天气变暖会引发多种疾病

>

27 天气变暖会引发多种疾病

DATE=5/25/01
TITLE=ENVIRONMENT REPORT - Effects of Climate Change in the United¹ States BYLINE=Cynthia Kirk

（Start at 59" ）This is Bill White with the VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT.
Government researchers in the United States say climate change could have serious health effects for Americans. They say hot weather may cause more health problems, such as heat stroke².  It also may increase （1）flooding and air pollution. 
A team of scientists from Johns Hopkins University in (2) Baltimore, Maryland examined connections between climate, weather conditions and human health risks. The (3) Global³ Change Research Program of the Environmental⁴ Protection⁵ Agency⁶ organized the research.  It is the first time that public health experts have examined the possible health effects of (4) worldwide climate change in the United States.
In recent years, the cities of Chicago, Illinois， Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and (5) Cincinnati, Ohio have had long periods of extreme⁷ heat.  Hundreds of people became sick and died.  Experts say many American cities are not prepared for severe⁸ heat. They say this problem will probably increase in the future.
Extreme weather events such as severe storms cause hundreds of deaths and injuries in the United States each year.  Researchers say climate change could increase these events.  They say rising temperatures will increase rainfall, cause sea levels to rise and increase floods and other severe weather events. 
Experts say water and food supplies could become unsafe by increases in rainfall and flooding. Weather influences the transport of （6）bacteria.
Hotter weather is also expected to increase air pollution. As air heats up, it mixes with sunlight⁹ to produce （7）ozone smog. This pollution slows the growth¹⁰ of plants and trees.  It can also damage human lungs. 
Scientists say Americans will also be at greater risk of diseases¹¹ such as （8）dengue, yellow fever and （9）malaria. These diseases are usually found in very warm climates. They are passed to humans by insects. They were once common in the United States.  Scientists say Americans could be at risk again if disease-carrying insects move to other warm and wet climates.  Scientists also say international travel can transport diseases to other countries.
The study calls for better efforts to protect the public health against the effects of air pollution, extreme heat, floods and other severe weather events. 
This VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT was written by Cynthia Kirk.

注释：
(1)  flooding[ 5flQdiN ]n.泛滥, 灌溉
(2) Baltimore[ 5bC:ltimC: ]n.巴尔的摩, 美国马里兰州的一城市
(3) global[ 5^lEubEl ]adj.球形的, 全球的
(4) worldwide[5w:ldwaId, -5waId]adj.全世界的
(5) Cincinnati[ 7sinsi5nAti ]辛辛那提[美国俄亥俄州西南部城市]
(6) bacteria[ bAk5tiEriE ]n.细菌
(7) ozone[ 5EuzEun, Eu5z- ]n.新鲜的空气, [化]臭氧
(8) dengue[ 5deN^ei ]n.[医] 登革热(一种热带传染病,骨关节及肌肉奇痛)
(9) malaria[ mE5lZEriE ]n.疟疾, 瘴气

1 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

2 stroke   

n.笔画，击打，连续的动作，中风，心跳；vt.奉承，轻抚； vi.击打，心跳...

参考例句：

• He drove in a nail with one stroke of the hammer.他一锤就把钉子敲进去了。
• He broke the lock with one stroke of the hammer.他一锤就把锁砸坏了。

3 global   

adj.全球的；球形的；世界的

参考例句：

• A global environmental meeting is going to be held here.一个全球环境会议将在这里举行。
• The report takes a global view of the company's problems.这份报告对公司的问题作了综合性的论述。

4 environmental   

adj.环境的

参考例句：

• A global environmental meeting is going to be held here.一个全球环境会议将在这里举行。
• We need to cure our environmental problems.我们需要解决环境问题。

5 protection   

n.保护，防卫，保护制度

参考例句：

• The protection of the country is the duty of everyone.保卫国家是每个人的责任。
• The young in our society need care and protection.我们社会的年轻人需要关怀和照顾。

6 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

7 extreme   

adj.末端的，尽头的；极度的，极端的；n.极度，最大程度

参考例句：

• She lived on the extreme edge of the forest.她住在森林的最边缘。
• His views are rather extreme.他的见解相当偏激。

8 severe   

adj.严格的，凶猛的，严肃的，严重的，严厉的，朴素的

参考例句：

• The severe storm did for most of the crops.猛烈的暴风雨毁掉了大部分庄稼。
• The pace was too severe to be kept up for long.跟上这步伐太难了，无法持久。

9 sunlight   

n.日光，阳光，日照

参考例句：

• The room was flooded with warm and golden sunlight.房间充满着温暖、金色的阳光。
• In the bright sunlight she had to narrow her eyes.在强烈阳光下她必须眯着双眼。

10 growth   

n.生长，栽培

参考例句：

• All living things depend on the sun for their growth.万物靠太阳生长。
• Youth is the time of physical growth.青年时期是长身体的时期。

11 diseases   

n.疾病( disease的名词复数 )；弊端；恶疾；痼疾

参考例句：

• Smoking is a causative factor in several major diseases. 抽烟是引起几种严重疾病的病因。
• The illness frequently coexists with other chronic diseases. 这种病往往与其他慢性病同时存在。