布莱尔首相演讲:Foot and Mouth Disease

Transcript¹ of the Prime Minister's broadcast on Foot and Mouth Disease

I want to speak today about the devastating² outbreak of foot and mouth disease, to say what we are doing to control and eradicate³ it, and how everyone can play their part in ensuring this can be achieved as quickly as possible.

The situation is indeed grave for British farming. The funeral pyres of farm animals are the worst nightmare for the livestock⁴ farmers. And it is not just the financial loss, massive as that is, which is the cause of so much pain for farmers, the heartbreak also comes from all the hard work and planning, often over many years, that has ended with their animals being slaughtered⁵ and burned. This also explains why there is such a tremendous feeling of dread⁶ and anxiety throughout farming, an industry which has suffered difficult times in recent years. I want to offer my sympathy to all those farmers whose livestock has been infected. I also promise them and the wider industry that the government will do what it can to help over this very difficult period. I can also reassure⁷ all farmers and the general public that everything possible is being done to contain this disease, to eliminate it, and in the longer term to put in place any new controls needed to prevent it happening again.

It is why we imposed the total ban on the movement of livestock last Friday, and have placed exclusion⁸ areas around the farms affected⁹. It is likely there will be more cases in animals already incubating the disease, but we hope however that the controls that have been put in place will prevent the further spread of the disease.

I want too to pay tribute to the tremendous efforts of the State Veterinary Service in identifying, tracing and controlling this disease. But for their work we would now be facing an even bigger problem than we are.

I also want to thank the farming and livestock industry itself for the way it has reacted to this crisis, for their advice and their co-operation in putting in place the tough controls needed. Everything we have done has been in full consultation¹⁰ with the National Farmers Union.

I can understand too why there may be general concern in the public at large. The scenes of burning carcasses on our farms are disturbing. But it is important to remember that foot and mouth disease has no implications for human health or food.

But though we are not at direct risk from this disease, we can play a part, unknowingly, in spreading it. Foot and mouth disease is a highly infectious virus which can be picked up by us on our boots, clothes and cars and carried many miles. By staying away from farmland, by keeping off any footpaths¹¹ through or next to farms or open land with livestock, we can help the efforts to eradicate this disease.

We are giving local authorities today the power to enforce the temporary closure of footpaths and rights of way, but we hope people will
voluntarily stay away in any case.

Farmers, of course, are not producers of our food simply, they are also guardians¹² of our countryside. Their hard work and dedication¹³ has created and protects the countryside we cherish and enjoy visiting. So by staying away from farmland areas, unless we have good reason, we can show our support for farmers in these difficult times and help contain and then eradicate the disease from Britain as soon as possible. Thank you.  

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

3 eradicate   

v.根除，消灭，杜绝

参考例句：

• These insects are very difficult to eradicate.这些昆虫很难根除。
• They are already battling to eradicate illnesses such as malaria and tetanus.他们已经在努力消灭疟疾、破伤风等疾病。

4 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

5 slaughtered   

v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The invading army slaughtered a lot of people. 侵略军杀了许多人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Hundreds of innocent civilians were cruelly slaughtered. 数百名无辜平民遭残杀。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 dread   

vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧

参考例句：

• We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
• Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

7 reassure   

v.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
• The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

8 exclusion   

n.拒绝，排除，排斥，远足，远途旅行

参考例句：

• Don't revise a few topics to the exclusion of all others.不要修改少数论题以致排除所有其他的。
• He plays golf to the exclusion of all other sports.他专打高尔夫球，其他运动一概不参加。

9 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。

10 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

11 footpaths   

人行小径，人行道( footpath的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There are a lot of winding footpaths in the col. 山坳里尽是些曲曲弯弯的羊肠小道。
• There are many footpaths that wind through the village. 有许多小径穿过村子。

12 guardians   

监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者

参考例句：

• Farmers should be guardians of the countryside. 农民应是乡村的保卫者。
• The police are guardians of law and order. 警察是法律和秩序的护卫者。

13 dedication   

n.奉献，献身，致力，题献，献辞

参考例句：

• We admire her courage,compassion and dedication.我们钦佩她的勇气、爱心和奉献精神。
• Her dedication to her work was admirable.她对工作的奉献精神可钦可佩。