本期內容：

Disease evolution: our long history of fighting viruses
疾病的演化：我們漫長的病毒斗爭史
A virus is essentially an information system(encoded in DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protective coat and shaped by evolution to ensure its own replication and survival.
病毒本質上是一種經保護層包裹、通過進化重塑來確保自身復制和存活的信息系統（編碼于DNA或RNA中）。
Antiviral drugs tend to be unique for the particular virus, or closely related family of viruses. This has made them much less available than antibacterial drugs.
抗病毒藥物往往只針對特定病毒或與之緊密關聯的“病毒家族”，這使得它們遠比抗菌藥物難以獲得。
Humans have a deep history of viral infections, but other than the molecular analysis of current or recently circulating pathogens, the data is fragmentary.
人類有著漫長的病毒感染史，然而其數據并不完整——人們只對當前或最近傳播的病原體進行過分子分析。
That may change as researchers probe more ancient DNA from Egyptian mummies, where there is evidence of lethal tuberculosis and malaria (neither of which is viral) dating 1,500 to 4,000 years back. The evidence so far suggests mummies suffered from smallpox and polio.
這一情況或將有所改變。研究人員從埃及木乃伊身上檢測到更多古代DNA，證實了致命肺結核和瘧疾(兩者均不是病毒性的)的出現可追溯至1500到4000年前。目前的證據表明，這些木乃伊生前曾患天花和小兒麻痹癥。
Using vaccination and other disease control measures, we have eliminated two virus infections that have, through the ages, caused massive economic damage and loss of life: human smallpox (1980) and bovine rinderpest (2011).
通過接種疫苗和其他疾病防控措施，我們已經消滅了兩大傳染病毒：感染人類的天花病毒（1980）和感染牛只的牛瘟病毒（2011）。長期以來，這兩種病毒造成了巨大的經濟損失和生命損失。
Another scourge, polio, is close to eradication. But problems remain with vaccine coverage (and the safety of the medical teams) in regions that are essentially war zones.
另一禍害小兒麻痹癥也幾近根除。不過，一些戰亂居多的地區仍存在疫苗覆蓋率不足（以及醫療團隊安全堪憂）的問題。

Evolution n. 進化
the Law of Evolution 進化論
essentially adv. 本質上，根本上，基本上（fundamentally or basically）
What he’s saying is essentially true.
他說的基本上是對的。
protective coat保護層
coat n. 外層物質
give the wall a coat of paint 給一堵墻上漆
replication n. 復制
replicate v. 復制
Computer viruses replicate themselves and are passed along from user to user.
計算機病毒自我復制并從一個用戶的計算機傳到另一個用戶的計算機上。
antiviral adj. 抗病毒的
anti- 反抗的，對立的
viral adj. 病毒的
viral infection 病毒性感染
sth. goes viral 某物得到了病毒式傳播
His video has now gone viral with millions of views.
他的那段小視頻得到了病毒式傳播。
antibacterial drugs 抗細菌藥物
molecular adj.分子的
molecule n. 分子
fragmentary adj. 零星的，不完整的 （existing only in small parts and not complete）
fragment n. 碎片，碎塊
fragmented adj. 支離破碎的，分裂的
This industry is highly fragmented.
這個行業的集中度非常低。
probe vt. 探查，探測（to examine sth. with a tool, esp. in order to find sth. that is hidden）
smallpox n. 天花
polio n. 脊髓灰質炎（小兒麻痹癥）
human smallpox感染人類的天花病毒
天花最早的預防方法，人痘接種法，我國在16世紀明朝時期發明的，將天花患者身上結出來的痂，磨成粉，然后吹到接種者的鼻子里。
18世紀末英國發明了危險性更小的牛痘接種法之前，人痘接種法也算是為人類防治天花做出了巨大的貢獻。
scourge n. 禍害，禍根，麻煩制造者（sth. or sb. that causes great suffering or a lot of trouble）
Aids is described as the scourge of the modern world.
艾滋病被稱為現代社會的禍害。
eradication n. 根除，消滅
eradicate v. 根除，消滅（to get rid of sth. completely or destroy sth. bad）
vaccine n. 疫苗
vaccinate v. 接種疫苗
vaccinate sb. against sth. 給某人接種某疫苗
All the children were vaccinated against the major childhood diseases.
孩子們接種了預防主要兒童疾病的疫苗。
vaccination n. 接種疫苗
Vaccination against the flu is essential in the winter.
在冬天打流感疫苗是非常有必要的。
Prevention is better than cure. 預防要比治療好。
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
防患于未然。（一盎司的預防抵得上一磅的治療。）


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