英语听力—环球英语 1279 The History of Vaccines

 Voice 1

 

　　Welcome to Spotlight¹.  I’m Nick Page.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　And I’m Liz Waid.  Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting.  It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Through history, a deadly disease called “smallpox²” threatened people all over the world.  In some areas this disease killed more than 10% of the population.  And for children it was even worse. Smallpox killed as many as one in every three children. There was no cure.  But then, on May 14th, 1796, one simple experiment changed the future of smallpox.  The end of smallpox had begun.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　The story of smallpox is linked very closely to the story of vaccines³, a kind of medical treatment that people still use today. Today’s Spotlight is on the history of vaccines.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Smallpox is a very ancient disease.  Scientists have found evidence that smallpox has been on the earth for thousands of years.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Smallpox is a deadly disease. It spreads very easily. The first signs of the disease begin two to four days after infection. There is a very high fever. A person will begin to show a rash⁴ - this is raised red bumps⁵ on a person’s skin. These bumps are filled with infected liquid. After a time the bumps begin to dry and form skin over them - scabs. Some people do survive after having smallpox. But they often carry terrible permanent scars⁶, or become blind. Many people do not survive.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Long ago some doctors observed a very interesting thing about this deadly disease. If a person recovered from smallpox he would never get it again.  This information led these doctors to try and prevent smallpox in very strange ways.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Chinese doctors used a method called variolation to prevent people from getting smallpox. They used some of the infected liquids and scabs from people with smallpox. Healthy people breathed in these substances. The doctors hoped people would get a weaker form of smallpox. Then they would recover. If a person recovered the doctors released them.  The person would never have a problem with smallpox again.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　No one understood exactly how or why this process worked.  And the process was not very safe. Many people who were purposely infected with smallpox died. There was no exact way to control the effects of the disease. But many people did recover. So, doctors considered this method successful. When doctors used this method, fewer and fewer people died from smallpox. Doctors used this process for many years all around the world.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　But one doctor, Edward Jenner, had a different idea about preventing smallpox. Doctor Jenner lived in England.  He worked as a doctor in the country.  One day a young girl who worked with cows came to him.  She had red bumps on her hands.  Doctor Jenner identified the bumps as cowpox.  The girl said one of her cows had cowpox.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Cowpox is a very similar disease to smallpox.  But it is much less severe. People with cowpox usually only develop a few red bumps on their hands. They feel sick for a short time. But cowpox does not usually cause death.  And it is more common in cows than people.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Doctor Jenner had heard many people in his village say that if a person got cowpox he would be immune⁷ to smallpox. He would never become infected with smallpox, a much worse disease. Doctor Jenner saw the chance to perform a very important experiment.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Doctor Jenner understood that cows could pass cowpox to people. But he wanted to know if people could pass cowpox to other people. So, Doctor Jenner took some liquid from the girl’s cowpox infection. He infected a healthy boy with this liquid. The boy had never had cowpox or smallpox.  The boy became sick from the girl’s cowpox. So, now Doctor Jenner knew that a person could pass cowpox to another person.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　After the boy recovered Doctor Jenner wanted to know one more piece of information.  He needed to know if the boy was now really immune to smallpox.  So, Doctor Jenner injected the smallpox virus into the boy.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Doctor Jenner was very happy when the boy did not become infected with the smallpox virus! Doctor Jenner tried to infect the boy with smallpox a few more times. But the boy remained healthy. Now Doctor Jenner knew that there was a safer way to stop people from getting smallpox.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Today no good doctor would perform this experiment. Scientists believe that performing these kinds of experiments on humans is not moral. But back in 1796 this experiment was an important move in producing vaccines.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Doctor Jenner named his method vaccination⁸. Vaccination is the process of placing particular infected material, like the infected cowpox liquid, under a person’s skin to help protect a body against diseases.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Doctor Jenner continued studying the link between cowpox and smallpox. For many years people were frightened of his new method. But after a time, people all across the world began to accept Doctor Jenner’s vaccination process. And in England, by 1853, all English people were required to be vaccinated¹⁰ by Doctor Jenner’s method.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Today people use vaccines everywhere in the world.  Vaccines keep many people healthy. Doctor Jenner’s ideas and research have affected¹¹ people for all time.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　In the year 1801 Doctor Jenner dreamed of ending the smallpox virus forever. He dreamed of making it disappear. In 1967 the World Health Organization, the WHO, shared that dream. In that year they set out to get rid of smallpox.  Teams of doctors travelled to areas with a high risk of smallpox. They vaccinated many people.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Finally, in 1977 Doctor Jenner’s dream came true. Doctors identified the last natural case of smallpox. The man recovered. And since then no other natural case of smallpox has been found anywhere in the world.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Vaccines have changed since Doctor Jenner’s time. Doctors understand more about infections, staying clean, and how the body works. Doctors have developed vaccines for many diseases that used to be a big problem. People are vaccinated against polio, typhoid, mumps¹², measles¹³, rubella and many other sicknesses.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Today many governments require their people to be vaccinated. The WHO works hard to vaccinate⁹ people in every country. They even vaccinate people who do not have enough money to pay for medical treatments. The WHO wants to make horrible diseases disappear completely.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　In 1988 the World Health Assembly declared that polio was its next target. It wants to make polio disappear. They have not achieved their goal yet. But vaccines will continue to change the world.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　The writer and producer of this program was Liz Waid. The voices you heard were from the United States and the United Kingdom. Listen for more Spotlight programs about vaccines.  You can find our programs on the internet at www.radioenglish.net. This program is called “The History of Vaccines”.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.

 

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 smallpox   

n.天花

参考例句：

• In 1742 he suffered a fatal attack of smallpox.1742年，他染上了致命的天花。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child?你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

3 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

4 rash   

adj.轻率的；n.（皮）疹，爆发的一连串

参考例句：

• My skin has broken out in an itchy rash.我的皮肤上突然长出一片让人发痒的皮疹。
• Don't be rash in making your decision.别轻率做出决定。

5 bumps   

碰撞( bump的名词复数 )； 肿块； 轻微撞车事故； 隆起物

参考例句：

• I had goose bumps when we watched the fireworks. 我们看烟火的时候，我起鸡皮疙瘩。
• E was kind of zig-zagging across the pavement, and I bumps into 'im accidental-like. 他有点歪歪斜斜地在人行道上走，我一不小心撞到了他的怀里。 来自英汉文学

6 scars   

n.伤痕( scar的名词复数 )；精神上的创伤；有损外观的地方；裸岩

参考例句：

• Slowly the war scars faded. 战争的创伤慢慢地消失了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• I've got scars from head to toe in tribute to my courage. 为了嘉奖我的胆量，我得到浑身的伤疤。 来自辞典例句

7 immune   

adj.免疫的，有免疫力的，不受影响的，免除的

参考例句：

• I am immune from the disease,for I had it once.我对这病有免疫力，因为我已得过一次了。
• Be immune from corruption.拒腐蚀，永不沾。

8 vaccination   

n.接种疫苗，种痘

参考例句：

• Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。
• Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。

9 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。

10 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

11 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。

12 mumps   

n.腮腺炎

参考例句：

• Sarah got mumps from her brother.萨拉的弟弟患腮腺炎，传染给她了。
• I was told not go near Charles. He is sickening for mumps.别人告诉我不要走近查尔斯， 他染上了流行性腮腺炎。

13 measles   

n.麻疹，风疹，包虫病，痧子

参考例句：

• The doctor is quite definite about Tom having measles.医生十分肯定汤姆得了麻疹。
• The doctor told her to watch out for symptoms of measles.医生叫她注意麻疹出现的症状。