VOA慢速：中暑症状
Know the Signs of Heat Stroke
刘立军 供稿
TRANSCRIPT
The American Southwest is experiencing high temperatures and that has health officials concerned.
Along the U.S.-Mexico border, federal agents reported 10 deaths in early July. Another 45 people had to be rescued from the heat.
The city of Phoenix, Arizona may be on its way to breaking a record for most back-to-back days with a high temperature over 43 degrees Celsius. The current record was set in 1974. Even morning low temperatures in Phoenix are tying historic records.
l Signs of heat-related sickness
Health officials are advising people to limit how much time they spend outdoors and to know the warning signs of heat sickness.
Common signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke are heavy sweating and dizziness. Uncontrolled muscle movements and vomiting are also common.
Heat stroke is a serious condition that happens when the body loses its ability to control temperature. This includes losing the ability to sweat.
As a person’s body temperature reaches 39 degrees Celsius, their skin gets hot and red. Their heart rate speeds up. Their head might hurt and they may feel sick to their stomach, feel confused or even lose consciousness.
Jon Femling is an emergency medicine doctor and scientist at the University of New Mexico. He told the Associated Press that the body tries to cool itself by pumping blood to the skin. Also, as a person breathes heavily, they lose fluids and become dehydrated. A lot of sweating also leads to the loss of important nutrients, such as sodium and potassium.
Femling said that, at first, the muscles feel tired. Then organs like the kidneys, spleen and liver can start to become damaged and stop working. At the most severe level, the brain becomes affected.
Experts say it is important for people to be able to recognize when others may be suffering from heat stroke. That is because people suffering from the condition might not realize they are in danger. Confusion could influence their thinking.
If heat stroke is suspected, call 911 for emergency services. Try to lower the person’s body temperature with a cool, wet cloth or a cool bath.
Older people, children and those with health conditions face greater risk from high temperatures. High heat puts extra pressure on the cardiovascular system. The cardiovascular system includes the heart and blood vessels.
During extreme heat, experts urge people to stay indoors and to seek air-conditioned buildings. They also suggest drinking more water than usual, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, and eating lighter meals.
l Learning limits
Researchers at Arizona State University (ASU) are trying to better understand the effects of extreme heat on the body. They use a special mannequin called ANDI that has about 30 sensors. It is designed to operate like a human and even to sweat.
Jenni Vanos is a professor at ASU’s School of Sustainability. She said her team is trying to understand how people deal with extreme heat.
They use ANDI and a “warm room,” where temperatures can reach 60 degrees Celsius, to study the effects of heat.
Vanos said measuring short- and long-wave radiation in the environment can tell researchers how much a surface will heat up during the day. She added that means finding shade is a very important part of reducing the effects of heat on the human body.
l Summer storms could ease heat
Changes in weather often ease waves of extreme heat. In South Asia, the monsoon winds bring rain. But in the American Southwest, the El Niño weather event this year might prevent expected summer thunderstorms.
Sam Meltzer is a National Weather Service meteorologist. He said the coming weather will depend on winds from the Gulf of California. He added that summer storms might be delayed this year.
I’m Mario Ritter, Jr.
VOCABULARY
1. back-to-back days: 连续的天数
2. dizziness n. 头昏眼花
3. dehydrated adj.（医）脱水的
4. sodium n. (symbol Na) a chemical element. Sodium is a soft silver-white metal that is found naturally only in compounds, such as salt. 钠
5. potassium n. (symbol K) a chemical element. Potassium is a soft silver-white metal that exists mainly in compounds which are used in industry and farming. 钾
6. spleen n. a small organ near the stomach that controls the quality of the blood cells 脾脏
7. cardiovascular adj. (medical 医) connected with the heart and the blood vessels (= the tubes that carry blood around the body) 心血管的
8. mannequin n. a model of a human body, used for displaying clothes in shops / stores （商店中用于陈列服装的）人体模型
9. meteorologist n. a scientist who studies meteorology 气象学家
QUESTIONS
Listen to the news and choose the best answer to each question you hear.
1. What is the existing record that Phoenix, Arizona might break due to its high temperatures?
A) The record for the number of deaths due to heat along the U.S.-Mexico border.
B) The record for the most cases of people rescued from the heat.
