节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2012-06-15
难易度:Medium
关键字:infect, distribute, elsewhere, isolate, compromise, tuberculosis, dormant
Welcome back.
To prevent the spread of TB, it helps to know what the symptoms are.
The first and most obvious sign of TB is chest pain and the coughing up of
blood.
If you or someone you know has this symptom, medical help should be sought
immediately.
Let's return to our reading now at the top of page 33.
Tuberculosis.
While most common in the developing world, TB is far from uncommon elsewhere.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that one-third of the world's
population is infected with the bacteria that cause TB.
Fortunately, in most people the body isolates the bacteria, so the infection
remains dormant for years - often never developing into the disease.
All this changes, though, when an infected person's immune system is
compromised.
As a result, people who are sick, use drugs or have a very low body weight are
also at higher risk of developing TB.
So we know tuberculosis is still around.
Unfortunately, it's all too real.
It still exists.
And we learned that it's not evenly distributed around the world affecting most
commonly people who are poor,
don't have access to healthcare, and actually in areas such as Africa and
Southeast Asia.
Right. And now we see it's most common in the developing world.
We've talked about what the developing world is before.
That's an area that is growing economically.
It is becoming more developed.
That's right. So it is common in this, but it is... it is far from uncommon
elsewhere.
So even though it is most commonly in one area, it is far from uncommon
elsewhere.
Right. And the word "elsewhere" means it has to do with a different place.
So that means it's common in the developed world, but it's also elsewhere.
It's also in other places.
Now this sentence is a high-level sentence, and has some great grammar in it.
So we're going to visit Liz with Grammar on the Go.
Hi, friends. How are you doing today?
My name is Liz.
And it's time for Grammer on the Go.
We read in today's article:
While most common in the developing world, TB is far from uncommon elsewhere.
That's our Grammar Tip sentence.
Notice the phrase, far from.
Normally when we talk about a subject being far from something, we're talking
about the distance, like: The supermarket is far from here.
But in the case of today's sentence, "far from" has a different meaning.
We're not talking about the distance between two things.
Instead, this phrase means "certainly not." So today's sentence just means: TB
is certainly not uncommon.
We use this expression "far from" when we want to emphasize how something is
definitely not a certain way.
For example, after driving for four hours, we thought we had arrived at our
destination.
The truth was we had to still drive five more hours.
So we can say: Our trip was far from over; we still had five more hours to go.
Or let's suppose you heard some people criticize a certain new movie.
They think the movie is really boring.
But you think it's actually very interesting.
So you can say: The movie is far from boring; I think it's very interesting.
So give this phrase a try next time when you find yourself in a situation that
requires you to describe how something is definitely not a certain way.
And if you want to see some more example sentences, they're available in today's
Grammar Tip section in your Studio Classroom magazine.
That's it for today.
This is Liz with Grammar on the Go signing off.
Bye-bye.
Thank you, Liz.
So tuberculosis is usually found in developing areas, but it can also be found
in other places as well.
The World Health Organization, or WHO, estimates that one-third of the world's
population is infected with the bacteria that causes TB.
Now the World Health Organization is internationally known as a helping
organization in poor countries or in traumatic catastrophe situations.
Now they do a lot of research according to different health things, hence their
name,
so they would be the ones who would know how would this affect the world as a
whole, not just individual countries.
Right. So they can tell us now that many people actually do have this bacteria;
they know this for a fact.
But for most people, even though they have that bacteria, they usually are able
to isolate that bacteria in their body.
Well, to "isolate" something means to separate it from something else that
usually it would mix with.
So we could use "isolate" when we talk about maybe a child who has been bad.
You need to isolate them as punishment from their friends, which means you
separate them.
So Ryan, how does the body isolate this kind of bacteria?
Well, the body usually separates it where it stays away from the rest of the
body, and it'll stay there dormant for years.
And if something is "dormant," that means it isn't growing right now but it
could later.
Now it can remain dormant, as you said.
But sometimes it wouldn't... wouldn't ever affect the boby.
If we say sometimes "dormant," it means it could affect the body later, but
often it would never develop into the disease.
But this would only be in bodies that can isolate it with a healthy system.
Right, with whose bodies are able to isolate that bacteria.
Well, all of that information changes, though, when an infected person's immune
system is compromised.
Now a person's immune system is the part of your body they keeps you healthy.
It is trying to kill diseases that includes all different parts of your... your
body and your blood to help you stay healthy.
Now if it's "compromised," this isolated dormant bacteria can form into the
disease.
Right. And if an immune system or if anything is compromised, that means it
doesn't function the way that it's supposed to.
It doesn't work anymore.
That's right.
So if your immune system doesn't work, it will no longer remain dormant.
Exactly. And then that infection will begin to grow.
And that's when tuberculosis actually becomes the disease that it is.
That's right.
As a result, people who are sick, use drugs or have a very low body weight are
also at risk of developing TB.
So not only in developing countries or in poor systems, but people that are also
affected by other things:
They're just unhealthy, maybe they use drugs, or maybe they're underweight.
OK. Now why would they be at a higher risk for developing TB?
Because under all of these circumstances - with a low body weight,
by using drugs or any kind of bad... things for your system - you run the risk
of compromising your immune system.
And you need that to stay healthy.
Absolutely. So if you feel like you fit into any of these categories, do what
you can to stay healthy.
You'll avoid drugs, make sure you are not too thin, and also make sure that you
try not to get sick.
Wear those masks.
That's right.
Talk to your doctor if you feel like you could be at risk for... tuberculosis.
We're going to talk a little bit more about this disease tomorrow.
But for now, let's watch today's skit.
It's me, tuberculosis!
Oh... I'm sorry, who are you?
Have you forgotten?
My name is tuberculosis.
But you can call me TB.
Oh, TB. Yeah. That name does sound familiar.
I am a disease that spread through the air.
I infect billions, and I am increasingly difficult to treat.
Tuberculosis.
You sound like something from... the sci-fi movie.
Unfortunately for you, I am all too real.
The fever, fatigue and coughing up blood...
Yeah. In today's world, I only see your symptoms in movies.
Oh. That's because I am not evenly distributed.
I am most common in the developing world.
I affect those who are sick, poor and have little access to healthcare.
And uncommon everywhere else.
I am far from uncommon elsewhere.
The World Health Organization estimates that one-third of the world's population
is infected with my bacteria.
Then why aren't more people sick?
The body isolates my bacteria.
The infection can remain dormant for years.
Good for us, bad for you.
But later I develop when an infected person's immune system is compromised.
Tuberculosis, you don't scare me.
My body is very strong.
Then I'll look for people that are sick or use drugs or have a low body weight.
High risk people, where are you?
Hi, everyone. I'm Michelle.
(Chinese).
And I guess it's time for us to say goodbye. Goodbye and take care.
Interesting, someone can have TB but not be sick because the TB bacteria are
dormant.
This leads us to this lesson's English Corner question:
Would you be willing to spend time with a person who you know has TB even if
they're not contagious?
Log on to StudioClassroom.com and chime in with your opinion.
And while you're there, download this lesson's worksheet.
Use it to cement what you've learned into your brain.
OK. Don't forget to speak a little English today and take your ability to a new
level.
Friends, see you alltomorrow.