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（单词翻译）

This is Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Adam Hinterthuer. Got a minute?

 

If you're worried about news reports of West Nile virus, you might want to go take a census1 of the birds in your backyard. Because certain species of birds actually help the virus thrive. And they're not exactly exotic jungle fowl2. In fact, they’re our more familiar feathered friends.

 

Work on Lyme disease has shown how fragmented forests common around cities and towns are home to lots of white-footed mice, which carry that disease. Inspired by this look into the ecology of disease, researchers at Washington University turned their attention to West Nile virus. They analyzed3 mosquitoes around the St. Louis area and found that rural plots with robust4 populations of numerous bird species harbored fewer infected mosquitoes than more "citified" settings.

 

The typical urban or suburban5 backyard usually only holds a handful of bird species, like crows, grackles, house finches and robins6. And those birds are rich reservoirs for West Nile virus. Which ups the odds7 that a mosquito stalking a suburbanite8 may have recently fed on a bird carrying the virus. It's another example of how human activities alter the environment in unexpected ways that can often come back to bite us.

 

Thanks for the minute for Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Adam Hinterthue

 


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1 census arnz5     
n.(官方的)人口调查，人口普查
参考例句：
  • A census of population is taken every ten years.人口普查每10年进行一次。
  • The census is taken one time every four years in our country.我国每四年一次人口普查。
2 fowl fljy6     
n.家禽，鸡，禽肉
参考例句：
  • Fowl is not part of a traditional brunch.禽肉不是传统的早午餐的一部分。
  • Since my heart attack,I've eaten more fish and fowl and less red meat.自从我患了心脏病后，我就多吃鱼肉和禽肉，少吃红色肉类。
3 analyzed 483f1acae53789fbee273a644fdcda80     
v.分析( analyze的过去式和过去分词 )；分解；解释；对…进行心理分析
参考例句：
  • The doctors analyzed the blood sample for anemia. 医生们分析了贫血的血样。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The young man did not analyze the process of his captivation and enrapturement, for love to him was a mystery and could not be analyzed. 这年轻人没有分析自己蛊惑著迷的过程，因为对他来说，爱是个不可分析的迷。 来自《简明英汉词典》
4 robust FXvx7     
adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的
参考例句：
  • She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
  • China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。
5 suburban Usywk     
adj.城郊的，在郊区的
参考例句：
  • Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
  • There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。
6 robins 130dcdad98696481aaaba420517c6e3e     
n.知更鸟，鸫( robin的名词复数 )；（签名者不分先后，以避免受责的）圆形签名抗议书（或请愿书）
参考例句：
  • The robins occupied their former nest. 那些知更鸟占了它们的老窝。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Benjamin Robins then entered the fray with articles and a book. 而后，Benjamin Robins以他的几篇专论和一本书参加争论。 来自辞典例句
7 odds n5czT     
n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别
参考例句：
  • The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
  • Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？
8 suburbanite ih9zL0     
n. 郊区居民
参考例句：
  • Which ups the odds a mosquito a suburbanite may have recently a bird carrying the virus. 因此一只嗡嗡飞向市郊居民的蚊子，刚刚叮过带有病毒的鸟的可能性就增加了。

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