VOA标准英语2015--美前总统卡特功绩:帮助消灭麦地那龙线虫病
时间：2018-12-16 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2015年(九月)
End of Guinea Worm in Sight for Carter Center 美前总统卡特功绩:帮助消灭麦地那龙线虫病
ATLANTA, GEORGIA—
Dracunculiasis is a parasitic 1 infection that once afflicted 2 millions primarily in Africa and parts of South Asia. Thanks to the efforts of former President Jimmy Carter and the Atlanta-based Carter Center working with government health ministries 3, the disease historically known as Guinea Worm is on the verge 4 of becoming a historical footnote.
During Carter’s August announcement he was battling cancer, he made it clear he has plenty left to do. One big wish:
“I would like for the last Guinea Worm to die before I do," he said.
Guinea Worm is relatively 5 unknown in the developed world. But elsewhere, it is a feared parasite 6 that infects humans through contaminated drinking water. It grows and causes excruciating pain when emerging through the skin.
The global campaign to wipe out the disease started at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“In 1980 CDC proposed that if we wanted to assess sustainable development, clean water systems around the world, the eradication 7 of Guinea Worm would be an indicator 8 of whether we’ve been able to do that," said CDC Director Tom Frieden.
In 1986, the World Health Assembly adopted a resolution calling for the complete eradication of Guinea Worm. That’s when the Carter Center stepped in.
“We started out with 3.6 million cases. And I think we have two cases in South Sudan and one case in Ethiopia and one case in Mali and seven cases in Chad. That’s all the guinea worms in the world, and we know where all of them are," said Carter.
The path to complete eradication depends on Carter Center initiatives to monitor and filter drinking water.
“It’s just an historic effort to be able to drive the incidence of disease from an estimated 3.5 million cases in 1986 to only 14 cases today as of today," said Director of Guinea Worm Eradication Program, Ernesto Ruiz-Tiben.
If those 14 cases are the last ones on earth, Guinea Worm would join smallpox 9 as only the second human disease in history to be eradicated 10.
“To think that because of President Carter’s leadership and work, and the CDC and our partners around the world, 80 million people will not have to go through that torture. That is a legacy 11 that is just unbelievable and inspiring," said Frieden.
For the World Health Organization to declare Guinea Worm eradicated, there must be zero cases of the disease for three calendar years.
“The pressure is on us to try to finish what remains 12 to be done as soon as possible," said Ruiz-Tiben.
- Will global warming mean the spread of tropical parasitic diseases?全球变暖是否意味着热带寄生虫病会蔓延呢？
- By definition,this way of life is parasitic.从其含义来说，这是种寄生虫的生活方式。
- About 40% of the country's population is afflicted with the disease. 全国40%左右的人口患有这种疾病。
- A terrible restlessness that was like to hunger afflicted Martin Eden. 一阵可怕的、跟饥饿差不多的不安情绪折磨着马丁·伊登。
- Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
- The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。
- The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
- She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。
- 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。
- The lazy man was a parasite on his family.那懒汉是家里的寄生虫。
- I don't want to be a parasite.I must earn my own way in life.我不想做寄生虫，我要自己养活自己。
- The eradication of an established infestation is not easy. 根除昆虫蔓延是不容易的。
- This is often required for intelligent control and eradication. 这经常需要灵巧的控制与消除。
- Gold prices are often seen as an indicator of inflation.黃金价格常常被看作是通货膨胀的指标。
- His left-hand indicator is flashing.他左手边的转向灯正在闪亮。
- In 1742 he suffered a fatal attack of smallpox.1742年，他染上了致命的天花。
- Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child?你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？
- Polio has been virtually eradicated in Brazil. 在巴西脊髓灰质炎实际上已经根除。
- The disease has been eradicated from the world. 这种疾病已在全世界得到根除。