many different ways.  

The American Medical Association Foundation surveyed patients who could not read. This woman signed a form she could not understand, agreeing to a hysterectomy without knowing it.  

…inside, my mouth fell open, and I thought to myself, how could I be so stupid as to allow somebody to take part of my body, and I didn't know it? It's a tremendous problem when you think about the costs for us economically, health-wise.

Undiagnosed learning disorders⁸, poverty, unstable⁹ home life are all factors contributing to illiteracy. Monica Baxley finally confronted her illiteracy at age 42, and learned to read. But illiteracy persists for millions who continue to live with it in the shadows.  

Pierre Thomas, ABC News, Chipley Florida 
 

WORDS IN THE NEWS
 

1. hysterectomy : n-count

A hysterectomy is a surgical¹⁰ operation to remove a woman's womb.

2. -wise : comb

-wise is added to nouns to form adverbs indicating that something is the case when considering the particular thing mentioned.

1 illiteracy   

n.文盲

参考例句：

• It is encouraging to read that illiteracy is declining.从读报中了解文盲情况正在好转，这是令人鼓舞的。
• We must do away with illiteracy.我们必须扫除文盲。

2 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。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 myriad   

adj.无数的；n.无数，极大数量

参考例句：

• They offered no solution for all our myriad problems.对于我们数不清的问题他们束手无策。
• I had three weeks to make a myriad of arrangements.我花了三个星期做大量准备工作。

5 functionally   

adv.机能上地，官能地

参考例句：

• Objective To explore occlusion reconstruction by computer aided design (CAD) with functionally-generated pathway (FGP). 目的探索借助功能性？记录(functionally-generated pathway,FGP)技术进行口腔固定修复体计算机辅助设计(Computer aided Design,CAD)生理性建？的方法。 来自互联网
• In this respect, the proceeding was functionally similar to a comparative licensing adjudication. 在这一点上，手续在作用上即类似于比较许可证发放的裁断。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

6 illiterate   

adj.文盲的；无知的；n.文盲

参考例句：

• There are still many illiterate people in our country.在我国还有许多文盲。
• I was an illiterate in the old society,but now I can read.我这个旧社会的文盲，今天也认字了。

7 prescription   

n.处方，开药；指示，规定

参考例句：

• The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
• The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。

8 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》

9 unstable   

adj.不稳定的，易变的

参考例句：

• This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
• The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

10 surgical   

adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的

参考例句：

• He performs the surgical operations at the Red Cross Hospital.他在红十字会医院做外科手术。
• All surgical instruments must be sterilised before use.所有的外科手术器械在使用之前，必须消毒。