VOA慢速：WHO谈中国出现的新疫情

燕山大学 刘立军 编写

【TRANSCRIPT】

Chinese officials and the World Health Organization (WHO) are trying to contain an outbreak of pneumonia in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

Health experts suspect that the pneumonia cases could be linked to a new form of coronavirus. The virus is blamed for at least one death.

The WHO has said there may have been limited human-to-human transmission of the virus within families.

Chinese officials say a seafood market in Wuhan is thought to be at the center of the outbreak. Officials said one woman may have gotten the virus from her husband, who worked at the market. The two are among 41 people shown to have pneumonia thought to be caused by the virus.

Officials said some of the sick have denied visiting the market.

The outbreak comes two weeks before the start of the Lunar New Year holiday, when many of China's 1.4 billion people will be traveling to their hometowns or overseas.

WHO and Chinese officials are taking steps to ensure the disease does not spread.

The officials in Wuhan confirmed that Thailand has quarantined a Chinese woman. It is the first case of the mystery strain of coronavirus to be found outside of China. The woman is said to have come from Wuhan.

The coronavirus is from a family of viruses that can cause both the common cold and more serious diseases.

On Wednesday, a Hong Kong health official told reporters that the threat of human-to-human transmission remains low. Chuang Shuk-kwan said that doctors and hundreds of other people have been in close contact with infected individuals and have not been infected themselves. She spoke to reporters after returning from a visit to Wuhan.

With the Lunar New Year set to begin on January 25, the WHO called on Thai officials and the public to be on guard against the virus. Thai health officials announced Wednesday they were increasing security at airports.

The United States released a warning about the latest outbreak for American citizens in China.

I'm Susan Shand.

【VOCABULARY】

1. contain v. to prevent sth harmful from spreading or getting worse 防止…...蔓延（或恶化）。例如：

to contain an epidemic 防止流行病的蔓延

Government forces have failed to contain the rebellion. 政府军未能遏止叛乱。

2. outbreak n. the sudden start of sth unpleasant, especially violence or a disease （暴力、疾病等坏事的）爆发，突然发生。例如：

the outbreak of war 战争的爆发

an outbreak of typhoid 伤寒的爆发

Outbreaks of rain are expected in the afternoon.下午将有暴雨。

3. pneumonia n. (不可数名词) a serious illness affecting one or both lungs that makes breathing difficult 肺炎

4. coronavirus n. 冠状病毒；冠形病毒

5. quarantine v. (动词 + 名词短语) to put an animal or a person into quarantine （对动物或人）进行检疫，隔离

【QUESTIONS】 

Read the statements. Then listen to the news and decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F).

1. Chinese officials say the World Health Organization (WHO) are trying to contain an outbreak of pneumonia in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

2. Health experts suspect that the pneumonia cases could be linked to a new form of coronavirus. 

3. The WHO has said there must have been limited human-to-human transmission of the virus within families.

4. Chinese officials say a seafood market in Wuhan is thought to be at the center of the outbreak. 

5. Chinese officials said all the sick have denied visiting the market.

6. The outbreak comes one week before the start of the Lunar New Year holiday, when many of China's 1.4 billion people will be traveling to their hometowns or overseas.

7. WHO and Chinese officials are taking steps to ensure the disease does not spread.

8. The officials in Wuhan confirmed that Thailand has quarantined a Chinese man. It is the first case of the mystery strain of coronavirus to be found outside of China. 

9. The coronavirus is from a family of viruses that can cause both the common cold and more serious diseases.

10. Thai health officials announced Wednesday they were increasing security at all public places.

11. The United States released a warning about the latest outbreak for American citizens in Wuhan.

【KEY】

Read the statements. Then listen to the news and decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F).

(F)  1. Chinese officials say the World Health Organization (WHO) are trying to contain an outbreak of pneumonia in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. (正确表达) Chinese officials and the World Health Organization (WHO) are trying to contain an outbreak of pneumonia in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

(T) 2. Health experts suspect that the pneumonia cases could be linked to a new form of coronavirus. 

(F)  3. The WHO has said there must have been limited human-to-human transmission of the virus within families. (正确表达) The WHO has said there may have been limited human-to-human transmission of the virus within families.

(T) 4. Chinese officials say a seafood market in Wuhan is thought to be at the center of the outbreak. 

(F)  5. Chinese officials said all the sick have denied visiting the market. (正确表达) Chinese officials said some of the sick have denied visiting the market.

(F)  6. The outbreak comes one week before the start of the Lunar New Year holiday, when many of China's 1.4 billion people will be traveling to their hometowns or overseas. (正确表达) The outbreak comes two weeks before the start of the Lunar New Year holiday, when many of China's 1.4 billion people will be traveling to their hometowns or overseas.

(T) 7. WHO and Chinese officials are taking steps to ensure the disease does not spread.

(F)  8. The officials in Wuhan confirmed that Thailand has quarantined a Chinese man. It is the first case of the mystery strain of coronavirus to be found outside of China. (正确表达) The officials in Wuhan confirmed that Thailand has quarantined a Chinese woman. It is the first case of the mystery strain of coronavirus to be found outside of China. 

(T) 9. The coronavirus is from a family of viruses that can cause both the common cold and more serious diseases.

(F)  10. Thai health officials announced Wednesday they were increasing security at all public places. (正确表达) Thai health officials announced Wednesday they were increasing security at airports.

(F)  11. The United States released a warning about the latest outbreak for American citizens in Wuhan. (正确表达) The United States released a warning about the latest outbreak for American citizens in China.