VOA慢速英语 Olympic Committee to Test Rio's Water for Viruses

AS IT IS 2015-08-06 Olympic Committee to Test Rio's Water for Viruses

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is busy preparing for the 2016 Olympics. On Sunday, the International Olympic Committee said it will begin testing the waters where swimmers and other athletes will compete at the Rio Games. The IOC said its scientists will be looking for disease-causing viruses.

Earlier, the IOC and Olympic organizers in Rio said they would only test for bacteria in the water. Brazil and most other countries only require bacteria testing to establish the safety of recreational waters.

But an Associated Press investigation¹ found high numbers of viruses linked to human waste in the Olympic waters. Now, the IOC will act on the advice of the World Health Organization and expand its tests to include viruses.

Dr. Richard Budgett is the IOC’s medical director.

He told the news agency, "The WHO is saying they are recommending viral testing. We've always said we will follow the expert advice, so we will now be asking the appropriate authorities in Rio to follow the expert advice which is for viral testing. We have to follow the best expert advice.''

Last week, the International Sailing Federation² said it would perform its own independent tests for viruses. Peter Sowrey is head of the federation. He said, “We’re going to find someone who can do the testing for us that can safely cover what we need to know from a virus perspective as well as the bacteria perspective.”

High levels of viruses from sewage

The Associated Press said its research team tested water at each of the three Olympic water sport venues³ over a five-month period. Thirty-seven water samples were tested for six kinds of viruses and human waste bacteria.

The AP said it found that about 1,400 Olympic athletes will have contact with water having dangerously high levels of viruses from wastes. Water experts say the AP viral testing did not find one area safe for Olympic swimming or boating events.

The AP study found that athletes who drink just a small amount of water have a 99 percent chance of being infected by a virus. But that does not mean the athletes would become sick. The body’s natural defenses against disease and other things can influence whether or not the person gets sick.

In Rio de Janeiro, much of the human waste goes untreated. Sewage runs down hills and waterways around Olympic water venues. The waters are filled with floating objects, household trash and even dead animals.

The pollution problem has been around for many years. Medical experts in Rio have called the dirty water, a public health crisis⁴.

Neither the IOC nor the International Sailing Federation has yet said who would carry out their tests. Experts in Brazil say there are only three or four laboratories with the right equipment and trained scientists who can test for viruses in water.

Fernando Spilki is testing the waters for the Associated Press. He is a board member of the Brazilian Society for Virology. He is not receiving more from the AP to conduct the testing. But the news agency is buying the lab materials required to carry out the investigation.

When Rio was awarded the Olympics in 2009, Brazilian officials promised cleaning its waters would be an Olympic legacy⁵. But Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes has repeatedly said this will not be done. In his words, it is a "lost opportunity.''

Words in this Story

legacy – n. something that happened in the past or that comes from someone in the past

perspective – n. a way of thinking about and understanding something such as a particular issue or life in general

recreational – adj. done for enjoyment⁶

recommend – v. to say that (someone or something) is good and deserves to be chosen

appropriate – adj right or suited for some purpose or situation

authorities – n. people who have power to make decisions and enforce rules and laws

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

1 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

2 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

3 venues   

n.聚集地点( venue的名词复数 )；会场；（尤指）体育比赛场所；犯罪地点

参考例句：

• The band will be playing at 20 different venues on their UK tour. 这个乐队在英国巡回演出期间将在20个不同的地点演出。
• Farmers market corner, 800 meters long, 60 meters wide livestock trading venues. 农牧市场东北角，有长800米，宽60米的牲畜交易场地。 来自互联网

4 crisis   

n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段

参考例句：

• He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
• The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。

5 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

6 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。