SSS 2011-10-27
时间：2018-12-24 作者：英语课 分类：Scientific American(十)月
英语课
This is Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Sophie Bushwick. Got a minute?
West Nile virus first appeared in North America in 1999. And it quickly moved across the continent. Now a study has pinned the proliferation on a particular culprit: robins 2. The work is published in the journal Science.
A variety of animals can serve as hosts for West Nile, but the virus primarily spreads through a few species of mosquitoes that usually feed on birds, and those bird species, which become viral hosts. Robins may not be the most abundant of birds, but mosquitoes find their blood particularly tasty, frequently feeding on them and turning them into viral "super-spreaders."
In fact, the virus may be why the once-growing robin 1 population has leveled off. The mosquitoes and birds responsible for West Nile's spread abound 3 where people also live, raising the odds 4 that a mosquito that picked up the virus feeding on a robin could transmit it to a person.
Knowing that the spread of mosquito-borne disease depends on the insects' feeding habits could help researchers predict and prevent the spread of new pathogens. As Dickenson said, hope is the thing with feathers. Even if it's infected.
Thanks for the minute. For Scientific American's 60-Second Science, I'm Sophie Bushwick.
1 robin
n.知更鸟，红襟鸟
- The robin is the messenger of spring.知更鸟是报春的使者。
- We knew spring was coming as we had seen a robin.我们看见了一只知更鸟，知道春天要到了。
2 robins
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）
- 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