C) The record for the most consecutive days with a high temperature over 43 degrees Celsius set in 1974.
D) The record for the highest morning low temperatures.
2. What actions should be taken if heat stroke is suspected?
A) Call 911 and attempt to lower the person’s body temperature.
B) Give the person caffeine and alcohol to drink.
C) Ask the person to exercise more to sweat out the heat.
D) Advise the person to stay outdoors to get accustomed to the heat.
3. According to Dr. Jon Femling, what happens to the body under extreme heat?
A) The body tries to cool itself by pumping blood to the skin and losing fluids through heavy breathing.
B) The body increases its ability to control temperature through increased sweating.
C) The body boosts its immune system to fight off the excessive heat.
D) The body increases its consumption of sodium and potassium.
4. Who are most at risk from high temperatures?
A) Teenagers and young adults.
B) Active athletes and outdoor workers.
C) Older people, children and those with health conditions.
D) People who consume a lot of caffeine and alcohol.
5. What do researchers at ASU use to study the effects of extreme heat on the body?
A) A special mannequin called ANDI with about 30 sensors.
B) Daily weather reports and climate change data.
C) Interviews with people who have suffered from heat stroke.
D) Animal models exposed to various degrees of heat.
6. According to Sam Meltzer, what factor will the upcoming weather depend on?
A) The onset of monsoon winds in South Asia.
B) The El Niño weather event.
C) Winds from the Gulf of California.
D) The occurrence of summer thunderstorms.
KEY
1. What is the existing record that Phoenix, Arizona might break due to its high temperatures?
A) The record for the number of deaths due to heat along the U.S.-Mexico border.
B) The record for the most cases of people rescued from the heat.
C) The record for the most consecutive days with a high temperature over 43 degrees Celsius set in 1974.
D) The record for the highest morning low temperatures.
【答案】C
【分析】细节题。从新闻报告中我们可以知道凤凰城、亚利桑那可能会创下连续多日最高气温超过43摄氏度的新纪录。这个记录在文本中明确提到是1974年设立的，因此选项C是正确的答案。
2. What actions should be taken if heat stroke is suspected?
A) Call 911 and attempt to lower the person’s body temperature.
B) Give the person caffeine and alcohol to drink.
C) Ask the person to exercise more to sweat out the heat.
D) Advise the person to stay outdoors to get accustomed to the heat.
【答案】A
【解析】细节题。根据新闻报告，如果怀疑有人热中暑，应该拨打911求助，并试图降低患者的体温，所以答案是选项A。
3. According to Dr. Jon Femling, what happens to the body under extreme heat?
A) The body tries to cool itself by pumping blood to the skin and losing fluids through heavy breathing.
B) The body increases its ability to control temperature through increased sweating.
C) The body boosts its immune system to fight off the excessive heat.
D) The body increases its consumption of sodium and potassium.
【答案】A
【解析】细节题。Jon Femling博士指出，身体会通过将血液泵入皮肤来冷却，而且当人们大口喘气时，会失去体内的水分，所以答案是选项A。
4. Who are most at risk from high temperatures?
A) Teenagers and young adults.
B) Active athletes and outdoor workers.
C) Older people, children and those with health conditions.
D) People who consume a lot of caffeine and alcohol.
【答案】 C
【解析】细节题。根据新闻报告，老年人、儿童和那些有健康问题的人面临高温带来的风险最大，因此答案是选项C。
5. What do researchers at ASU use to study the effects of extreme heat on the body?
A) A special mannequin called ANDI with about 30 sensors.
B) Daily weather reports and climate change data.
C) Interviews with people who have suffered from heat stroke.
D) Animal models exposed to various degrees of heat.
【答案】A
【解析】细节题。根据新闻报告，亚利桑那州立大学（ASU）的研究人员使用一个装有大约30个传感器的特殊模特——ANDI——来研究极端高温对人体的影响，因此选项A是正确答案。
6. According to Sam Meltzer, what factor will the upcoming weather depend on?
A) The onset of monsoon winds in South Asia.
B) The El Niño weather event.
C) Winds from the Gulf of California.
D) The occurrence of summer thunderstorms.
【答案】C
【解析】细节题。根据新闻，一位国家气象服务的气象学家Sam Meltzer指出即将到来的天气将取决于加利福尼亚湾的风。因此，答案是选项C。
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