VOA标准英语2014--美国人对埃博拉过度焦虑

 

Americans Anxious Over Ebola 美国人对埃博拉过度焦虑

WASHINGTON— 

A recent survey shows more than four in 10 Americans are worried they or a relative might catch the Ebola virus, even though so far there has only been three confirmed Ebola cases in the United States.

In the world of 24 hour news, it is hard to avoid reports about the Ebola threat. Some say the coverage¹ just increases Ebola anxiety among Americans.

Washington resident Jau’Nelle Hugee said Ebola just adds to her already high stress level. 

Staying healthy is how she fights back. Hugee said she feels very anxious about going to the hospital.

A new Gallup Poll shows Americans list Ebola as one of the country’s top ten problems, while another survey shows nearly half of Americans worry they or a loved one will get infected.

The American Psychological Association said misinformation causes alarm.

After the first person in the U.S. was diagnosed with Ebola and admitted into a Dallas, Texas hospital, the head of the Centers for Disease Control Thomas Frieden was optimistic there would be no other cases.

“There is no doubt in my mind that we will stop it here,” said Frieden.

Then the patient, Thomas Eric Duncan, died, and two nurses who treated him were diagnosed with Ebola.

Frieden was also confident about how the hospital would handle the Ebola case.

“Virtually any hospital in the country that has isolation² can do Ebola isolation," said Frieden.

But it was at “virtually any hospital” that the virus spread to the Dallas nurses.  And that’s what panics some Americans.

Psychologists say some anxiety is good because it increases awareness³.  But too much can be paralyzing.

Mary Alvord is a psychologist who specializes in anxiety and mood disorders⁴. She said her patients feel anxious when they aren’t in control.

“When we don’t know what’s going to happen. We don’t have the information and so then our imaginations fill in the gaps. Or conversations with other people fill in the gaps,” said Alvord.

The best advice is to get facts from the experts.  But sometimes even the experts don’t have the answers.

“I don’t think we can predict when this epidemic⁵ is going to be over,” said Anthony Faucy, an infectious disease expert with the National Institutes of Health.

 “We may not know what we don’t know,” pointed⁶ out Jesse Goodman, of the Walter Reed/Georgetown University hospital.

Here’s one thing doctors do know:  Ebola is contagious⁷... and fear can be too.

1 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

2 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

3 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

4 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

6 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

7 contagious   

adj.传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。
• He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。