有声英文阅读-拆信小心！

Bad Things Come in Small Packages
拆信小心！

While most armies in the world shun¹ their use, and military authorities exclude them from warfare², the technology to produce biological and chemical weapons is widely available. Moreover, these weapons are cheap, easy to conceal³, and very effective. Since September 11, 2001, biological weapons seem to have become the weapon of choice among the disenfranchised militants⁴ of the world. Some people are worried chemical warfare may follow.

Chemical weapons are abundant in variety. Their effectiveness is determined⁵ by several factors, including age, purity, weather conditions, and choice of dissemination⁶. They include nerve agents, blister⁷ agents, and choking agents, all of which can be ingested through the eyes, lungs, or skin. Sarin, a type of nerve gas, was used by the Aum Shinrikyo cult⁸ in March 1995, killing⁹ 12 people and injuring more than 5,500 on a Tokyo subway.

Biological weapons, by definition, are any infectious agent, such as a bacterium¹⁰ or virus, used deliberately¹¹ to inflict¹² harm on soldiers and civilians¹³ alike. This classification can include toxins¹⁵ and poisons derived¹⁶ biologically. Biological weapons can be produced nearly anywhere, from government labs to suburban¹⁷ kitchens.

Experts contend, however, that the transformation¹⁸ of a deadly virus or bacterium into an effective weapon is anything but straightforward¹⁹: A conventional bomb would likely destroy the germ as it exploded. In contrast, dissemination via alternative methods, such as surface mail, has recently proved quite effective.

1. shun v. 回避
2. disenfranchised a. 被剥夺公权的
3. ingest v. 摄取
4. toxin¹⁴ n. 毒素

 

尽管世界上多数国家的军队都避免使用生化武器，军事当局在战争中也不使用它，而制造生化武器的科技仍然随处可得。此外，这些武器造价便宜、容易藏匿，而且效果很明显。2001年9月11日之后，生物武器似乎已成了世界上被剥夺公民权的好战分子们选择的武器。有些人担心，接着可能会有一场化学战争。

化学武器种类繁多。它们的效力是由几种因素决定的，包括年限、纯度、气候状况，以及散布途径。化学武器包括神经毒、疱毒和窒息毒，它们都能通过眼睛、肺部或皮肤被人体吸收。沙林是一种神经性毒气，1995年3月奥姆真理教在东京地铁站使用，造成12人丧命，5，500多人受伤。

从定义来看，生物武器是指任何蓄意用来伤害士兵和老百姓等的传染手段，如细菌或病毒等。这类武器包括用生物学方法培植出来的毒素和毒药。生物武器几乎到处都可以制造，从政府实验室，到郊区的厨房。

然而，专家认为，要将一种致命的细菌或病毒转化成有效的武器并不是一件容易的事：一颗常规炸弹就有可能在爆炸时摧毁病菌。相对来说，通过其它方式传播，如普通邮件，近来被证实相当有效。

1 shun   

vt.避开，回避，避免

参考例句：

• Materialists face truth,whereas idealists shun it.唯物主义者面向真理，唯心主义者则逃避真理。
• This extremist organization has shunned conventional politics.这个极端主义组织有意避开了传统政治。

2 warfare   

n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突

参考例句：

• He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。
• Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。

3 conceal   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽

参考例句：

• He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。
• He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。

4 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

5 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

6 dissemination   

传播,宣传,传染(病毒)

参考例句：

• The dissemination of error does people great harm. 谬种流传，误人不浅。
• He was fully bent upon the dissemination of Chinese culture all over the world. 他一心致力于向全世界传播中国文化。

7 blister   

n.水疱；(油漆等的)气泡；v.(使)起泡

参考例句：

• I got a huge blister on my foot and I couldn't run any farther.我脚上长了一个大水泡，没办法继续跑。
• I have a blister on my heel because my shoe is too tight.鞋子太紧了，我脚后跟起了个泡。

8 cult   

n.异教，邪教；时尚，狂热的崇拜

参考例句：

• Her books aren't bestsellers,but they have a certain cult following.她的书算不上畅销书，但有一定的崇拜者。
• The cult of sun worship is probably the most primitive one.太阳崇拜仪式或许是最为原始的一种。

9 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

10 bacterium   

n.(pl.)bacteria 细菌

参考例句：

• The bacterium possibly goes in the human body by the mouth.细菌可能通过口进入人体。
• A bacterium is identified as the cause for his duodenal ulcer.一种细菌被断定为造成他十二指肠溃疡的根源。

11 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

12 inflict   

vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担

参考例句：

• Don't inflict your ideas on me.不要把你的想法强加于我。
• Don't inflict damage on any person.不要伤害任何人。

13 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

14 toxin   

n.毒素，毒质

参考例句：

• Experts have linked this condition to a build-up of toxins in the body.专家已把这一病症与体内毒素的积累联系起来。
• Tests showed increased levels of toxin in shellfish.检验表明水生有壳动物的毒素水平提高了。

15 toxins   

n.毒素( toxin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The seas have been used as a receptacle for a range of industrial toxins. 海洋成了各种有毒工业废料的大容器。
• Most toxins are naturally excreted from the body. 大部分毒素被自然排出体外。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 derived   

vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取

参考例句：

• Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek. 英语很多词源出于拉丁文和希腊文。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He derived his enthusiasm for literature from his father. 他对文学的爱好是受他父亲的影响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
• There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。

18 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

19 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。