VOA标准英语2014--艾滋病大会聚焦研究与成果

 

AIDS Conference Wraps Up with Focus on Research, Progress 艾滋病大会聚焦研究与成果

MELBOURNE —

In 20 years, the International AIDS Conference has ballooned from a gathering¹ of some 2,000 scientists at the inaugural² 1985 meeting in Atlanta, to this year’s multi-disciplinary gathering of 12,000 scientists, activists³ and people living with the virus. The latest conference in Melbourne, Australia covered a seemingly endless array of topics, from the hard science to social issues.

At the 2014 AIDS conference, condoms are as common as toothbrushes, sex and safety are brought up in the same breath, and AIDS is no longer a death sentence, but a plausible⁴ theme for a dance party.

But this conference was not all about glitz and glam.

Improved testing, treatment

At this year’s event in Melbourne, scientists and researchers also hit hard against the disease with powerful research.

Medical advances include improvements in testing and treatment -- and, this year, a pill that may help prevent HIV transmission.

Dr. James Rooney of Gilead Sciences explains how a prevention protocol⁵, called “PrEP,” works.

“So PrEP is actually a new strategy for preventing HIV infection," he said. "It’s a strategy that uses HIV drugs that are oftentimes used for treatment, but in this case, the drugs are actually given to individuals who are at high risk for becoming infected.”

But the event was not without its own tragedy.

Just days before the conference began, six top figures in the fight against AIDS were killed when their plane was shot down over eastern Ukraine. The tragedy prompted outpourings of grief, which began with a minute of silence, led by International AIDS Society President Francoise Barre-Sinoussi.

“I would love to be telling you that we were opening this conference in happier times," she said. "The extent of the loss of our colleagues and friends is still hard for me to express. We grieve alongside all of those throughout the world who have lost family and friends in this senseless tragedy."

Celebrating progress

The week-long event also brought in some big names.

“We are here on the 20th anniversary of the conference to celebrate so much of the progress that has been made because the world made the right decision to fight AIDS and now, to create a generation free of it. We dare not walk away. And all of us should lead the way,” former U.S. president Bill Clinton said.

In a way, this tragic⁶ epidemic⁷, which has killed an estimated 39 million people since the early 1980s, has blown open previously⁸ taboo⁹ subjects. AIDS has forced the world to talk about long-simmering issues like sex, gender¹⁰ issues, inequality, violence and education.

It’s a huge price to pay, but one that AIDS activists say has paved the path for a more understanding and a more interesting and colorful world.

1 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

2 inaugural   

adj.就职的；n.就职典礼

参考例句：

• We listened to the President's inaugural speech on the radio yesterday.昨天我们通过无线电听了总统的就职演说。
• Professor Pearson gave the inaugural lecture in the new lecture theatre.皮尔逊教授在新的阶梯讲堂发表了启用演说。

3 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 plausible   

adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的

参考例句：

• His story sounded plausible.他说的那番话似乎是真实的。
• Her story sounded perfectly plausible.她的说辞听起来言之有理。

5 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

6 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

7 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。

8 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

9 taboo   

n.禁忌，禁止接近，禁止使用；adj.禁忌的；v.禁忌，禁制，禁止

参考例句：

• The rude words are taboo in ordinary conversation.这些粗野的字眼在日常谈话中是禁忌的。
• Is there a taboo against sex before marriage in your society?在你们的社会里，婚前的性行为犯禁吗？

10 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。