2006年VOA标准英语-Americans Get Ready for Bird Flu

By Mohamed Elshinnawi
Washington, DC
23 March 2006
 
watch US Bird Flu report

The World Health Organization says the deaths of five people in Azerbaijan have pushed the world total human deaths from H5N1 bird flu past 100.  Experts say it is only a matter of time before the virus spreads to the United States. Federal, state and local officials, companies, schools and individuals are trying to prepare for it. VOA's Mohamed Elshinnawi has more.

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The United States Congress allocated¹ $3.3 billion this year to protect Americans against bird flu. Half of that money is for vaccines³, starting with the one that fights the Vietnamese version of bird flu. 

 

Michael Leavitt (file photo)  
  

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt is relatively⁴ optimistic. "No one in the world is well prepared for a pandemic. We are better prepared now than before and we will be better prepared in the future than we are now. But it is a continuation of preparation."

The Secretary authorized⁵ work to begin on a second vaccine² based on another form of bird flu. 

 
Dr. William Schaffner
  
Dr. William Schaffner of the Vanderbilt Medical School says if either form strikes, Americans will have to take a wide range of measures. "We will be staying home, concerts won't be going on. We might close schools in some communities."

Some schoolteachers are planning on teaching courses over the Internet. Schoolteacher Paula Carreiro says, "They have been tasked with planning curriculum⁶ if the school should ever need to close for two weeks or two months."

Dr. Anothony Fauci   
  
Some Americans are stocking up on anti-viral medications such as Tamiflu, but Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of health says that is not certain to work. "We don't know how well it's going to respond or work or be helpful in pandemic circumstances."

One other possibility is buying masks to cover the nose and mouth.

Dr. Schaffner adds, "I think it's likely that they offer some protection. They don't have any side effects."

The best advice for protection may be the one offered by the Centers for Disease Control, and a lot of mothers: Wash your hands a lot.

1 allocated   

adj. 分配的 动词allocate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The Ford Foundation allocated millions of dollars for cancer research. 福特基金会拨款数百万美元用于癌症研究。
• More funds will now be allocated to charitable organizations. 现在会拨更多的资金给慈善组织。

2 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

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 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

5 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

6 curriculum   

n.课程，（学校等的）全部课程

参考例句：

• Is German on your school's curriculum?你们学校有德语课吗？
• The English curriculum should stress both composition and reading.英语课程对作文和阅读应同样重视。